Putul Nacher Itikatha

Book Details:

• Author: Manik Bandyopadhyay

• Category: Novels & Short Stories

• Publisher: National Book Agency Private Limited

• Language: Bengali

• First Publication Year: 2017

• Publication Year: 2022

• Edition: 2nd Edition

• Binding: Hardcover

• Number of Pages: 216

• ISBN: 9789348253057

About The Book:
Putul Nacher Itikatha (The Story of the Puppet Dance) is Manik Bandyopadhyay’s first novel, and it is considered one of the greatest works in world literature. Set in colonial India, the novel portrays the sorrowful and unfortunate conditions of rural Bengal, where medieval ideas shaped the lives of the people. The story centers on a city-returned doctor who strives to change the lives of rural people, who are bound by superstition and blind religious beliefs.

In the first half of the 1930s, the novel explores rural social life, with Shashi, the central character, returning to his village with a desire to serve the people, despite being attracted to modern urban life. He becomes embroiled in a struggle against the superstitions and religious fanaticism that dominate rural life. Armed with scientific knowledge, he fights the mental ailments of society, facing opposition from figures like Jamini Kabiraj and Gopal Das, the wealthy businessman.

Manik Bandyopadhyay, a believer in Marxism, used this novel to provide a Marxist analysis of the rural society of the time. In a letter about the novel, the author mentioned that it was a gentle protest against those who treat human lives as if they were mere puppets to manipulate. Through this, Bandyopadhyay critiques the exploitative forces in society and their indifference toward human suffering.