শব্দব্রহ্মের সঙ্গে পাঁচদশকে তপন বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় : টলস্টয় ও বিশ্বসাহিত্যের অনুষঙ্গে তাঁর কথাসাহিত্য / Five Decades of Tapan Bandyopadhyay with Shabdabrahma: His fiction in the context of Tolstoy and world literature

Abstract

This research paper establishes the philosophical concept of Indian ‘Shabdabrahma’ within the five decade long literary journey of the eminent contemporary writer Tapan Bandyopadhyay, primarily through an exclusive personal interview with the author. The study illuminates the multifaceted creative spectrum of his works, spanning from diverse thematic and historical novels to children’s literature, various prose forms, and the extensive realm of his poetry.

           The research provides a comparative dissection of his fictional evolution over fifty years, evaluated against the benchmarks of classical world literature. Central to this inquiry is the evolution of the author’s post colonial identity. Based on primary data from the interview, the article investigates how the existential crisis and the trauma of rootlessness stemming from the 1947 Partition have been transformed into a profound and unique connection with the ‘mrittika - sanglagnata’ in Tapan Bandyopadhyay’s writings.

           By applying the principles of Comparative Literature, the study evaluates how Leo Tolstoy’s epic narrative structure influenced the expansive canvases of Tapan Bandyopadhyay’s novels, such as ‘Nadi Mati Aranya’, ‘Upama Kalidasasya’, ‘Birbal’, ‘Majestory’, ‘Dwairath’ etc as acknowledged by the author himself. The findings reveal that while Tolstoy focused on moral and spiritual conflicts, Tapan Bandyopadhyay utilized his professional life experiences as a civil servant to analyze bureaucratic impacts and the grassroots populace within the contemporary socio-economic framework. Furthermore, the author’s consciousness is analyzed in parallel with the philosophies of rootlessness espoused by Dutch writer Adriaan van Dis and Nobel laureate V. S. Naipaul.

           Synthesizing the interview's primary data with perspectives from diverse readers, literary critics, and in the light of the philosophy of the eminent academician Prof. Sauren Bandyopadhyay, the research identifies certain gaps and limitations in Tapan Bandyopadhyay’s five decade long ‘Shabdabrahma’ practice from a neutral scholarly viewpoint. These include the relative absence of Bengal’s folk rhythms and labor movements, as well as perceived biases in the portrayal of certain marginalized female character like Dopati. Finally, the paper emphasizes the urgent need for literary translation to elevate his work to an international stage and achieve artistic fulfillment. This research proves that Tapan Bandyopadhyay’s literary contributions are not merely commercial entertainment but serve as a documented testament to the evolution of contemporary Bengali literature, embodying a unique universal human appeal.