Chandan Kumar Bhattacharya

Chandan Kumar Bhattacharya Biography

Chandan Kumar Bhattacharya, also known as Vattacharja Chandan is a noted writer and poet from Bengal. He writes in Bengali and English languages. He is also popular as a music composer and mail artist. He reached Kolkata in desire to become an experimental scientist. However he landed in the magic world of words and literature. Along with Dilip Gupta, Ashis Deb and Shukla Mazumder, he launched the Prakalpana Movement in Bengali literature. He regularly participated in poetry readings at the Saturday open-air MuktaMela fairs at the Kolkata Maida, which also include many contemporary poets of Bengal during the 20^th century. He regularly publishes his poems and mail art in many magazines as well was online sites.

He was born in 1944 in the village Tamluk of Bengal. He schooled at Tamluk Hamilton High School and later came to Kolkata in desire to become a scientist. He completed Master’s in political science from the University of Calcutta. His first book of poetry was Byabiloner Shunya Baagaane, which won Alpha Beta Honorary Mention Award in 1971. After that he published the books -Saral Karo: Vaalobashaa (1974), Swaadhikar Sanad (essay) 1974, Porimandal (1975), Posha Paakhi Hobonaa : I Won’t Be a Pet Bird (1998) and Atiprithibi 1 (2009). Udvinna Prakalpana: Upsurging Prakalpana, Ekaaler Bangla Kobita 3, Flying Petrels, Under a Quicksilver Moon, Udvinna Prakalpana: Upsurging Prakalpana and Samabeto Kanthaswar are a few more literary collections.

Since 1968 he has been a regular participant of Mukta Mela fairs at the Kolkata Maidan. It was during this time when poetry blossomed and he also edited some magazines in such occasions. Chandan coined the word prakalpana, meaning "proper imagination". Critics regard his work as concrete or visual poetry, as he uses drawings and symbols in his works.

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Updated: June 27, 2014