Things I never knew about the amazing writer-artist of Tutu-Bhutu - everything in this post is courtesy Calctuta Yellow Pages

Things I never knew about the amazing writer-artist of Tutu-Bhutu -

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Late Sri Dhiren Baul (Artist and Children's Writer), son of Nandalal Baul and Dakshabala Baul, was born on 22nd January in 1912. His childhood days were spent in Baroil village in Bagura district, now Bangladesh. He used to draw pictures from early childhood.                    He loved to see making of earthen dolls. While returning home from school he used to go to the clay modelers making different models, when he was ten years only. He contributed to his school magazines. He wrote poems and drew pictures in his school exercise books thereby gave them a magazine like shape name of the magazine Gatha. His daughter Pritha Bal collected this magazine from one of his relatives residing in Bangladesh. The magazine is 90 years old. It was an exercise book of 1922. He passed his school life in Bagura Coronation School and got his first training from his drawing teacher of his school. He became a subscriber of  “Sandesh” and “Khoka Khuku” magazines. He was inspired by the pictures and poems of Sukumar Roy and wanted to become an artist and poet like him.

When he was 13 to 14 years age he used to send his poems and pictures from his remote village, to “Shishusathi” magazine, in Kolkata. In 1927, having finished school, he was admitted to Carmichael College and passed B.A. in 1931. Later, he came to Kolkata and was admitted to Government Art College, and passed from there in 1934. From then on he used to draw pictures for “Himani”, “Himkalyan”, and “Cocola” etc. During this time “MOUMACHI”, alias Bimal Ghose helped him join Ananda Bazar Patrika at Kolkata in the year 1939-40. Later his artistic creations were published in Desh, Anandamela etc. In Anandamela his creations were “Theke Habul Shekhe”, “Chenga Benga” pictures were drawn by him regularly. Slowly his creations began to be published in different magazines and as story books.

His first book “TUTU BHUTU” was enriched with beautiful pictures and writings. TUTU BHUTU was published in the year 1959. It was treated as a most beautiful children story book. He drew pictures of different animals, duly dressing them as a humans. After publication of TUTU BHUTU, he secured government honors and was named as “Walt Disney” of Bengal. This book is also well admired by foreigners. He got Bhubaneshwari Medal, Moumachi Award, and also an award from Sishu Sahitya Parishad. He also got Ranjit Smriti Padak. He because the judge of N.C.E.R.T. to judge children books. He was a famous children writer and poet also. Besides drawing he was expert in clay modeling and made Durga and Saraswati clay images, while he was in Simla. Before that no clay models were made and worshipped in Simla (Ref: Bharat Barsha Patrika, 1945). In the year 1952 he married the daughter of a Subjudge at Raghunathganj in Murshidabad and came to Kolkata and settled permanently. With his earnings he purchased a 3 storeyed house. He drew pictures in this house, which he decorated well. He also founded a publication house “DAKSA BHARTI” at College Street. This publication house is now guided by his son Koushik Baul. After the death of Dhiren Baul, his daughter Pritha Bal made a publication house, Dhiren Bal Pustakalya in 1994 and his old books are republished by her as Pritha Bal is wellknown childrens writer also.. His four daughters and two sons are living in Kolkata. He never took part in any competition or exhibition in his life. But once in Mumbai, Art in Industry exhibition was held and of the 22 contestants from all over India, he was awarded 3 best prizes in three departments in the year 1945."  Courtesy: http://www.calcuttayellowpages.com/