Naranari Katha

• Author: Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
• Genre: Novel (Upanyas)
• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: 9788177563153
• Pages: 132
• Weight: 188 grams
• Publisher: Ananda Publishers

Summary:
Naranari Katha tells the story of Ratan and the unexpected disruption caused by Maria, a foreign woman, who enters his traditional family and challenges the norms of gender and relationships. Ratan, a young man immersed in the ideals of the Communist Party, struggles with conflicting emotions when Maria unexpectedly kisses him, creating a sense of guilt mixed with a strange, forbidden pleasure.

The novel explores Ratan’s complex relationships with his family, friends, and the Party, as he navigates through his personal desires, familial obligations, and political beliefs. The plot thickens when Ratan meets Mahendra, a leader in the Party, and his life takes a new turn with the appearance of Mahendra’s daughter, Haimanti, who seems to have a deeper, unspoken connection to Ratan. Naranari Katha is an introspective journey of identity, societal norms, and the complex interplay of personal and political life.

About the Author:

• Born on November 2, 1935, in Vikrampur, Dhaka District.
• Lived a nomadic childhood due to his father’s job in the railways, spending time in various parts of India and Bangladesh.
• Education: Victoria College (IA), BA from Kolkata College, and postgraduate studies at Calcutta University.
• Started his career as a school teacher and later became a journalist with Anandabazar Patrika.
• His debut novel was Ghunpoka and his first children's book was Monojder Oddbhut Bari.
• Awarded the Vidyasagar Award in 1985 for excellence in children's literature and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1989 for his novel Manab Jamin.