গুণময় মান্নার ‘শালবনি’ উপন্যাসে নকশাল প্রসঙ্গ/ Naxalism in Gunamoy Manna's novel ‘Shalboni’

Abstract

Gunamoy Manna (1925–2010), one of the most prominent writers of post-Partition Bengali literature, vividly portrayed the lives of the lower-class people, the struggles of farmers and the working class to sustain their existence, and various mass movements in India through his keen observation. His writings not only depict the external realities of ordinary people but also explore the deeper dimensions of human life, bringing out its essential truths. He embodied these themes in his literary works by drawing upon the realities of his time, society, and the lives of common people. As a socially conscious writer committed to portraying the experiences of the working class, Manna's novels depict struggles for social justice and mass liberation, including the peasant movement, the Tebhaga movement, and the Naxal movement. The Naxal movement occupies a significant place in the history of socio-political movements in India. It originated in the village of Naxalbari, located in the Siliguri subdivision of the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The movement, which began in March 1967, gradually spread across India. Its principal leaders included Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal, and Sushital Roychowdhury. The Naxal movement has inspired numerous literary works by Bengali writers. Notable among them are Samaresh Bose, Samaresh Majumdar, Shaibal Mitra, Santosh Kumar Ghosh, Mahasweta Devi, Swarna Mitra, Bani Bose, Amar Mitra, and Ashok Kumar Mukherjee. This research paper analyzes the violent and turbulent socio-political conditions, the government's policy of repression, and the oppression of women as depicted in the novel Shalbani, which is centered on the Naxal movement.