Dashti Upanyas by Nabanita Deb Sen [Hardcover]

Nabnita Debsen's novelistic identity is entirely distinct and uniquely exceptional. Her works are surrounded by subtle sensitivity and reflection. With a refined courage, Nabnita's novels have ventured beyond the familiar boundaries of Bengali literature.

Her first novel, Ami Anupam (I Am Anupam), was published in 1976. The backdrop of the novel is the Naxalite movement of the 1970s, which is not unfamiliar in Bengali literature. However, Nabnita does not dwell on coarse lamentations. The novel's protagonist, Anupam, represents a group of treacherous intellectuals. But the story does not end there. In each of Nabnita's novels, there is an underlying theme of 'positive transcendence.' At the end of Ami Anupam, the protagonist’s remorse becomes a form of transcendence.

With her first novel, Nabnita firmly established her place in Bengali literature. Although her novels did not receive as much extensive discussion as they perhaps deserved, she left a distinct mark in each of them. The diversity of themes in her novels constantly surprises us. For example, she has written several novels about Indian expatriates. And it’s not just about Indians - Bangladeshi expatriates have also featured in her works.

Family and the joint family system play a significant role in her literature. Various intricate depictions of family relationships and stories of rise and fall form the core of many of her novels. She has explored themes such as AIDS at the centre of her narrative, bringing new perspectives into her work. Perhaps before her, no one had depicted old-age homes as the primary setting of a novel.

In 1976, Ami Anupam was published, and in 1996, Bama-Bodhini. In this later novel, Nabnita surpassed all of her previous works. The book embodies the essence of the myth of Sita, the life of 16th-century female poet Chandrabati of Mymensingh, and the lives of modern women in the 21st century. Sita, Chandrabati, Anshumala, Kamalamma, Malini - these women from different times are united in the novel through an invisible bond. The shape of Bama-Bodhini is created through a combination of prose, poetry, song, and research.

Along with the variety of subjects, the characters in her novels are driven by a quest for self-discovery. In summary, Nabnita tells profound stories in a very compact space, traveling through time and the inner workings of the human mind.

This collection includes ten of her novels: Ami Anupam, Swabhumi, Shit Sahasik Hemantlok, Ekta Dupur (One Afternoon), Bama-Bodhini, Deshantar (Exile), Thikana (Address), Maya Roye Gelo (The Illusion Remains), Shani-Rabi, and Paari (The Crossing).