Chuya Chandan by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay [Paperback]

This is a perfect story that combines history, romance, and adventureSaradindu’s writing is like pottery. Even a very simple story becomes extraordinary through the beauty of his language. There may not be sudden twists in the plot. It may feel like you’ve heard a thousand stories like this before! And yet, you’ll want to read it again, you’ll want to listen to it again.

History handed over all its clay to his hands. And, like a skilled potter, he molded from it a doll—timeless dolls. They are stories from the heart of Bengali heritage, stories of enduring love. It’s as if a young woman of medieval times waits with a fleeting glance on a muddy village path. In the depths of the night, two hearts, with unspoken fears as their companions, set their boat adrift.

If history is a detached ascetic, Saradindu is its Renaissance. He is the greatest artist of our history.