Short stories from the 1960s

Alternate branch of Ghanashyam tales : History-based novels & novellas for mature readers.

'Dhil' / 'Mahaakaasher Dhil' ('Stone'), 1960

Tek...Trite ?

. Ghanashyam's reaction to being manhandled reveals the artists' varying approach.

'Dhil' from the Puja annual 'Aparoopa' (1960)

Artist : Balaibandhu Roy

'Dhil' from 'Aabaar Ghanada' (1963, 2003)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Dhil' from

'Ghanada Choturmukh' (1968), 'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

From a Hindi translation

Artist : Ajit Gupta

First Published : 1960, 'Aparoopa', Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations : Balaibandhu Roy

First featured in the book : 'Aabaar Ghanada', 1963

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

'Mahaakaasher Dhil' ['Dhil'] from 'Ghanadar Shongi Shaathi' (1986)

Publisher : Kamini Prakashalay

Artist : Amal Chattopadhyay

[Click to Enlarge]

The Early Bird...

. Protul Bandyopadhyay resumes illustrating Ghanada after a two-year gap.

. Our hero's white moustache and specs vanish from 'Knecho' onwards

in the Protul-prototype.

'Knecho' from the Puja annual 'Shaarodiyaa' (1961)

Artist : Protul Chandra Bandopadhyay

'Knecho' from 'Ghanadake Vote Din' (1964)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Knecho' from

'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

From an English translation

Artist : Subir Roy

First Published : 1961, 'Shaarodiyaa', Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations : Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book : 'Ghanadake Vote Din', 1964

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

'Knecho' from

'Ghanada Kishore Omnibus' (1990)

Publisher : Kamini Prakashalay

Artist : Amal Chattopadhyay

'Knecho' ('Worm'), 1961

Golly, what a brolly !

. Ajit Gupta first drew Botha as a lean person.

But following the author's description of 'rhino-like',

the villain put on several kilos in

'Brihat Ghanada Shankalan' and

the Shoibya edition of 'Ghanada Nityo Notun'

'Chhaata' from the Puja annual 'Alaknandaa' (1962)

Artist : Protul Chandra Bandopadhyay

'Chhaata' from 'Ghanada Nityo Notun' (1966, 2003)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Chhaata' from

'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

First Published : 1962, 'Alaknandaa', Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja annual

Illustrations : Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book : 'Ghanada Nityo Notun', 1966

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

'Chhaata' ('Umbrella'), 1962

[Click to Enlarge]

. 'Awphuronto Ghanada' assigned an illustration of 'Chokh'

from 'Ghanada Nityo Notun' (1966)

to 'Chhaata',

presumably because of the garden umbrella !

Animated Anemones

. Sabatini 'falls' for Ghanashyam's ventriloquism.

We're relying on you to inform us where & when 'Chhnuch' was first published

'Chhnuch' from 'Aabaar Ghanada' (1963, 2003)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Chhnuch' from

'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

From a Hindi translation

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Chhnuch' from

'Ghanada Tenida Pheludar Gawlpo' (1997)

Publisher : Shoibya Prakashan Bibhag

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Chhnuch' ('Pipette'), 1963 / Earlier

First Published : Unknown

First featured in the book : 'Aabaar Ghanada', 1963

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

Election & El Dorado

. Our hero welcomes new visitors to the

first floor chit-chat room.

His armchair is partly visible in the foreground.

We're relying on you to inform us where & when 'Ghanadake Vote Din' was first published

'Ghanadake Vote Din' from

'Ghanadake Vote Din' (1964)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Ghanadake Vote Din' from

'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Ghanadake Vote Din' from

'Ghanada Kishore Omnibus' (1990)

Publisher : Kamini Prakashalay

Artist : Amal Chattopadhyay

'Ghanadake Vote Din' ('Vote For Ghanada'), 1964 / Earlier

First Published : Unknown

First featured in the book : 'Ghanadake Vote Din', 1964

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

. An unconfirmed source tells us,

'Ghanadake Vote Din' first appeared in the periodical 'Amrito'.

Does anyone know which issue ?

Fly Faster Than Sound

'Maachhi' from the Puja annual 'Shyamali', 1963

Artist : Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

'Maachhi' from 'Ghanadake Vote Din' (1964)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Maachhi' from

'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Maachhi' from 'Ghanada Kishore Omnibus' (1990)

Publisher : Kamini Prakashalay

Artist : Amal Chattopadhyay

'Maachhi' ('Fly'), 1963

First Published : 1963, 'Shyamali', Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja Annual

Illustrations : Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book : 'Ghanadake Vote Din', 1964

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

. A disturbed and unperturbed Ghanashyam trapped inside a cave.

Sheep of the Desert

'Jawl' from the Puja annual 'Uttarayan', 1964

Artist : Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

'Jawl' from

'Ghanada Nityo Notun' (1966, 2003)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Jawl' from

'Ek Jaahaj Gawlpo : Shaagordnaari' (1971)

Artist : Surya Roy

'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Jawl' ('Water'), 1964

First Published : 1964, Mahalayaa, 'Uttarayan', Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja Annual

Illustrations : Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book : 'Ghanada Nityo Notun', 1966

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

. In the Indian Associated edition of 'Ghanada Nityo Notun',

this illustration is from 'Jawl',

this for

'Chokh'.

For some reason the Shoibya editions of

'Ghanada Nityo Notun' (2003) & 'Brihat Ghanada Shankalan' (1993)

chose to interchange them.

. A similar displacement occured in the 'Chhaata' entry of 'Awphuronto Ghanada'.

. A bearded Ghanada appears for the first time.

Eye for an Otter

'Chokh' from the Puja annual 'Neehaarika', 1965

Artist : Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

'Chokh' from

'Ghanada Nityo Notun' (1966, 2003)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Chokh' from

'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Chokh' ('Eye'), 1965

First Published : 1965, 'Neehaarika', Dev Sahitya Kutir Puja Annual

Illustrations : Protul Chandra Bandyopadhyay

First featured in the book : 'Ghanada Nityo Notun', 1966

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

. See also 'Jawl'.

After a long gap, Ghanada dons specs,

albeit reading glasses

Cooler than Kulpi

'Ghanada Kulpi Khaan Na' from

'Orey Toraa Jayadhwani Kawr', Puja Annual 1371

Artist : Unknown

'Ghanada Kulpi Khaan Na' from

'Ghanada Nityo Notun' (1966, 2003)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Ghanada Kulpi Khaan Na' from

'Awphuronto Ghanada' (1976)

Artist : Ajit Gupta

'Ghanada Kulpi Khaan Na' ('No Icecream for Ghanada'),

1964, September - October

First Published : 1964, September - October,

'Orey Toraa Jayadhwani Kawr', Puja Annual

Illustrations : Unknown

First featured in the book : 'Ghanada Nityo Notun', 1966

Illustrations : Ajit Gupta

This story was also a part of Premendra Mitra's

'Mahabharatey Nei' (1973), unfortunately sans illustrations

. The Shoibya editions of

'Ghanada Nityo Notun' (2003), 'Ghanadar Obhijaan' (2002) & 'Kishore Ghanada Shawmogro' (2011) truncated the title of this tale to 'Kulpi'.