Short stories from the 1960s – II

Deb Sahitya Kutir annuals & new teen mag Kishore Bharati continue the two-syllabic title trend.

1966 – Bhasha

1967 – Tel / Keley Ghenna Ghanada

1968 – Mati

1968 – Dhulo

1969 – Map

1969 – Kada

1969 – Nach

Symmetry-freak Poirot would have wished all Ghanada tales had two-syllabic titles.

But Ghanada Kulpi Khan Na should not be truncated to Kulpi. Or Ghanadake Vote Din to Vote. Icecream or election is not the key player there.

 

Bhasha

(Language), 1966

A dive into the sea with the villainous Count

First Published: 1966, Arunachal, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Ghanadar Juri Nei, 1970

Illustrations: Dhiren Baul

Bhasha from the Puja annual Arunachal, 1966

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

Bhasha from Ghanadar Juri Nei (1970, 1993)

Artist: Dhiren Baul, Ajit Gupta

Bhasha from Ghanada Kishore Omnibus (1990)

Publisher: Kamini Prakashalay

Artist: Amal Chattopadhyay Harshabardhaner Shathey Ghanada O Tenida (1995)

Publisher: Das Sahitya Kutir
Artist: Anjan Ghosh

Tel / Keley Ghenna Ghanada

(Oil), 1967

First Published: 1967, Mahalaya, Benubeena, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Ghanadar Juri Nei, 1970

Illustrations: Dhiren Baul

Tel subsequently appeared as Keley Ghenna Ghanada in the Pakshiraj annual of 1977.
A clarification declared that the actual title intended was
Teley Ghenna Ghanada

Boxed! Ghanashyam helps Dugan settle into the wooden crate.

Tel from the Puja annual Benubeena, 1967

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

Tel from Ghanadar Juri Nei (1970, 1993)

Artist: Dhiren Baul, Ajit Gupta

Tel published as Keley Ghenna Ghanada in Pakshiraj annual, 1977

Artist: Probhat Karmakar.

The actual title intended was Teley Ghenna Ghanada.

Mati

(Soil), 1968

Surya Roy (1913 - 1979)

First Published: 1968, Sharodiya Kishore Bharati

Illustrations: Surya Roy

First featured in the book: Ghanadar Juri Nei, 1970

Illustrations: Dhiren Baul

Mati from Sharodiya Kishore Bharati, 1968

Artist: Surya Roy

 The first Ghanada featured in the new juvenile periodical Kishore Bharati-s Puja annual.

. Surya Roy (1913 – 1979) ‘s first Ghanada venture. This year he also gifted us an unforgettable ‘minimal’ sketch for Tupi in the Premendra Mitra anthology: Ek Jahaj Galpo: Moyurponkhi (1968)

Mati from Ghanadar Juri Nei (1970, 1993)

Artist: Dhiren Baul, Ajit Gupta

Dhulo

(Dust), 1968

First Published: 1968, Indraneel, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Jnar Nam Ghanada, 1971

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

The narrator of the Ghanada tales is finally assigned an identity: Sudhir, incidentally the author’s own pet name.

Dhulo from the Puja annual Indraneel, 1968

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

Dhulo from Jnar Nam Ghanada (1971)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

Dhulo from Ghanadar Bachhai Galpo (1992)

Artist: Dilip Das

Map

(Measure), 1969

First Published: May 1969, Kishore Bharati

Illustrations: Bibhuti Sengupta

First featured in the book: Ghanadar Juri Nei, 1970

Illustrations: Dhiren Baul

Boarder Shibu’s full name first revealed as Shibdas, combined hand Banwari’s as Banwarilal.

  • A plump Ghanada by Bibhuti Sengupta, does not resemble the Kishore Bharati staple Surya Roy’s prototype

Map  from Kishore Bharati, May, 1969

Artist: Bibhuti Sengupta

Map from Ghanadar Juri Nei (1970, 1993)

Artist: Dhiren Baul, Ajit Gupta

Map  from Kishore Jnan Bijnan annual (1980)

Artist: Dhiren Baul, Unknown

Kada

(Mud), 1969

First Published: 1969, Shuksharee, Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book: Jnar Nam Ghanada, 1971

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

Tale teller Ghanada and adventurer Ghanashyam both don spectacles after a considerable gap

Kada from the Puja annual Shuksharee, 1969

Artist: Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

Kada from Jnar Nam Ghanada (1971)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

Kada from Ghanadar Bachhai Galpo (1992)

Artist: Dilip Das

Nach

(Dance), 1969

First Published: 1969, Sharodiya Kishore Bharati

Illustrations: Surya Roy

First featured in the book: Jnar Nam Ghanada, 1971

Illustrations: Ajit Gupta

Ajit Gupta’s headpiece for Nach uncomfortably echoes the one by Surya Roy. ‘Ah ar’-s cryptic letter and the original bee-dance diagrams, were retained in all subsequent reprints

Nach from Sharodiya Kishore Bharati, 1969

Artist: Surya Roy

Nach from Jnar Nam Ghanada (1971)

Artist: Ajit Gupta

Nach from Ghanadar Bachhai Galpo (1992)

Artist: Dilip Das