He touched the core of the Bengalis' pain with his words' - Rabindranath Tagore. Saratchandra Chattopadhyay is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Indian novelists of the twentieth century. His novels, serialized in periodicals and later published in book form, established him as Bengal's master storyteller. Even today, seven decades after his death, Saratchandra remains one of the most popular novelists in Bengal, and is widely read in translation across India as well. This collector's edition of Saratchandra's works in English translation brings together the writer's most renowned and best-loved novels in two omnibus volumes. The first volume features five novels: Srikanta, Devdas, Parineeta, Palli Samaj and Nishkriti. Srikanta is the story of a wanderer who observes the people around him; through them - especially the women he loves and respects, from the sacrificing Annada Didi and the rebellious Abhaya to the housewife Rajlakshmi and the courtesan Pyari Bai - he tries to arrive at an understanding of life. Devdas is the tragic tale of a man who drives himself to drink and debilitation when he is unable to marry his childhood sweetheart Paro. guardian Shekhar, but circumstances conspire to drive the two apart. Palli Samaj (The Village Life) has Ramesh, an engineer, returning to the village of his birth to try and rid it of the backwardness that plagues it, even as he tries to revive his childhood ties with Rama, now a widow. In Nishkriti (Deliverance), the strong-willed Shailaja, the youngest daughter-in-law in a joint family, is made an outcast as a result of a misunderstanding; much later, her elders realize their mistake, just in time to save the family from disintegration. Each of the novels showcases the qualities Saratchandra is famous or: everyday stories told in a simple yet gripping style, strong characters, meticulous plotting, true-to-life dialogue, and unforgettable depictions of life in turn-of-the-century Bengal. Translated especially for Penguin, these classic novels will delight those new to Saratchandra's works as well as those who want to return to them again.
There'S Insanity In Our Family & It Runs In Our Blood The Blood Of The Vaidic Brahmins & One Or Two Of Us Go Mad In Every Generation.' From The Ritual-Bound Household Of An Orthodox Scholar In A Small Village In Bengal In 1897 To Germany And Mumbai At The Turn Of The New Millennium, The Inheritors Follows The Shifting Life Patterns Of A Family Through A Melange Of Narratives, Memories And Characters. The Unrelenting Puritanism Of Nyayaratna Bishnupada Deb Sharma Drives His Daughter Radharani To Insanity And Throws Into Sharp Relief His Grandson Shibkali'S Feeble Attempt To Break Free. Giribala Voices Her Resentment Against Her Circumstances Through A Lifetime Of Silence, Her Destiny Finding An Echo In Her Daughter Alo, Tragic Victim Of Her Husband'S Sexual Perversions. And Pramatha'S Depraved Radicalism Is Set Against Shashishekhar'S Progressive Outlook Which Symbolizes The Most Significant Departure From The Stifling Constraints Of His Community. Even As It Inherits The Deadwood Of The Past, Each Generation Strives To Liberate Itself, Setting The Stage For The Eternal Conflict Between Tradition And Change, Between A Legacy And Its Inheritors. Aruna Chakravarti Draws Upon History And Myth, Religion And Folklore, Rituals And Culinary Practices To Create A Vivid Portrait Of A Community Of Vaidic Kulin Brahmins. The Narrative, Oscillating Back And Forth In Time, Weaves A Vibrant Tapestry Of Life Differing Ideologies And Sensibilities, Suicides And Desertions, Marriages And Infidelities, Bigotry And Liberalism Set In The Larger Context Of A Nation'S Inexorable March Towards Independence And A Society Caught On The Cusp Of Conservatism And Modernity.
A lively retelling of the Bhawal sannyasi case ... a real-life mystery that continues to intrigue to this day' AMITAV GHOSH In the winter of 1909, Ramendranarayan Roy, the ailing second prince of the Bhawal zamindari, proceeds to Darjeeling with his wife Bibhavati, brother-in-law Satyendranath and a retinue of officials and servants, after being advised a change of air by his physicians. Three weeks later, a telegram from Satyendranath arrives at the Bhawal estate, carrying news of the prince’s demise and subsequent cremation. Soon peculiar rumours start circulating around Bhawal and the surrounding town. Some say that the prince was poisoned, while others suspect that his body was taken to the burning ghat but not actually cremated. There are also whispers about an incestuous relationship between Bibhavati and her brother. The story takes a bewildering turn when, twelve years later, a mendicant comes to Bhawal, claiming to be the long-lost prince and the heir to the estate. With no resolution in sight, matters reach the court, where the so-called prince and some family members face off against Bibhavati and her brother, aided by the British Court of Wards who are keen on maintaining ownership of the zamindari. The breathless legal drama that ensues will culminate in an incredible series of events, permanently altering the course of the estate’s history. Inspired by the legendary Bhawal sannyasi case and evocative in its recreation of pre-Partition Bengal, The Mendicant Prince is an intriguing tale of dual identity and the inexplicable quirks of fate.
Suralakshmi Choudhury, a gynaecologist based in Delhi, falls in love at the age of thirty-one, marries and has a son. Suddenly, five years after his birth, she abandons everything including the house gifted to her by her father and her flourishing medical career, to travel to an obscure village in Bengal and open a free clinic for women and children. She leaves her son behind but takes along a poor Muslim girl, she has adopted. What makes her take this strange decision? Suralakshmi’s actions confound her relatives and it is from their accounts of the incidents, letters, memoirs, and flashbacks – from a more distant past – that the story comes together and the layers and nuances in the enigmatic character of Suralakshmi are brought to light. In Suralakshmi Villa, Aruna Chakravarti blends the narrative of the novel with history, legend, music, religion, folklore, rituals and culinary practices of both Hindus and Muslims, and creates a fascinating tapestry which reveals the syncretic nature of Bengal and her people.
A fundamental question in contemporary astrophysics is the origin of the elements. Cosmochemistry seeks to answer when, how and where the chemical elements arose. Quantitative answers to these fundamental questions require a multi-disciplinary approach involving stellar evolution, explosive nucleosynthesis and nuclear reactions in different astrophysical environments. There remain, however, many outstanding problems and cosmochemistry remains a fertile area of research. This book is among the first in recent times to put together the essentials of cosmochemistry, combining contributions from leading astrophysicists in the field. The chapters have been organized to provide a clear description of the fundamentals, an introduction to modern techniques such as computational modelling, and glimpses of outstanding issues.
The conventional wisdom in Bihar’s political circles was that development did not win votes. Nitish Kumar challenged that assumption and changed the face of the state. Born into a humble family in Bakhtiyarpur; Nitish joined the Lohiaite Socialist Party and built his constituency; literally day by day; forgoing a stable job to travel to distant villages; suffering both financial hardship and ridicule for the eight years it took him to win people’s confidence. Veteran journalist Arun Sinha tells the story of Nitish Kumar’s rise against the larger canvas of social and political upheaval in Bihar; exploring the emergent desire for equality that drove progressive movements from late 1960s onwards and brought about a regime change by the 1990s. After an initial association with Lalu Prasad Yadav; Nitish Kumar rejected identity politics; recognizing that Bihar had to transcend caste if it was to grow. Nitish Kumar and the Rise of Bihar is a clear-sighted study of Indian electoral politics that unfolds with the pace of a political drama; offering hard facts and an incisive analysis of the state’s turbulent trajectory. Sinha steers the narrative deftly through the complex groupings of Bihar’s political arena to reveal Nitish Kumar’s acumen in bringing law and order; roads; education and health to the fore of governance. From feudal politics to caste identities; and finally to development—Bihar could prove to be the model for India’s post-Independence journey.
A sensitive portrayal ofthe hopes and fears,triumphs and defeatsexperienced by thewomen of the Tagorehousehold. in a sprawling novel that spans a unique phase in the history of Bengal and India, Aruna Chakravarti provides a fascinating Iaccount of how the Tagore women influenced and were in turn influenced by their illustrious male counterparts, the times they lived in and the family they belonged to. Jorasanko mirrors the hopes and fears, triumphs and defeats that the women of the Tagore household experienced in their intricate interpersonal relationships, as well as the adjustments they were continually called upon to make as daughters and daughters-in-law of one of the most eminent families of the land. 'In her meticulously researched novel, Aruna Chakravarti has successfully re-created for the reader the world inside the Tagore home, at once glittering and fascinating, but also dark and challenging. The women of the Tagore family who are at the heart of this novel are complex beings who will raise many questions in the modern reader regarding the role of women in today's society' - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, author of Palace of Illusions and One Amazing Thing.
Suralakshmi Choudhury, a gynaecologist based in Delhi, falls in love at the age of thirty-one, marries and has a son. Suddenly, five years after his birth, she abandons everything including the house gifted to her by her father and her flourishing medical career, to travel to an obscure village in Bengal and open a free clinic for women and children. She leaves her son behind but takes along a poor Muslim girl, she has adopted. What makes her take this strange decision? Suralakshmi’s actions confound her relatives and it is from their accounts of the incidents, letters, memoirs, and flashbacks – from a more distant past – that the story comes together and the layers and nuances in the enigmatic character of Suralakshmi are brought to light. In Suralakshmi Villa, Aruna Chakravarti blends the narrative of the novel with history, legend, music, religion, folklore, rituals and culinary practices of both Hindus and Muslims, and creates a fascinating tapestry which reveals the syncretic nature of Bengal and her people.
Astriking collection of short stories that effortlessly recreates the hidden, secret spaces of women's lives, narratives of sexual assault, illicit liaisons and child abuse. Each story uses several voices and perspectives to unveil mysteries and sudden revelations. The protagonists are strong women-generally without men-who conspire to conceal family secrets and shield the vulnerable. In some of the stories the very houses that the characters lives in become the site as well as the metaphor for the hidden spaces of the mind. In "Suralakshmi Villa" the house takes on a dynamic life and records and reveals truths hidden from the people who inhabit it. In "Princess Poulomi" and "Crooked House" too, the changing fortunes of the characters is reflected in the homes they inhabit. "Accident" and "From an Upstairs Window" play with the crime story genre exploring adulteryreal and imagined. The powerful and extremely visual story "Mobile Mataji" explores the themes of greed and lust, religious superstition and violence in an explosive mix. Like in her novel The Inheritors, the characters of her stories simply walk out of the ink and stand before you. She locates the stories so vividly and charms the reader so completely with her pictorial details that I could hear the call of the moutushi, the sunbird, and feel myself drowning on the mud banks of the Bhagirathi in Mobile Mataji GULZAR
He touched the core of the Bengalis' pain with his words' - Rabindranath Tagore. Saratchandra Chattopadhyay is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest Indian novelists of the twentieth century. His novels, serialized in periodicals and later published in book form, established him as Bengal's master storyteller. Even today, seven decades after his death, Saratchandra remains one of the most popular novelists in Bengal, and is widely read in translation across India as well. This collector's edition of Saratchandra's works in English translation brings together the writer's most renowned and best-loved novels in two omnibus volumes. The first volume features five novels: Srikanta, Devdas, Parineeta, Palli Samaj and Nishkriti. Srikanta is the story of a wanderer who observes the people around him; through them - especially the women he loves and respects, from the sacrificing Annada Didi and the rebellious Abhaya to the housewife Rajlakshmi and the courtesan Pyari Bai - he tries to arrive at an understanding of life. Devdas is the tragic tale of a man who drives himself to drink and debilitation when he is unable to marry his childhood sweetheart Paro. guardian Shekhar, but circumstances conspire to drive the two apart. Palli Samaj (The Village Life) has Ramesh, an engineer, returning to the village of his birth to try and rid it of the backwardness that plagues it, even as he tries to revive his childhood ties with Rama, now a widow. In Nishkriti (Deliverance), the strong-willed Shailaja, the youngest daughter-in-law in a joint family, is made an outcast as a result of a misunderstanding; much later, her elders realize their mistake, just in time to save the family from disintegration. Each of the novels showcases the qualities Saratchandra is famous or: everyday stories told in a simple yet gripping style, strong characters, meticulous plotting, true-to-life dialogue, and unforgettable depictions of life in turn-of-the-century Bengal. Translated especially for Penguin, these classic novels will delight those new to Saratchandra's works as well as those who want to return to them again.
There'S Insanity In Our Family & It Runs In Our Blood The Blood Of The Vaidic Brahmins & One Or Two Of Us Go Mad In Every Generation.' From The Ritual-Bound Household Of An Orthodox Scholar In A Small Village In Bengal In 1897 To Germany And Mumbai At The Turn Of The New Millennium, The Inheritors Follows The Shifting Life Patterns Of A Family Through A Melange Of Narratives, Memories And Characters. The Unrelenting Puritanism Of Nyayaratna Bishnupada Deb Sharma Drives His Daughter Radharani To Insanity And Throws Into Sharp Relief His Grandson Shibkali'S Feeble Attempt To Break Free. Giribala Voices Her Resentment Against Her Circumstances Through A Lifetime Of Silence, Her Destiny Finding An Echo In Her Daughter Alo, Tragic Victim Of Her Husband'S Sexual Perversions. And Pramatha'S Depraved Radicalism Is Set Against Shashishekhar'S Progressive Outlook Which Symbolizes The Most Significant Departure From The Stifling Constraints Of His Community. Even As It Inherits The Deadwood Of The Past, Each Generation Strives To Liberate Itself, Setting The Stage For The Eternal Conflict Between Tradition And Change, Between A Legacy And Its Inheritors. Aruna Chakravarti Draws Upon History And Myth, Religion And Folklore, Rituals And Culinary Practices To Create A Vivid Portrait Of A Community Of Vaidic Kulin Brahmins. The Narrative, Oscillating Back And Forth In Time, Weaves A Vibrant Tapestry Of Life Differing Ideologies And Sensibilities, Suicides And Desertions, Marriages And Infidelities, Bigotry And Liberalism Set In The Larger Context Of A Nation'S Inexorable March Towards Independence And A Society Caught On The Cusp Of Conservatism And Modernity.
There was once a young boy who loved nothing more than making music. He dreamt of sharing his music with the world. One day, his dream came true.From a childhood spent strumming away at a guitar in Delhi to one of the most successful music composers in Mumbai: this is the story of Shantanu Moitra. His ebullience and sheer sense of adventure light up this memoir. Finding himself all alone at Jaisalmer station at three in the morning as a schoolboy; days as a client servicing drone in an advertising agency; collaborations with the biggest names in Hindi cinema; the making of Parineeta, his greatest hit; an all-consuming love of astronomy; near-death escapades in the Himalayas; his surreal moment with Diego Maradona at Milan airport - these stories provide a fascinating glimpse of the man behind the music.On the Wings of Music is a collection of reminiscences, anecdotes and self-revelations, embellished by photographs from Moitra's personal albums. These are delightful vignettes that chart the growth of a timid, self-effacing boy into a music composer of international repute. Charming and compelling.
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