Boithoki by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay [Hardcover]

There is no disagreement regarding Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay being one of the greatest literary figures in contemporary Bengali literature. However, we are unaware of any book that delves into his complete thoughts and philosophy. To fill that gap, Baithaki (The Sitting) was conceived.

Why is this book considered a comprehensive evaluation of Shirshendu's thought and philosophy? For the first time, all of Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay’s autobiographical writings have been brought together between two covers. From his childhood memories in Khudkudro to the early moments of his writing career in Ek Tokhane Beche Thaka (A Little Bit of Living), along with his struggles before becoming a writer and the notable people who inspired him to write, and his reflections on life in Amar Katha (My Story). Apart from these, we are unaware of any other autobiographical writings by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay.

Along with the autobiographical pieces, this book also contains memoirs of distinguished people who have influenced his thoughts and writing repeatedly. From Sagarmaoy Ghosh to Samarresh Basu, Nirendranath Chakraborty to Mother Teresa, Satyajit Ray to Sunil Gangopadhyay, the book holds a treasure trove of eight such memoirs.

Additionally, there are three rare interviews in this book. These are not interviews conducted by journalists, but rather, three rare interviews conducted by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay himself as a journalist. And who are sitting on the other side of the table? Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shakti Chattopadhyay, Ganesh Pain, and Satyajit Ray. Perhaps this book should be picked up to truly understand Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay as a journalist.

Through this book, we get a detailed introduction to his philosophy and thoughts. But what was Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay like as a person? What was his influence on his contemporaries and the writers of the next generation? Baithaki also includes writings by his contemporaries such as Sanjib Chattopadhyay, Abul Bashar, Dibyendu Palit, etc., and from the later generation of famous writers like Binod Ghoshal, Kaushik Majumder, Samriddhi Dutta, Amitabh Siraj, etc., reflecting on Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay. Furthermore, we learn about Shirshendu as a father and a family man through a piece by his daughter, Debolina Mukhopadhyay.

Also included are numerous rare photographs of Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay.