International Mother Language Day: Top 10 Bengali Books.

 Hello, hello,

February 21st is celebrated as International Mother Language Day.  a day to celebrate and honour diversity in languages. 

Bengali is my mother language. 

The language of love and lullabies and my first stories. 

And not to be biased but man my people have written some of the best stories in the world. I mean I am proud of being a Bengali for multiple reasons and it's outstanding literature is pretty much at the tippy top of this list. 

Sadly, I can't read Bengali (the fallout of growing up outside Bengal) but I have, over the years, made a concentrated effort to read some our best works and it's been some of my favourite things I have ever read. 

Here are my Top 10 Books Originally Written in Bengali. 

Books I 100% Recommend with my whole heart. 

TOP 10 BENGALI BOOKS: 

1. The Adventure of Feluda Vol I and II by Satyajit Ray: Mysteries. Crimes. And a Bengali Super Sleuth! Feluda is the kind of cousin we'd all like to have. Smart, intelligent and good at so many things and solves crimes like a pro. These stories are a Bengali staple and generations have grown up with these stories and Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu are a part of the family. I read these stories very late in life and I loved them so much and have re-read them over and over. I cannot recommend these stories enough. 

2. Those Days by Sunil Gangopadhyay: This sweeping novel will take your breath away. Set in the golden age of Bengaliana, the truly golden days when Bengal was blessed with some incredible people. Vidyasagar, Michael Madhusudhan Dutta, Dwarkanath Tagore and so many more. It is also about the immensely wealthy Singha and Mukherjee families, and the intimacy that grows between them. Ganganarayan Singha’s love for Bindubasini, the widowed daughter of the Mukherjees, flounders on the rocks of orthodoxy even as his zamindar father, Ramkamal, finds happiness in the arms of the courtesan, Kamala Sundari. Bimbabati, Ramkamal’s wife, is left to cope with her loneliness. A central theme of the novel is the manner in which the feudal aristocracy, sunk in ritual and pleasure, slowly awakens to its social obligations. A amazing book that I think you'll enjoy. 

3. What Really Happened Stories by Banaphool: These snappy and short tales are truly genius. Banaphool is often called the O Henry of Bengali fiction and these short, yet moving stories are often very reminiscent of O Henry's stories. Moulded out of everyday occurrences and happenings, these sparkling vignettes range from poignant and tragic to whimsical and satirical. In these tales, Banaphool invokes a host of enduring characters even as he makes sharp observations about the human condition. I read these stories a couple of years ago and absolutely loved them. I think you'd really enjoy these stories too. They are also perfect for busy days and perfect to step in and out of. 

4. My Kind of Girl by Buddhadeva Bose: I won't lie, this book was mainly and predominantly a cover buy, it's designed by Sabyasachi and I needed it in my life. Over the years it's become one of those books I tend to go back to often. A tiny collection of three short stories these are tales of love, love lost and found and melancholy and longing. Moody and wonderful. Highly recommend. And please try to this find the beautiful cloth bound edition if you can. 

5. The Boat Wreck by Rabindranath Tagore: Of course any list of Bengali novels would have a mention of  Tagore. This tale of love, a mishap and a mixed identities and confusion and domesticity and ufff the kind of angst and deep attachment only Tagore can pen. An incredible book and if you haven't watched Rituparna Ghosh's excellent adaptation you absolutely must. 

6. Parineeta by Saratchandra Chattopadhyay: This book was my Thamma's (grandmothers) favourite love story. It reminded her of her own love story and I loved it even before I ever really read it. A timeless love story. An absolute classic. The love between Shekhar and Parineeta is one that never gets old. 

7. Matchbox and Other Stories by Ashapurna Debi: If you want to read some truly sharp and incisive stories about women and commonplace domestic issues yet brimming with so much life and sparkling with brilliance and occasionally shocking. I really enjoyed these stories and Ashapurna Debi's writing is really something else entirely. 

8. The Middleman by Sankar: This book was one of the first books I read when I earnestly started diving into Bengali literature. Set in the turbulent 70s in Calcutta,  a city rife with young men looking for jobs and often getting disillusioned with the world. Moving, an so rooted in the reality of the time. Amazing. Also please read Chowringhee and watch the film adaptation too. 

9. Byomkesh Bakshi by Saradindu Bandopadhyay: Byomkesh might just be my favourite Indian sleuth. He is sharp and focussed and clever and pretty ingenious. Classic tales of murders, crimes and detection. Golden stuff. An all time favourite. 

10. Abol Tabol by Sukumar Ray: Any Bengali child will tell you their childhood was made better with these fun and funny rhymes. My earliest memories involve these rhymes and how they made me laugh.