Kamal Kumar Majumdar


Kamal Kumar Majumdar was a major fiction-writer of the Bengali language. 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 district, but the family shifted to Rikhia. Kamalkumar spent his childhood and adolescence in Kolkata, India. He started his studies in a school called "Bishnupur Shiksha Sangha" in Bishnupur but dropped formal studies before completing high school. For sometime, he studied Sanskrit in a Tol and learned sitar 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 names. 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. Their younger sister Shanu Lahiri was also a noted painter and art educator.

Works

Stories

  • Lal Juto
  • Madhu
  • Jal
  • Teish
  • Mallika Bahar
  • Matilal Padri
  • Tahader Katha
  • Fauji Banduk
  • Neem Annapurna
  • Kayed Khana
  • Rukminikumar
  • Lupta Pujabidhi
  • Khelar Bichar
  • Khelar Drishyabali
  • Anitter Dayvag
  • Konkal Eleigy
  • Dwadash Mrittika
  • Pingolabat
  • Khelar aromvo
  • Bagan Keyari
  • Aar chokhe jol
  • Bagan Poridhi
  • Kal e aatotai
  • Justice Justice
  • Prem
  • Babu
  • Princess
  • Amod Bostumi
  • Koschito Jibonchorit : tinti khosra

Novels

  • Antarjali Jatra
  • 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, Antarjali Jatra by Gautam Ghosh, Sati by Aparna Sen 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.