As a writer, I was surprised to see Sonali Goswami’s interest from the moment the book was published. I felt grateful. Collected the book by meeting us with family at the book fair. For such a reader it is possible to write more. Sonali has also given an excellent discussion about the book. Below is the discussion:
I am a very poor reader, an even poorer communicator. I am the kind of person who forgets to take pictures with the camera in his hand, thinking that the thread of feeling should not be broken. I want to capture the sight, sound, smell in my heart. In the same way, after reading a good piece of writing, as much as I retain it, oxidise it in my mind, I can express only the smallest part of it. I admit my disability in the true sense. But after reading some articles, I want to write down my feelings for myself.
I have read the novel and thought that those who have not read Bhumendra Guha or Masud Ahmed, who have read ‘Rupsi Bangla’ for the sake of reading ‘Bangla Mukh Ai Dakhiyachi’ and love Jeebananda deeply; What will happen if this book is given to them! Let’s assume they read the ‘Grey Manuscript’ and were shocked to learn that the expression of despair could be so beautiful. When Malyaban will be brought and made to stand before them, will they not be shocked and stunned by his ‘dangerous wonder’!! Whom will they discover, the happiness of the rich or the pain of the life of the rich under the cover of happiness!!
Like the magic tricks or magic box of a magician whose life is mysterious is Jeebananda Das’s alter ego — Mallyaban Dasgupta. With whom Jibanananda freely and freely exchanged places. This is not a so-called character driven, narrative novel. The uniqueness of the novel lies in the plotlessness of the plot. This novel tells about a man who is wounded in his efforts to establish himself, who gradually withdraws from the world and becomes lonely. The novel is like Malyaban’s self-discovery, self-analysis and self-exploration.
Throughout the novel, despair, hopelessness, inadequacy, inadequacy, distrust have danced like a rhythmless dispassion. The conflict between doing something and not being able to follow the society is worth the wound. Unable to adapt himself to the mold of society, he will also feel, “He lacks mental balance.” What he will do with his manuscripts, he can pronounce with conviction that “he will fix the manuscripts” who, again, cuts the pages of his writing with a blade, tears it into pieces, burns it if he does not like it. Not so weird. An intense, bitter, bitter attempt to destroy oneself in the pursuit of self-success. A rich man dreams but is not a dreamer. The wall of dreams bankrupted him again and again.
The shadow of his personal life sometimes appears like a cloud floating in the sky of the novel. Father, mother, Lavanya, Manju, Shobna are floating clouds. Again and again they come in crowds in the sky of Malyaban’s thoughts. More characters have arrived, relatives, boarding people and many other people have arrived. In fact, the eyes of Malyaban’s ‘man – chechcha’ (in the sense of being irrigated) irrigate people’s lives. So from the life of the washerwoman, the sealer thief, the street leper boy, the widow woman, the beggar, the crooked old man and the men and women of the deck, no one is left out of his sight. He is not interested in analyzing the character of people, the characters fill the lantern of his thoughts. They are constantly flying. In fact, Malyawan wants to be a writer. Malyaban’s desire to be the founder of a unique and strong style of writing in the pages of the era. Although “he who has two and a half thousand poems in his possession, will write about five hundred more poems in the future, whose identity is only as a poet, he wants to live as a novelist.” For this he seeks, waits and regrets.
He is worthless to the world, he is worthless to his relatives and family. It is an irresponsible person to go about his day without trying to work. In fact, Malyaban never wanted to do the job. He wanted to do the work of the pen. “Because letters are the pulse of life for him. Writing is the name of existence for him.” But seeing the boarding family, he remembered Lavanya – Manju’s words, he wanted to bring them here too, or seeing the bungalow, he was able to bring his father and Lavanya to such a bungalow. Immediately he fell silent, remembering his own abilities. He thought himself a failure many times.
The love of adornment is the pain of Sadh in the life of the worthy. With the attraction of the woman’s love, Malyaban’s heart bird constantly fluttered its wings, was cut but couldn’t fold its wings and sit down. His irresistible attraction to this woman did not allow him to settle down, not even in the world. He found Lavanya unbearable. He felt that “married life is cursed with perniciousness.” When he remembers Lavanya, his heart becomes bitter. Ever since marriage, Lavanya has been suffering from grief, bewilderment, madness, depravity, illness, unbearable. Lavanya’s suicide threats, angry watery eyes, boyishness, sentiment, bitterness gradually increase. So Malyaban runs away. “If you stay at home for a long time, how does Malyaban pant.” I am in awe of this precious man.
Not only his wife, but his daughter Manju, his parents’ position, his negative outlook on everything causes heartache. Breath is stuck in the chest due to pressure. His poignant remark about daughter Manju, “If Manju dies, what will be the loss? There will be no financial loss but we won’t have to buy Glux milk etc. We will stop wasting our time and energy.” I was shocked. But the rich man who is so fond of Ketu’s street dog, whom he buys hot milk and bread from the shop to eat, the rich man imagines the death of the rich man’s daughter!!! What a cry. What a disappointment!! Her voice makes any heart cry. I strongly dislike this nobleman.
He is angry to see his indifference towards the family. My motherly heart throbs at his sure, dispassionate attitude towards his work here. However, his love for Lavanya, his anxiety for Lavanya also surfaced again and again, seeing the advertisement of Farhans toothpaste, remembering Lavanya’s pyria, buying lozenges because Lavanya likes to eat lozenges, his feelings of emptiness for not being able to go to Lavanya’s house and writing on the pages of his diary, the smell of Lavanya’s body. The picture of his love and affection for Lavanya is reflected in his carrying the used soap in his suitcase, and even arranging for Lavanya to see the bioscope.
All the love, family, relationship, desires, desires of Malyaban are revealed in this novel. His thoughts about the contemporary socio-political environment, his opinion about contemporary literature, his thoughts about literary works are all revealed in the circle of words. The author has also expressed Malyaban’s ideas about life in Sucharu Nipunta. Gotta catch that tone.
The novel is structured in several small, named chapters. The magnetism of the writing and storytelling keeps the reader hooked till the end. The mind-blowing cover by Mrs. Senjuti Banerjee and the beautiful pages and binding of Dhansindi Prakash will make the reader fall in love with the book.
Congratulations and best wishes to the author. Let us hope that his writings will quench our thirst for reading.
