Girish Chandra Ghosh

Girish Chandra Ghosh (28 February 1844 – 8 February 1912) was a Bengali actor, director, and writer. He was largely responsible for the golden age of Bengali theatre. He cofounded the Great National Theatre, the first Bengali professional theatre company in 1872, wrote nearly 40 plays and acted and directed many more, and later in life became a noted householder disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Born in Bagbazar, Kolkata, on 28 February 1844, the eighth child to his parents Nilkamal and Raimani, he received his early education at Oriental Seminary, and later studied at Hare School in the city but did not complete his education. His father Nilkamal Ghosh was a generous and kind-hearted person, and Girish retained some of his father's large heartedness. Girish said of his parents, "My father was an expert accountant and had a tremendous managerial capacity and worldly wisdom. My mother was very gentle and had great devotion for God... I inherited from my father a sharp intellect and pragmatic approach to life, and from my mother a love for literature and devotion to God" He lost his parents early in life and went on to educate himself. After the death of his father he married Promodini Devi, the daughter of Nabin Chandra Deb and re-entered in class - I in the Oriental Seminary. After leaving school in 1862, Girish acquired an apprenticeship with a British Company in bookkeeping. It was around this time that Girish became acquainted with Ishwar Chandra Gupta and began writing plays, songs and poetry. Girish was a prominent actor in the Bagbazar Amateur Theatre where he had Ardhendu Sekhar Mustafi, another great contemporary actor, as his partner. Together they performed in Sadhabar Ekadashi by the famous playwright Dinabandhu Mitra, which became very popular. Later, Bagbazar Amateur was renamed in 1871 as the National Theatre. However, Girish left the National Theatre and went on to form the Great National Theatre in 1873. In 1877 Girish staged his first play Agamani there. Later he also worked at the Minerva Theatre and went on to become the manager. In 1883 Girish opened the Star Theatre with his own money and managed it under his direction. The first play produced at the Star Theatre was Daksha Jagna by Girish Chandra Ghosh on the auspicious day of 21 July 1883. With Binodini Dasi, he staged his play, Chaitanyalila, at the Star Theatre on 20 September 1884, with Sri Ramakrishna in the audience.