Four Bengali Novels from Sharadiya Patrika of 1431 (2024)

Rocket Raja by Koushik Pal

This is a nice story about a young man named Rocket Raja because of his talent for cycling. In this story, we get to know about his family, the struggles he is facing in his life, about his profession as a delivery boy. We also come across a group of youngstars in this story , who have a tendency always to feel superior because they have come from rich families. At first the confrontation between the two different groups are shown in the novel. Later, how they become a team and achieve the impossible is also shown by the writer. This is a motivating story regarding how being united helps us in achieving the highest targets of life. I really liked the story because of the idealistic elements present in it. Though with our experience, we may conclude that this situation shown in the story is imaginary but I think literature should always present an idealistic view of life. Only then general people will feel motivated to follow the higher ideals in their life.

Modhye Mohadesh by Abhijit tarafdar

This is a novel which explores the relationship between a father and his daughter through the letters written to each other. The story covers the happenings of the their world around both the characters, and thus it includes the events of the current world. Values and cultures of different countries as well as different local traditions has also been covered in the story. While reading, we get involved in their views and the incidents mentioned in the novel. Overall, it is a new way of telling story through written communication which allows us to read something different from other stories. In this age of mobile phones, such stories present an alternative view, a welcome change which must be appreciated by all of us.

Bhabi Kaal by Sushmita Nath

This is novel which presents to us a picture of a future. In the story, we see that a hospitality company have appointed some robots in their hotel. The story revolves around the interaction of all the human employees with the robot employees. The interactions and the following incidents  create huge impact on the minds of all the persons present there. It deals with a very relevant issue of modern life (which prioritizes the use of science in every aspect of life). The use of robot or such devices will make our life more complex or will it bring more ease in our life, this topic is dealt through a fictional angle in this story.

Neel Rong er Chaand by Upamanyu  Roy

This is a detective story, where the plot resembles some of the incidents of real life. How an immoral relationship gradually becomes a den for many other vices, is shown in the story. A team of ED and also a police team investigating the case come across many astounding facts about crimes committed by some eminent persons.

The narration of the story is interesting as it happens in the case of detective stories. We come across many characters and gradually find the common thread connecting them. As we notice in real life that many times a scapegoat is murdered or gets accused but the big fish hides behind, in the same way the ED officers and the police force witness the political game helplessly. They understand the mystery but due to the corruption inside the system, it becomes almost impossible for them to identify the main culprit.

One interesting figure in this story is a professor who acts almost like a vivek/ moral conscience of the society and analyses the society from different angles. Gradually this anonymous person tries to bring some change in the events of the investigation. The writer has tried experimenting with this character about the mentality of rigidly moral/ ethical persons while witnessing a social crisis.

This story portrays how deep corruption has rotten the whole system and many times the truth remains buried under forever. The ending gives the readers a hope that the officers will try to find out the real culprits with a new zeal.

All these four novels present four different flavours of life. I have enjoyed reading them. The emotion of reading Pujabarshiki magazines always bring back memories of childhood when those magazines were cherished by all of us.

With lots of best wishes,

Jai Shri Krishna.

23 Ghonta 60 Minutes- A Novel

This is a novel by Anish Deb regarding a dystopian future where many human beings have lost the basic humane nature. As many of us have watched the Hunger Games movie series or we have read many more dystopian future stories, in the same way this story takes us to a future where the very existence of human beings are very difficult.

Recently I listened to an audiobook of this novel on the YouTube channel of Mirchi Bangla. After that I thought to write about it as I haven't read this novel before listening to the audiobook.

In this novel, we found the hero Zeehan, a true human being with proper values, facing challenging situations throughout the story. The reason Zeeshan is able to overcome all those challenges is because of his strong integrity of character. As we notice a deterioration in the values around us in today's society, this story presents the positive hope that only basic humane values can hold a society together and take it to its true potential. Though it may seem that this story follows the expected track in storyline, i liked it because of its message which it imparts through the story. Moreover, this story was written by Anish Deb many years before such dystopian stories became popular. He wrote it in the year 2010 and 2014. The element of fear, terror as well as disgust ('vibhats ras') is there in the story which made me somewhat alienate myself from listening to it, but gradually the goodness of the main character as well as many other small characters overshadowed those feelings of disgust.

Overall, this is a story of the triumph of humanity over selfish, destructive and power hungry forces.

Do listen to it or read the story to feel these emotions.

With lots of best wishes,

Jai Shri Krishna.

The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) - Film

This is a beautiful film which takes us to the jungle of Tsavo river in Kenya, Africa. The thrill of the jungle life along with the challenges faced by the main protagonists of the film, keep us glued to watch the film, which is based on real life incidents.

The main threat faced by a team of labourers in Africa (while building a railroad bridge) were the man eating lions which used to attack them regularly. The main characters John Patterson (Val Kilmer) and Charles Remmmington (Michael Douglas) try to save them by targeting the lions and at last by killing them. The story is filled with fear as well as with the triumph of human spirit. This is one of my favourite movie because of its uniqueness of storyline. The labourers, the local people and their leaders, the Doctor of the hospital , the religious person, the visitors, the nature- all combine in this film to create an unforgettable magic in front of the audience.

One of the most famous dialogue by Charles Remmington is "Everyone has a plan until they've been hit. Well my friend, you've just been hit. The getting up is up to you."

The film is based on the book 'The Man-Eaters of Tsavo' by John Patterson where he shared his experience of working in east Africa.

Do watch this film to enjoy the yellow grass, the open field, the scene of train running through beautiful nature and of course to watch the magnificent lions-  the Ghost and the Darkness.

With lots of best wishes for all,

Jai Shri Krishna.

Jibak Katha- A Novel

Recently I heard an audiobook of this novel in Mirchi Bangla Youtube channel. This novel tells us the story of famous ayurvedaacharya of ancient times, Jibak. It is written by Tamnoy Sarkar. The story starts at the moment when Jibak is yet to take a new leap in his life after completing his education about ayurved. Gradually it takes us in the past when the birth of Jibak took place and how he spent his childhood. Later the novel covers the days of his education when he goes to Takshashila to learn aayurved. After excelling in his studies, he comes back to Magadh to his step father and starts treating patients. How Jibak gradually became a legendary ayurvedaacharya is narrated in the later part of the novel. During his journey we also come to know about the politics of the palace of king Bimbisar. We also get to know about the identity of the real mother of Jibak. There is a beautiful scene when Jibak meets Shaloboti.

I enjoyed listening to this novel. The element of history in the novel make it more attractive. And the narrator of the novel in Mirchi Bangla Soumen Chakraborty, ,also deserves appreciation because of his voice modulation according to all the characters.

With best wishes for all.

Jai Shri Krishna.

Radharani - A Novel by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay

This is a famous story by Sahityasamrat Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Most of us know the story. I read it for the first time during student life. 

Recently I saw the name of the story on Youtube as audiobook by Mirchi Bangla Youtube Channel. As we know that this story begins on the day of Rathyatra, so this year I listened to the story on the occasion of Rathyatra. It was such a nice experience that brought a smile on my face.

 The sweetness of the story, the purity of the feelings of both Rukmini Kumar and Radharani capture our heart. We feel their emotions and we feel happy when they meet at the end of the story. 

Listening the story on the Rathyatra day made it a special experience for me and enhanced my enjoyment.

With lots of love for all,

Jai Shri Krishna.