দেশ শারদীয় গল্প-সংকলন ১৯৪৩-১৯৮৮ : সমকাল ও বাংলা ছোটগল্পের বিবর্তন/ Desh Sharadiya Story Collection 1943-1988 : The Evolution of Bengali Short Stories and Social Consciousness

Abstract

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the Bengali short story as reflected in the prestigious Desh Sharadiya (Puja Annual) collections spanning nearly five decades (1943–1988). Edited by the legendary Sagarmoy Ghosh, these collections serve as a definitive chronicle of the shifting Bengali psyche and social landscape. The narrative journey begins in the 1940s, a period marked by the trauma of the Great Famine, World War II, and Partition. Early stories by masters like Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay and Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay captured the disintegration of rural feudalism and the raw struggle for survival.

         As the decades progressed, the focus shifted from external landscapes to the internal ‘inner world’ of the urban middle class. Writers such as Santosh Kumar Ghosh, Jyotirindra Nandi, and Bimal Kar explored the nuances of domestic friction, psychological isolation, and the erosion of traditional values. The essay highlights how the concept of love, family, and morality transformed from romantic idealism to a more cynical, materialistic realism, particularly visible in the works of Nabaneeta Dev Sen and Sunil Gangopadhyay.

          Furthermore, the study examines the impact of rapid urbanization and industrialization, where the ‘individual’ became a cog in a mechanical routine, as seen in the stories of Narendranath Mitra and Shankar. Through fifteen curated quotations, the essay illustrates the transition from a collective rural identity to a fragmented, modern existence. Ultimately, the collection proves that while the socio-political backdrop changed—from the agrarian crisis to the political disillusionment of the 1970s and 80s—the Bengali short story remained a resilient medium, constantly adapting its form and language to mirror the profound transformations of the Bengali social consciousness.