In Belal Chowdhury's poetry volume Jolbishuber Purnima, published in 1985 from Chattogram's Boighor, Shamsur Rahman wrote on the back cover: "Not only in literary gatherings in both Dhaka and Kolkata, Belal also has found a place in Bangla fiction. Sunil Gangyopadhyay portrayed him as a distinct character in his novel Atmaprakash."
Then there are Sunil's Dui Nari and Haate Tarabari, and Shyamal Gangyopadhyay's Swarge Tin Papi, where again Belal Chowdhury shines as a distinct character. Gita Bandyopadhyay and Arupratan Basu have written stories about him. In this article, we'll take a quick look at three novels – Sandipan Chattopadhyay's Kolkata's Dinratri, Tusher Roy's Shesh Nouka and Abdul Manna Syed's Kolkata – and see how a poet emerges as a powerful character in the realm of fiction with his life and work.
Non-conformist writer Sandipan Chattopadhyay's novel Kolkata's Dinratri is unique in innovation of style. In the context of 1970 Kolkata, the novel starts with a description of a group of poets that include Shakti Chattopadhyay, Sunil Gangyopadhyay, Utpalkumar Basu and Belal Chowdhury:
"After Sunil in early 1970 and later Shakti joined the Anandabazar family, I became alone. Utpalkumar Basu and Bhaskar Dutta had stayed back in London. Sharat returned but settled in Delhi with a new job. Just letters were exchanged at times, especially with Utpal. Once I visited them at the Anandabazar office and found quite a lot of people in Sunil's room. I felt relieved having seen Belal there because all the renegade birds would return to their homes but only a few of us would remain – we'll fly in the night sky."
In this novel, about the many adventures of a band of nocturnal poets, we see Belal in many more dimensions where his life and work merge to create a bottomless world of feeling.
"This incident had happened during a gathering of the poets. That day Belal read out a poem the last two lines of which describe a blue-colored sailor; shipwrecked, he emerges in a foreign island and announces his presence by whistling twice. There is an albatross hanging around his neck.
"Having finished, Belal sat beside me. I asked him if he could whistle like that: Putting his fingers right under his tongue. I had tried doing so ever since I was a child but never succeeded. The meeting had just ended. Saying yes, he almost put his fingers under the tongue to whistle right then and there. I prevented him saying, not now; then I forgot.
"But who knew that my childhood desire, buried deep down, would surface later that night in the shape of a veritable storm.
"When I was reminded of it, I asked him again if he could really do it, moving on to the fourth round from the third. Belal turned toward me with a ‘what's-the-matter look,’ and even before I could reply, he remembered. Why wouldn't he? That was the only thing I said to him till then. Standing up, mustering hair-splitting sharpness in the voice, he whistled twice sharply and sat back in his seat with a thump. He came from what was then East Pakistan. Embarking on a ship from Chattogram, he went all the way to Japan. He came back but chose to stay in Kolkata without a passport or a visa."
Poet Tusher Roy (1938- ) is famous for his poetry collection Bandmaster. Side by side with new books i.e. Marubhumir Akashe Tara, Kingbadantir Upatyaka – which were innovative and unique in many ways, he published in 1968 a novella called Shesh Nouka. Published in a magazine called Galpakabita, it came out as a book in 1971 (Kolkata's Prativas Publishers published a new edition of the book in 2006). Nouka can be described as written in a language that glows with hints of a timeless art. In this novella about self-discovery, Roy not only reveals his own self but also captures an authentic image of Belal, placing him against the backdrop of an important time.
"We rented a big canoe from local fishermen and our most revered Motor Mia had delivered 900 bottles of liquor from his own distillery, Belal informed us staring down at a list. He was the shepherd or the baul of Bangladesh's literary world; he also told us that all the other necessary items such as food, medicine and fishing implements had already been collected. Now we could sail anytime. Shammohon and Sakshena eagerly said, leaning forward, 'We wish to join you in this excellent expedition of yours.'
"After downing a quick shot of whisky from the bottle put out on the table, Belal said, 'But we have a few conditions. If you can fulfill them only then can you come along with us.'
"'Such as … ' Shammohon said. His cheek turned red in excitement.
"'First of all, you have to sign a contract,' Belal Chowdhury said, lighting his cigarette. 'This journey of ours is the last – the final journey – the very last journey of the last poem or work of art. There are five great people with us; they are masters in areas of science, technology, art, poetry, literature and medicine. Our boat is like Noah's ark. Yes, if you want to come along of your own volition we won't have any problem with that, but you have to sign the contract all the same.' Belal Chowdhury then looked at Shammohon and Rajesh.
"'Fine, we'll do as you say,' they said. 'If you need any financial help we're ready to make some contribution as well.'
"'Well then, come visit us here tomorrow evening. We'll settle everything then,' Belal said and got up. Basudev, Rabindra, Adi and some others were listening to him. They got up too. Basudev addressed Shammohon and said, 'Well, let's visit the mandap now! Quite a program is arranged there tonight!'"
In Abdul Mannan Syed's (1943--2010) Kolakata (Book Society, 1980), we find Belal Chowdhury in the narrator's conversation with Sunil Gangyopadhyay who is asking after his dear friend.
This is how a poet enters effortlessly into the realm of fiction. What we readers get is not only a glowing image of Belal Chowdhury but also a picture of the time he lived in.
(Translated by Arts & Letters Desk)
Pias Majid is a poet, short story writer and essayist.
