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RABINDRANATH TAGORE : CHOKHER BALI
306 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2025
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February 16, 2026
I don't have the audacity to review 'Chokher Bali', a classic novel written by Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali. The English translation by Sukhendu Ray has done full justice to the novel while keeping its Bengali flavour intact.
The novel revolves around four protagonists: Mahendra, his wife Ashalata, his close childhood friend Bihari and the widow Binodini whose beauty led Mahendra to go astray. Mahendra hails from a rich household and is used to his mother's pamperings and luxurious lifestyle that he took for granted. He rejects a marriage proposal brought by his mother with a girl named Binodini. But when his aunt, Annapurna, brings a marriage proposal for Bihari with her niece Ashalata, he impulsively decides to marry her. By a twist of fate, Binodini, now widowed, comes to live in their household as a guest. Asha's blissful conjugal life makes Binodini realise the barrenness of her own life and jealousy slowly consumes her. With her impeccable beauty, charm and wit, she makes Mahendra fall in love with her. Ashalata's blissful life is now shattered. At the end, things fall into place and Mahendra and Ashalata's conjugal life is restored.
Mahendra's impetuous nature, Ashalata's innocence, Bihari's calmness and graceful poise, Binodini's jealousy - everything comes alive vividly in the translation. The archaic English words and phrases used in the novel add to its authenticity.
A must-read book for all who enjoy historical fiction with complex, nuanced characters.
The novel revolves around four protagonists: Mahendra, his wife Ashalata, his close childhood friend Bihari and the widow Binodini whose beauty led Mahendra to go astray. Mahendra hails from a rich household and is used to his mother's pamperings and luxurious lifestyle that he took for granted. He rejects a marriage proposal brought by his mother with a girl named Binodini. But when his aunt, Annapurna, brings a marriage proposal for Bihari with her niece Ashalata, he impulsively decides to marry her. By a twist of fate, Binodini, now widowed, comes to live in their household as a guest. Asha's blissful conjugal life makes Binodini realise the barrenness of her own life and jealousy slowly consumes her. With her impeccable beauty, charm and wit, she makes Mahendra fall in love with her. Ashalata's blissful life is now shattered. At the end, things fall into place and Mahendra and Ashalata's conjugal life is restored.
Mahendra's impetuous nature, Ashalata's innocence, Bihari's calmness and graceful poise, Binodini's jealousy - everything comes alive vividly in the translation. The archaic English words and phrases used in the novel add to its authenticity.
A must-read book for all who enjoy historical fiction with complex, nuanced characters.
Displaying 1 of 1 review