Rabindranath Tagore's Bimala spells power. It gives us a glimpse into school life from a different era.
It revolves around the antics of Dasharathi - a free spirit, who often gets away with pranks on uptight or boastful characters, with nothing more severe than a boxed ear. Penned by Sukumar Ray, Pagla Dashu is a vibrant collection of 25 Bangla short stories. The Ray family line is basically strewn with prodigies, and it is largely to their courtesy that Bengali literature is so wonderfully enriched. Makorshar Rosh, Adim Ripu, Shajarur Kanta are some all time favourites which will always stay with us. 'Satyanweshi' (the seeker of truth) Byomkesh and his partner Ajit became a cult in their own right as they set about solving crimes with oodles of style. You're a disgrace of a Bangalee if you have not grown up binge reading Sharadindu Bandopadhyay's brilliantly intricate detective series. Byomkesh Bakshi, Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay Reading it has been an unforgettable experience. In Chander Pahaar, Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay's vivid narration brought to life the travels of the valiant Shankar, his encounters with deadly creatures and challenging landscapes on his expedition across Africa, and how his journey culminates into an odyssey of self discovery. It was Shankar Roy Chaudhary and his relentless yearning for adventure that instilled a gnawing wanderlust in us Bong kids, much before Christopher McCandless made it fashionable. Shankar Roy Chaudhary, Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay Feluda's whip smart demeanour and dynamic personality, as he's constantly working on his 'Mogojastro', make him the super sleuth we Bangalees worship and will do so for ages to come.
Feluda, Satyajit Rayīengal's very own Sherlock Holmes, the image of brooding hottie Prodosh Mitter smoking his Charminar cigarettes, while going about unravelling mysteries is one that will induce happiness without fail. Gora's impelling attitude coupled with his optimism and orthodox beliefs, will make you oscillate between feelings of appreciation and repugnance for him. While on the exterior he might exude arrogance and a burning need for self assertion, he is an extremely sympathetic and patriotic person and cannot stand injustice. The protagonist is a man of contradictions, with a very nuanced personality.
One of the most complex and highly-acclaimed novels penned by Tagore, Gora is a philosophical study of human emotions. Here is a list of some of the most popular and iconic characters in Bangla literature which will tug at your heartstrings with sheer nostalgia.
We grow up binge reading whatever we can lay our hands on, and considering the vast array of brilliant literary works that have been written in Bangla, we seriously are spoilt for choice.įrom hilarious comic strips, science-fiction, adventure-travel, murder mysteries - Bengali literature traverses all genres. Other than our obsession with monkey caps and maachh, what we Bengalis are most often stereotyped with is how we take our literature very, very seriously.