''Kallol'' ( bn, কল্লোল) refers to one of the most influential literary movements in

Bengali literature Bengali literature ( bn, বাংলা সাহিত্য, Bangla Sahityô) denotes the body of writings in the Bengali language and which covers Old Bengali, Middle- Bengali and Modern Bengali with the changes through the passage of time ...

, which can be placed approximately between 1923 and 1935. The name ''Kallol'' of the ''Kallol group'' derives from a magazine of the same name (which translates as 'the sound of waves' in

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

). ''Kallol'' was the main mouthpiece for a group of young writers starting their careers around that time including

Premendra Mitra Premendra Mitra (4 September 1904 – 3 May 1988)Samsad Bengali Charitabhidhan Vol.II edited Anjali Bose, Published by Sagitta Samsad, Kolkata, Edition January,2019,Page-240 was an Indian poet, writer and film director in the Bengali language. ...

Kazi Nazrul Islam , pseudonym = bn, ধূমকেতু, Dhūmketu , image = Nazrul.jpg , image_size = , caption = Nazrul in Chittagong, 1926 , birth_date = 11 ''Joiṣṭhyô'', 1306 '' Bônggabdô ...

, and

Buddhadeb Basu Buddhadeva Bose (; 1908–1974), also spelt Buddhadeb Bosu, was an Indian Bengali writer of the 20th century. Frequently referred to as a poet, he was a versatile writer who wrote novels, short stories, plays and essays in addition to poetry. ...

. A number of other magazines that followed ''Kallol'' can also be placed as part of the general movement. These include ''Uttara'' (1925), ''Pragati'' (1926), ''Kalikolom'' (1926), and ''Purbasha'' (1932).

History

In 1921,

Gokulchandra Nag Gokulchandra Nag ( bn, গোকুলচন্দ্র নাগ) ( 28 June 1894 - 24 September 1925), was a Bengali writer and artist, best known as one of the founding members of the Kallol literary group and circle during early twent ...

, Dineshranjan Das, Sunita Debi, and Manindralal Basu set up the "Four Arts Club" at Hazra Road in

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

to discuss and practice literature, painting, music, and drama. The four members published an anthology of short stories in 1922 named ''Jhorer Dola'' ("The Sway of the Storm"). The Four Arts Club did not last, but Dineshranjan Das and Gokulchandra Nag established a magazine and a literary circle in 1923, which they named ''Kallol''. The regular '' adda'', or literary discussion, would be held at Dineshranjan's house at Patuatola Lane, Kolkata.

Influence

The ''Kallol'' circle was perhaps the first conscious literary movement to embrace

modernism Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

. However, the general literary atmosphere was not entirely receptive of such a radical break from the critically and popularly acclaimed

humanism Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential and agency of human beings. It considers human beings the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The meaning of the term "human ...

of Tagore. Another major literary establishment of the day, ''

Shanibarer Chithi ''Shanibarer Chithi'' (meaning ''the Saturday Letter'' in English) was a monthly Bengali literary magazine published by Shaniranjan Press in Kolkata, India. It was founded in 1929 by Ashok Chattopadhyay as the conservative response to the progre ...

,'' began a famous

literary feud A literary feud is a conflict or quarrel between well-known writers, usually conducted in public view by way of published letters, speeches, lectures, and interviews. In the book ''Literary Feuds'', Anthony Arthur describes why readers might be i ...

with the young ''Kallol'' members which lasted for years. Tagore himself joined the debate and published an essay in ''Kallol'' where he mentioned that he appreciated the literary effort, but found that the demand for realistic literature was just "the flaunting of poverty" combined with the "unrestraint of lust". He described the literary squabbles of the day in ''Shesher Kabita'', where the protagonist Amit Ray is a modernist who abhors Tagore's humanism but espouses it later. The ''Kallol'' members, on the other hand, heavily influenced by

Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts i ...

and

Karl Marx Karl Heinrich Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. His best-known titles are the 1848 ...

, did not deny that they loathed an idealist's version of a "higher" individual. The discussions of the ''Kallol'' circle provided ideas for many of the progressive writers of the age. Perhaps, one of the greatest achievements of the ''Kallol'' group was in establishing a new generation of writers and thinkers in

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

. When writing for ''Kallol'',

was only twenty-five,

under twenty, and

fifteen. Nazrul would establish a rebellious streak in Bengali poetry, Mitra, a Chekhovian grasp of the short story and Basu would inspire a generation of poets with his little magazine group ''Kabita''.

References

{{italic title Bengali-language literature Bengali-language little magazines Defunct literary magazines Defunct magazines published in India Literary magazines published in India Magazines established in 1923 Magazines with year of disestablishment missing