Bangaprasanga by Chittaranjan Bandyopadhyay [Hardcover]

"The saying 'Eto Bhanga Bongo Desh, Tobo Ronge Bhora' has become worn out from frequent use, but its essence and truth remain unchanged. The land called Bengal and its people, the Bengalis, have a life filled with colors and vibrancy. Together, these elements create the diversity of Bengal. The author of this book has chosen to discuss a few less-talked-about topics from this diversity in a delightful manner. The role of Bengali printing in its inception, inspiration, and renaissance has been explored by the author in the context of the 19th century. From the historical timeline, this book brings out the story of the 'Patitoddhar Sabha,' an organization for converting people of different religions to Hinduism, Ram Mohan's actual views on the Sati Abolition Act collected from parliamentary documents, the evidence of how the minds of Bengalis were stirred during the Sepoy Mutiny, and how British culture and the Industrial Revolution during the British era bewildered the Bengalis. Additionally, the book covers the tragic story of how the revolutionary mantra 'Vande Mataram' was misused by political leaders, the beginning of Bengali novels, the study of Shakespeare in Bengal, the first indigo planter in Bengal, and other history-rich and intellectually stimulating discussions. Overall, this book is a notable addition to the stream of Bengali essays."