Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay[edit source | editbeta] Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838 1894) is considered one

of the leading Bengali novelist and essayist of the 19th century. His first novel Durgeshnandini, consi dered a benchmark in the history of Bengali literature, was published in 1865.[5 ] He also wrote "Vande Mataram", the national song of India, which appears in hi s novel Anandamath (1882).[5] His other novels include: Kapalkundala, Bishabriks ha, Krishnakanter Will, Rajsingha, Devi Chaudhurani etc.[5] Bankim Chandra has c ritically analysed the Bhagavat Gita and the problems of Krishnaism from a histo rical perspective in his Dharmatattva (1888) and Krishna Charitra (1882).[5] Kam alakanter Daptar (1975) is one of his best known humorous sketches.[5] Others[edit source | editbeta] Bengali literature has also produced many other notable talents. For example, fa mous and popular Bengali poets include Ishwar Chandra Gupta, Biharilal Chakrabor ty, and Kaykobad. Romesh Chunder Dutt and Mir Mosharraf Hossain are notable for there works of ficiton. Girish Chandra Ghosh and Dwijendralal Ray were prominent playwrights of the time, whereas Akshay Kumar Boral and Ramendra Sundar Tribedi are famous for their influential essays. This era also saw a rise in new literary publications, magazines and newspapers. A number of educational institutes also appeared all over the region. Both thes e developments helped to nurture and advance the modern Bengali literary movemen t. The Pre-Tagore era also saw an undercurrent of popular literature which was focu sed on daily life in contemporary Bengal. The prose style, as well as the humour in these works, were often crass, blunt and accessible. A masterpiece in this r egard was "Hutom Pechar Naksha" (The Sketch of the Owl) written by Kaliprasanna Singha, and satirically depicts "Babu" culture in 19th century Kolkata. Other no table works in this regard are "Alaler Ghorer Dulal" (The Spoilt Brat) by Peary Chand Mitra, "Ramtanu Lahiri o tatkalin Banga shamaj" (Ramtanu Lahiri & contempo rary Bengali society) by Nyaymohan Tarkalankar, and "Naba Babu Bilas" & "Naba Bi bi Bilas" by Bhabanicharan Bandopadhyay. These books arguably portrayed contempo rary Bengali dialect and popular society effectively, and also incorporated nowextinct music genres such as Khisti, Kheur and Kabiyal gaan by stalwarts like Ru pchand Pakhi and Bhola Moyra. Books like these have become rarer since the emerg ence of Tagore culture, and the burgeoning preference for literary elegance and refinement in Bengali society.[6]