Upanyas Samagra 5 by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay [Hardcover]

A prominent contemporary critic has aptly written: "Just as a river has no pretense, neither does Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay's narrative voice. A lively childhood memory, a painful identity crisis, and calm, detached observation—above all, a universally gentle spirituality—have shaped his life as a writer." Shirshendu, one of the rarest writers in Bengali literature, draws his strength from this sense of spirituality. Even amid all of life's uncertainties, he speaks courageously of an "unshakable transcendence." Despite the endless confusion and directionlessness around him, he remains brave. In this, he is a unique creator. In any of Shirshendu’s stories, we see that, despite all surrounding turmoil, "man's deep concern for humanity is unyielding." At this moment, life is crossing through a troubled time, but even within that, he lovingly searches for the sacred essence of humankind. He believes there is always a refuge, a place to return to. This "loving yet ascetic" writer’s body of work is intertwined with "an innocent, overwhelming yearning for love." In his own words, "I have tried to express this yearning in many ways through my writing. Yet, it seems, due to the failure of my expression, I still haven’t been able to make everyone understand the love inside me. ...Does this world, this Kolkata, this country, understand my unspoken love? Can everything be expressed through language?"

Despite the author’s personal doubts, his characters carry "that wave of love." Shirshendu’s composed yet detached style and vision in the craft and structure of his novels have added a new dimension to Bengali fiction. All his novels are now being published in volumes. This fifth volume includes four memorable novels: Sataru o Jolkonna (The Swimmer and the Mermaid), Madhab o Tar Pariparshik (Madhab and His Surroundings), Kanchar Manush (The Glass Man), and Bikeler Mrityu o Manabjamin (The Death of Afternoon and Human Land).