প্রতিশ্রুতির ভাত, বাস্তবের মুড়ি : সাহিত্যে প্রান্তিক জীবনের ছবি/ Rice of Promises, Puffed Rice of Reality: The Portrayal of Marginalised Lives in Literature

Abstract

This paper explores how Bengali literature presents the lives of people who are neglected and excluded by society. It focuses on the short story Bān (The Flood). The paper argues that the suffering of marginalised people is often expressed not through words but through hunger, poverty, and humiliation. The main characters, Chinibas and his mother, Rupasi Bagdi, are examples of people whose labour is needed by society but who are not treated with respect. The custard-apple tree in the story becomes a symbol of the invisible boundary that separates them from others. The paper also connects this idea with the Charyapada, where the Dombi woman lives outside the city. This comparison shows that caste discrimination and social inequality continue even after many social reforms.

           The paper further examines how religion can be used to control people and prevent the poor from entering sacred spaces. Gauranga represents both hope and disappointment. People gather not only for spiritual blessings but also in search of food. This shows that hunger can be more powerful than religious faith when people struggle to survive. The story remains relevant today because class differences, child hunger, and false promises of help still exist in society. The paper concludes that kindness alone cannot solve these problems. Real social change is necessary to ensure that every person is treated equally, regardless of caste or social class.