Childhood Days

Who was Satyajit Ray, writer, director, music composer and artist? Where did he make his beginnings? Who were the people he grew up with? In this charming collection of stories from Ray's childhood and film-making days, we get a glimpse into the life of a man who appeared serious and aloof to the world, and find a different, more accessible Ray humorous, tender, affectionate. He tells us about his first taste of an ice cream, his initial understandings of the principles of photography, and the teasing he had to endure in school because of his famous father and grandfather. With unassuming grace he writes about his vast, talented family, where each member had his or her special quirks and eccentricities.

In this volume, Ray also shares some of his experiences while shooting Pather Panchali his epic debut, and subsequent films, particularly for children. He describes how an entire field of kaash flowers was eaten up by cows before he could shoot his famous scene with the train in Pather Panchali; and how a circus tiger let loose in a bamboo grove chased away a group of curious onlookers in the blink of an eye.

Frank and funny, these stories written originally for the Bengali children's magazine Sandesh, are an essential read for all Ray enthusiasts as well as those who want to know Ray, the writer and film-maker, better.

Translated from the Bengali by Bijoya Ray.