Celebrated Bengali authors one should definitely read
If you are into literature and wondering which Bengali works to explore, then this is the list for you.
Delving into Indian literature has to, just has to, include Bengali authors in the list. The list of Bengali writers is as varied as countable. The backdrop featured the socio-economic realities, while some dabbled in the more intense inner psyche of children as well. To the world as Bengalis are known for their red bloodedness, they are also known for their love for art and culture. Books are a huge part of it.
Here is a list of most formidable writers one should read:
Sukumar Ray:
Ray has been a prolific writer for children. Ask any Bengali child, and they can recite Ray’s Aabol Taabol by heart. The absurdity of his ‘nonsense-verses’ resonate well with children. And they are all fun to read.
Rabindranath Tagore:
A list of Bengali literature won’t be complete without including Tagore. His writing list includes plays, novels, poems, short stories, songs – you name it. Whether he is gripping hearts by Roktokorobi or cures hearts by his songs, Tagore lives through his art.
Mahasweta Devi:
A feminist in her own wind, Devi wrote in a time when women were only seen as household objects. A leftist by heart and work, she fought and wrote for the rights of tribal people. Her most notable works include Hajar Churashir Maa, Aranyer Adhikar, Rudali, to name a few. Read her work for the beauty of her expressions. A must-read of hers has to be After Kurukshetra which tells the spin-off tale of the five women of Mahabharata.
Bibhutibhushon Bandopadhyay:
His Pather Panchali was adapted by Satyajit Ray for a feature film. Bandopadhyay’s earthy genius mixed with the crafty linguistic style, his attention was turned towards the rustic reality. His contribution to Bengali literature is still talked about.
Ashapurna Devi:
Ashapurna Devi wrote during the time of Bengal Renaissance when women belonged to the four walls of the house or the kitchen. Her most notable work Prothom Protishruti stars Satyabati– a protagonist as strong as Devi. Devi’s work was to break free from the norms of the patriarchal norms that were prevalent back then.
Saratchandra Chattopadhyay:
The novelist who translated heartbreak into literature in the form of Devdas. Giving lovelorn men a storyline, or being a social crusader like in Choritroheen, or simply retelling the tale of revolution like in Pather Dabi, Saratchandra has also dabbled in familial struggles in Parineeta. His Pather Dabi became so popular that the Britishers had banned him calling him ‘seditious’. Thankfully that didn’t stop him from writing.
