Upanyas Samagra 2 by Sunil Gangopadhyay [Hardcover]

In the 1960s, when poet Sunil Gangopadhyay was writing his first novel Jubak-Jubatira (The Youths) out of his own whim, without any pressure to publish, the Bengali novel had already undergone significant changes. The characters in the stories of that time were no longer seeking liberation in the shadowy world of romance, but through introspection and self-absorption. The youth were setting out to find the meaning of life, entirely on their own terms. Yet, life’s coherence had broken, and words had lost their meaning. Still, readers did not fail to recognize their anguish.

Sunil Gangopadhyay himself referred to this context as "unexplained restlessness," a restlessness rooted in the deep pain of the search for identity. His landmark debut as a novelist came with Atmaprakash (Self-Revelation). With this novel, he embarked on a remarkable journey across the boundless landscape of Bengali fiction—a journey that continues to this day. Sunil Gangopadhyay has now become an institution in the world of Bengali novels.

His knowledge of storytelling, skill in character portrayal, the construction of rich human figures, sense of time, values, ability to choose diverse stories, a passionate inquiry into life, a search for truth, and artistic elegance—all of these he has mastered. In each aspect, he is unique and brilliant. His novels are a treasure of Bengali literature. From his first novel to those written at the dawn of the 21st century, Sunil has remained equally lively and vibrant. Under his hand, the art form of the novel has gained a new level of distinction.