ব্যোমযাত্রীর ডায়রি (The Spaceman’s Diary) is the first story of Professor Shonku series by Satyajit Ray. The story follows Professor Trilokeshwar Shonku, a scientist and inventor, who voyaged to Mars and after being attacked by the Martians, fled to a planet named Tafa, where the foolish inhabitants welcomed him cordially and made him a citizen of their planet.

First published: Sandesh, September - November 1961


Bomjatri'r Diary


Plot Summary

The story begins as a poor man approaching the editor of Sandesh with the journal of Professor Shonku, a scientist who was disappeared 15 years ago. The editor learned from the diary that the scientist, despite being mocked by his neighbour Abinashbabu was getting prepared for a voyage to Mars. He also invented a robot that he called Bidhushekhar. Later the Professor, along with Bidhushekhar, his servant Prahlad and his pet cat Newton, landed in Mars, where they were attacked by an army of Martians. They escaped from Mars and subsequently lost their way in space. After many days of wondering, they arrived in Tafa, an unknown planet inhabited by the “first civilised humans of the solar system.” Unlike the Martians, the inhabitants of Tafa welcomed the strangers in a hearty manner and made Professor Shonku their fellow citizen. The editor wanted to publish the journal in his magazine, but later copying the contents he found the diary was destroyed by a swarm of ants.