Who was Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Indian Celebrities Born In September

Also Known As: Sarat Chandra Chatterjee

Died At Age: 61

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Hironmoyi devi, Shanti devi

siblings: Swami Vedananda

Novelists Short Story Writers

Died on: January 16, 1938

place of death: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Cause of Death: Liver Cancer

More Facts

education: University Of Calcutta

awards: Filmfare Award for Best Story

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1

What are the major themes in Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novels?

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novels often explore themes such as love, social issues, relationships, and the struggles of the common people in society.
2

Which are the most popular novels written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay?

Some of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's most popular novels include "Devdas," "Parineeta," "Chandranath," "Srikanta," and "Grihadaha."
3

How did Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's upbringing influence his writing?

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's upbringing in a rural Bengali household deeply influenced his writing, giving him insights into the lives and struggles of ordinary people, which he portrayed in his works.
4

What was Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's writing style like?

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's writing style was simple, yet powerful, with a focus on realistic portrayals of characters and their emotions. He often used colloquial language to bring authenticity to his narratives.
5

What impact did Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay have on Indian literature?

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay is considered one of the most influential writers in Indian literature, known for his portrayal of social issues, complex characters, and emotional depth, which continue to resonate with readers today.

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Childhood & Early Life

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was born on September 15, 1876, in Debanandapur, Bengal Presidency, India. His childhood was mostly spent in his grandfather Kedarnath Gangopadhyay’s house, in Bihar, where his father was employed for a while.

Motilal Chattopadhyay, his father, held irregular jobs and thus, the family was mired in poverty. He was a writer who spent his days dreaming, idling, and never finishing any of his works. Sarat Chandra’s mother, Bhuvanmohini, took care of the family She passed away in 1895.

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was one of the five children of his parents. After the death of their mother, the family was supported by various other family members during hard times. One of his brothers, Swami Vedananda, later became a disciple at Belur Math.

His education began at Pyari Pandit’s pathshala, an informal village school and later he joined Hooghly Branch High School. He was a good student who was also daring and adventurous. Though he enrolled in fine arts, he had to give it up due to the family’s miserable financial state.

He completed his early education while staying at a maternal uncle’s house in Bhagalpur. Once his education was complete, he engaged himself with acting in plays and in sports and games.

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Career

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s imagination and love for literature were an invaluable gift from his father. He began writing in his early teens. Two stories from this period to have survived are ‘Korel’ and ‘Kashinath’.

His family’s poverty forced him out of pursuing further studies and pushed him to look for work. In 1900, he worked at the Banali Estate in Bihar. He later was an assistant to the Settlement Officer in the Santhal district settlement.

In 1903, at the age of 27, he moved to Burma and worked as a clerk in a government office in Rangoon. He then secured a permanent job in the Accounts Department of Burma Railway. He lived there for nearly 13 years and returned to Baje Shibpur, Howrah, in 1916.

His first short story, ‘Mandir’ (1903) was written at the insistence of his uncle Girindrandra Nath. It won him the Kuntolin Puraskar in 1904 among hundreds of other entries.

He regularly contributed stories to the magazine Jamuna. He did so under three names, his own, Anila Devi (his sister), and Anupama. He would later go on to say that Jamuna was the catalyst in reviving his literary career while he was in Burma.

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was a staunch feminist and rejected core Hindu orthodoxy. He did not believe in standard social systems and wrote against superstition and bigotry.

He often wrote about women and their suffering at a time when patriarchy was largely prevalent. This makes his writings quite authentic and revolutionary. ‘Devdas’ (1901, published 1917), ‘Parineeta’ (1914), Biraj Bau (1914), and Palli Samaj (1916) are a reflection of his rejection of social norms.

Between 1921 and 1936, he served as president of Howrah district branch of the Indian National Congress.

His writings were also motivated by the ongoing freedom movement in the country. In 1926, he wrote 'Pather Debi'; the story revolved around a revolutionary movement, inspired by Bengal, operating in Burma and in Far East.

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His last completed novel was ‘Sesh Prasna’ (1931). It was an intellectual monolog on problems involving love, marriage, individuals, and society.

Major Works

‘Swami’ was a reflection of his feminism and strong portrayal of female characters. The novel follows Saudamini, an ambitious and bright girl who is conflicted by her emotions towards her lover, Narendra and her husband Ghanshyam.

His most famous work was not critically acclaimed but it stands out as one of his most remembered works. ‘Devdas’ (written 1901, published 1917) was a love story that bowed down to societal norms and depicts the protagonist as a loser. It remains his most popular story, being adapted to the screen no less than eight times in various versions.

‘Parineeta’ (1914) was another of his forays into feminism. It explores themes of caste and religion prevalent at that time. It is set in the early part of the 20th century in Calcutta and is a novel of social protest that tends to break societal rules.

Iti Srikanta’ (1916), a four-part novel, was first published in 1916. It chronicled the life of Srikanta, a wanderlust, and various characters who influence him. It is often believed that Iti Srikanta was based on Chattopadhyay’s own life and travels. The four parts were published in 1916, 1918, 1927, and 1933.

‘Choritrohin’ (1917) [Characterless] is a tale of four women wronged by society. It follows their journey through rejection and ultimately redemption.

Awards & Achievements

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s first published novel, ‘Mandir’ won the Kuntalin Puraskar in 1904. He had entered the Kuntalin literary competition under the name Surendranath Ganguli.

The University of Calcutta presented him with their Jagattarini medal. He received an honorary doctorate, D.Litt. from the University of Dacca.

Personal Life & Legacy

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was married twice. His first wife was Shanti Devi, whom he married in 1906 in Burma. They had a son the next year. Shanti Devi and their son were victims of the plague and both passed away in 1908.

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The loss of his family shattered him and he turned to books for solace. He read voraciously on sociology, history, philosophy and psychology etc. But he had to slow down in 1909 due to health problems.

Among his many interests were homeopathy, singing, and painting. He also opened a primary school.

In 1910, he married Mokshada, an adolescent widow whom he renamed Hiranmoyee. He taught his young bride to read and write. She outlived him by 23 years.

He was diagnosed with liver cancer and passed away on January 16, 1938, in Calcutta (now Kolkata).

Facts About Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, despite being known for his serious and emotional writing, had a great sense of humor and loved to tell jokes to his friends and family.

He was a firm believer in gender equality and often portrayed strong and independent female characters in his novels, challenging societal norms of his time.

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay had a deep love for nature and would often spend hours wandering in the countryside, drawing inspiration for his stories.

He was an avid reader and had an extensive collection of books from various genres, which he drew inspiration from for his own writing.

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay was also known for his philanthropic work, supporting various social causes and charitable organizations throughout his life.

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Biography

You wanted to know

What are the major themes in Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novels?

Which are the most popular novels written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay?

How did Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's upbringing influence his writing?

What was Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's writing style like?

What impact did Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay have on Indian literature?