Upanyas Samagra 5 by Ramapada Choudhuri [Hardcover]

"‘Your subject matter, the arrangement of structure, craftsmanship, the clarity and smooth flow of language, and your respect and belief in the values of life – all of these you have woven together with immense skill. I have read many of your works; in fact, I am one of your many devoted readers. However, a story or novel like this book of yours, so delicate, clear, and lively, I haven’t read in a long time...’ — Nihar Ranjan Roy. Written from New Delhi, 22nd April '77.

Another eminent elder, in affectionate jest, wrote about Ramapada Chowdhury: ‘A writer without writing.’ Forgetting the fourteen novels of Bankimchandra and twenty novels of Sarat Chandra, one must admit that he truly was ‘a writer without writing.’ Yet, astonishingly, not a single one of Ramapada Chowdhury’s novels can be disregarded. He was the author of Lal Bai or Ekhon-i, Je Kothay Dariye or Tiyarang-er Dwip, and later works such as Kharij or Beej, Abhimanyu or Bahiri, and Shesher Simana. No other writer has displayed such diversity of themes in their work. Nor has anyone else reached the profound depths he has.

In the fifth volume of Upanyas Samagra, there are five notable novels written by Ramapada Chowdhury at different times. Included is Lal Bai – a historically based novel that propelled him to overnight fame and public acclaim. There is also Ei Prithibi Panthnibas – a work steeped in allegory, which conceals timeless reality. Along with Akashpradip, Rajashwa, and Dub Satar – three very famous recent creations that deeply reveal the complexities of time, society, and eternal human nature."