A classic romantic novel that marked the turn of the conventional romantic literature and proved to be a landmark for the Romantic Age of English literature. It was first published in the year 1774. 'The Sorrows of Young Werther' by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe narrates a sad and tragic, yet romantic story of young Wether, who fall in love with a married girl and eventually, kills himself to prevent any complications in her marriage.
Inspired by the historical romances of Sir Walter Scott, Bankim Chandra’s first Bengali novel is a story of love set amidst the war between the Pathans and the Mughal emperor Akbar in the sixteenth century. Dashing young Jagat is sent by his father, Mughal general Mansingh, to quell the Pathan uprising in Bengal. There he falls in love with Tilottama, the alluring daughter of the chieftain Birendra Singh only to discover – too late – the bitter rivalry between their two families. Stirring and colourful, The Chieftain’s Daughter created a sensation among Bengali readers with its vigorous storytelling and its bold portrayal of romantic love.
The Poison Tree (1873) is a novel by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Originally serialized in Bangadarshan, a popular literary magazine founded by Chatterjee in 1872 and later edited by Rabindranath Tagore, The Poison Tree is a story that engages with the subject of widow remarriage. “The river flowed smoothly on—leaped, danced, cried out, restless, unending, playful. On shore, herdsmen were grazing their oxen—one sitting under a tree singing, another smoking, some fighting, others eating. Inland, husbandmen were driving the plough, beating the oxen, lavishing abuse upon them, in which the owner shared.” With his wife’s blessing, Nagendra sets out on a journey by boat down the river. When a sudden storm forces him to leave his boat for safety, he comes across the ruined home of Kundanandini, a young widow caring for her father in his final days. When the old man dies, Kundanandini begs him to take her to Calcutta. As he begins to fall for the beautiful woman, he struggles with the demands of family, religion, and tradition, knowing that love wields power over them all. Tragic and timeless, The Poison Tree is a brilliant romance from a legendary figure in Bengali literature. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s The Poison Tree is a classic of Bengali literature and utopian science fiction reimagined for modern readers.
Krishna Kanta’s Will (1878) is a novel by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Recognized as a pioneering work of Bengali literature with universal romantic themes, Krishna Kanta’s Will is a story that engages with the subjects of widow remarriage, land ownership, and heredity in Hindu culture. “If Krishna Kanta had ever desired to cheat his brother's son, and appropriate the entire property, there was now no obstacle in his way. But he had no such evil intention. He placed Gobind Lâl with his own family, and treated him in all respects like his own sons; he determined to draw up a will bequeathing to Gobind Lâl the half-share justly belonging to Râm Kânta Râi.” Raised in a loving home, orphan Gobind Lâl hopes to carry on his father’s legacy while honoring his uncle, who could have cut him out of the will entirely. Married to the beautiful Bhramar, he seems to have a life of fortune ahead of him. Meanwhile, Krishna Kanta’s sons, outraged at their father’s generosity, hatch a plan to switch the will with one they have written, employing the seductive widow Rohini to do their dirty work. Tragic and timeless, Krishna Kanta’s Will is a brilliant romance from a legendary figure in Bengali literature. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s Krishna Kanta’s Will is a classic of Bengali literature and utopian science fiction reimagined for modern readers.
Chandra Shekhar (1875) is a novel by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Recognized as a pioneering work of Bengali literature with universal romantic themes, Chandra Shekhar is a story that engages with the subjects of marriage, suicide, and heredity in Hindu culture. “On the bank of the Ganges, there was seated a boy under the green mantles of the mango groves, enjoying the evening melody of the flowing Bhagirathi. Under his feet lay, on the green bed of grass, a little girl, casting upon his face her lingering glances—silent and motionless.” Along the banks of the sacred river, two star-crossed lovers count the boats as they pass. Although they love one another, Pratap and Shaibalini cannot marry—they are distant relatives, and such a match is forbidden. Distraught, Pratap proposes they commit suicide together by slipping into the slow, silent water, disappearing in a marriage of death. As his head goes under, Shaibalini begins to have doubts, surfacing just in time to see the gallant Chandra Shekhar dive in to save Pratap. Unaware of his intentions, the older man makes sure the younger is alright, then sets his sights on the lovely Shaibalini. Tragic and timeless, Chandra Shekhar is a brilliant romance from a legendary figure in Bengali literature. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s Chandra Shekhar is a classic of Bengali literature and utopian science fiction reimagined for modern readers.
Kapalkundala (1866) is a novel by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Set in Dariapur, Contai, Kapalkundala was Chatterjee’s second novel. Recognized as a pioneering work of Bengali literature with universal romantic themes, Kapalkundala has been adapted several times for film and television, most recently for a popular Indian Bengali soap opera of the same name. On his way home to Saptagram from a pilgrimage to Gangasagar, Nabakumar encounters a Tantric sage in the forest. After exchanging their greetings, the sage captures the young gentleman in order to sacrifice him to the goddess Shamshaan Kali. Rescued by the sage’s foster daughter, the beautiful Kapalkundala, Nabakumar marries her the next day. Despite their happiness, the past refuses to let them live in peace. As the sage plots his revenge, Nabakumar’s first wife, who left him after converting to Islam, has returned seeking forgiveness. As doubt begins to penetrate their bond, Nabakumar and Kapalkundala lose sight of the only thing that matters: each other. Tragic and timeless, Kapalkundala is a brilliant romance from a legendary figure in Bengali literature. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s Kapalkundala is a classic of Bengali literature and utopian science fiction reimagined for modern readers.
In the village of Haridrâ dwelt a greatZemindâr. His name was Krishna Kanta Râi, and he was a very wealthy man. The profit from hisZemindâriamounted to nearly two lakhs of rupees. This wealth had been accumulated by himself and by his brother, Râm Kânta Râi, working together. The brothers were warmly attached, and at no time had it entered into the mind of either that the other could deceive him. The estates had all been bought in the name of the elder brother, Krishna Kanta Râi. The brothers messed together. Râm Kânta Râi had one son named Gobind Lâl. After the birth of this son it came into Râm Kânta's mind that the brothers' joint possessions stood in one name, and that for the security of his son proper legal documents should be drawn out. For, though he knew Krishna Kanta incapable of deceiving him, or of acting unjustly towards him, yet what certainty had he as to what Krishna Kanta's sons might do after their father's death? Yet he could not bring himself to propose having legal papers made out, so he put it off from day to day. Necessity called him away to the estates, and there, suddenly, he died. If Krishna Kanta had ever desired to cheat his brother's son, and appropriate the entire property, there was now no obstacle in his way. But he had no such evil intention. He placed Gobind Lâl with his own family, and treated him in all respects like his own sons; he determined to draw up a will bequeathing to Gobind Lâl the half-share justly belonging to Râm Kânta Râi. Krishna Kanta Râi had two sons and a daughter. The eldest son was named Hara Lâl, the younger Binod Lâl, the daughter Shoilobati. In his will Krishna Kanta bequeathed to Gobind Lâl half the estate, to Hara Lâl and to Binod Lâl, each three-sixteenths, to the widow and to the daughter each one-sixteenth. Hara Lâl was very unruly; disobedient to his father, and evil-tongued. The provisions of a Bengali will seldom remain secret, and Hara Lâl, becoming acquainted with this disposition of the property, said to his father.
Rajmohan’s Wife and Sultana’s Dream (1864/1908) features the debut novel of Indian writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and a story by Bengali writer, feminist, and educator Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain. Rajmohan’s Wife, Chattopadhyay’s only work in English, launched his career as a leading Bengali intellectual and political figure. Written in English, Sultana’s Dream originated as a way of passing time for its young author while her husband was away on work. Initially published in The Indian Ladies Magazine, Sultana’s Dream helped establish Rokeya’s reputation as a leading figure in Bengali arts and culture. Rajmohan’s Wife is the story of Matangini, a beautiful woman married to a violent, jealous man. Unable to marry the man she loves—who happens to be her own sister’s husband—she settles for the villainous Rajmohan, an abusive man who rules his middle-class Bengali household with an iron fist. With the help of her friend Kanak, Matangini does her best to avoid her husband’s wrath, illuminating the importance of solidarity among women faced with oppression. Vindictive and cruel, Rajmohan secretly enacts a plan to rob Madhav, his brother-in-law, in order to obtain and invalidate a will. Sultana’s Dream is set in Ladyland is a feminist utopia ruled by women, a perfect civilization with no need for men, who remain secluded and without power. Free to develop their own society, women have invented flying cars, perfected farming to the point where no one must work, and harnessed the energy of the sun. With men under control, there is no longer fear, crime, or violence. Ultimately, Ladyland is a world made to mirror our own, a satirical exploration of the absolute power wielded by men over women, and a political critique of Bengali society at large. Sultana’s Dream is more than a science fiction story; it is an act of resistance made by a woman who would shape the lives of her people through advocacy, education, and activism for generations to come. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s Rajmohan’s Wife and Sultana’s Dream is a classic of Bengali literature and utopian science fiction reimagined for modern readers.
विश्वसाहित्य में बँगला के मूर्द्धन्य कथाकार बंकिमचन्द्र चट्टोपाध्याय का नाम सर्वोपरि गिना जाता है। उनके अनेक विश्वविख्यात उपन्यासों में आनन्द-मठ का एक विशिष्ट स्थान है। यह वह उपन्यास है जिसकी रचना करके लेखक ने स्वतन्त्रता-सेनानियों को संघर्षरत रहने के लिए प्रेरित किया। ‘वन्देमातरम्’ की ध्वनि उस समय भी जन-जन में गूँज उठी थी और आज भी राष्ट्र-गीत के रूप में भारतीयों को जाग्रत बनाए रखने के लिए गूँज रही है।
Rajmohan's Wife and Sultana's Dream (1864/1908) features the debut novel of Indian writer Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and a story by Bengali writer, feminist, and educator Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain. Rajmohan's Wife, Chattopadhyay's only work in English, launched his career as a leading Bengali intellectual and political figure. Written in English, Sultana's Dream originated as a way of passing time for its young author while her husband was away on work. Initially published in The Indian Ladies Magazine, Sultana's Dream helped establish Rokeya's reputation as a leading figure in Bengali arts and culture. Rajmohan's Wife is the story of Matangini, a beautiful woman married to a violent, jealous man. Unable to marry the man she loves--who happens to be her own sister's husband--she settles for the villainous Rajmohan, an abusive man who rules his middle-class Bengali household with an iron fist. With the help of her friend Kanak, Matangini does her best to avoid her husband's wrath, illuminating the importance of solidarity among women faced with oppression. Vindictive and cruel, Rajmohan secretly enacts a plan to rob Madhav, his brother-in-law, in order to obtain and invalidate a will. Sultana's Dream is set in Ladyland is a feminist utopia ruled by women, a perfect civilization with no need for men, who remain secluded and without power. Free to develop their own society, women have invented flying cars, perfected farming to the point where no one must work, and harnessed the energy of the sun. With men under control, there is no longer fear, crime, or violence. Ultimately, Ladyland is a world made to mirror our own, a satirical exploration of the absolute power wielded by men over women, and a political critique of Bengali society at large. Sultana's Dream is more than a science fiction story; it is an act of resistance made by a woman who would shape the lives of her people through advocacy, education, and activism for generations to come. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain's Rajmohan's Wife and Sultana's Dream is a classic of Bengali literature and utopian science fiction reimagined for modern readers.
Nagendra Natha Datta is about to travel by boat. It is the month Joisto (May—June), the time of storms. His wife, Surja Mukhi, had adjured him, saying, "Be careful; if a storm arises be sure you fasten the boat to the shore. Do not remain in the boat." Nagendra had consented to this, otherwise Surja Mukhi would not have permitted him to leave home; and unless he went to Calcutta his suits in the Courts would not prosper. Nagendra Natha was a young man, about thirty years of age, a wealthy zemindar (landholder) in Zillah Govindpur. He dwelt in a small village which we shall call Haripur. He was travelling in his own boat. The first day or two passed without obstacle. The river flowed smoothly on—leaped, danced, cried out, restless, unending, playful. On shore, herdsmen were grazing their oxen—one sitting under a tree singing, another smoking, some fighting, others eating. Inland, husbandmen were driving the plough, beating the oxen, lavishing abuse upon them, in which the owner shared. The wives of the husbandmen, bearing vessels of water, some carrying a torn quilt, or a dirty mat, wearing a silver amulet round the neck, a ring in the nose, bracelets of brass on the arm, with unwashed garments, their skins blacker than ink, their hair unkempt, formed a chattering crowd. Among them one beauty was rubbing her head with mud, another beating a child, a third speaking with a neighbour in abuse of some nameless person, a fourth beating clothes on a plank. Further on, ladies from respectable villages adorned the gháts (landing-steps) with their appearance—the elders conversing, the middle-aged worshipping Siva, the younger covering their faces and plunging into the water; the boys and girls screaming, playing with mud, stealing the flowers offered in worship, swimming, throwing water over every one, sometimes stepping up to a lady, snatching away the image of Siva from her, and running off with it. The Brahmans, good tranquil men, recited the praises ofGanga (the sacred river Ganges) and performed their worship, sometimes, as they wiped their streaming hair, casting glances at the younger women. In the sky, the white clouds float in the heated air. Below them fly the birds, like black dots. In the cocoanut trees, kites, like ministers of state, look around to see on what they can pounce; the cranes, being only small fry, stand raking in the mud; the dahuk(coloured herons), merry creatures, dive in the water; other birds of a lighter kind merely fly about. Market-boats sail along at good speed on their own behalf; ferry-boats creep along at elephantine pace to serve the needs of others only: cargo boats make no progress at all—that is the owners' concern.
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