Book Review ~ Ichamati - A story of a river, a society and the souls of two Bengals.

In Bengali literature the river is not a natural element, it is a living character. Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's book Ichamati is a unique example of this. In this novel, the Ichamati river is not just a natural element, but a silent witness to human life, relationships, culture and history. This novel, written around the border area of ​​Bangladesh and India, highlights the reality of rural life, communal harmony, social change and the humanity within people in extraordinary depth.

The main background of this book is the two banks of the Ichamati river, Bangladesh on one side and India on the other. The villages built around this river, the people, their daily lives, joys and sorrows, beliefs and reforms, all together form the structure of the story.

There is no single hero in the novel. Rather, the protagonist here is the collective rural society. Fishermen, farmers, boatmen, Hindus-Muslims, rich-poor people of all classes are present here. They are not enemies of each other but are part of a human society floating in the waters of the same river.

The river sometimes gives life, sometimes brings destruction. The floods, erosion, and dryness of the Ichhamati all affect people's lives. The novel gradually reveals changes in society, the erosion of the landlord system, the beginning of a new political and social consciousness, and the transformation of human values.

While reading this book, I felt that this is not just a novel, it is a kind of human document. Bibhutibhushan has not created a dramatic story here, but has given literary form to the natural flow of life.

The biggest strength of this book is its reality and humanity. The characters are not overly dramatic, they make mistakes, suffer, and then move forward by accepting life. The Hindu-Muslim division is not the main thing here, the main thing is the people.

The Ichamati River is like a character in itself. The relationship between people and the river, love, fear, dependence, everything is very vividly portrayed. The author's language is simple, the description is slow but the feeling is deep. This is a book that is not to be read quickly but to be experienced over time. In today's time of borders, politics and division. This book seems even more relevant. It reminds us that once upon a time, people in this land were identified as people, before religion or borders.

However, for those who like fast-paced stories, the book may seem slow. But if you read the book with feeling, it is an extraordinary read. It is an impeccable document of rural Bengal, human relations and social history.