Pancham Purush

• Author: Bani Basu
• Genre: Novel (Upanyas)
• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: 9788170662631
• Publisher: Ananda Publishers

Synopsis:
The story unfolds with a dramatic reunion in Maharashtra, where several characters from their college days cross paths again after nearly twenty years. Professor Mahanam arrives from Kolkata for a lecture, while his former student Esha is drawn there by the allure of Ajanta. Esha is staying with a couple—Aritra Chowdhury, once a bohemian poet and now a corporate executive, and his non-Bengali wife, Neelam—both of whom were also Mahanam’s former students. Their relationships were never confined to the four walls of their college; they were shaped by light and darkness, secrets, and complexities.

At the center of these tangled relationships stands another character—Pupu, the teenage daughter of Aritra and Neelam. Two new characters, Vikram and his wife Seema, further complicate the web of interactions. As past connections resurface, a new drama unfolds, shedding light on the evolving dynamics of men and women in changing roles. Pancham Purush is a profound and intriguing novel that intricately explores these relationships.

About the Author:
Bani Basu was born on 26th Phalgun, 1346 (Bengali Calendar) and spent her life studying and working in Kolkata. She studied at Lady Brabourne College before completing her English Honours degree from Scottish Church College. Later, she obtained an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Calcutta (1962).

She worked as a professor at Howrah Bijoy Krishna Girls’ College while engaging in writing from her student days. She has contributed to various genres, including essays, short stories, poetry, and translations. Some of her notable translations include:

• Shri Aurobindo’s Sonnet Collection (Shrinvantu)
• Somerset Maugham’s Best Love Stories (1980, Rupa)
• Somerset Maugham’s Best Stories (1984, Rupa)
• D.H. Lawrence’s Best Stories (1987, Rupa)

Her first short stories were published in Anandamela and Desh magazines in 1981. Her debut novel, Janmabhumi Matribhoomi, was serialized in Sharadiya Anandalok in 1987.