Dadur Keerti

Like the other Sanjib Chattopadhyay classics, these are also a collection of homely stories for the young  minds. Based on the central character of Dadu or the grand old grandfather of the house, the stories fleet from subject to subject. Sometimes it is about the searching for a home for his brother in Dadur Bagan, sometimes about the loss of the loved ones depicted in Dadur K(n)athal that affects the rich and the poor alike. Some are about the rodents in the house in which makes life miserable but when they are caught and are on the verge of getting thrashed, the apparent unhappiness of the hapless creatures makes the soul miserable still. Dadur I(n)dur, Dadur Dwitiyo I(n)dur are both of such category. Some stories are pure comic like Dadur D(n)ad(n)adano B(n)aat, where the new set of false teeth comes in way, not only while eating but also between justice in remarkably funny way. I had read all these stories in my childhood as part of some other collection of the author, but to collect these again seemed to bring back cherished memories of the youth. Some stories are understandably not in chronological sequence of the plots as are Dadur Shesh Khawa that narrates the tragic mishap of the house cat which apparently came to the family as described in the following Dadur Biral, as are some of the details that seems a bit confusing, but on the whole, the entire volume is a fantastic mould of sorrow, humour and hope.

Bhut Samagra

Spanning over the varied human emotions from intense tragedies to suspenseful narratives the one element that is common to all in this collection is the spirits. Actually reference to spirit is deliberate as spirituality and not raw horror is the core of the book. Sometimes it becomes autobiographical as the author dwells on the untimely death of his Mother in a haunted residence and how he witnessed his revered Chotodadu (Grandfather) alleviating misfortunes of the needy with rituals that defies logic for the layman and makes the events no less than miracles. Also various events in the lives of Ramakrishna Sarada and their greatest disciple Swamiji have been depicted that borders presence of some forces that is subtle yet true. With a suitable note as introduction the content of this volume includes
• Raat barota
• Haat na daal
• Bhut adbhut
• Nishir daak
• Bhuter khela
• Morgan saheber bagan
• Sei raat
• Gaganer maach
• Bhutera bhuteder kichu korte pare na
• S(n)iri
• Kach
• Sei adbhut manushti
• Bhut samparke duchar katha
• Brahmadaityake ekghanta gaan shunie thakurda bari firlen
• Teel matite pora matroi jwale uthlo
• Maa bole daklen, gaganvedi chitkar
• Chotodadu cancer rogta nijer shorire tule niechilen
• Ekti chobi, ekti chobi. Khaskhas shabdo
• S(n)aibaba aloukik Shorire Gopinath kabirajke Kaashite dekhe gelen
• Hatath dekhi chaire Gaurida, tarpori nei, tablee sudhu swet sankha
• ‘Eki tumi ekhane!’ Prashner uttar ajo khuje beracchi
• Aenae dekhte gie dekhi jantranaklishta bridhhar mukh
• Siddha Tantriker shesh Puja Chinnamasta, Amabasyae rakto die Maaer Pujo korbo
• Amar kono naam nei. Ami Maaer Santan, bolei adrishya holen
• Ekta jhoro hawa boe gelo, gaacher daal bhangatr shabdo holo
• Bina meghe bajrapaat
• Kichu loukik kichu aloukik
• Charte deshlai kathi
• Gobheer raate
• Bhuter bor saja
• Ashade nnoe
Witty remarks refreshes the stories at places that balances the philosophical bend of quite a few anecdotes.

Rakhis Ma Rosheboshe

Where the last volume stopped, this one started with the same fervor. Starting from the family life of the common Bengali household to the social life, the satire is complete with revelations that deeply stirs the intellect but never becomes boring due to the spontaneity of the episodes. Though a bit more serious than its predecessor the writing remains as lively as always. The collection culminates with a very optimistic note that also speaks the undiminished hope that the intellectual holds for the Bengali. That the projected life of the common man which appears with its apparent ill and gore there still remains hidden the pure and the beautiful has been cleverly directed by the author. Though malice is not left out but the criticisms are always healthy as they indicate the path of the righteous and it remains upon the society to make the choice.

Rosheboshe Vol I

What seemed as an innocent collection of humorous pieces turned out to be nothing short of classic satires chiefly sketching the Bengali society. Full of lively cartoons, the book is the funny mirror of the current society. Composed of short essays, the notes are enjoyable while at the same time point to the evil that we only have allowed to flourish over the ages and serve as reminders of the fight that we must start from within ourselves. Encompassing almost all the aspects of daily life from the running steps to the workplace, the fights in overcrowded bus, the quarrels at home, load sheddings, pot holes, the market - in one sentence all the pathos imaginable to the common people, the jolly side of the events have been described with the worst parts too. The social ills that evolved to dangerous crimes taking lives of innocents for the sake of dowry and the likes have been hinted at with such a fine mix of mirth and malice that can only be possible by Sanjib Chattopadhyay alone. With his signature style of exagarration for the sake of literature, the essays will produce both peels of laughter and sheds of embarassment to the generations, both past and present.

Mama Samagra II

The content of this book is

• Shasti
• Baromamar Swapna
• Sob Bhalo Jaar Shesh Bhalo
• Gharei Jamai
• Shiulir Gandha
• Meghamallar
• Tadanta
• Kheyal
• Baikuntha
• Mirjafarer Chata
• Baromamar Ashirbad
• Nitaikaku
• Sadhak Baromama
• Gandhari
• Ajnyatabas

In one word, the book can be said as beatifully written as any other adjective doesn't seem to describe it fully. A lighter read, sometimes tending to become philosophical and often becoming monotonous yet you cannot complain haughtily. But problem will be for those readers who had bought the book based on the 1st volume. The humour of that volume seems to be curoiusly lost in a major way and also the continuity is very much affected when we find the name of Baromama has changed from Sudhanshu Mukherjee to Bimal Mitra while that of the Maashi remains unchanged. This seemed so unnecessary a change and could have been easily avoided. Also the philosophical and sometimes abrupt endings will not make a deep impact to the reader's mind. But the signature style of the author to wander away from the introductory theme, though may feel irritating initially, but sometimes it has made the stories finish with a nice note.

Mama Samagra

This is another of my favourite collections that I bought only recently though most of the stories had been read by me at a very early age that again belonged to those that gave me the flavor of humour in literature for the first time. Mama Samagra, a collector’s edition elaborating the happenings in the bustling mamabari of the narrator with a whimsical doctor as Baromama, an equally eccentric Chotomama who is also a professor and the only sensible person in Mashima responsible for applying the reins to this crazy pack. Added to these are the scores of pets including dogs, cats, birds and cows and a whole lot of characters that either reside there or appears in a story out of nowhere. Baromama’s fantastic visions with underlying noble thoughts form the theme of most of the stories which ultimately opens the door to chaos and mess. Almost always ridiculed by his own doings, the ever optimistic Baromama carries on his endeavours unabated and in this he gets the support of the narrator much to the dismay of Chotomama and Mashima. Chotomama, almost everytime, forms the chief opposition to Baromama’s concepts and with his own fantastic logics defies his brother’s whims. But ultimately it is Mashima who puts the brakes to her elders and maintains discipline in the most rational way.

All said and done it must be mentioned that all the chief characters in the narratives are loving and inspires optimism in this increasingly cynical world and breaths freshness with each story. The collection contains

·         Morning Walk

·         Guptadhaner Sandhane

·         Bardar Beral

·         Ekada Ek Bagher Golae

·         T(n)etul Gaache Doctor

·         Nijer Dhak Nije Petale

·         Baromamar Mosha Mara

·         Baromamar D(n)aat

·         Utpater Dhan Chitpate

·         Avatar

·         Abishkar

·         Ghush

·         Baromamar Menagerie

·         Baromamar Cycle

·         Baromamar Beral Dhora

·         Mejoke Baror Juto Daan

·         Langarkhana

·         Gorur Result

·         Baromamar Bike

·         Physiotherapy

·         Bama Khepar Chela

·         Gomukhyu Goru

·         Saape aar Neule

·         Mahaprasthan

·         Bipashae Dui Mama

·         Rupor Maach

·         Baromamar Saap-Ludo

·         Sonar Palak

Though categorized as comedy but the stories markedly differ both in structure and presentation from Saape aar Neule where the themes turn from comedy to philosophy though it is never monotonous and always lively. Going through the pieces, I could not but guess that Sanjib Chattopadhyay’s recent bend to The Divine may have begun from the same time that he penned stories starting from Saape and Neule.

As to the structure of the presentation, a complaint is due to Pushpa publication that the pagination from Saape and Neule are a bit erroneous. But barring this the copy remains a cherishable collector’s item with a complimentary art support by Anup Roy, Debashish Deb, Sankar Basak and Pranab Hazra. It could have been made more orderly if the chronological order of the events had been followed as sometimes it becomes very much obvious that a story actually must appear late in the series while some may have come first. Also the author often changes the name of the narrator which doesn't look good once the characters are considered part of a continuous series.