Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay (19 July 1899 – 9 February 1979) was an Indian Bengali-language novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet, and physician who wrote under the pen name of Banaphul (meaning "the wild flower" in Bengali). He was a recipient of the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan (1975).
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. 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 in the Calcutta Medical College. He was assigned to Patna Medical College and Hospital after completing his medical degree, and later practised at Azimganj Hospital and worked as a pathologist at Bhagalpur. He moved to Lake Town, Calcutta, in 1968, and died there on 9 February 1979. He is the elder brother of famous Bengali film Director Arabinda Mukhopadhyay.
Literary works
He is most noted for his short vignettes, often just half-page long, but his body of work spanned sixty-five years and included "thousands of poems, 586 short stories (a handful of which have been translated to English), 60 novels, 5 dramas, a number of one-act plays, an autobiography called Paschatpat (Background), and numerous essays."
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
Alor Pipasa (1965) Hatey Bazarey Arjun Pandit (He received the Filmfare Award for Best Story for this film) Tilottama Paka Dekha Ektu Sore Bosun (2023)
Postage stamp
On the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Government of India issued a postage stamp featuring his image.
See also
Bengali literature
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