Kamal Kumar Majumdar () (17 November 1914 – 9 February 1979) was a major fiction-writer of the
Bengali language
Bengali, also known by its endonym and exonym, endonym Bangla (, , ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Indo-Iranian languages, Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family. ...
. The novel ''Antarjali Jatra'' is considered his most notable work.
Early life
Majumdar was the son of Prafullachandra Majumdar and Renukamoyee Majumdar. Prafullachandra used to serve in the police department. Renukamoyee had keen literary interest and thus Kamalkumar was exposed to modern literary thoughts and trends from his childhood.
His parents were originally from
Taki, a town in the
24 Parganas
24 Parganas (Pron: pɔrɡɔnɔs; abbr. 24 PGS), or sometimes Twenty Four Parganas, is a former district in the Indian state of West Bengal, headquartered in Alipore. On 1 March 1986, the district was bifurcated into two separate districts namel ...
district (now in
North 24 Parganas district
North 24 Parganas (abv. 24 PGS (N)) or sometimes North Twenty Four Parganas is a district in southern West Bengal, of eastern India. North 24 Parganas extends in the tropical zone from latitude 22° 11′ 6″ north to 23° 15′ 2″ north and ...
), but the family shifted to Rikhia. Kamalkumar spent his childhood and adolescence in
Kolkata
Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
, India. He started his studies in a school called "Bishnupur Shiksha Sangha" in
Bishnupur
Bishnupur or Vishnupur may refer to:
Towns and villages
* Bishnupur, Manipur, a town in Bishnupur District, Manipur, India
* Bishnupur (West Bengal), a town in Bankura District in West Bengal, India, noted for its archaeological importance
* Bis ...
but dropped formal studies before completing high school. For sometime, he studied
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
in a ''
Tol'' and learned
sitar
The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...
from a local maestro. In 1937 he established a magazine called "Ushnish" where he used to write under his real name as well as a number of
pen name
A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.
A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...
s. But during 1944–45 he devoted himself mostly to painting. During 1937–38 he got numerous offers for going abroad which he refused.
Kamal Kumar was married to Dayamayee Majumdar and his younger brother was a renowned painter,
Nirode Mazumdar
Nirode Mazumdar (11 May 1916 – 26 September 1982) was an Indian painter from the first generation of modernists, and a key member of the Calcutta Group. Almost a forgotten figure today, he strode the art scenario from the 40's like a colossus. ...
. Their younger sister
Shanu Lahiri (1928 – 2013) was also a noted painter and art educator.
Works
Stories
* Lal Juto (The Red Shoes)
* Madhu (Honey)
* Jal (Water )
* Teish (Twenty Three)
*
Mallika Bahar
* Matilal Padri
* Tahader Katha (Their Tale)
* Fauji Banduk
* Neem Annapurna (19kamalkumar65)
* Kayed Khana
* Rukminikumar
* Lupta Pujabidhi
* Khelar Bichar (Rules of the game)
* Khelar Drishyabali (Scenes of the game)
* Anitter Dayvag
* Konkal Eleigy (Elegy of the skeletons)
* Dwadash Mrittika
* Pingolabat
* Khelar aromvo (Start of the game)
* Bagan Keyari
* Aar chokhe jol
* Bagan Poridhi
* Kal e aatotai
* Justice Justice
* Prem (The Desire)
* Babu
* Princess
* Amod Bostumi
* Koschito Jibonchorit : tinti khosra
Novels
* Antarjali Jatra (The Final Passage, 1962)
[
* Golap Sundori
* Anila Smorone
* Shyam-Nouka
* Suhasinir Pometom
* Pinjare Bosiya Shuk
* Khelar Pratibha
* Shoborimangal
]
Other work
* Number of paintings
* Number of wood cut sculptures
* Edited a notable magazine named ANKA BHAVNA
A notable article on ANKA BHAVNA by mathematician Narayan Chandra Ghosh has been published in the December 2015 issue of Sristir Ekosh Satak Patrika. Before that he wrote articles on ANKA BHAVNA in Pratibimbha, Samakal 0 Bibriti. A book titled KAMAL KUMAR MAJUMDER o Anka Bhavan Edited by Narayan Ch Ghosh is most popular one.
Movies based on his work
The movies such as '' Neem Annapurna'' directed by Buddhadev Dasgupta
Buddhadeb Dasgupta (11 February 1944 – 10 June 2021) was an Indian filmmaker and poet best known for his Cinema of West Bengal, Bengali-language films like ''Bagh Bahadur'', ''Tahader Katha'', ''Charachar'' and ''Uttara (film), Uttara''. Five ...
, ''Antarjali Jatra
(The Ultimate Journey, ), also known as ''Antarjali Yatra'', is a 1987 film directed by Kolkata-based Indian film director Goutam Ghose based on a novel, ''Mahayatra'', by Kamal Kumar Majumdar. It documents the institution of Kulin Brahmin pol ...
'' by Gautam Ghosh, ''Sati
Sati or SATI may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Sati'' (film), a 1989 Bengali film by Aparna Sen and starring Shabana Azmi
* ''Sati'' (novel), a 1990 novel by Christopher Pike
*Sati (singer) (born 1976), Lithuanian singer
*Sati, a character in ''Th ...
'' by Aparna Sen
Aparna Sen (; ) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and actress who is known for her work in Bengali cinema. She has received several accolades as an actress and filmmaker, including nine National Film Awards, six Filmfare Awards East ...
and '' Tahader Katha'' by Buddhadev Dasgupta were based on the novels and stories written by Majumdar. Gautam Ghosh made a Hindi movie named ''Mahayatra'' based on Majumdar's novel ''Antarjali Jatra''.
''Lal Juto'', a Bengali film made by a student and based on Majumdar's short story of the same name, won the Best Creative Idea Award at the 11th Shanghai International Film Festival
The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF, , French: ''Festival international du film de Shanghai'') is the largest film festival in Asia and China's longest-running international cinema event. The first festival was established in Octobe ...
.
References
External links
* Shoaib Gibran (2010), Kamalkumar Choritom, Shuddhassha
www.shuddhashar.com
* Shoaib Gibran (2009), Kamalkumar Majumdarer Upannayasher Karankaushal,Bangla Academy,
* ANKA BHAVNAR ANKA (2015) Narayan Ch Ghosh, December 2015 issue of Sristir Ekosh Satak Patrika.
* ANKA BHAVNA (2013) Narayan Ch Ghosh,Pratibimbha
* ANKA BHAVNA (2013) Narayan Ch Ghosh, Samakal 0 Bibriti
{{DEFAULTSORT:Majumdar, Kamal Kumar
Bengali writers
Bengali-language writers
Writers from Kolkata
1914 births
1979 deaths
20th-century Indian short story writers
20th-century Indian novelists
People from North 24 Parganas district
Novelists from West Bengal