Born in 3rd February 1911, Chunilal Dewan remains one of the most important personalities for the culture of the Indigenous Community in CHT, if not the entire formal East Bengal. He was the first ever educated artist of the East Bengal indigenous community, graduating 4 years before Shilpacharya Jainul Abedin from Calcutta Art College . This influential artist was also a sculptor, a musician, a composer and said to be the father of modern chakma poems.
Chunilal came from a prestigious family of Dighinala, now an upazila of the division of Chittagong. His father, Soshimohan Dewan was the former Officer in Command of Dighinala Thana. Chunilal Dewan was also a member of the 16th generation of Chakma Royal Family the House of Dhabana, which was replaced by the House of Wanza after the death of Rani Kalindi Roy. From his childhood, Chunilal was fond of art and culture. Chunilal finished his higher secondary level of education in Rangamati Government School and went to Calcutta Art College (now Government College of Arts and Crafts, Kolkata) in 1928. After 4 years of formal education, he graduated from art college in 1936.
He joined as a teacher in art at Rangamati Government High school in 1946 with only a monthly salary of 80tk. His teaching career lasted there for only 2 years. Occupationally, he was also a headman of two moujas. Although he didn’t choose art as an earning livelihood, he still pursued his passion by exhibiting the lifestyle of the indigenous people, and the beautiful landscapes of the country. His paintings were exhibited in many exhibitions in major districts like Rangamati, Chittagong, Cumilla, and Faridpur. His humble and passionate sense of art made him come to the spotlight of many art critics and also some high-ranked officers in government fields. Chunilal Dewan was also a close friend to Jainul Abedin. They collaborated while drawing the painting “Jalapropath”.
Chunilal Dewan earned his skill of sculpting while studying in art college. Unfortunately, many of his sculptures were lost along time you can still see his work of sculpting in 3 Buddha statues in Naniachar’s Khullengpara Buddhist Temple. Rumors also mentironed that he donated a huge cement Buddha sculpture and another wooden sculpture to Naniachar’s Bishwalota Janakollyan Buddhist Temple.
In 1936, the first-ever local magazine called “Gairika” was published. Chunilal Dewan designed the cover of that first issue.
“Kobiguru” Rabindranath Tagore and Chakma Rani Binita Roy were the patronages of the magazine. In Gairika’s 11th year’s 12th issue Chunilal published his first-ever Chakma modern poem alongside the Bengali translation done by Maharani Binita Roy. The poems were mostly related to his religious beliefs and rituals. Also, they uttered some unspoken feelings of love, romance, and life itself. In 1980, Nandalal Sharma’s 9th issue of “Rangamati Sangitayon” was published. Almost 32 of Chunilal Dewan’s poems were included there.
In 1955, Chunilal Dewan was invited to the UK and Bangladesh Government to sponsor his trip and exhibitions. But unfortunately that year on December 8th, he had severe food poisoning and passed away at 8:55 PM in his own home.
Chunilal Dewan was an unspeakably talented and passionate human. His works of art and his literary genius still reflects his love and compassion for his community, his homeland, and the beauty of Mother Nature. He was born in a time when being an artist from the indigenous community of Chittagong Hill Tracts was a near-impossible goal. But his passion for his purpose made him what he is today. Also, his humbleness towards his skills was seemingly splendid. He never asked for his works of painting. The way Chunilal presented his surrounding using colors on canvas in a wholesome way is truly remarkable. This artist is still an underrated one to this day. Yet we still see his image reflected through every renowned indigenous artist from this little part called the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Written by Swagato Chakma
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