Tuntunir Boi (Bengali)

DETAILS : 

• Publisher : Uran Print Media
  
• Author : Upendra Kishore Roychowdhury
  
• Language : Bengali 
  
• Binding : Hardcover 
  
• Weight : 300 g 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Tuntunir Boi (The Tailor-Bird's Book) is an immortal classic of Bengali children's literature. First published in 1911, it is a brilliant collection of folktales retold by the legendary Upendrakishore Roychowdhury. These stories, rooted in the oral traditions of rural Bengal, remain as fresh and delightful today as they were over a century ago.

The book is famous for its humorous and witty animal fables. The standout character is the tiny, clever Tuntuni (the tailor-bird), who uses her sharp wits to outsmart powerful kings, naughty cats, and greedy predators. Beyond the bird, the collection features a gallery of iconic characters like the foolish tiger, the cunning fox, and the simple-minded crocodile. Upendrakishore’s writing is celebrated for its rhythmic prose, dramatic storytelling, and the ability to convey profound life lessons through lighthearted comedy. The original editions featured the author’s own iconic line drawings, which are considered masterpieces of early Indian book illustration.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Upendrakishore Roychowdhury (1863–1915) was a polymath—a writer, painter, violinist, composer, and a pioneer of printing technology in India. He is the patriarch of the illustrious Ray family: the father of nonsense-verse king Sukumar Ray and the grandfather of the Oscar-winning filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

Upendrakishore revolutionized children's literature in Bengal by moving away from dry, moralistic tones toward imagination and joy. He founded U. Ray and Sons, a premier printing house, where he pioneered high-quality halftone block printing. He also started the legendary children’s magazine Sandesh, which continues to be a household name in Bengal. His other monumental works include Chheleder Ramayan (Ramayana for Children) and Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, the latter of which was famously adapted into a film by his grandson.