WB celebrates Pather Panchali author's 118th birthday

Kolkata: The West Bengal government today celebrated the 118th birth anniversary of Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, the author of the novel ‘Pather Panchali’ which was made into a film by legendary director Satyajit Ray. A programme was held at the state secretariat here to celebrate the occasion where the late author’s family, including daughter-in-law and grandsons were present. [caption id=“attachment_453482” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A still from Pather Panchali. Image courtesy: IBN Live.[/caption] Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “We will never forget the true picturisation of rural Bengal in ‘Pather Panchali’ - especially the scene where Apu and Durga were rushing with their curious eyes to see, for the first time, a train passing through the village.” Many of Bandyopadhyay’s works have been made into films like ‘Pather Panchali’, ‘Aparajito’, ‘Apur Sansar’, ‘Baksa Badal’ and ‘Amar Prem’. “As a plain and simple person, he grew up in abject poverty but his indomitable spirit of writing went on successfully along with his career as a teacher,” Banerjee said of the author who died in 1950. PTI