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One of the greatest modern Bengali poet, Joy Goswami never believed in the mere 'game' of writing poems. According to him, a poet's collection of poetry should be his identity and it should reflect his personality. They should be the treasures of his love. He firmly believes that everything is possible through poetry, just the way it happens in dreams. 'I'm still in search of my poetic language' he told even after recieving 'Sahitya Academy' award for 'Paglee Tomar Sange'.He strongly feels that he could not quite find his language or style to date and hence continues approaching the same horizon from different paths. However, his search opens up new windows of surprises and illustrative expressions to us as his readers. The sheer unpredictability of Goswamis writings introduces new heights of emotions and takes us to worlds never discovered before.
Born on the 10th of November 1954 in Calcutta, he moved with his family to Ranaghat at the age of five. Although, currently, he is residing in Calcutta. Joy lost his father at a tender age of eight. His mother was a schoolteacher whom he lost in the year 1984. He completed his high school (class 12) from Ranaghat.
A poet by instinct, he wrote his first poem at the age of thirteen. It was about an old ceiling fan of his home. At the age of nineteen, his poems were first published in three different publications, namely, 'Shimanto Sahityo', 'Padokhep' and 'Homsikha'. In the following fifteen/sixteen years, his works were published in various little magazines.
From 1976 onwards the prestigious 'Desh' magazine started publishing his works. Initially, from time to time, his poems were also published in 'Dakjog' and gradually they were featured on a regular basis. Later on he joined in as an employee of this publication.
Essentially and naturally a poet, Joy Goswami has also contributed to Bengali literature through many of his novels and collections of prose such as Monoromer Ghor, Bhramma Rakshas, Hridoy Premer Shirshe etc. He creates a surreal, almost dreamlike environment mixed with a misty melancholic feel which immediately draws the reader into the world of his characters.His novel Shanjhbaatir Rupkathara is now made into a major film directed by Anjan Das and presented by Columbia Tristar.
So far he has won the Ananda Puroshkar twice. In the year 1990, he won it for 'Ghumiyecho Jhaupata?' and in the year 1998 he won it second time for his novel 'Jara Brishtetey Bhijechilo'.In 1997 he was awarded the West Bengal Academy award for his book 'Bajrabidyut Bhorti Khata'. 'Paglee Tomar Sange' decorated him with the 'Sahitya Academy' award, a very prestigious award in the field of Indian literature.Joy Goswami, in his own words feels inconfident about his creations. He expresses without hesitation that often after writing a piece, he muses over whether it can really be called poetry.
Few of his other notable books are:'Hriday Premer Shirshey', a collection of prose; 'Unmader Pathochrome'; 'Suranga Ebong Protiraksha'; 'Shakalbelar Kobi'; 'Kabya Bhengey Poromanu-Ghurni'; 'Surya Pora Chhai'; 'Patar Poshak'; 'Bishad'; 'Ma Nishad'; 'Tomakey Ascharyamoyee' and many more. Other than writing Joy loves listening to music and reading old letters.
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