Selected Stories

Parashuram, or Rajshekhar Bose(1880–1960), was one of the most eminent and versatile figures of twentieth-century Bengal. Best known for his comic and satirical writing, he was the author of the popular Bengali dictionary Chalantika, played an innovative role in Bengali printing technology, and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956. This book is a selection of Parashuram’s best comic tales: most of the classic pieces from his earlier volumes, as well as his later, more fanciful work. While some present biting social satire, others reflect a lighter view of human folly or eccentricity. There are also stories in a rare vein of philosophic critique and speculation. Collectively, they reveal the changing patterns of Bengali society, thought and attitude over a span of about forty years. Parashuram worked closely with the artist Jatindrakumar Sen, and the earlier stories are inseparably linked with Sen’s delightful illustrations, some of which have been reproduced in this edition. This is the first time that the range and variety of Parashuram’s comic genius have been presented in English within the covers of a single volume.