Galpasamagra by Ramapada Choudhuri [Hardcover]

The renowned historian and distinguished literary critic, Nihar Ranjan Ray, wrote to Ramapad Choudhury from New Delhi, saying, "Your subject matter, the neatness of the structure, your narrative skill, the clarity and fluency of your language, and your respect for and belief in the values of life, all these you have woven together with immense craftsmanship... In fact, I am one of your many devoted readers."

Beginning his writing journey at seventeen, establishing himself at twenty-five, and achieving fame before thirty, Ramapad Choudhury has, from 1350 (Bengali calendar year) to the present day, written nearly one hundred and fifty short and long stories over a span of fifty-five years. This Gathasaptak is a complete collection of all the stories he wrote in his seventy-seven years of life. Between two covers, it holds his deeply personal world, fragmented yet complete, a reflection of fifty years of Bengali life. Together, these stories have shaped an epic cinematic portrayal of middle-class life.

He has shed light on many important issues, and at times his views may seem uncomfortable. His work stands unparalleled in its newness of taste, diversity of themes, innovative styles, and the grandeur of language. This collection includes his 144 stories. To have so many famous stories from the same pen is nothing short of extraordinary. From the same writer, we get works like Darbari (The Courtier), Rebecca Soren's Grave, I, My Husband and a Sailor, The Freezer or the Living Room, A Hospital's Birth and Death or the Key, Uptrain, Boro Bazar (The Big Market), and also Bharatvarsha (India) or Earthquake in the Chest, as well as The Naked Body of the Donor and Kala Ayo (The Black Dawn). Time and again, he has deconstructed and reconstructed the art of storytelling. Yet, at all times, he remains connected to the people of his era. Therefore, in Bengali short stories, he is a movement in himself.