Xylograph Pictures Of 19th Century Bangla Almanac

1. Charak
2. Saraswati
3. Jagannath Snanjatra
4. Poila Boishakh (হালখাতা)
5. Rathyatra
6. Ganga & Manasa Puja
7. Sri Sri Jagadhatri Puja
8. Rathyatra
9. Hara-Parbarti & Chandra Raja Kala Mantri
10. Sri Sri Lakshmi Puja
11. Sri Sri Shib Ratri
12. Nutan Panjika, 1894-95
13. Sri Sri Durga Puja
14. Dashahara
15. Shib Chaturdashi
16. Snanjatra
17. Sri Sri Sharadiya Puja
18. Brihaspati Raja Dibakar Mantri
19. Charak
20. Kali
21. Bijoy Utsab of Sri Ramchandra
22. Ganga Puja
23. Sri Sri Durga Puja
24. Bhai Font
25. Dol Yatra Of Sri Krishna
26. Rathyatra
27. Durga Puja

The first almanac in Bengali was published in the year 1818 by a
brahmin of Jorasanko, named Durgaprasad. A full page picture by the
technic of Xylograph was published in this almanac. It was the picture
of sun eclipse.

The famous Panchanan Karmakar of Serampore, who was the pioneer of
Bangla font on block to print, had son-in-law named Manohar Karmakar.
Krishnachandra(born in 1807), the second son of this Manohar, was born
three years after the death of Panchanan. Krishnachandra developed the
xylography to the extent that never happened before. He set the
pictures of various god & goddesses of Hindu religion, events of their
activities and religious festivals. It was a remarkable job, a
milestone in the context of pictures in Bengali books.

Ramdhan Swarnakar was contemporary of Krishnachandra. Besides his
profession of jewellery, he also made two xylograph - one picture of
Jagadhatri and the other of Lakshmi. These pictures were published in
Bangla almanac in the year 1836. Hiralal Karmakar was one of the best
xylograph artist of nineteenth century. In the year 1885, his pictures
like Ganga puja, Snan yatra, Rath yatra, Durga puja etc were published
in Bangla almanac.

Nrityalal Dutta was a famous xylograph artist. He owned a press named
'Dutta Press' at Jorabagan of North Kolkata. He also made pictures of
Charak, Raas & Rath yatra like Panchanan. He also made picture of
Jhulan yatra of Sri Krishna. And the total picture had been made
following Mughal Miniature paintings.

Since the beginning of twentieth century, Priyagopal Das started to
develop the pictures of Bangla almanac and he brought revolution in
xylography - perspective added to pictures, light & shade, finishing
like lithography started to reign pictures of almanac. He initiated
more realistic approach in pictures of xylograph. And thus, the Bangla
almanac is being decorated by xylograph pictures of many more
religious events of Hindus which were not found in the almanac of
nineteenth century.

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A. B.