Ashapurna Devi


Ashapurna Devi, also Ashapoorna Devi or Ashapurna Debi, was a prominent Indian novelist and poet in Bengali. In 1976, she was awarded the Jnanpith Award and Padma Shri by the Government of India, D.Litt. by the Universities of Jabalpur, Rabindra Bharati, Burdwan and Jadavpur. Vishwa Bharati University honoured her with Deshikottam in 1989. For her contribution as a novelist and short story writer, the Sahitya Akademi conferred its highest honour, the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, in 1994.

Biography

Ashapurna Devi was born in a Baidya family on 8 January 1909 in North Calcutta. Her birth name was Asha Purna Devi. Her early childhood was spent in a traditional and extremely conservative family. Female children of the house were not allowed to go to school. Private tutors were employed only for the boys. It is said that as a baby Ashapurna used to listen to the readings of her brothers sitting opposite to them and that was how she learnt the alphabets. Though Ashapurna had no formal education as such, she was self-educated.
Ashapurna's father Harendra Nath Gupta was a famous artist of the time who worked for furniture makers C. Lazarus & Co. as a designer. Ashapurna's mother Sarola Sundari was a great lover of books. It was her "intensive thirst" for reading classics and story books which was transmitted to Ashapurna and her sisters in their early age.
Due to shortage of space, Harendra Nath shifted his family to a new house at 157/1B Acharya Prafulla Chandra Road, which provided freedom to Sarola Sundari and her daughters to read according to their heart's desires. To satisfy Sarola Sundari's tremendous urge of reading there had been a continuous flow of books and magazines from the libraries of the time. As there was no dearth of leisure for the daughters and no bar to reading adult books from a very early age, Ashapurna and her sisters built a love-relationship with books. The period in which Ashapurna was raised was socially and politically restless, a time of nationalist agitation and awakening. Though the children of Harendra Nath did not have direct contact with the outside world, they were quite sensitive to the restlessness going on throughout the country led by Mahatma Gandhi and other political leaders who were ready to sacrifice their lives to bring independence. Thus different factors were responsible for nourishing the specific culture which guided Ashapurna from her early childhood to youth, and carried her to a definite platform through various experiences and ideals of life.
According to Ashapurna, she and her sisters used to compete with each other by composing and reciting poems. This inspired Ashapurna to secretly send a poem to Sishu Sathi in 1922. Ashapurna was thirteen and her poem "Bairer Dak" was published. She also received a request from editor Rajkumar Chakravorty to send more poems and stories. That was the beginning which developed into a never-ending flourish for Ashapurna, culminating into a permanent place for her into the realm of Bengali literature.
Ashapurna was sent to be married in 1924 when she was 15, leaving Calcutta for her betrothed's family residence in Krishnanagar. She was married to Kalidas Gupta, and the couple moved frequently as they established themselves. In 1927 they settled in Calcutta where they lived until 1960. They then had to shift to a separate flat near Golpark with their only son Sushanta, daughter-in-law Nupur, and a granddaughter Shatarupa. Later, in 1967, another granddaughter, Shatadeepa, was added to the family. In 1970, Kalidas Gupta and Ashapurna built their own house in Garia at 17 Kanungo Park. Ashapurna lived there until she died on 13 July 1995.
In the beginning of her writing career, Ashapurna wrote only for children - Chhoto Thakurdar Kashi Yatra was the first printed edition published in 1938, followed by others throughout her literary career.
In 1936, she first wrote a story for adults, "Patni O Preyoshi", published in the Puja issue of Ananda Bazar Patrika. Prem O Prayojan was her first novel for adults, published in 1944. Her magnum opus, the trilogy Pratham Pratishruti, Subarnolata and Bakul Katha, symbolises an endless struggle for women to achieve equal rights. According to Somak Ghoshal, writing for Mint, "Ashapurna Devi wrote about women and men whose lives were claustrophobically restricted by social, economic and psychological conditions."
Upon her death, she had been widely honoured with a number of prizes and awards. In January 2009, Doordarshan broadcast a documentary about her, and a two-day event was organized to celebrate what would have been her 101st birthday.

Accolades

Novels

  1. Aar Ek Ashapurna
  2. Agniparikha
  3. Asha Purna Devir Rachanaboli
  4. Asha Purna Bithika
  5. Anamaniyaa
  6. Biswas Abiswas
  7. Chabibandha Sinduk
  8. Chitrakalpa
  9. Chosma Palte Jai
  10. Dibyahasini'r Dinolipi
  11. Drishya Theke Drishyantore
  12. Dwitiyo Adwitiyo
  13. Ei To Sedin
  14. Kalyani
  15. Kata Pukur Lane'r Komola
  16. Laghu Tripodi
  17. Lila Chirontan
  18. Nakhyatrer Akash
  19. Noksha Kata Ghor
  20. Pancha Nodir Teere
  21. Prem O Proyojon
  22. Priyo Galpo
  23. Sashi Babu'r Sangsar
  24. Siri Bhanga Anka
  25. Shrimti Sata Jibon
  26. Sthan Kaal Patra
  27. Tin Prohor
  28. Trimatrik
  29. ''V.I.P Bari'r Lok''

    Shottoboti Trilogy

  30. Prothom Protisruti
  31. Shubornolawta
  32. ''Bokul Kawtha''

    Rochonaboli

Her rochonaboli are published in 10 volumes from publisher Mitra O Ghosh.

Rochonaboli, Vol. 1

  1. "Boloygras"
  2. "Jog Biyog"
  3. "Nirjon Prithibi"
  4. "Charpotra"
  5. "Prothom Lagna"
  6. "Samudra Neel Akash Neel"
  7. "Uttorlipi"
  8. "Teenchanda"
  9. "Mukhor Ratri"

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 2

  10. "Agni Parikha"
  11. "Alor Sakhor"
  12. "Jibon Swad"
  13. "Aaar Ek Jhor"
  14. "Nodi Deek Hara"
  15. "Ekti Sondhya Ekti Sokal"
  16. "Uttoron"
  17. "Johuri"
  18. "Mayajaal"
  19. unpublished short stories
  20. unpublished non-fiction

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 3

  21. Prem O Prayojan
  22. "Nabajonma"
  23. Sashi Babu'r Sangsar
  24. "Unmochon"
  25. "Bahironga"
  26. "Begboti"
  27. "Abohosangeet"
  28. unpublished short stories
  29. unpublished poetries

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 4

  30. "Nepothyo Nayika"
  31. "Jonom Jonom ke Sathi"
  32. Laghu Tripodi
  33. "Du ye Mile Ek"
  34. "Suktisagar"
  35. "Sukherchabi"
  36. "Suyoranir Sadh"
  37. "Surobhi Sopno"
  38. unpublished short stories
  39. unpublished non-fiction

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 5

  40. "Mayadarpan"
  41. "Brittopoth"
  42. "Mittirbari"
  43. "Atikranto"
  44. "Sonar Horin"
  45. "Uro Pakhi"
  46. "Jugal Bondi"
  47. "Sesh Raai"

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 6

  48. Kokhono Deen Kokhono Raat
  49. Baluchori
  50. Anobogunthita
  51. unpublished short stories

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 7

  52. "Bijoyi Basanta"
  53. "Ditio Adhyay"
  54. "Neel Porda"
  55. "Durer Janla"
  56. "Juganter Jobonika Pare"
  57. "Dui Meru"
  58. unpublished short stories

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 8

  59. Prothom Pratisruti
  60. "Polatok Sainik"
  61. "Pratikhar Bagan"
  62. "Jhinuk e Sei Tara"
  63. unpublished short stories

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 9

  64. Prothom Pratishruti
  65. ''Subarnalata''

    Rochonaboli, Vol. 10

  66. Bakul Katha
  67. "Balir Niche Dhew"
  68. unpublished short stories

    Works for younger readers

  69. Aloy Adityer IcchaPatra Rahosyo
  70. Amorabatir Antorale
  71. Byaparta Ki Holo
  72. Bhaggi Juddho Bedhechilo
  73. Bhagyolakhi Lotarry
  74. Bhitore Ki Chilo
  75. Bhuture Kukur
  76. Bolber Moto Noi
  77. Chajone Mile
  78. Chutite Chotachuti
  79. Chotoder Srestho Golpo
  80. Chotoder Shresto Golpo
  81. Chotto Thakurdar Kashijatra
  82. Chotoder Bhalo Bhalo Golpo
  83. Dakaat r Kobole Ami
  84. Dibbosundarer Dibbogayan luv
  85. Doshti Kishore Uponyas
  86. Durer Basi
  87. Ek Kuri Golpo
  88. Ek Samudra onek Dheu
  89. Eker Modhe Teen
  90. Gaja Ukil Er Hatya Rahasya
  91. Golpo Bhalo Aber Bolo
  92. Golpo Holo Suru
  93. Golper Moto Golpo
  94. Half-Holiday
  95. Hasir Golpo
  96. Jibon Kalir Pakka Hiseb
  97. Jugalratno Tiktiki Office
  98. Kanakdeep
  99. Karapaker Pakchakra
  100. Kato Kando Railgarite
  101. Kishore Amonibaas
  102. Kishore Bachai Golpo
  103. Kisor Sahityo Samagro
  104. Kishore Sahitya Samagro
  105. Kisor Sahityo Samvar
  106. Kopal Khule Gelo Naki
  107. Majarumama
  108. Manikchand O Aro Choddo
  109. Manuser Mato Manus
  110. Mon Thaklei Mon Kamon
  111. Nije Bujhe Nin
  112. Nikharchai Amod
  113. Onara Thakbeni
  114. Pach Bhuter Goppo
  115. Panchasti Kishore Galpo
  116. Pakhi Theke Hati
  117. Planchet
  118. Poyela Doshra
  119. Rajkumarer Poshake
  120. Rahasyer Sandhaane
  121. Raja Noi Rani Noi
  122. Rajai Golpo
  123. Rani Mayabatir Antardhyan Rahosyo
  124. Rogin Molat
  125. Sakaler Sapno
  126. Sarojanter Nayak
  127. Satyi Amod
  128. Sei Sob Golpo
  129. Sera Baro
  130. Sera Rahasyo Samvar
  131. Shanirbachito Chotoder Shesto Golpo
  132. ''Shono Shono Golpo Shono''