Humanist Sunil Gangopadhyay
During my childhood, I used to wait with bated breath for the stories of 'Kakababu', the physically challenged brave character rendered immortal by Sunil Gangopadhyay, in the special Puja editions of Bengali magazines. What a tragedy that my favourite author has passed away right in the middle of Durga Puja! Gangopadhyay was versatile enough to leave his imprint on short stories, plays, novels, poems, literary criticisms, travelogues and children's literature as well. His 'Kakababu' series, based on the adventures of the protagonist throughout the country and the world, provided a brilliant insight into history, culture, people and various locations around the globe. While his epic novels like 'Shei Shomoy' and 'Prothom Alo' remain a historical document of society during the epoch of Bengal iRenaissance with the likes of Vidyasagar, Rabindranath Tagore or Vivekananda being as vanguards, the secular self in Gangopadhyay had inspired him to come up with 'Moner Manush', the main protagonist being Lalon Fakir --the epitome of communal harmony and humanism. Gangopadhyay, the author of 'Purba Pashchim' a novel based on the partition of Bengal, was one of the bridges that joined two Banglas together -- emotionally and culturally. It is the duty of the Bangalees, of both sides of the international border, to maintain this sense of brotherhood as envisaged by the humanist Sunil Gangopadhyay.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments