Upanyas Samagra 4 by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay [Hardcover]

A prominent critic of our time has rightly written: "Just as a river has no pretense, neither does the novelist persona of Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay. A lively recollection of childhood, a painful crisis of identity, and a calm, detached observation—above all, a universally gentle spirituality—have shaped his writing life." One of the rarest authors in Bengali fiction, Shirshendu's main strength lies in this sense of spirituality. Even amid all of life's doubts, he fearlessly speaks of "an unwavering transcendence." Standing amidst endless confusion and directionlessness, he remains brave. In this, he is a unique creator. In any of Shirshendu’s stories, we see that despite all the surrounding perils, "man's deep concern for humanity remains unyielding." At this moment, life is crossing a troubled time, yet within it, he lovingly searches for the sacred nature of humankind. He believes that somewhere there is a refuge, a place to return to. Along with his spirituality, this "loving yet ascetic" writer's entire body of work is infused with "a naïve yet overwhelming yearning for love." In his own words, "I have tried to express this yearning in many ways through my writing. Yet, I feel that perhaps due to the failure of my expression, I still haven't been able to make everyone understand the love inside me. Does this world, this Kolkata, this country understand my unspoken love? Can everything truly be expressed through language?" Despite the author's personal doubts, his created characters carry "that wave of love." Shirshendu's composed yet detached style and perspective in the craft and structure of his novels have added a new dimension to Bengali fiction. A complete collection of his novels is now being published in volumes. This fourth volume contains four memorable novels: Akkranto (The Assaulted), Jaal (The Trap), Durobin (The Telescope), Adam Eve o Andhakar (Adam, Eve, and Darkness).