Bhatir Deshe

Author: Amitav Ghosh

Genre: Novel

Format: Hardcover

ISBN: 9788177568479

Pages: 386

Weight: 682 grams

Book Description:

The Sundarbans—a land of rivers, mangroves, and untamed wilderness—is home to deadly crocodiles, fierce tigers, and struggling human settlements. In the early 20th century, an Englishman named Daniel Hamilton envisioned an ideal society in this harsh terrain, shaping the foundation of a new history for the region.

The delicate balance of the Sundarbans' social and cultural landscape is shaken when two outsiders arrive:
✔ Piyali Roy, an Indian-American marine biologist researching the rare species of dolphins in the area.
✔ Kanai Dutta, a polished businessman from Delhi, drawn to the region by a mysterious letter from his aunt, Nilima.

Nilima, the head of a local NGO, was once married to Nirmal, a retired schoolteacher and an ardent believer in progressive politics. His sudden and mysterious death followed the 1979 Marichjhapi massacre, a brutal eviction of refugees from the islands.

Accompanied by Fakir, a local fisherman, Piya ventures deep into the riverine maze of the Sundarbans, with Kanai as her interpreter. As they navigate the treacherous waters and complex human relationships, the story unfolds like a powerful epic, intertwining:
✔ Nature and civilization
✔ History and myth
✔ Survival and betrayal

Amitav Ghosh paints a breathtaking portrait of the Sundarbans in this masterful novel, seamlessly weaving together ecology, folklore, history, and human drama.

✔ A richly layered story of adventure, politics, and survival
✔ A deep dive into the fragile yet resilient ecosystem of the Sundarbans
✔ A poignant reflection on displacement, identity, and environmental change

Key Themes:

• Man vs. Nature: The struggle for survival in an unforgiving land
• The collision of tradition, modernity, and environmental concerns
• The haunting shadow of history and political turmoil
• The mysticism and folklore of the Sundarbans

Bhatir Deshe is an epic tale of love, loss, and resilience, a must-read for lovers of literary fiction and historical narratives.

About the Author:

Amitav Ghosh was born in Dhaka in 1956 and spent his early years in Colombo. He studied in Dehradun, Delhi, and Oxford, obtaining a degree in history and later a master’s in anthropology. His research at Oxford focused on rural life in contemporary Egypt.

Ghosh has been affiliated with various universities worldwide and is currently the Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature at Queens College, City University of New York.

Renowned for his English-language works, his books have been translated into multiple languages and have received international acclaim. Some of his notable works include:
✔ The Circle of Reason (1986)
✔ The Shadow Lines (1988) – Winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award (1990)
✔ In An Antique Land (1993)
✔ The Calcutta Chromosome (1996)
✔ The Glass Palace (2000)

His first book in Bengali, ‘Bhrami Bishmoye’, introduced his literary brilliance to a new audience.

Amitav Ghosh remains one of the most influential contemporary writers, blending history, culture, and ecological concerns into compelling storytelling