View source for Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay

{{Short description|Bengali-language novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet, and physician}}
{{EngvarB|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
| native_name        = বলাইচাঁদ মুখোপাধ্যায়
| 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
| nationality        = Indian
| 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''' ("Wild 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|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]]

==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}}
[[Category: Writers from Kolkata]]

==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: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]]