During the early days, Bangla primers were textbooks specifically published and devised for specific school syllabi. At this stage, the ‘Shishushiksha’ series by Madanmohan Tarkalankar, published during the inauguration of Calcutta Female School, brought a revolutionary change to the arena of Bangla primers. Madanmohan, one of the first 16 Bengali parents of that period who sent their daughters to schools, was also an honourary tutor at that school. A Bangla textbook for the female students, hence the tagline in the ‘Shishushiksha” series: ‘Intended for the local girls’ schools.’

“Shishushiksha” became very popular among students and teachers at that time. One of its rhymes, ‘Pakhi sob kore rob… [All the birds are chirping…]’, is still alive in the collective memory. The new era of Bangla primer was introduced by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in 1855 with his contemporary colloquial standard prose. His new “Barnaparichay” was written in prose; on the other hand, “Shishushiksha” was written in verse. The success of “Shishushiksha” and “Barnaparichay” created the future roadmap of the Bangla primer for the next 150 years.

The primary objectives of the early Bangla primers were to enhance accessibility, conciseness, educational value, engagement, and child-friendliness, thereby facilitating the widespread adoption of primary education in Bangla. Achieving these features required profound interest, concentration, research, and endeavour. The advancement of modern Bangla language and printing technologies progressed parallelly. Consequently, primer books from different periods stand as exemplary manifestations of the cutting-edge technology of their respective eras. From its inception, there has been a consistent inclination towards incorporating illustrations into Bangla primers, with significant contributions from missionary figures.

From the last two decades of the nineteenth century, a notable trend emerged wherein Bangla primer titles began featuring a buzzword— ‘sachitra [illustrated]’. Concurrently, another significant trend, driven either by necessity or commercial motives, was the addition of ‘sahaj/saral [easy/elementary]’ modifier to book titles. The printing of primers in Dhaka commenced in the final years of the nineteenth century. For instance, “Adi Balya Shiksha” [The Original Children’s Lessons] by Ram Sundar Basak was first published in East Bengal and gained popularity across West Bengal and other Bangla-speaking regions. With increasing demand, publishers also started releasing Dhaka editions of Bangla primers originally published in Kolkata. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the demand for primers surged, leading to a commercial trend of printing primers anonymously or producing duplicate versions of original books. Since then, despite an increase in the quantity of printed primers, there has been no significant shift in their quality or content.

In this publication, we brought together a total of eight selected specimens that were first published between 1849 and 1948. Through this compilation, one can perceive the apparent subjective diversity and gradual evolution of themes and content over a hundred-year timeframe. These eight primers have been chosen for their excellence, artistic virtuosity, aesthetics, and unique presentation. According to the timeline, these primers are— “Shishushiksha” by Madanmohan Tarkalankar, “Barna Parichay” by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, “Balyashiksha” by Ram Sundar Basak, “Adarsha Lipi” by Sitanath Basak, “Hasikhusi” by Jogindranath Sarkar, “Chitrakshar” by Abanindranath Tagore, “Sahaj Path” authored by Rabindranath Tagore and illustrated by Nandalal Bose, and “Hate Khari” authored by Bimal Chandra Ghosh and illustrated by Satyajit Ray. We express our sincere gratitude to Sandip Ray for permitting us to include “Hate Khari” in this compilation.

Locating a first-edition copy of the selected is nearly impossible. The specimens compiled in this publication are the earliest and in-vogue versions, considering that more than one version might be available. It is important to note that while information on the initial publication dates of these primers is established, it is impossible now to retrieve details about copyright page or other related facts. Consequently, the names of cover artists, illustrators, engravers, and scribes remain unknown. It can be assumed that in some cases, primers were written, illustrated, and typeset by the same person.

These versions were so widespread that it is now challenging to find any concrete sources for their copyright or the name of the particular publishers or the printing presses. It is indeed thought-provoking to consider the various ways and numerous presses on both sides of Bengal where these primers were printed and maintained their appeal to people over time. Maybe these primers are still relevant and available because there have been no strict copyright rules or the publishing process was not highly dependent on specific presses. Moreover, the publishers and the authors continuously adapted and assimilated contemporary changes. For example, in Ram Sundar Basak’s “Aadi Balyashiksha”, words under the portrait of Queen Victoria on the partition of British India and the independence of Bangladesh are included. Likewise, “Adarshalipi” by Sitanath Basak included English and Urdu alphabets considering user requirements. It should also be mentioned that none of the particular versions of the primers assimilated in this publication can be claimed as the first or the authentic edition.

Without bringing any change in the original outlook, I worked on the manuscript to make it printable. In some versions, there were no page numbers and we also maintained this. I did not change the covers, texts, and illustrations with a view to introduce original fonts, page setup, the standard usage of colour, and the printing style of the old days to the readers. Reprinting while maintaining the original design and form requires extra time and labour, and I had to give consecration separately to each page printed. However, the book “Chitrakshar” was originally printed in landscape format that had to be reproduced in portrait mode to maintain consistency. The books were published over the course of a century involving diverse technologies, for example—woodblock printing, movable types, screen printing, letterpress printing, and for illustrations—wood engraving, etching, lithography, linocuts, etc.

The formal journey of Bangla primers commenced over two centuries ago, evolving efforts to promote social perspectives and humanistic values. Influenced by contemporary socio-economic and political reforms, Bangla primers adapted to the changing landscape of each era. It is evident that the individuals involved in shaping Bangla primers, as well as the structure of the modern Bangla language, were deeply concerned with advancing elementary education in the mother tongue for the betterment of society as a whole. Each primer served as a milestone in the advancement of public education in the modern Bangla language.

An intrinsic aspect of the contemporary history of Bangla primers is their inclination to cater to a diverse readership, reflected in their visualisation, illustration, printing techniques, symbol selection, presentation, and overall targeting of the masses. Bangla primers played a crucial role in transitioning Bangla education from handwritten punthis or religious education centred around gurus to a school-based public education system, facilitating continued learning beyond traditional school settings. Their significance, particularly for women’s education, cannot be overstated.

The journey of modern Bangla language through standardization, simplification and applied research has been advanced in parallel to the development of Bangla primers. The primer industry has contributed significantly to the growth of the printing and publication business in the region, fostering the proliferation of printing presses and advancements in printing technology. The inception and flourishing of Bangla primers are deeply intertwined with the context of the Bengal Renaissance. It is regrettable though that this significant chapter of history is not adequately archived or considered as a valuable historical document.

While this publication may serve as a valuable resource for professionals in the printing and design industry, my focus remains on the outlook, illustrations, and the printing mechanisms of Bangla primers. However, the scope of working within the niche of Bangla primer is both extensive and significant. If young enthusiasts develop curiosity about the Bangla primer due to this publication, I hope their interest goes beyond technical aspects and also inspires theoretical and academic research.

I have always been fortunate to receive unwavering support from friends and family to express my thoughts and publish my works. This time is no different. With their backing, I am organising an exhibition to complement the ideas in this book on Bangla printing and publication. These efforts are solely driven by personal dedication. Due to the lack of opportunities for theoretical analysis, our efforts mainly revolve around understanding technical intricacies. We rely on readers for assessment and improvement of this publication. Any criticism, advice, or cooperation is welcome from readers, while the task of correcting mistakes and enhancing content falls on me.

Moving forward, I eagerly anticipate engaging with readers, sharing both the limitations and successes of this publication, and refining our collective understanding of Bangla printing and publication.