Mallika Sengupta Explained
| Mallika Sengupta |
| Birth Date: | 1960 3, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Krishnanagar, Nadia, India |
| Death Date: | [1] |
| Death Place: | Kolkata, India |
| Nationality: | Indian |
| Known For: | Poet |
| Spouse: | Subodh Sarkar |
Mallika Sengupta (Bengali: মল্লিকা সেনগুপ্ত; 1960–2011) was a Bengali poet, feminist, and reader of Sociology from Kolkata, known for her "unapologetically political poetry".[2]
Biography
Mallika Sengupta was the head of the Department of Sociology in Maharani Kasiswari College, an undergraduate college affiliated with the University of Calcutta in Kolkata.[3] She was much better known for her literary activity. The author of more than 20 books including 14 volumes of poetry and two novels, she was widely translated and was a frequent invitee at international literary festivals.
For twelve years in the 90s she was the poetry editor of Sananda, the largest circulated Bengali fortnightly (edited by Aparna Sen). Along with her husband, the noted poet Subodh Sarkar, she was the founder-editor of Bhashanagar, a culture magazine in Bengali.
English translations of her work have appeared in various Indian and American anthologies. In addition to teaching, editing and writing, she was actively involved with the cause of gender justice and other social issues.
She had undergone breast cancer treatment starting in October 2005 and died on 28 May 2011.
Activism and literary themes
Sengupta was also active in a number of protest and gender activism groups. Her fiery, combative tone is noticeable in many poems, e.g. "While teaching my son history":
Man alone was both God and Goddess
Man was both father and mother
Both tune and flute
Both penis and vagina
As we have learnt from history.
– from Mallika Sengupta, Kathamanabi, Bhashanagar, kolkata, 2005, (tr. poet)often dealing with women's marginalised role in history:
after the battle said chenghis khan
the greatest pleasure of life,
is in front of the vanquished enemy
to sleep with his favourite wife.
– Juddha Sheshe Nari – from Mallika Sengupta, Kathamanabi, Bhashanagar, kolkata, 2005, (tr. amitabha mukerjee[4])
Particularly evocative is her feminist rendition of the legend of Khana, a medieval female poet whose tongue was allegedly cut off by her jealoushusband:
In Bengal in the Middle Ages
Lived a woman Khana, I sing her life
The first Bengali woman poet
Her tongue they severed with a knife
Her speechless voice, "Khanar Bachan"
Still resonates in the hills and skies
Only the poet by the name of Khana
Bleeding she dies.
– Khana, tr. amitabha mukerjee [5]
Awards and honours
- Junior Fellowship for Literature from the Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India (1997–99)
- Sukanto Puroskar from the Govt. of West Bengal (1998)
- Bangla Academy award from the Govt. of West Bengal (2004)
- Has been invited to poetry readings, conferences and seminars in Sweden (1987), Australia (1994), USA (2002 & 2006), Czech Republic (2009) and Bangladesh (1998 & 2002) as part of Indian writer's delegation.
Works
Poetry
- Challish Chander Ayu, Virus publication, 1983
- Ami Sindhur Meye, Prativas publication, Kolkata, 1988
- Haghare O Debdasi, Prativas publication, Kolkata, 1991
- Ardhek Prithivi, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1993,
- Meyeder Aa Aaa Ka Kha, Prativas publication, Kolkata, 1998
- Kathamanabi, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1999,
- Deoyalir Rat, Patralekha, Kolkata, 2001
- Amra Lasya Amra Ladai, Sristi Prakashani, Kolkata, 2001 Book Excerptise (2 translations)
- Purushke Lekha Chithi, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 2003, Book Excerptise (1 poem online)
- Chheleke History Parate Giye, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 2005
- Shrestha Kabita, Kolkata, Dey's Publication, 2005
- Aamake Sariye Dao Valobasa, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 2006,
- Purusher Janyo Eksho Kabita, Deep Prakashan, Kolkata, 2007
- O Janemon Jibananada, Banolata Sen Likhchhi, Kolkata, Ananda Pub. 2008
- Brishtimichhil Barudmichhil, Kolkata, Ananda Pub. 2010
Poetry in English translation
- Carriers of Fire, Bhashanagar, Kolkata, 2002
- Kathamanabi, her voice and Other Poems, Bhashanagar, kolkata, 2005
Novels
- Seetayan, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1995,
- Sleelatahanir Pare, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1996,
- Kabir Bouthan, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 2011,
Books on sociology of gender
- Strilinga Nirmana, Ananda Publishers, Kolkata, 1994,
- Purush Noi Purushtantra, Vikash Grantha Bhavan, Kolkata, 2002
- Bibahabichchhinnar Akhyan, Banglar Samaj O Sahitye, Kolkata, Papyrus, 2007
Translation
- Akaler Madhye Saras, translation from Kedarnath Singh's Hindi poems, Sahitya Akademi, Kolkata, 1998
Bengali poetry anthology
- Dui Banglar Meyeder Shreshtha kabita, Upasana, Kolkata, 2003
External links
Notes and References
- News: Noted Bengali poet Mallika Sengupta dead. thehindu.com. 28 May 2011 . 23 March 2017.
- Web site: Archived copy . 27 June 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180321130819/http://india.poetryinternationalweb.org/piw_cms/cms/cms_module/index.php?obj_id=2728 . 21 March 2018 . dead .
- http://www.museindia.com/showauthor.asp?id=100
- http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/books/sengupta-2005-chheleke-history-parate.html Chheleke history paRAte giye
- http://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/other/ut-sample-gifs.html unsevered tongue
