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Devi, was a prominent Bengali novelist and poet. She was born on 8 January 1909. She has been
widely honoured with a number of prizes and awards. She was awarded 1976 Jnanpith Award and
the Padma Shri by theGovernment of India in 1976; D.Litt by the Universities of Jabalpur, Rabindra
Bharati, Burdwan and Jadavpur. Vishwa Bharati University honoured her withDeshikottama in 1989.
For her contribution as a novelist and short story writer, the Sahitya Akademi conferred its highest
honour, the Fellowship, in 1994. She died in 1995.[1]
Contents
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1Biography
2Accolades
3Bibliography
o 3.1Novels
o 3.2Rochonaboli
3.2.1Rochonaboli #1
3.2.2Rochonaboli #2
3.2.3Rochonaboli #3
3.2.4Rochonaboli #4
3.2.5Rochonaboli #5
3.2.6Rochonaboli #6
3.2.7Rochonaboli #7
3.2.8Rochonaboli #8
3.2.9Rochonaboli #9
3.2.10Rochonaboli #10
o 3.3Works for younger readers
o 3.4Stories published in children's magazines
o 3.5Pakhik Anondomela Golpo Sankalan
o 3.6PujaBarshiki Anondomela Golpo Sankalan
o 3.7Kishore Uponyas (preteen novels)
4Television adaption
5References
6External links
Biography[edit]
Ashapoorna Devi was born on 8 January 1909, at her maternal uncle’s place at Potoldanga in
North Calcutta. Her real name was Asha Purna Devi (Gupta). Her early childhood finds her in a
traditional and extremely conservative family at Vrindaban Basu Lane amongst a large number of
relatives. Due to the domination of her grandmother who was a staunch supporter of old customs
and conservative ideals, the female children of the house were not allowed to go to school. Private
tutors were employed only for the boys. It is said that baby Ashapurna used to listen to the readings
of her brothers sitting opposite to them and that was how she learnt the alphabets.
Ashapurna's father Harendra Nath Gupta was a famous artist of the time who used to work for the C.
Lazarus & Co. fine furniture makers as a designer, Sarola Sundari, Ashapurna's mother came from a
very enlightened family who was a great book lover. 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 own family to a new house at 157/1A, Acharya
Prafulla Chandra Road (beside Khanna Cinema Hall), which provided freedom to Sarola Sundari
and her daughters to read more and more according to their heart's desire. To satisfy Sarola
Sundari's tremendous urge of reading there had been a continuous flow of various books and
magazines from the different 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 had built up a
love-relationship with books. Though Ashapurna had no formal education as such, she was no less
self-educated.
The period in which Ashapurna was growing up was socially and politically a restless one. It was 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
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 gave rise to an unusual tenacity which inspired Ashapurna to send a poem
to Sishu Sathi secretly to the then editor Rajkumar Chakravorty for publishing. The year was 1922,
Ashapurna was thirteen and the name of the poem was "Bairer Dak"(The Call from the Outside). The
poem was not only published, there was request from the editor 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 literature.
Ashapurna got married in 1924 when she was just fifteen. She had to go to Krishnanagar to her in-
law's place leaving behind Calcutta of which she was so fond. She was married to Kalidas Gupta.
Since this period we find them changing places quite frequently. Three years later in 1927 the whole
family settled in Calcutta for good at first in Ramesh Mitra Rload, Bhowanipur and later in a bigger
house at 77 Beltola Road, where they lived till 1960. They had however, to shift with their own family
to a separate flat near Golpark together with their only son Sushanta, daughter-in-law Nupur and a
granddaughter Shatarupa. Later in 1967 another grand daughter Shatadeepa was added to the
family. Finally in 1970 Kalidas Gupta and Ashapurna built their own house in Garia at 17 Kanungo
Park. Ashapurna lived there till she died on 13 July 1995.
Along with the normal chores of domestic life Ashapurna was making a room of her own through
sheer power of will which realised her a significant place in the world of creative literature.
As mentioned earlier that publication of the poem 'Bairer Dak' marked the beginning of the odyssey
of one of the most prolific creative geniuses of Bengali literature to whose credit go 242 novels and
novelettes, 37 collection of short stories, 62 books for children. The number of her short stories runs
into over 3000.
In the beginning of her writing career Ashapurna wrote only for the children – Chhoto Thakurdar
Kashi Yatra was the first printed edition published in 1983, followed by others, one after another
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.
Since this period her writing continued as a never-ending process. Most of her writings marked a
spirited protest both for men and women, against the inequality and injustice stemming from the
gender-based discrimination and narrowness of outlook for both ingrained in traditional Hindu
society, Ashapurna Devi's stories lay threadbare the oppression women have to face and made a
fervent appeal for a new social order though not subscribing to the modern theoretical feminism of
western mode. Her magnum opus – the trilogy – Pratham Pratishruti (1964), Subarnolata (1967)
and Bakul Katha (1974) symbolises an endless struggle for women to achieve equal rights.
Upon her death she was at the peak of fame leaving behind an inexhaustible fund of unique literary
creations which gained her respect and appreciation from all her readers. Ashapurna Devi had been
widely honoured with a number of prizes and awards, the list of which follows this script.[2]
Accolades[edit]
The Lila Prize from the University of Calcutta (1954)
The Bhutan Mohini Dasi Gold Medal (1966):
The Raindrop Memorial Prize from the Government of West Bengal (1966)
The Jnanpith Award (1976) for Prothom Protishruti[3]
The Haranath Ghosh Medal from the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad (1988)
The Jagattarini Gold Medal from the University of Calcutta (1993)
Bibliography[edit]
This section may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion,
tone, or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (October 2015)
Novels[edit]
Rochonaboli #1[edit]
1. Boloygras
2. Jogbiyog
3. Nirjon Prithibi
4. Charpotra
5. Prothom Lagna
6. Samudra Neel Akash Neel
7. Uttorlipi
8. Teenchanda
9. Mukhor Ratri
Rochonaboli #2[edit]
1. Agni Parikha
2. Alor Sakhor
3. Jibon Swad
4. Aaar Ek Jhor
5. Nodi Deek Hara
6. Ekti Sondhya Ekti Sokal
7. Uttoron
8. Johuri
9. Mayajaal
10. Unpublished Short Stories
11. Unpublished Non Fictions
Rochonaboli #3[edit]
1. Premo O Proyojon
2. Nabajonma
3. Sashi Babur Sangsar
4. Unmochon
5. Bahironga
6. Begboti
7. Abohosangeet
8. Unpublished Short Stories
9. Unpublished Poetries
Rochonaboli #4[edit]
1. Nepothyo Nayika
2. Jonom Jonom ke Sathi
3. Laghu Tripodi
4. Du ye Mile Ek (Srinkholita and Sunglass)
5. Suktisagar
6. Sukherchabi
7. Suyoranir Sadh
8. Surobhi Sopno
9. Unpublished Short Stories
10. Unpublished Non Fictions
Rochonaboli #5[edit]
1. Mayadarpan
2. Brittopoth
3. Mittirbari
4. Atikranto
5. Sonar Horin
6. Uro Pakhi
7. Jugal Bondi
8. Sesh Raai
Rochonaboli #6[edit]
1. Bijoyi Basanta
2. Ditio Adhyay
3. Neel Porda
4. Durer Janla
5. Juganter Jobonika Pare
6. Dui Meru
7. Unpublished Short stories
Rochonaboli #8[edit]
1. Bakul Katha
2. Balir Niche Dhew
3. Unpublished Short stories
Works for younger readers[edit]
Tiktiki, Ateendriyo Shakti o Bedanto Bardhan [11 January 1989,illustration – Krishnendu Chaki]
Kopaal'er Naam Gopaal [9 June 1993,illustration – Debashish Deb]
Mojaru-Mama [17 October 1984, illustration – Anup Roy]
Ninkhonj Niruddesh Hote Gele [7 January 1987, illustration – Krishnendu Chaki]
PujaBarshiki Anondomela Golpo Sankalan[edit]
Television adaption[edit]
Her novel "Baluchori" was adapted as a TV serial in Deepto TV named Aparajita.
References[edit]
1. Jump up^ [1] Archived 13 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
2. Jump up^ [2] Archived 28 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
3. Jump up^ "Jnanpith Laureates Official listings". Jnanpith Website.
External links[edit]
Children's literature portal
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Recipients of Jnanpith Award
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Sahitya Akademi Fellowship
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Padma Shri awards