Bankimchandrajibani by Amitrasudan Bhattacharya [Hardcover]

For a long time, there has been a noticeable absence of a comprehensive and authentic biography of Bankim Chandra. It has been over one hundred and fifty years since Bankim Chandra's emergence, and his death anniversary is approaching its centenary. It would have been natural and expected for several successful biographies to have been published during this long period. However, the fact that this did not happen is not only an unfortunate oversight on our part but also a sign of national negligence. Eighteen years after Bankim Chandra’s death, his nephew, Sachish Chandra, wrote the first biography titled Swargiyo Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyayer Jiban Charit in just three months, driven by a sense of “an unprecedented divine power within his heart.” This biography, as the first, remains memorable. However, from a detached and objective perspective, it did not provide a complete, insightful portrayal of Bankim Chandra's life.

In the editorial note explaining the rationale for republishing the biography on the occasion of Bankim Chandra's sesquicentennial, Professor Alok Roy commented, “Seventy-seven years after the first edition was published, a more successful or reliable biography of Bankim has still not been written.” This was something Professor Pramathanath Bishi had also noted. In the preface to his Bankim Sarani book, he expressed regret: "No worthy biography of Bankim Chandra has been written so far. Of course, many books have been published under the name of biography, but none of them truly does justice to Bankim Chandra's genius and life."

Professor Amitrasudan Bhattacharya’s Bankim Jibani will address that gap and regret. Having dedicated thirty years to the study of Bankim, he has firmly established himself as an expert on Bankim Chandra. It was perhaps only he who could have written such a thorough, fact-filled, and logically sound analysis of Bankim Chandra’s life, achievements, and inner world. This book, the product of three decades of reflection, research, study, and understanding, will serve as an essential and invaluable work for understanding the true essence of the literary emperor’s life and genius.