Nuri Bandar : Nature-Environment and the Story of an ‘Unique’ (‘Abisesh’) person / নুড়ি বাঁদর : প্রকৃতি-পরিবেশ ও ‘অবিশেষ’ মানুষের গল্প

Abstract

Manindra Gupta (1926-2018) is better known as a poet. He has written approximately sixteen books of Poetry: 1. Amra Tinjan, 2. Nil Pathorer Akash, 3. Moupokader Gram, 4. Lal Schoolbari, 5. Chhatrapalash Chaitye Dinsesh, 6. Sharatmegh o Kashfuler Bandhu, 7. Manindra Gupter Kabita, 8. Kabita Sanggraha, 9. Nameru Mane Rudraksha, 10. Tungtang Shabdo NihShabdo, 11. Shreshtha Kabita, 12. Bone aj Kancherto, 13. Mouchushi jay Chhadnatalay, 14. Kabita Sanggraha, 15. Barir Kapale Chand, 16. Asurder Meye.  His first book of poetry was published in 1949. From 1949 to his death (31 January 2018), his literary career spanned about 67-68 years. However, during this extensive period, he wrote a novel at the beginning of the second half of the 20th century, called 'Anupama'. After that, Manindra wrote four novels (1. Prem, Mrityu Ki Nakshtra, 2. Nuri Bandar, 3. Altamosi, 4. Nengti) in the first two decades of the 21st century and in the last part of his life. The second novel out of these four novels is 'Nuri Bandar'. Although he was a poet, Manindra showed special skills as a novelist in the novel 'Nuri Bandar'. In this novel, a monkey is seen, whose birth story is miraculous. Although he was born from a small pebble, his life experience is extraordinary. His curiosity about 'Brahma', his attempt to compare life with the Mahabharata, his curiosity and search for the various forms of women, his apprehension about globalization, and above all his concern and resistance about the earthly environment, have given this novel its uniqueness. In fact, various dimensions of life have been reflected in this novel through metaphor. Thus, it can be seen that through various actions and diverse experiences, he has finally adopted a life like an ordinary human being, including a house, wife and daughter, in a natural environment. Therefore, this novel is also extremely human despite being apparently about a monkey.