Sarat Sahitya Samagra - Vol.1 & 2

DETAILS : Author : Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ananda Publishers Publication date ‏ : ‎ 1 January 2010 Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st Language ‏ : ‎ Bengali Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 2200 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8170664071 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8170664079 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3900 g ABOUT THE BOOK Sarat Sahitya Samagra (Volumes 1 & 2) is the definitive, comprehensive anthology compiling the complete literary works of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, one of the most iconic, widely read, and translated giants of Bengali literature. Published traditionally by premier institutions like Ananda Publishers and Reflect Publication, this monumental two-volume master-set is a cornerstone of every Bengali household and academic library. The primary objective of this compiled Samagra (Omnibus) is to preserve the raw, chronologically accurate text of Sarat Chandra’s novels, novellas, short stories, and essays. His literature famously shifted the focus of Bengali fiction away from the historical romances of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and the high-bourgeois idealism of Rabindranath Tagore, anchoring it instead in the poignant, gritty realities of rural society, the subaltern classes, and the psychological depth of marginalized women. The two volumes are structurally organized to include his timeless masterpieces: Volume 1 (Major Novels & Novellas): Typically features his foundational epic narratives, including Charitraheen (The Characterless), Devdas (the tragic archetype of unrequited love), Parineeta (The Betrothed), Palli Samaj (Rural Society), and the early parts of his monumental semi-autobiographical tetralogy, Srikanta. Volume 2 (Later Masterpieces, Short Stories & Essays): Focuses on his mature, fiercely political, and socially radical works, including Pather Dabi (The Right of the Way)—which was banned by the British Raj for its revolutionary fervor—Shesh Prasna (The Final Question), emotional novellas like Bindur Chhele, and his sharp, non-fiction socio-political essays on gender disparity and caste oppression. Through these volumes, readers witness Sarat Chandra’s unmatched capability to evoke deep emotional resonance (Rasa), his masterful command over everyday colloquial Bengali, and his progressive, empathetic defense of individual human dignity against the crushing weight of religious bigotry and orthodox social customs. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (1876–1938) was a legendary Bengali novelist and short-story writer whose narrative genius earned him the title Aparajeya Katha-Shilpi (The Unconquerable Storyteller). Born into poverty in Debanandapur, Hooghly, his chaotic, nomadic early life—which included years spent wandering as a bohemian and working as a clerk in Rangoon, Burma—provided him with a rich repository of real-world human experiences that fueled his stories. Sarat Chandra’s authorial style is defined by an intimate, effortless realism, unparalleled emotional lucidity, and a revolutionary feminist consciousness far ahead of his time. He did not judge his characters; instead, he portrayed fallen women, alcoholics, vagabonds, and rebels with profound dignity and tenderness. His stories have been adapted into hundreds of highly successful films, theatrical productions, and TV serials across multiple Indian languages, cementing his status as a permanent pillar of South Asian emotional storytelling.