Thakurmar Jhuli facts for kids
Audio book release cover
|
|
| Author | Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumder |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Language | Bengali |
| Subject | Children's Literature |
| Published | 1907 |
Thakurmar Jhuli (Bengali: ঠাকুরমার ঝুলি; meaning Grandmother's Bag) is a famous collection of Bengali folk and fairy tales. The author, Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumder, gathered these stories from different parts of Bengal. He published them in 1907.
A very famous writer, Rabindranath Tagore, wrote the introduction for this book. Since then, Thakurmar Jhuli has become a classic in Bengali children's literature. It is well-known in homes across West Bengal and Bangladesh.
Some characters and stories from the book are very popular. These include "Lalkamal-Nilkamal", "Buddhu-Bhutum", and the birds Byangoma-Byangomi. Many editions of this book have been printed in Bangladesh and West Bengal since it first came out.
Contents
How the Book Was Made
Rabindranath Tagore wrote in his introduction that Bengal really needed its own folk stories. At that time, people mostly read European fairy tales. Tagore felt it was important to have "swadeshi" (our own local) folk literature. This would help people remember Bengal's rich storytelling traditions. It was also a way to stand up against British cultural influence.
Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumder shared how he remembered listening to fairy tales. His mother and his aunt used to tell him these stories. His aunt, Rajlakkhi Debi, asked him to visit villages in their area. He traveled around and listened to old people tell Bengali folk and fairy tales.
He recorded these stories using a phonograph, which was an early sound recorder. He listened to the recordings many times to learn the storytelling style. At first, he couldn't find a publisher for his book. So, he set up his own printing press to publish the first collection of his stories.
Then, Dinesh Chandra Sen saw Dakshinaranjan's manuscript and was very impressed. He helped arrange for the book to be published by Bhattacharya and Sons, a well-known publisher. Within just one week, three thousand copies of the book were sold! The author also drew many pictures for the collection. These drawings were then made into prints for the book.
What's Inside the Book?
The book has fourteen stories. They are divided into three main parts. These parts are called "Dudher Sagor" (Sea of Milk), "Rooptarashi" (Scary Form), and "Chyang Byang" (Fish-Frog).
The last section, "Shona Ghumalo" (Cutie Sleeps), has three poems. Also, some other poems introduce the whole collection and each section.
Types of Characters and Stories
The first part, "Dudher Sagor," includes popular stories like "Kalabati Rajkanya" (Princess Kalabati) and "Kiranmala." "Kalabati Rajkanya" is also known as "Buddhu Bhutum." In these stories, characters often face many problems at first. But they show great qualities like courage, kindness, and cleverness. In the end, they become very successful and lucky.
The second part, "Rooptarashi," has what is probably the most famous story: "Lalkamal Neelkamal." These stories usually feature human heroes meeting other creatures. These can be rakkhoshes (giants), magical snakes, and similar beings. A rakkhosh is a type of being from Hindu mythology. They are known for having magical powers, changing their shape, and sometimes eating humans. The birds with human faces, Byangoma and Byangomi, also appear in "Lalakamal Neelkamal."
The third part, "Chyang Byang," contains different kinds of stories. It features some clever tricks by the famous sheyal pandit (Fox Pandit).
Language and Style
In his introduction, Tagore noted that Dakshinaranjan successfully captured the feel of traditional spoken tales in his writing. The poems in the book are like a mix of references to Bengali culture and old folk ideas.
Other Versions and Adaptations
Thakurmar Jhuli has been translated into other languages.
- Tales My Grandmother Told Me (2005) is an English translation by Rina Pritish Nandy.
Movies and TV Shows
Many movies and TV shows have been made based on the stories from Thakurmar Jhuli:
- Saat Bhai Champa (1978): An Indian Bengali-language film.
- Arun Barun O Kiranmala (1979): An Indian fantasy film.
- Thakumar Jhuli: An Indian animated TV series on Zee Bangla in the 2000s.
- Kiranmala: An Indian fantasy TV series based on some stories. It aired on Star Jalsha from 2014 to 2016.
- Buddhu Bhutum (2017): An Indian fantasy drama film.
- Saat Bhai Champa: An Indian Bengali-language fantasy TV series. It aired on Zee Bangla from 2017 to 2019.
- Thakurmar Jhuli: An Indian collection of TV stories that aired on Star Jalsha in 2019.
In Other Media
The stories from Thakurmar Jhuli have also appeared in other forms:
- Audio tapes and CDs.
- Puppet shows.
- Children's radio shows, where child actors tell the stories.
Why It's Still Important
Dakshinaranjan Mitra Majumdar's first four collections of folk tales are named after a grandparent. This shows they represent old traditions and cultural heritage. Today, written books and digital recordings have taken the place of just telling stories by mouth. But Thakurmar Jhuli is still a special collection. It's not just for children; adults also love it. It is a true treasure of Bengali literature.
