Jibanananda Dash's Biodata

                          Jibanananda Dash's Biodata

Native name:                    জীবনানন্দ দাশ

Born:                               17 February 1899

Birth Pace:                      Barisal, Bengal Presidency (present day Bangladesh), British India

Died    :                          22 October 1954 (aged 55)

Death Place    :               Calcutta, West Bengal, India

Occupation     :               Poet, writer, and professor

Language       :               Bengali

Nationality     :                   British Indian (1899–1947)
                                           Indian (1947–1954)

Alma mater   :                    Brajamohan College
                                           University of Calcutta

Genre           :                     Poetry, novels, short stories, criticism

Literary movement :         Bengali Modernism

Notable works    :           Banalatā Sēn, Rūpasī Bānglā, "Ākāśalīnā","BanalatāSēn" ,                                            "Cāmpē",   "Bōdh"

Notable awar   :                 Rabindra Puraskar Award (1952)
                                         Sahitya Akademi Award (1955)

Spouse    :                         Lābaṇyaprabhā Dāś (née Gupta)

Children    :                      2

Relatives    :                   Kusumakumārī Dāś (mother)
                                      Satyānanda Dāśagupta (father)
                                      Sarbānanda Dāś (grandfather)
                                     Aśōkānanda Dāś (brother)
                                    Shuchoritā Dāś (sister)
                

Death

 One poet now dead, killed near his fiftieth year ... did introduce what for India would be "the modern spirit" – bitterness, self-doubt, sex, street diction, personal confession, frankness, Calcutta beggars ect [sic] – into Bengali letters.
    — Allen Ginsberg[14]

On 14 October 1954, he was crossing a road near Calcutta's Deshapriya Park when he was hit by a tram. Jibanananda was returning home after his routine evening walk. At that time, he used to reside in a rented apartment on the Lansdowne Road. Seriously injured, he was taken to Shambhunath Pundit Hospital. Poet-writer Sajanikanta Das who had been one of his fiercest critics was tireless in his efforts to secure the best treatment for the poet. He even persuaded Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy (then chief minister of West Bengal) to visit him in hospital. Nonetheless, the injury was too severe to redress. Jibanananda died in hospital on 22 October 1954 eight days later, at about midnight. He was then 55 and left behind his wife, Labanyaprabha Das, a son and a daughter, and the ever-growing band of readers.

His body was cremated the following day at Keoratola crematorium.[15] Following popular belief, it has been alleged in some biographical accounts that his accident was actually an attempt at suicide.[16] Although none of the Jibanananda biographers have indicated such, it appears from circumstantial evidence that it was an attempt to end his own life.[17]

The literary circle deeply mourned his death. Almost all the newspapers published obituaries which contained sincere appreciations of the poetry of Jibanananda. Poet Sanjay Bhattacharya wrote the death news and sent to different newspapers. On 1 November 1954, The Times of India wrote:

    The premature death after an accident of Mr. Jibanananda Das removes from the field of Bengali literature a poet, who, though never in the limelight of publicity and prosperity, made a significant contribution to modern Bengali poetry by his prose-poems and free-verse. ... A poet of nature with a serious awareness of the life around him Jibanananda Das was known not so much for the social content of his poetry as for his bold imagination and the concreteness of his image. To a literary world dazzled by Tagore's glory, Das showed how to remain true to the poet's vocation without basking in its reflection."

Major works

 

Poetry

    Jhôra Palok (Fallen Feathers), 1927.
    Dhushor Pandulipi (Grey Manuscript), 1936.
    Banalata Sen, 1942 Môhaprithibi (Great Universe), 1944.
    Shaat-ti Tarar Timir, (Darkness of Seven Stars), 1948.
    Shreshtho Kobita, (Best Poems), 1954: Navana, Calcutta.
    Rupasi Bangla  (Bengal, the Beautiful), written in 1934, published posthumously in 1957.
    Bela Obela Kalbela (Times, Bad Times, End Times), 1961, published posthumously but the manuscript was prepared during lifetime.
    Sudorshona(The beautiful), published posthumously in 1973: Sahitya Sadan, Calcutta.
    Alo Prithibi (The World of Light), published posthumously in 1981: Granthalaya Private Ltd., Calcutta.
    Manobihangam (The Bird that is my Heart), published posthumously in 1979: Bengal Publishers Private Ltd. Calcutta.
    Oprkashitô Ekanno (Unpublished Fifty-one), published posthumously in 1999, Mawla Brothers, Dhaka. 

Novels

• Bashmatir Upakhyan
• Bibhav
• Biraaj
• Chaarjon
• Jiban-Pronali
• Kalyani
• Karu-Bashona
• Malyabaan (novel), New Script, Calcutta, 1973 (posthumuously published)
• Mrinal
• Nirupam Yatra
• Pretinir rupkatha
• Purnima
• Sutirtha
• joyoti        

Short stories:  

              Akankha-Kamonar Bilas, Basor Sojyar pase, Bibahito Jibon, Bilas, Boi, Britter moto, Chakri Nei, Chayanot, Hater Tas, Hiseb-nikes 
, Jadur Desh, Jamrultola, Kinnorlok, Kotha sudhu Kotha, Kotha, Kotha, Kuashar Vitor Mrityur Somoy, Ma hoyar kono Saadh, Mangser Kanti, Meyemanuser Ghrane 
, Meyemnus,Mohisher Shingh, Nakoler Khelae, Nirupam Jatra,  Paliye Jete,  Premik Swami,Prithibita Sishuder Noy,Purnima,Raktomangsohin 
, Sadharon Manus, Sango, Nisongo,Sari,Sheetrater Andhokar, Somnath o Shrimoti   , Taajer Chobi  , Upekkhar Sheet.