Ghanada-Gallery

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Short stories from 1940s
Short stories from 1960s

Short stories from the 1950s

 

Tall tale. Tiny title. Ghanada’s USP lay in two-syllabic names. Robinson Crusoe Meye Chhilen breaks this trend.

Ajit Gupta re-defines our hero’s look in the first published book.

1950 – Knach

1952 / Earlier – Robinson Crusoe Meye Chhilen

1952 – Tupi

1952 – Lattu

1953 – Dada

1954 – Phuto

1955 – Dnat

1957 – Hnash

1958 – Suto

1959 – Shishi

Knach 

(Glass), 1950

First Published: 1950, Udayan, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Ghanadar Galpo, 1956

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

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Knach from the Puja annual Udayan (1950)

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

From Knach onwards, Protul Bandyopadhyay‘s Ghanashyam appeared equally old in the present & flashback sequences. A rare expresson of surprise on Gupta-Ghanada’s wooden visage.

 Narendra Dutt’s Ghanashyam resembles Oliver Hardy!

[From Premendra Mitrer Shera Galpo, 1950]

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Knach from Ghanadar Galpo (1956, 1986)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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Knach from Ghanada Choturmukh (1968), Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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From Premendra Mitrer Shera Galpo (1950)

Publisher: Chakrabarty & Chatterjee

Artist: Narendra Dutt

Heere Moti Panna (1978)

Publisher: Annapurna Prakashan

Artist: Unknown

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From a Hindi translation

Artist: Ajit Gupta

Robinson Crusoe Meye Chhilen

(Crusoe Was a Girl), 1952 or Earlier

First Published in: Unknown

First incorporated in the book: Premendra Mitrer Sreshtho Galpo, 1952

Publisher: Navana

Illustrator: Unknown

(Annada Munshi, Indra Dugar, Kalikinkar Ghosh Dastidar were the four illustrators of this book)

Also featured in the book: Ghanada Toshyo Toshyo Omnibus, 1983

Illustrations: None

Headpiece for Robinson Crusoe Meye Chhilen

From Premendra Mitrer Sreshtho Galpo, 1952

Publisher: Navana

Artist: Unknown

First to feature Ghanashyam’s alternate audience of elderly evening strollers: Ramsharan, Shibapada, Harisadhan and Bhabataran. In the 1952 book version, Bhabataran is called Chintaharan.

​ First one placed outside the 72 Banamali Nashkar Lane mess. Backdrop: South Kolkata Lake.

​First and only story where our hero or his predecessors have no role to play.

​ First with a prominent female character.

​First Ghanada aimed at mature readers.

 First instance (of several) where we’ll beg you to help us with info, pix etc.

Robinson Crusoe Meye Chhilen-s first appearance is unknown.

Obviously it was before being added to the anthology Premendra Mitrer Sreshtho Galpo in 1952. Can anyone give us a clue ?

Treated more often as a neutral short story, than part of the Ghanada oeuvre, this amazing tale slipped between the covers of several Premendra anthologies.

None illustrated unfortunately

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Tupi 

(Hat), 1952

First Published: 1952, Parashmani, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Ghanadar Galpo, 1956

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

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Tupi from the Puja annual Parashmani (1952)

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

The mess’ address was first mentioned in Tupi: 72 Banamali Nashkar Lane

Fun to compare the two off-beat Abominable Snowmen who meet our adorable showman, six years before Tintin does.

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Tupi from Ghanadar Galpo (1956, 1986)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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Tupi from Ghanada Choturmukh (1968), Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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From Ek Jahaj Galpo – Moyurponkhi (1968)

Publisher: Vidyoday Library

Artist: Surya Roy

Ghanadar Bachhai Galpo (1992)

Publisher: Sarkar and Co.

Artist: Dilip Das

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From English & Hindi translations

Artist: Subir Roy, Ajit Gupta

Lattu 

(Top), 1952

First Published: 1952, Tapoban, Sarat Sahitya Bhaban Puja annual

Illustrations: Unknown

First featured in the book: Ghanadar Galpo, 1956

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

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Lattu from the Puja annual Tapoban (1952)

Artist: Unknown

Headpiece by an unknown artist is the only graphic from the final Ghanada story featured in a Sarat Sahitya Bhaban annual

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Tupi from Ghanadar Galpo (1956, 1986)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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Lattu from Ghanada Choturmukh (1968), Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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From Heere Moti Panna (1978)

Publisher: Annapurna Prakashani

Artist: Unknown

Ghanadar Bachhai Galpo (1992)

Publisher: Sarkar and Co.

Artist: Dilip Das

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From English & Hindi translations

Artist: Subir Roy, Ajit Gupta

Dada 

(Elder Brother), 1953

First Published: 1953, ‘Bashudhara’, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Adwityo Ghanada, 1959

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

Protul Chandra & Ajit Gupta’s representation of our hero’s so-called elder brother, who occupies the roof-top room in his absence.

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Lattu from Ghanada Choturmukh (1968), Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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From Heere Moti Panna (1978)

Publisher: Annapurna Prakashani

Artist: Unknown

Ghanadar Bachhai Galpo (1992)

Publisher: Sarkar and Co.

Artist: Dilip Das

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From English & Hindi translations

Artist: Subir Roy, Ajit Gupta

Phuto 

(Hole), 1954

First Published: 1954, Indradhanu, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Adwityo Ghanada, 1959

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

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Phuto from the Puja annual Indradhanu (1954)

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

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Phuto from Adwityo Ghanada (1959, 1988)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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Phuto from Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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From Ghanadar Bachhai Galpo (1992)

Publisher: Sarkar and Co.

Artist: Dilip Das

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From English translation

Artist: Subir Roy

Dnat 

(Teeth), 1955

First Published: 1955, Debalay, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Adwityo Ghanada, 1959

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

 

The Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual of 1956 carried the poem Ghanar Bachon, instead of a story.

In both Phuto & Dnat Protul Chandra’s adventurer Ghanashyam wore specs even in the flashback sequences.

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Dnat from the Puja annual Debalay (1955)

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

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Dnat from Adwityo Ghanada (1959, 1988)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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Dnat from Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

Also see Suto, 1958

Hnash 

(Duck), 1957

First Published: 1957, Nawbopotrika, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Adwityo Ghanada, 1959

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

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Hnash from the Puja annual

Nawbopotrika (1957)

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

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Hnash from Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

A new listener joins the gang of four. Bapi Dutta also crops up in Suto

Our hero disguised as a ‘Dokpa’ or Tibetan herdsman

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Same situation. Same artist. Different sketches.

Illustrator: Dilip Das

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Hnash from Adwityo Ghanada (1959, 1988)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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From an English translation

Artist: Subir Roy

From Ek Jahaj Galpo – Mawkormukhi (1969)

Publisher: Vidyoday Library

Artist: Surya Roy

Ghanadar Bachhai Galpo (1992)

Publisher: Sarkar and Co.

Artist: Dilip Das

Bhanumatir Bagh (2002)

Publisher: Nirmal Book Agency

Artist: Dilip Das

Ad for

Ek Jahaj Galpo

 

Suto 

(Thread), 1958

Aparajita, Deb Sahitya Kutir Puja annual. Cover: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First Published: 1958, Aparajita, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Adwityo Ghanada, 1959

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

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Suto from the Puja annual Aparajita (1958)

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

This illustration from Dnat [Adwityo Ghanada] seems more relevant to Suto.

Here the famous four peek into Ghanada’s room, where he’s enjoying a solitary lunch.

In Dnat they visit him in the morning with a plate of croquette.

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Suto from Adwityo Ghanada (1959, 1988)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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Suto from Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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From Ghanada Kishore Omnibus (1990)

Publisher: Kamini Prakashalay

Artist: Amal Chattopadhyay

Shishi 

(Phial), 1959

First Published: 1959, Dol Yatra, Deb Deul, Dev Sahitya Kutir annual

Illustrations: Balaibandhu Roy

First featured in the book: Abar Ghanada, 1963

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

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Shishi from the annual Deb Deul (1959)

Artist: Balaibandhu Roy

 In  his two ventures, Balaibandhu Roy followed the Protul-pattern of realistic illustrations, probably to maintain the Dev Sahitya Kutir Ghanada tradition of the last decade.

Ghanashyam caught between a revolver and a double-barrel.

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Shishi from Abar Ghanada (1963, 2003)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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Shishi from Aphuronto Ghanada (1976)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

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From Chhotoder Omnibus (1974) by Premendra Mitra

Artist: Unknown

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From English & Hindi translations

Artist: Subir Roy, Ajit Gupta

Short stories from 1940s
Short stories from 1960s

Juvenile fiction in Bengali is dominated by the ‘Da’-s. Tenida, Pheluda, Wrijuda, Pindida….

Ghanashyam Das was among the first to popularise this trend.

Ghanada’s zany yarns were originally decorated with a set of uber-cool drawings complementing his persona.
Sadly, only a sprinkling is gettable at present.

This website, a companion to our Facebook Page ‘Ghanada‘, ventures to display the illustrious Ghanada illustrations.

And more… if you’re keen!

WE ARE NOT THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS OF ANY OF THE MATERIALS [ BOOKS, ILLUSTRATIONS, ARTICLES ETC. ]
DISPLAYED IN THIS WEBSITE.

‘GHANADA GALLERY’ IS NOT A COMMERCIAL VENTURE.

Saurabh Datta
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