Prabandha Sankalan by Amalesh Tripathi [Hardcover]

This is a collection of the unpublished essays by the historian-scholar Amalesh Tripathi. For over six decades, Tripathi prioritized the study of history in the Bengali language and published analytical essays in daily newspapers and various periodicals on topics related to his homeland and contemporary times. Some of these essays had already been included in his previous Bengali books, but the remaining majority, which were written after his passing more than two and a half decades ago, have now been compiled in this collection. Among the treasures of this volume are four essays by the student Amalesh, published in *Presidency College Magazine* in 1938-40, and three essays by him, retrieved from the now-defunct and rare *Itihas* magazine, which were likely unknown to even his most devoted readers. As a historian, Amalesh Tripathi explored the reasons behind the anti-partition movement (Bengal Partition), provided context for the three movements led by Gandhi, analyzed the ideological differences between Gandhi, Nehru, and Subhas Chandra Bose with impartiality, and uncovered the crisis of democracy and the tragic decline in post-independence India's national life. He also assessed the historical significance of figures like Chaitanya, Ramakrishna, and Vivekananda, while demonstrating his expertise in contemporary history in the essays in the "Historical Evaluation" section. Additionally, in his writings in the "Two Pioneers of Bengali Literature" section, he critically examined literature within a historical framework. His sphere of interest included Kolkata, his place of work, as well as his predecessors in the field of history—nothing was beyond his intellectual reach. The scope of this collection extends beyond history to the narrative of state and international events in the context of India and the world. The inclusion of Amalesh’s biography and a list of his works brings the collection to its intended completeness.