Noted litterateur and renowned professor/academician, Narayan Gangopadhyay (Bengali: 唳ㄠ唳班唳唳� 唳椸唰嵿唰嬥Κ唳距Η唰嵿Ο唳距Ο唳�) (real name: Taraknath) was born in Baliadanga in Dinajpur, East Bengal, on February 7, 1919. His ancestral home was in Basudebpur, Barishal. In 1941, he stood first class first in M.A. in Bengali from Calcutta University and later went on to earn his D.Phil for his research in the field of short stories in Bengali literature. He taught at the City College and later at the Calcutta University.
His first brush with writing came during his student years, when he tried his hand at poetry. Later he made his mark as a writer of short stories, novels and plays and also emerged as a critic and journalist. In the early 1940s he wrote a three-part novel called Upanibesh. He also regularly contributed to Shonibarer Chithi and was felicitated by Basumati the famous literary magazine. In his later years, he wrote biting satire on the prevalent social and political issues for Desh under the pseudonym Sunando. Among his famous works are Bitangsho, Surjasarathi, Timirtirtha, Alor Sarani, Ek-tala, Rammohan (play), Chhotogalpo Bichitra, Padasanchar, Samrat O Sreshthi, Ankush, Sahityo O Sahityik, Bangla Galpobichitra, Chhotogalper Seemarekha and Rabindranath. Two of his plays, Bhadate Chai and Agantuk, which were enacted by writers, were highly acclaimed.
Narayan Gangopadhyay is also the creator of Tenida and his adventures鈥攚hich remain till date most popular among children's literature.
The book I have is an old edition which had the main novel along with 5 other short stories featuring Tenida, Pyala, Habul and Kyabla.
Coming to the main novel, there is something really endearing regarding the chemistry between these fictional dynamic duo which never fails to give me a chuckle. Teni with his cavalier attitude and Pyala with his wit for words and cautious demeanour. The novel is really an adventure novel at its heart with humour in its core, much like Tintin and the gang.
This book is no exception and Interestingly it's comparatively shorter than the other novels in the Tenida series by Gangopadhyay. But never the less it really has a brisk pace also the jokes and word play lands perfectly in one's funny bone.
Teni and his friend's adventures are full of fun and mayhem and as a Bengali we are very lucky to have such a charector like this in our childhood irrespective of how we come to know it, be it through the books, the comics or even the animated series that used to be broadcasted in television.
As a child, I grew a sudden fascination for North Kolkata and it's alleys and gulleys through these charectors, halogen lamp posts and stone patios of old houses were thrilling for my senses as I try to search for a real life Tenida, but maybe they are a product of a time gone by, who knows?
The other five stories are no doubt small humourous gems which no doubt falls under the category of tall tales which are always a pleasure to read. All in all this book really helped me to relive my childhood days in which these charectors were something more to me, maybe the friends I always wanted to have.