Abol Tabol
Abol tabol (Template:Lang-bn) (literally translates as "weird and random") is a collection of Bengali children's poems and rhymes composed by Sukumar Ray, first published on 19 September 1923. It consists of 43 named and 7 unnamed short rhymes, all considered to be in the genre of literary nonsense.
| Aboltabol Cover page of the book. | |
| Author | Sukumar Ray |
|---|---|
| Language | Bengali |
| Publication place | India |
Significance
The Bengali readers were exposed to a new nonsense fantasy world by the poems in Abol Tabol. This selection offers the best of Sukumar Ray's world of pun-riddled poetry.
Characters
His collection had several characters which became legendary in Bengali literature and culture. Some characters even have found idiomatic usage in the language.
Some of the most famous characters in "Abol tabol" are:
- Kath Buro (Poetry: Kath Buro)
- Head Officer Burrobabu (Poetry: Gnof Churi)
- Kumro Potash (Poetry: Gnof Churi)
- Sat Patro (Poetry: Sat Patra)
- Chandidaser Khuroe (Poetry: Khuru Kal)
- Bombagarher Raja (Poetry: Bombagorer Raja)
- Hunkumukho Hyangla (Poetry: Hunkumukho Hyangla)
- Ramgorurer Chhana (Poetry: Ramgorurer Chhana)
- Tyansh Goru (Poetry: Tyansh Goru)
- Shashthi Charan (Poetry: Palowan)
- Panto Bhoot
- Nera
- Katukutuburo (Poetry: Katukutuburo)
Bibliography
Editions of Sukumar Ray, in chronological order. Each edition here has its distinct merits.
Nonsense Rhymes. Translated by Satyajit Ray. Calcutta: Writer's Workshop, 1970.
- This volume by the author's son is the slimmest and is difficult to find.
The Select Nonsense of Sukumar Ray. Translated by Sukanta Chaudhuri. New Delhi: OUP, 1987.
- The standard edition for many years.
Abol Tabol: The Nonsense World of Sukumar Ray. Translated by Sampurna Chattarji. New Delhi: Puffin, 2004.
- This edition, the most complete, also has works from Khapchhada, Bohurupee, Other Stories, Haw-Jaw-Baw-Raw-Law, Khai-Khai, and Pagla Dashu.
The Tenth Rasa: An Anthology of Indian Nonsense, edited by Michael Heyman, with Sumanyu Satpathy and Anushka Ravishankar. New Delhi: Penguin, 2007.
- This volume includes, among other Indian nonsense texts, several Ray translations by Chattarji, including some that are not in her solo edition of Abol Tabol.
External links
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