Srilata Banerjee and Shirshendu Mukherjee at the book reading on Friday and (below) the book cover

For book-loving Bengalis, Lila Majumdar needs no introduction. The prolific children’s author has been a favourite growing-up companion for many. But those who cannot read Bengali need not fret. Two of her best-loved stories are available in English as well.

On Friday, the Starmark outlet at South City Mall organised a reading session of The Burmese Box, which features a translation of Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho and Goopir Goopto Khata, by the translator, Srilata Banerjee, Majumdar’s granddaughter. Author Shirshendu Mukherjee was the chief guest.

Banerjee said she began translating her grandmother’s stories six to seven years ago “out of the sheer pleasure of living through the stories again”.

When Puffin approached her two years back, they wanted the translation of Podi Pishir Bormi Baksho and asked her for another story of her choice, recounted Banerjee. “I chose Goopy’s Secret Diary, my personal favourite. That was how The Burmese Box, featuring two novellas, happened.”

Banerjee read out excerpts from the book and recounted anecdotes about her grandmother.

“Didibhai (that was how she addressed her grandmother) always felt that children were the moving force. She would say ‘Amar bachhader bhalo lagey keno ki orai ashol manush (I like children because they are the real human beings)’ and would keep telling others not to lose the child in oneself,” said Banerjee.

She added that Majumdar, even at 80, would say, “Amay buro bolish keno? Ami to bachha (Why do you call me old? I am still a child).”

“My grandmother was a fantastic storyteller. I still remember the way she read Tuntunir Golpo. She would make the written word come alive — it was like watching a film.”

Mukherjee, a Lila Majumdar fan himself, lamented that many Bengalis do not have an affinity for their mother tongue. “Bengalis who cannot read Bengali are deprived of the treasure and wealth of Bengali literature. Because I am reading Harry Potter, it doesn’t mean I won’t read Sukumar Ray,” he said.