Who is Rituparna Bhattacharjee the authoress of Bhutiya?

Answer 1

Rituparna Bhattacharjee, the youngest writer of India,who at the age of only 11 when she was a student of Class VI in the Christ Church Girls High School .published a book 'Bhutiya', a marvellous collection of 17 inimitable short stories and won Jugal Srimal Excellence Award '99 in the Education Category from Jawaharlal Nehru Children Museum , Kolkata. Her book was reviewed in The Statesman, The Asian Age, and Aajkal as well as by Prabasi Anandabazar Patrika from London. She was interviewed by Doordarshan Kolkata. Her book was released by the then Chief Minister Jyoti Basu. Syed Mustafa Siraj and Tarapada Roy appreciated her stories. She of late presented two Science posters as Ph.D.research Scholar of BITs Pilani at the International conferences at University of California, Los Angeles, and University of Coloarado , Boulder in 2012. She is a freelancer of Unish Kuri of the ABP group.

BHUTIYA

Stories.

Sl Title Page

1.Mrityunjoy 7

2.Tinmacher galpo 11

3.Putulra jodi baro hoto 14

4.Babar upahar 18

5.Shei cheleta 21

6.Abyakta jantrona 24

7.Triyama 28

8.Thakuma 32

9.Shyamar Itikatha 36

10.Smriti 39

11.Shei Hanshta 42

12.Kriti 46

13.Bhalobasar Tori 51

14.Abhiman 58

15.Pratignya baro, na kartobya 64

16.Sartok Shilpi 71

17. Bhutiya 74

About the Book:

Like Anne Frank's Diary , Rituparn Bhattacharjee's Bhutiya also reveal the feelings of a child prodigy( visit www. merinews .com Article on Bhutiya ). They chronicle the thoughts and feelings of a young sensitive mind which bleeds under the pressure of dismal surrroundings . While Anne described in her tortured sensitivity as a child, Rituparna also in her stories of BHUTIYA betray a down -to -earth reality through snapshots of poverty, criminality, and selfishness. This maturity is rare for grown up ones , but Rituparna no less in the maner of Anne Frank showed her awareness of the tragedy of life at the age of 11. This was really astonishing and something more than expected even of a child prodigy.

The first of the stories 'Mrityunjoy'(Conquest of Death) which got second prize in the Suktara Short story contest deals with the invention of medicine for curing Cancer. Dr. Sen in this story experimented the medicine on a dog which was saved from certain death. But Dr. Sen himself died because of too much strain taken for the invention and research for a prolonged period of ten years. This is a story of commitment and devotion. Many critics and reviewers have thought that Rituparna has mused too much on death and foreboding. But this story is a positive one. It shows a journey from darkness of despair to light. It is hard to imagine that Rituparna wrote the story only at the age of 11.

The second story 'Tin Macher Galpo'( A story of three fish) , dealt with the selfishness and cruelty of the two red and blue fishes with the dark fish.The child prodigy Rituparna in this story in very simple terms analysed the pain and repentance in the mind of the offenders. The third story of the book is quite fanciful 'Putulra jadi baro hoto' ( Had the Dolls been Growing Up!) and Rituparna imagines that one of the toy dolls named Rambo ,chased a thief and in course of its action was killed by criminals.

Another story 'Babar Upahar'( Gift of a Father) tells us how a teenager girl experienced the tragedy of her father accident and death during her end exam of school board. She stood first which the father dreamt of so much but could not live to see.

The other story 'Shei Cheleta' ( That Very Boy) is a sad picture of a poor boy who was not allowed to participate in the Tagore Birthday celebration. Love for animals is one of the central motif in Rituparna's stories. One such story. 'Abyakto jantrona' in which Rituparana described the poignant sufferings of cat from illness. Its death is graphically described in the story.

Narrative art of Rituparna reaches a height of maturity in the story 'Trijama' in which the baby girl Tiku (nickname of Trijama) who loved her auntie Jhim grew up with a tragic experience of her elderly friend Akash dying of brain cancer and later when she herself sacrificed her kidney for Jhim did not herself get any support for her ailment from that ingrateful aunt Jhim. She died a tragic death .The next story 'Thakuma' (Grandmother) was a tragic story of an old grandmother's suffering and sacrifice who gave her kidney for her daughter in law who always devised ways of torturing her. The old woman died and not a single tear was dropped for her.In 'Shyamar Itikatha' ( The Age Old Story of Shyama) Rituparna tells the story of a parrot Shyama who was unfortunate enough to prove her better talents to the king because of the neglect and carelessness of the owner.

Rituparna in her story 'Smriti' tells about a pigeon which developed an intimacy with a tourist( the first person narrator ) at Ghatshila . She nursed the wounded pigeon there in the house where she had lodged and at the time of departure , the pigeon brought a grape probably out of love and gratefulness for the narrator. Silent gestures of animals and birds always become great themes to make Rituparna's story ever touching.

In the story ' Shei Hanshta' (The Duck) the focus is on the mingling of the festivity of birthday party and the sadness associated with the death of a beloved duck. Thus Rituparna always smiled in her story with tears trickling down her cheeks. 'Kriti' is also the ever tragic story of a girl who could feel for everyone's sufferings . Her artistic soul strongly reacted to the darkness all around. 'Bhalobasar Tori' ( The Boat of Love) is a story of sibling jealousy about which Rituparna has written several times in Unish Kuri , an ABP publication . 'Abhiman' ( Wounded Sentiment) is the sweet story of Srutika - where Rituparna reveals the values of friendship and its renewal . Questions of promise-keeping loom large in 'Protignya Baro Na Kartobyo?' ( Promise versus Duty) . A poor man can give his life for keeping promise. In 'Sarthok Shilpi' ( The Successful Artist) we hear the story of a girl gradually growing up and gaining name and fame as artist by overcoming the lashes of poverty. The last but not the least is 'Bhutia' the title story of the book is a marvellous narrative dealing with the psychological and moral conflicts in the mind of the narrator regarding the hanging of the outlawed person Bhutia who had once been a faithful and ever loyal servant of their house. He later turned a criminal and the narrator was to dispense justice overcoming all her softness and affection. Duty is above everything even above sentiments or personal feelings .

All these stories show an abundance of grief. But still the easy grace of narration and choices diction of Rituparna make us forget the sadness associated with the tragic stories. A child suffering torments of life or watching cruelties , selfishness, sickness all around her gradually grows up in this storybook. Rituparna's stories do not show fairy or angels of the ethereal world. They betray a down -to -earth reality through snapshots of poverty, criminality, and selfishness. This maturity is rare for grown up ones , but Rituparna shows her awareness of this tragedy of life at the age of 11. This is really astonishing and something more than expected even of a child prodigy. Her book should be translated in English for the wider range of teenagers all over the world by the renowned publishing houses. Like Anne Frank's Diary , BHUTIYA in some ways may also be called the 'Diary of a Young Girl'.

.

About the Author:

Comments of the leading newspapers:

Aajkal: "Just keep her in mind, Rituparna has got the talent to rouse a big rabble in the literary world in future .

THE STATESMAN :

A wise head on young shoulder

Voices, The Statesman: Rituparna has quite a good command over language..... The book must be read by all young learners....

AAJKAL :

Chine rakhun, bhabisyate jathestho shara jaganor prativa niye hate kaom tule niyeche Rituparna

( Just keep her in mind, Rituparna has got the talent to rouse a big rabble in the literary world in future )

PRABASI ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA:

Sahaitya sadhanay dirgho yatrar prothom dhape pa rakhlo she, bidyut chamak er moto tar ei hatat prakash nistha ar sadhanar path beye nischayi pouche jabe dhrubatarar chirosthayi ujjalatai...

( In the long way of literary venture, the first step is taken by Rituparna; like the flashes of lightning this sudden rocketing into fame by publishing her book, she will certainly reach the luminous region of the Bright Pole Star through her sincere authoring and ceaseless literary efforts...)

GANASHAKTI :

Rupkathar nil pari ar lal parira motei patta pai na Rituparnar kalom e , badole jaiga kore ney manush, jibonjapon o bodh er kathabarta...

(The crimson and azure fairies of the impossible romances do not get accomodation in Rituparna's imaginary world. In its place man, his everyday living, and perception have claimed all attention of Rituparna's pen....)

The Asian Age :

Most of Rituparna's stories in this collection are well written . They provide an insight into a child's imaginary world.

Rituparna's book Bhutia was praised in superlative terms by leading writers including

Syed Mustafa Siraj:

Abul Bashar :

Tarapada Ray:

Parthajit Gangopadhyay:

Dulendra Bhowmick:

and many others………..

The readers of Merinews also know about Rituparna. (Visit Merinews.com)

The Statesman: Rituparna has quite a good command over language..... The book must be read by all young learners....

Pratidin :

Galper samapti ebong galpo balar munshiayanay Rituparna ei boyoshe besh parinato. Protiti galper moddhye kahinike jathajathabhabe futiye tulte je shilpi moner proyojon hoy , Rituparna tar theke ektu o pichiye nei....