Pathe Ghate by Rani Chanda [Hardcover]

"From the sacred waters of the Purnakumbh pilgrimage to the breezes of the Himalayas, Rani Chand has brought to the Bengali language the diverse forms of this vast country. With an inquisitive gaze, she has observed the age-old customs, attire, religious practices, and domestic life of the people of this land. Not only the unknown regions of the northern paths or the unfamiliar territories of the Deccan but also the thrilling journey through the submerged Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is presented with a different perspective in Rani Chand’s final travelogue. That perspective does not take the form of the hard, laboriously earned facts of a historian or anthropologist, but rather the harvest of a painter’s fascinated gaze. Her unique vision accepts everything, acknowledging that even the color of the nameless grass flowers by the roadside does not fade away. In her language, this reflection of that enchanted commitment can also be seen: a joyful declaration of ultimate fulfillment. In the reader's gaze and mind, the exquisite artistry of that craftsmanship unknowingly permeates."