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 Hemchandra Bandhopadhya 

Hemchandra Banerjee (1838-1903) poet and lawyer, was born on 17 April 1838 in the home of his maternal grandparent in the village of Gulita in Hughli where his father, Kailaschandra Bandyopadhyay, was a ghar jamai. It was through the efforts of his maternal grandfather that he was admitted to Khidirpur Bangala School in Kolkata. After the death of his grandfather, his education was suspended for some time. Subsequently, through the personal efforts of Prosannakumar Sarbadhikari, Principal of sanskrit college, Hemchandra learnt English and was admitted to Hindu School in Calcutta in 1853. He was given the ‘Excellence Scholarship’ for his merit. He then joined Presidency College and took an examination for employment or promotion in the education department. He was among the first abtch of successfull candidates to appear in the Entrance Examination held by Calcutta University in 1857. In 1859 he passed BA from Presidency College and obtained the BL degree in 1866. Before graduating, Hemchandra worked for some time as a clerk in the office of the Military Auditor General. After serving briefly as headmaster of Calcutta Training Academy, he began practising law at Calcutta High Court. In 1862 be was appointed munsif. He was supposed to have translated ‘Nortons Law of Evidence’ in Bengali, though the original manuscript is not available anymore. After some months he returned to his law practice. In 1890 he was made a government pleader. Hemchandra was a patriotic poet whose writings were inspired by Hindu nationalism. He fell into disfavour of the British government when his poem, 'Bharatsangit', which exhorted his fellow Indians to throw off their foreign shackles, was published in the Education Gazette in July 1872. For some time the poem was considered the national song of Bengal. His other writings such as 'Bharatvilap', 'Kalachakra', 'Ripon Utsav', and 'Bharater Nidrabhanga' also reflect his patriotism. Hemchandra's writings also concern women's issues, especially the injustices towards women and widows. His poem, 'Kulin Mahila Vilap' (The Lament of the Kulin Wife), greatly helped the cause of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar's campaign against polygamy. He believed in communal harmony, and his writings depict Bengal as a land where Hindus and Muslims dwell together. Hemchandra was perhaps the first national poet who visualised India as an undivided, independent and integrated land. Hemchandra's first book of poems, Chintatarangini (Waves Of Thought), was published in 1861. Around this time he came in contact with Michael Madhusudan Dutta. Hemchandra also wrote a preface for Michael’s Meghnadvad Kavya in 1862, where he criticised poet’s choice of diction and imagery. Michael and Hemchandra both tried their hands on epic poetry. But Hemchandra’s masterpiece is the epic Bittrasambhar (1875-77, 2 vols, The Killing of Bitra), based on a tale from Purana, depicts the war between Inrdra , the king of Gods and Bittrasur, the demon and the sacrifice of sage Dadhichi Muni. Its theme is the victory of justice over the unjust contemporary regime. At one time this epic earned a great deal of popularity. The poet's other writings include Virvahu Kavya (1864), Chhayamayi (1880), Dashamahavidya (1882), Ashakanan (1876) and Chittavikash (1898). Kavitavali (1870-80, 2 vols) is a collection of Hemchandra's poems which include 'Jivansangit', 'Gangar Utpatti', 'Padmer Mrnal', 'Bharatkahini' and 'Ashoktaru'. Although these poems show obvious influences of English poetry, they are beautiful and charming additions to Bangla poetry. Hemchandra also translated several English books into Bangla, notably Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (1895) and Tempest. He also translated some English poems. A special feature of Hemchandra's writings was that he could compose long narrative poems as well as short lyrics, fiery patriotic poems as well as light ones. He was also reputed a wise and knowledgeable man. His declining years were, however, rather sad as he lost his eyesight. He also suffered difficulties, dying on 24 May 1903 at Khidirpur. His descendants still resides near the ancestral house. They still upholds the value of Hemchandra’s work and his original house is declared a heritage building. The Hemchandra library stores his literary work.

Some of the Literary Work Of Hemchandra Banerjee

Issue Date	Title 1871      Kabitabali - 2nd ed. কবিতাবলী - ২য় সং

1879      Britra Sanghar Kabya - Vol.1 - 2nd ed. বৃত্রসংহার কাব্য - খন্ড ১ - ২য় সং

1879      Britra Sanghar Kabya - Vol.2 - 2nd ed. বৃত্রসংহার কাব্য - খন্ড ২ - ২য় সং

1881      Kabitabali - Vol.1 - 6th ed. কবিতাবলী - খন্ড ১ - ৬ষ্ঠ সং

1882      Dashmahabidya দশমহাবিদ্যা

1884      Granthabali - Vol.1 গ্রন্থাবলী - খন্ড ১

1891      Britrasanghar - Vol.1-2 - 3rd ed. বৃত্রসংহার - খন্ড ১-২ - ৩য় সং

1893      Birbahu Kabya বীরবাহু কাব্য

1893      Asha Kanan আশাকানন

1898      Chitta Bikash চিত্ত-বিকাশ

For more of his literary work : http://dspace.wbpublibnet.gov.in:8080/dspace/handle/10689/4456

Argha.prof (talk) 04:53, 18 March 2012 (UTC)