Pramathanath Chaudhuri (7 August 1868 – 2 September 1946), known as Pramatha Chaudhuri, ''alias'' Birbal, was a Bengali essayist, poet, and writer. He was the nephew of

Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...

as his mother was Sukumari Debi, the second sister of Tagore. He married musician and writer Indira Devi Chaudhurani, daughter of

Satyendranath Tagore Satyendranath Tagore (1 June 1842 – 9 January 1923) was an Indian civil servant, poet, composer, writer, social reformer and linguist from Calcutta, Bengal. He was the first Indian who became an Indian Civil Service officer in 1863. He was a ...

, the first Indian to have joined the Indian Civil Services and an author, composer and feminist, who was the second eldest brother of

Biography

Life at Krishnanagar

He studied in Krishnanagar Debnath High School in Krishnanagar. From his 5th to 13th year, Chaudhuri lived at Krishnanagar}

Youth

Chaudhuri joined the Presidency College, Kolkata for the First Arts course. But he had to shift to Krishnagar again as there was an outbreak of

dengue Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease caused by dengue virus, prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas. Asymptomatic infections are uncommon, mild cases happen frequently; if symptoms appear, they typically begin 3 to 14 days after ...

fever in Kolkata and joined the sophomore year Arts class at Krishnagar College. He suspended his studies again and moved to his father in

Dinajpur Dinajpur ( ) is a city and the district headquarters of Dinajpur district situated in Rangpur Division, Bangladesh. It was founded in 1786. It is located 413 km north-west of Dhaka. It is bounded on the north by Suihari, Katapara, Bangi ...

owing to persistent fever. Returning to Kolkata in 1887, he passed the Arts examination from

St. Xavier's College, Calcutta St. Xavier's College is a Private university, private, Catholic, autonomous college in Kolkata, India. It is run by the Calcutta Province of the Society of Jesus. It was founded by the Jesuits in 1860 and named after Francis Xavier, St. Franc ...

with second division marks.

Works

After qualifying law, Chaudhuri joined the law firm of Ashutosh Dhar, a solicitor, as an article clerk. Chaudhuri sailed for England in 1893 and returned three years after as a Barrister-at-Law, having been called to the bar at the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

. Meanwhile, between, 1890 and 1893, two of his original essays and two stories, ''Phuldani'' (The Flower Vase) and ''Torquato Tasso'', were published. ''Khayal Khata'' (A Scrap Book) was the first piece that appeared under the pen name Birbal in a Bengali journal ''Bharati'' in 1902. He wrote ''Ek Tukro Smritikatha'' (A Handful of Reminiscence), in 1908.

''Sabuj Patra''

Appearance

'' Sabuj Patra'' (, "Green Leaf"), a liberal and pro-Tagore Bengali magazine he, made its debut in April, 1914. In the first issue Chaudhuri explained the magazine's title:

Bibliography

Non-fiction prose

* 1. ''Tel Nun Lakri'', 1906 – Collection of Socio-political Essays * 2. ''Birbaler Halkhata'', 1917 – Collection of Essays * 3. ''Nana Katha'', 1919 – Collection of Essays * 4. ''Aamaader Shiksha'', 1920 – Collection of Essays * 5. ''Du-Yarki'', 1920 – Collection of Political Essays * 6. ''Birbaler Tippani'', 1921 – Collection of Short Essays * 7. ''Rayater Katha'', 1926 – ''Rayater Katha'' and other Essays * 8. ''Nana Charcha'', 1932 – Collection of Essays * 9. ''Ghare Baire'', 1936 – Collection of Essays * 10. ''Prachin Hindusthan'', 1940 – Collection of Essays * 11. ''Banga-Sahityer Sanskhipta Parichaya'', 1944 – Girish Ghosh Lecture, delivered at the instance of the

University of Calcutta The University of Calcutta, informally known as Calcutta University (), is a Public university, public State university (India), state university located in Kolkata, Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal, India. It has 151 affiliated undergraduate c ...

* 12. ''Hindu-Sangeet'', 1945 – Collection of Short Notes on Music * 13. ''Atma-Katha'', 1946 – Autobiography * 14. ''Prabandha Sangraha'', Vol.I, 1952 – Collection of Selected Essays * 15. ''Prachin Bangla Sahitye Hindu-Musalman'', 1953 – A Treatise * 16. ''Prabandha Sangraha'', Vol.II, 1952 – Collection of Selected Essays

Poetry

* 1. ''Sonnet Panchasat'', 1913 – Collection of 50

Sonnet A sonnet is a fixed poetic form with a structure traditionally consisting of fourteen lines adhering to a set Rhyme scheme, rhyming scheme. The term derives from the Italian word ''sonetto'' (, from the Latin word ''sonus'', ). Originating in ...

s * 2. ''Padacharan'', 1919 – Collection of Poems * 3. ''Sonnet Panchasat and Anyanya Kabita'', 1961 – Collection of all Sonnets and Poems

Fiction

* 1. ''Char-Yari Katha'', (Tales of Four Friends), 1916 – Story * 2. ''Ahuti'', 1919 – Collection of Short Stories * 3. ''Nil-Lohit'', 1932 – Collection of Stories * 4. ''Nil-Lohiter Adi-Prem'', 1934 – Collection of Stories * 5. ''Ghoshaler Tri-Katha'', 1937 – Collection of Stories * 6. ''Anukatha-Saptak'', 1939 – Collection of Short Stories * 7. ''Galpa-Sangraha'', 1941 – Collection of Stories * 8. ''Galpa-Sangraha'', 1968 – Collection of Stories (Revised Enlarged Edition)

Collected works

1. ''Pramatha Chaudhuri Granthabali'', 1926 – Collection of Prose and Poetical Works