A city exhibition celebrates the life and works of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay

A special exhibition titled 'Pather Debota – God of the Little Road' celebrating the life and works of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, one of Bengal’s most revered literary voices and the author of landmark works such as Pather Panchali, Chander Pahar and Aranyak is on view at KCC.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Aparna Sen, Mitra Bandyopadhyay who is the daughter-in-Law of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, Trinankur Banerjee, curator & the grandson of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay & Richa Agarwal, chairperson, Kolkata Centre For Creativity & CEO, Emami Art.

Exclusively curated by Trinankur, the exhibition brings together rare archival photographs, original manuscripts, handwritten letters, early editions, and treasured family heirlooms which offer visitors an intimate glimpse into the writer’s life, creative process, and the personal world that shaped his literary imagination.

Alongside the exhibition, KCC will host a series of interdisciplinary programmes including film screenings, conversations, storytelling sessions, and discussions that explore different dimensions of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay’s literary legacy. The line-up includes a tribute screening of Faqir by Goutam Ghose and an audio descriptive screening of Pather Panchali for the visually impaired by Arya Moitra under the supervision of Dr Ishan Chakraborty, as part of our commitment to inclusivity. Discussions will feature speakers such as Abdul Kafi, Swami Sanmatrananda, Rusati Sen, Tapabrata Bhaduri, and filmmaker Kamaleshwar Mukherjee, as well as a session on 'Bibhutibhushan in Translation' with Arunava Sinha, Abhijit Gupta, and Doyeeta Majumder. Additional programmes include a school quiz on the author conducted by Abhijit Sukul, a conversation on Pather Panchali with Sandip Ray and Pinaki De and more.

Richa Agarwal, chairperson of KCC said in a statement, "We have always believed in creating spaces where literature, art, and public engagement can come together meaningfully. Celebrating the life and work of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay through this exhibition is a natural extension of that vision. His writing continues to influence the cultural imagination of Bengal and beyond. Through this initiative, we hope to bring audiences closer to the author and his lasting literary legacy." To this, Trinankur Banerjee added, "It gives me immense pleasure to commemorate the centenary of the writing of Pather Panchali—one of the most significant novels in Bengali literature—with the help of the KCC and Emami Foundation to show glimpses of the author’s life, his thoughts, and the intricate planning behind his seemingly simple text. From family archives, hitherto unseen documents and artefacts will be on display to string together a life little understood."

The exhibition will go on till April 19.

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