Ashray

• Author: Chhondshee Bandopadhyay (ছন্দসী বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়)
• Genre: Upanyas (Fiction)
• ISBN: 9789354252914
• Pages: 144
• Weight: 268 grams

Key Points:

• Ashray tells the poignant story of Sunayna, a young girl who moves to Sydney with her parents and loses her father at a very young age. Her life becomes even more complicated as she faces neglect and abuse.
• The novel takes the reader through the journey of Sunayna and her stepbrother Sujoy as they flee their home and seek shelter at a railway station, finding solace and protection in a foreign society.
• Through vivid storytelling, the book explores themes of child abuse, survival, and the complexities of Western societal values and family dynamics.

Author Biography:

• Name: Chhondshee Bandopadhyay (ছন্দসী বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়)
• Background: Born and raised in Allahabad, she pursued her education at Allahabad University and later at Monash University, Australia.
• Career: She has worked in administration and training at the Victoria Archaeological Survey and Swinburne University in Australia.
• Writing: Chhondshee has written extensively in both Bengali and English, with her stories, novellas, and travelogues published in numerous international webzines, magazines, and newspapers across Australia, New Zealand, and India.
• Interests: She is passionate about literature, travel, and connecting young generations of Bengali children abroad with their cultural heritage and mother tongue.