Ishwar Chandra Gupta (, March 1812 - January 23,1859) was a Bengali poet and writer. Gupta was born in the village Kanchanpolli or Kanchrapara Chabbis Pargana (currently in the state of West Bengal, India). , from Banglapedia.

Early life

Ishwar Chandra Gupta was brought up in his uncle's house after the death of his mother. Gupta spent most of his childhood in Kolkata. At that time, poets were named Kobiwala and the kobiwalas were not so civilized in language. Sexual words and clashes were common. But Ishwar Chandra Gupta created a different style of poetry.

He started the newspaper Sambad Prabhakar with Jogendra Mohan Tagore on on January 28, 1831. which finally became a daily on June 4, 1839. Many Bengali writers of the 19th century started their career with that magazine. He revolutionized Bengali poetry by introducing a new style with double meaning:

:Ke bole Ishwar Gupta, byapta charachar,

:Jaar prabhate prabha paye Prabhakar.

'Ishwar' means God, 'Gupta' means hidden and 'Prabhakar' is the sun.So a translation runs:

:Who says God is hidden? He is omnipresent

:From Him the Sun gets its luminescence.

Also, Ishwar (Chandra) Gupta ran the journal 'Prabhakar'. So a second meaning of the poem, making a tongue-in-cheek reference to the author, runs:

:Who says Ishwar Gupta is hidden? His reach touches the world

:For his brilliance makes the Prabhakar luminiscent.

Literary style

He brought modern era of poetry in Bangla. He did not describe the life of Gods and Goddesses, but the daily life of human beings. He also wrote biographies of many Bengali poets and musicians.

Ishwarchandra Gupta always satires the so called modern class who blindly followed the colonial British power.

:Tumi ma kalpataru

:Amra shob posha goru

:Shikhi ni shing bankano

:Khai kebol khol-bichuli-ghash

:Jano ranga amla

:::Tule mamla

:::::Na bhange gamla

:Ma!

:Pele bhushi

:::Tatei kushi

:::::Ghushi khele bachbo na!

His literary works were included in the curriculum of school level, secondary and higher secondary Bengali Literature in Bangladesh.

Political views

In the early days he was a conservative, opposing the Young Bengal movement as well as frowning on widow remarriage. His views on widow remarriage put him at odds with Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. He was one of the earliest advocates of a Hindu view of Indian society. Later in his life, his views began to change and he championed the cause for the remarriage of virgin widows and women's education.

Important works

• Life of Bharat Chandra Roy

• Probodh Pravakara

• Kobitabolir Saar Sangraha

Sources

• Bangla Sahitya (Bengali Literature), the national text book of intermediate (college) level of Bangladesh published in 1996 by all educational boards.