Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay was a renowned Indian Bengali author, known for his poignant and evocative portrayals of rural life in Bengal. He was born on September 12, 1894, in Ghoshpara-Muratipur village in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. His father, Mahananda Bandyopadhyay, was a scholar and a Sanskrit pundit, and his mother, Mrinalini Devi, was a homemaker.
Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
Bibhutibhushan had a difficult childhood. His father died when he was only six years old, and he was sent to live with his maternal uncle in the village of Barakpur. Despite these challenges, he showed a keen interest in literature and was an avid reader from a young age. He attended a local school in Barakpur and later went to Surendranath College in Calcutta, where he studied philosophy.
Bibhutibhushan started his career as a teacher but soon left the profession to become a full-time writer. He published his first novel, Pather Panchali, in 1929, which became an instant hit and was later made into a critically acclaimed movie by the filmmaker Satyajit Ray. The novel tells the story of a poor family living in a rural village in Bengal and their struggle to survive in the face of poverty, illness, and death.
Bibhutibhushan went on to write several other novels, including Aparajito, Aranyak, and Chander Pahar, which are considered classics of Bengali literature. His writing style was characterized by a simple yet powerful prose that captured the essence of rural life in Bengal. His novels are also known for their vivid descriptions of nature and the environment.
Apart from his literary contributions, Bibhutibhushan was also a social activist and a philanthropist. He was actively involved in the Indian independence movement and worked to improve the lives of the poor and marginalized sections of society.
Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay died on November 1, 1950, in Ghatshila, Jharkhand, at the age of 56. His legacy lives on through his works, which continue to inspire generations of readers and writers in India and around the world.
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