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| Shubhamanas Ghosh goes through a rough sketch for his next story. Picture by Anup Bhattacharya |
For new and budding authors, the Saradiya issues are a matter of do or die. A novel or a short story in these numbers are a must for any budding author. Shubhamanas Ghosh has gone through a series of trial and error to graduate from a short story writer to a novelist while writing for the Saradiya issues. He has finally succeeded after several attempts and for the past few years, his novels are being regularly published in the puja numbers.
After Bisher Basha in Saradiya Patrika in 2010, he came back in 2013 with Sudhu Hansi Khela in Saradiya Patrika. His Kalo Jal Nil Jal has found place in Anandalok puja number 2014. Most readers, who are familiar with Shubhamanas’s short stories will now read his novels.
Although he is a resident of Uttarpara since 2004, much of Shubhamanas’s life was spent in Salkia. “I was forced to shift here for my job. Since I teach Bengali at a girls’ college in Uttarpara, it was becoming difficult for me to travel everyday by public transport from Salkia to college,” he said.
Writing was an inspiration from his elder brother, who was creative by nature. “He was the first to initiate me into reading story books and novels. After that I was addicted to reading,” said Ghosh. Although he started writing back in school, Shubhamanas had never considered becoming an author till much later. “I didn’t think I had the luxury to try and become an author because I had to run a family. My father did not have a job and my elder brother left home to become a monk,” he said.
Shubhamanas went to college by day and worked in a press by night. In 1986, he finally got a job as a teacher in Bantra MSPC School. Although he had been writing from time to time in little magazines, Shubhamanas took up writing seriously after he completed his PhD in Bengali. The suggestion came from a friend who told him to compile his short stories. “I published my first collection of stories, Golpo Alpo Salpo. The book was reviewed in Anandamela and other newspapers,” said Shubhamanas.
Shubhamanas started as a short story writer. His first short story to be published in Desh in 1993 was Nil Pari. “That was the first and last time my story was ever published in Desh,” said Shubhamanas.
In 1996, Phooler Gandha, was published in Anandabazar Patrika’s Rabibasaria. Many readers and writers of the time noticed him then. Through the years, Shubhamanas has written over 300 short stories. Anandabazar Patrika published his short story in their Saradiya puja number in 1997. “I was asked to write a novel by Ramapada Chowdhury but the novel was not accepted. Instead a short story was published in that edition,” said Shubhamanas.
However, the thought of writing a novel lurked in Shubhamanas’s mind. “I wanted to write offbeat novels, breaking away from the conventional style. However, that was not successful, and my first few novels were not published. Yet, I continued to experiment and even today I try to bring twists and turns to my plots, but in a matured way,” said Shubhamanas.
“I have published many novels, like Hridaye Bristir Ghran in 2007 and Aguner Pakhi was my second novel,” said Ghosh. Aguner Pakhi was popular and it brought Shubhamanas into the limelight. Soon after he wrote Bhalobashar Chokh and Bondhur Bari simultaneously.
“I was requested to write for Anandabazar Patrika puja number in 2009 and I wrote Bondhur Bari. This was a political novel in which I made bold statements about the Left Front government. After this I was asked to write again in 2010 and I wrote Bisher Basha,” said Ghosh.
More about Shubhamanas
DoB: January 2,1959
Born in: Howrah
Education: MA, BEd, PhD
Family: Wife, son and daughter
Loves: Travelling
Hates: Professional jealousy
