The
newspaper and the periodical played a significant role in developing children’s
literature in pre-independence India.
Many newspapers kept aside a column or page every week for publishing
children’s literature. Some journals and periodicals also followed this
practice while some were dedicated to children’s literature. Both children and
adults wrote for them. Songs, riddles, puzzles, short stories, serialization of
novels and illustrations formed the content of these publications. Not only did
these journals serve as a display for older talented writers but also helped
discover many new writers. Well known journals exclusively for children include
V.G. Apte’s pioneering effort, Ānand,
from 1906, Sandesh published in
Bengali from 1913, Shewak Bhojraj’s magazine, Gulistān, in Sindhi, and an Oriya magazine, Panchāmratha, launched in 1928.
The best known and most influential of
all children’s magazines during this time was Sandesh, primarily the work of one family, Upendrakishore
Roychowdhury and his descendents. It was in Sandesh
that Roychowdhury, his son Sukumar Ray and grandson Satyajit Ray, first
published most of their works for children. Some of their writing which
appeared here first are now classics of children’s literature - such as
Roychowdhury’s Goopy Gyne Bāgha Byne,
Sukumar Ray’s Abol Tabol and Satyajit
Ray’s Feluda Series.
Sandesh
was not only instrumental in developing children’s taste for quality literature
but also found, encouraged, and developed a number of talented authors and
artists. Mahasweta Devi wrote delightful stories for children in Sandesh which have now been published in
an English translation, Our Non-Veg Cow
and Other Stories by Seagull Books.
what a lovely post. I grew up reading Sandesh in Bangla. Still love Upendra Kishore and Sukumar Ray's works.
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