Hemchandra Bandopadhyay
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Hemchandra Bandopadhyay | |
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হেমচন্দ্র বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় | |
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| Born | April 17, 1838 Gulita, Rajballavhat village, Hooghly |
| Died | May 24, 1903 (aged 65) |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Known for | Bengali poet |
Hemchandra Bandopadhyay (Bengali: হেমচন্দ্র বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়, romanized: Hēmacandra bandyōpādhyāẏa, April 17, 1838 – May 24, 1903) was a student of Hindu College and a graduate of the University of Calcutta. Among the poets succeeding Michael Madhusudan Dutt, he was one of the most renowned of his time. Hemchandra's significant contribution to the tradition of Bengali epic poetry lies in evoking a fervent sense of patriotism.
Birth and early life
[edit]Hemchandra Bandopadhyay's ancestral home was in Uttarpara village, Hooghly. He was born into a distinguished lineage in Gulatiya village near Rajbalhat.[1] He was the eldest among four brothers and two sisters. His father, Kailashchandra Bandopadhyay, lived in dire poverty. Leveraging his aristocratic lineage, Kailashchandra married Anandamayi, the only daughter of Rajchandra Chakraborty, a solicitor of the Kolkata court, who resided in Gulatiya and Rajballabhat villages. Following the marriage, Kailashchandra lived with his in-laws, being entirely dependent on his father-in-law as he lacked any substantial occupation. When Hemchandra was studying at the Khidirpur Bangla School in Kolkata, his grandfather, Rajchandra Chakraborty, passed away, plunging the family into financial hardship. Consequently, Hemchandra's education came to a halt. However, in 1853, Prasannakumar Sarvadhikari, the principal of the Kolkata Sanskrit College, facilitated his admission into the senior school division of Hindu College in Kolkata, enrolling him in the second standard. In 1855, Hemchandra secured the second position in the Junior Scholarship Examination and was awarded a monthly stipend of ten rupees. That same year, he married Kamini Devi, the daughter of Kalinath Mukhopadhyay of Bhawanipur, Kolkata. Later, in 1857, he achieved fourth place in the Senior Scholarship Examination, earning a monthly stipend of twenty-five rupees for two years. When the scholarship tenure ended during his fourth-year studies, Hemchandra was forced to abandon his education.[2]
Professional life
[edit]In 1859, Hemchandra began his career as a clerk in the Military Audit Office. Later, he was appointed as the headmaster of the Calcutta Training Academy. After earning his LL.B. degree in 1861, he commenced his legal practice at the Calcutta High Court. In 1862, he was appointed to the position of Munsif (a junior judicial officer). However, within a few months, he returned to practicing law at the High Court and successfully completed his Bachelor of Laws (B.L.) degree in 1866. In April 1890, he was appointed as a government pleader.[3]
Poetry and literary pursuits
[edit]Hemchandra is basically known as a patriotic and celebrated poet. His most famous opus is the epic poem, Vrittasamhara (The Slaying of Vritra), published in two volumes between 1875 and 1877. He used mythological allegories to rally against tyranny in that masterpiece. In July 1872, his poem Bharat Sangeet (The Song of India) was published in the Education Gazette, drawing the ire of the colonial government. The direct and unmistakable appeal of the poem for Indians to free themselves from bondage brought both Hemchandra and the editor Bhudev Mukhopadhyay under government scrutiny, compelling the latter to explain himself before the higher-ups. Hemchandra was, in other words, the first national poet who could dream of a united and independent India.[3] Through other works such as Bharatbilap (The Lament for India), Kalachakra (The Wheel of Time), Ripan Utsav (The Ripon Festival), Bharater Nidravanga (India's Awakening), Ganga (The Ganges), and Janmabhumi (The Motherland), Hemchandra spread messages of patriotism and nationalistic fervor.[4] His literary journey began with his first poem collection, Chintatarangini (1861). Among his notable works, the epic Vrittasamhara stands as his magnum opus. His other significant creations include:
- Chintatarangini (1861) – his debut poetry collection
- Birbahu (1864)
- Ashakanan (1876)
- Sangarupaka Kabya
- Chhayamayi (1880)
- Bibidha Kavita (Various Poems, 1300 Bangla Year)
- Dash Mahavidya (The Ten Great Wisdoms, 1882)[5]
Short poems
[edit]- Jiban Sangeet (The Song of Life) – A philosophical adaptation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's A Psalm of Life
- Bharat Sangeet (The Song of India).
- Bharat Bilap (The Lament for India).
- Gangar Utpatti (The Origin of the Ganges).
- Padmer Mrinal (The Lotus Stem).
- Bharat Kahini (The Tale of India).
- Ashoktaru (The Ashoka Tree).
- Kulin Kanyaganer Akhep (The Lament of Aristocratic Daughters)
Death
[edit]In the twilight of his life, the poet Hemchandra lived in extreme poverty, nearly blind.[4] On May 24, 1903, he dies in Khidirpur, Kolkata.
References
[edit]- ^ "আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা - হাওয়াবদল| Anandabazar Patrika - Travelogue, Photography, Recipe, Cuisine, Travel News". archives.anandabazar.com. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Hossain, Selina; Islam, Nurul, eds. (February 1997). বাংলা একাডেমী চরিতাভিধান [Bangla Academy Biographical Dictionary] (in Bengali). Bangla Academy. pp. 442–443.
- ^ a b Sengupta, Subodh; Basu, Anjali, eds. (November 2013). সংসদ বাঙালি চরিতাভিধান [Sangsad Bengali Biographical Dictionary] (in Bengali). Vol. 1. Sahitya Sangsad. pp. 873–874. ISBN 978-81-7955-135-6.
- ^ a b Chattopadhyay, Abhik, ed. (2019). হেমন্ত মুখোপাধ্যায় -আনন্দধারা [Hemanta Mukhopadhyay - Anandadhara] (in Bengali). Kolkata: Saptrishi Prakashan. p. 91. ISBN 978-93-8270-654-0.
- ^ Islam, Rafiqul; Zafar, Mohammad Abu; Haque, Abul Kashem Fazlul, eds. (July 1990). কবিতা সংগ্রহ [Poetry Collection] (in Bengali). University of Dhaka. pp. 451–452.