NickiStpierre68 at 05:56, 6 February 2026

2026-02-06T05:56:09Z

New page

{{Short description|Bengali-language novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet, and physician}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| title =
| relatives = [[Arabinda Mukhopadhyay]] (brother)
| awards = *[[Rabindra Puraskar]]
*[[Sharat-Smriti Puraskar]]
*[[Padma Bhushan]]
| name = Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay
| image = Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay 1999 stamp of India.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Mukhopadhyay on a 1999 Indian stamp
| alias = Banaphul
| birth_date = {{birth date|1899|7|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Manihari]], [[Purnia District]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1979|2|9|1899|7|19|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Calcutta]], [[West Bengal]], India
| alma_mater = [[Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata|Calcutta Medical College]] <br/> [[Patna Medical College and Hospital]]
| occupation = Writer, poet, pathologist
| notable_works = *''Dana'' (''Wings'')
*''Sthabar''
*''Trinakhanda''
}}

'''Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay''' (19 July 1899 – 9 February 1979) was an Indian [[Bengali-language]] writer, physician, and playwright, best known by his pen name '''Banaphul''', (meaning "Wild / Forest flower" in Bengali). His oeuvre spanned novels, poetry, plays, essays and over 400 short stories, the genre for which he is best remembered.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Chakrabarti |first=Kunal |title=Historical Dictionary of the Bengalis |last2=Chakrabarti |first2=Shubhra |date=2013 |publisher=[[Scarecrow Press]] |isbn=978-0-8108-5334-8 |series=Historical Dictionaries of Peoples and Cultures |location=Lanham |pages=61}}</ref> For his contribution to literature, he was awarded the [[List of Padma Bhushan award recipients (1970–1979)|Padma Bhushan]] in 1975, India's third-highest civilian honor.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 }}</ref>

==Life==
Mukhopadhyay was born in [[Manihari]] village of [[Purnia district]] (now [[Katihar]] District), [[Bihar]] on 19 July 1899. His family originally hailed from [[Sehakhala]] situated in [[Hooghly District]] of present-day [[West Bengal]].<ref>''BANAPHOOL RACHANABALI'' (VOL.16), MUKHOPADHYAY, BALAICHAND, Granthagar Pvt. Ltd., Calcutta, 1955, p. 3</ref> His father, Satyacharan Mukhopadhyay, was a doctor, and his mother was Mrinalini Devi. He originally took the pen name Banaphul ("the wild flower") to hide his literary activities from a disapproving teacher. He attended [[Hazaribag]] College and was later admitted, into the [[Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata|Calcutta Medical College]]. He moved to Lake Town, Calcutta, in 1968, and died there on 9 February 1979.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4858944.Banaful|title=Banaful ( of একশ বছরের সেরা গল্প)|work=[[Goodreads]]|access-date=25 May 2014}}</ref> He is the elder brother of famous Bengali film Director [[Arabinda Mukhopadhyay]].

==Literary works==

He is best known for his short [[Vignette (literature)|vignettes]], which were often just half-page long, and centered on a single powerful moment with sharp observation and unconventional perspective,<ref name=":0" /> but his literary career spanned sixty-five years and included thousands of poems, over 586 short stories (a handful of which have been translated to English),<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-13|title=Wildfire and Other Stories by Banaphool|url=https://www.purplepencilproject.com/wildfire-and-other-stories-by-banaphool-review/|access-date=2020-07-05|website=Purple Pencil Project|language=en-US}}</ref> {{better source needed|date=April 2025}} 60 novels, 5 dramas, a number of one-act plays, an autobiography called ''Paschatpat'' (''Background''), and numerous essays."<ref>[http://www.indiaheritage.org/creative/creative_literature_bengali.htm Spectrum of Bengali literature (modern period)], ''Indiaheritage.org'', Retrieved 1 May 2007.</ref><ref>Ananta Ghosh, [http://www.bagc.net/newsletter2000-2.html Great writers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602220035/http://www.bagc.net/newsletter2000-2.html |date=2 June 2021 }}, ''Bengali Association of Greater Chicago Newsletter'', Volume 25: Issue 2 : April 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2007.</ref> His short stories often revolve around a single, powerful moment, defined by sharp observation, unconventional perspectives, and exceptional storytelling.
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}

===Novels===

* ''Trinokhondo'' তৃণখণ্ড
* ''Boitorini Tire'' বৈতরণীর তীরে
* ''Niranjana'' নিরঞ্জনা
* ''Bhuban Som'' ভুবন সোম
* ''Maharani'' মহারাণী
* ''Agnishwar'' অগ্নীশ্বর
* ''Manaspur'' মানসপুর
* ''Erao achhe'' এরাও আছে
* ''Nabin Dutta'' নবীন দত্ত
* ''Harishchandra'' হরিশ্চন্দ্র
* ''Kichukshan'' কিছুক্ষণ
* ''Se O Ami'' সে ও আমি
* ''Saptarshi'' সপ্তর্ষি
* ''Udai Asta'' উদয় অস্ত
* ''Gandharaj'' গন্ধরাজ
* ''Pitambarer Punarjanma'' পীতাম্বরের পুনর্জন্ম
* ''Nayn Tatpurush'' নঞ তৎপুরুষ
* ''Krishnapaksha'' কৃষ্ণপক্ষ
* ''Sandhipuja'' সন্ধিপূজা
* ''Hate Bajare'' হাটেবাজারে
* ''Kanyasu'' কন্যাসু
* ''Adhiklal'' অধিকলাল
* ''Gopaldeber Swapna'' গোপালদেবের স্বপ্ন
* ''Swapna Sambhab'' স্বপ্নসম্ভব
* ''Kashti Pathar'' কষ্টিপাথর
* ''Prachchhanna Mahima'' প্রচ্ছন্ন মহিমা
* ''Dui Pathik'' দুই পথিক
* ''Ratri'' রাত্রি
* ''Pitamaha'' পিতামহ
* ''Pakshimithun'' পক্ষীমিথুন
* ''Tirther Kak'' তীর্থের কাক
* ''Rourab'' রৌরব
* ''Jaltaranga'' জলতরঙ্গ
* ''Rupkatha ebang Tarpar'' রূপকথা এবং তারপর
* ''Pratham Garal'' প্রথম গরল
* ''Rangaturanga'' রঙ্গতুরঙ্গ
* ''Ashabari'' আশাবারি
* ''Li'' ৯
* ''Sat Samudra Tero Nadi'' সাত সমুদ্র তেরো নদী
* ''Akashbasi'' আকাশবাসী
* ''Tumi'' তুমি
* ''Asanglagna'' অসংলগ্ন
* ''Simarekha'' সীমারেখা
* ''Tribarna'' ত্রিবর্ণ
* ''Alankarpuri'' অলংকারপুরী
* ''Jangam'' জঙ্গম
* ''Agni'' অগ্নি
* ''Dwairath'' দ্বৈরথ
* ''Mrigoya'' মৃগয়া
* ''Nirmok'' নির্মোক
* ''Mandanda'' মানদন্ড
* ''Nabadiganta'' নবদিগন্ত
* ''Koshtipathar'' কষ্টিপাথর
* ''Sthabar'' স্থাবর
* ''Bhimpalashri'' ভীমপলশ্রী
* ''Pancha Parba'' পঞ্চপর্ব
* ''Lakshmir Agaman'' লক্ষ্মীর আগমণ
* ''Dana'' ডানা

===Short stories===
* Pratibaad
* swadhinata
* "Bonofuler Golpo"
* "Bonofuler Aro Golpo"
* "Bahullo"
* "Bindu Bishorgo"
* "Adrisholok"
* "Anugamini"
* "Tonni"
* "Nobomonjori"
* "Urmimala"
* "Soptomi"
* "Durbin"
* "Bonofuler Sreshto Golpo"
* "Bonofuler Golpo Songroho-1"
* "Bonofuler Golpo Songroho-2"
* "Banaphooler Chhoto Galpa Samagra—1 & 2"
* "Fuldanir Ekti Ful"

===Film adaptation of his literature===
* ''[[Agnishwar]]''
* ''[[Bhuvan Shome]]''
* ''[[Ekti Raat]]''
* ''[[Aarohi (film)]]'' (He received [[National Film Award for Best Story]])
* ''[[Alor Pipasa]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Hatey Bazarey]]''
* ''[[Arjun Pandit (1976 film)|Arjun Pandit]]'' (He received the [[Filmfare Award for Best Story]] for this film)
* ''Tilottama''
* ''[[Paka Dekha]]''
* ''[[Ektu Sore Bosun]]'' (2023)
{{div col end}}

==Postage stamp==
On the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Government of India issued a postage stamp featuring his image.<ref>[http://www.postbeeld.nl/database/landwink.php3?jaar=1999&code=ID India, 1999] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929015409/http://www.postbeeld.nl/database/landwink.php3?jaar=1999&code=ID |date=29 September 2007 }}. ''Postbeeld.com'', Retrieved 1 May 2007.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Bengali literature]]
*[[Binay Mukhopadhyay]]

==Further reading==

* ''বনফুলের ছোট গল্প সমগ্র'' (Complete Short Stories of Banaphul), published by Banishilpa, Kolkata in January 2003
* ''উপন্যাস সমগ্র'' (Complete Novels), published by New Bengal Press (Private) Limited, Kolkata in July 1999
* ''পশ্চাৎপট'' (Background), the autobiography of Banaphul, published by Banishilpa, Kolkata in 1999

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Banglapedia|Mukhopadhyay,_Balaichand|Balaichand Mukhopadhyay}}
*{{Store norske leksikon|Balaichand_Mukhopadhyay}}
*{{OL author|2440A|Banaphula}}
*[http://dspace.wbpublibnet.gov.in:8080/jspui/browse?type=author&or&value=MUKHOPADHYAY,+BALAI+CHAND Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay] at the West Bengal Public Library Network
*[http://parabaas.com/translation/database/authors/texts/bonophul.html Parabaas Profile]

{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1970–79}}
{{National Film Award Best Story}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mukhopadhyay, Balaichand}}
[[Category:Writers from Kolkata]]
[[Category:1899 births]]
[[Category:1979 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Bengali poets]]
[[Category:Poets from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Rabindra Puraskar]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education]]
[[Category:Bengali male poets]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:Best Story National Film Award winners]]
[[Category:20th-century pseudonymous writers]]
[[Category:Writers from West Bengal]]

Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay - Revision history

NickiStpierre68 at 05:56, 6 February 2026