Chirokaler Sera — Abanindranath Thakur: The Timeless Master of Bengali Children’s Literature, Edited by Chandana Dutta
Title — Chirokaler Sera (The Best of All Time) — Selected Works of Abanindranath Thakur,
Edited — Chandana Dutta,
Author— Abanindranath Thakur,
Genre — Collection Books, Edited Books,
Format— PDF,
Chirokaler Sera is an unbound collection of selected works by Abanindranath Tagore, edited by Chandana Dutta.
When we speak of Indian art and imagination, Abanindranath Tagore’s name glows like a quiet flame — not just as the pioneer of modern Indian painting, but as one of the greatest storytellers for children that Bengal ever produced. Chirokaler Sera (“The Best of All Time”), a carefully curated anthology of his selected works edited by Chandana Dutta, reminds us why he remains a “Chirokaler sera” — a timeless master — in the realm of children’s literature.
A Painter Who Picked Up the Pen
Known primarily as the creator of the Bengal School of Art, Abanindranath Tagore (1871–1951) was Rabindranath Tagore’s nephew and a central figure in the cultural renaissance of Bengal. Yet beyond the canvas, he discovered another medium of color — words. His stories, plays, and rhymes shimmered with the same aesthetic sensibility as his paintings.
But his journey into writing began not from ambition, but persuasion. It was Rabindranath who once told his younger nephew, “Write for children — write as you speak.” Hesitant at first, Abanindranath wrote Shakuntala. Rabindranath corrected not a word. That was the moment Abanindranath realized that storytelling, like painting, could be an art of seeing — not merely through the eyes, but through the heart of a child.
Writing with the Eyes of a Child
Abanindranath never wrote “down” to children. He became a child while writing for them. His stories are not lessons disguised as literature; they are games of imagination, colors in words, dreams that breathe. He understood that a story must first be heard and seen — not merely read.
In his own reflections, included in this anthology, he lamented the loss of oral storytelling and the growing habit of mechanical reading. “Once upon a time,” he wrote, “we all were children together — the old and the young alike. Now nobody listens; they only read.”
He believed true children’s literature grows not from textbooks or translations, but from genuine contact with the child’s world — from play, rhythm, image, and wonder. That’s why his language is light, musical, and spontaneous — a natural extension of conversation and imagination.
The Many Worlds of Abanindranath
In books like Rajkahini, Khirer Putul, and Buro Angla, Abanindranath built worlds where history, myth, and magic coexisted. His kings and queens were not distant figures but living symbols of courage and innocence. His fairies and talking animals were mirrors of human folly and tenderness.
He also wrote humorous verse, folk-style rhymes, and short plays filled with wordplay and rhythm. His famous A-B-C song, inspired by an English alphabet rhyme, shows his playful genius. By joining letters like “L-M-N-O” into “elemeno,” he transformed language into melody — an act of joyful linguistic mischief that only a true artist could devise.
Behind the fun, however, lies a deeper artistic philosophy: the belief that childhood is not a temporary stage to “outgrow,” but a permanent creative state. The child’s mind, he wrote, “feels, imagines, and creates.” To write for that mind, one must first become that mind.
The Aesthetic of Simplicity
Abanindranath’s prose style stands apart from Rabindranath’s lyrical grandeur. It is more colloquial, more visual, and full of warmth. He writes as a painter paints — with light touches, vivid imagery, and suggestive silence. His sentences often feel like brushstrokes, his dialogues, like gestures frozen mid-air.
This simplicity, however, is not plainness. It carries layers of emotion — nostalgia, humor, and philosophical depth — all hidden beneath an apparently childlike surface. When his character “Abu” says, “I feel as if I am still that little boy,” it is Abanindranath’s own voice speaking — the eternal child within the artist.
Why He Is “Chirokaler Sera”
Abanindranath Thakur is not merely a “writer for children.” He is a visionary who redefined what children’s literature could be — a space where art, imagination, and emotion meet in their purest forms.
He taught that children’s stories are not small stories; they are essential stories — the foundation of human sensitivity and creativity. In an age rushing toward sophistication, his words remind us of the power of simplicity, play, and wonder.
As Chandana Dutta notes in her introduction, Abanindranath’s writings continue to enchant not only the young but also the grown-ups who still listen to the heartbeat of their own childhood. To read him is to step into a land where colors speak, stories breathe, and childhood never ends.
Conclusion
In Chirokaler Sera, Abanindranath Tagore’s voice rings as fresh as ever — curious, playful, tender, and wise. His stories are not relics of a bygone age; they are living art — full of laughter, rhythm, and soul.
And that is why, even today, Abanindranath Tagore remains “Chirokaler Sera” — the best of all time in the kingdom of children’s dreams.
“Writing for children,” he once said, “is not to teach, but to play. To paint with words what the heart sees.”
And through his words, we continue to see — with the clear eyes of a child.
Download the PDF: Chirokaler Sera — An unbound collection of selected works by Abanindranath Tagore
‘চিরকালের সেরা’ — অবনীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুরের নির্বাচিত রচনা সম্বলিত, চন্দনা দত্ত সম্পাদিত একটি অনবদ্ধ সংকলন গ্রন্থ।
