Bangalir Samyabad Charcha by Shipra Sarkar , Anamitra Das Sangkalita [Hardcover]

This book serves as a comprehensive chronicle of Bengali intellectual engagement with Communist ideology, particularly from the late 19th century to India's independence in 1947. Remarkably, as early as 1876, a Bengali translation of The Communist Manifesto was published, at a time when Karl Marx himself was still alive, and the manifesto was only 38 years old. This early engagement was a direct result of the intellectual awakening brought about by the Bengal Renaissance, which naturally led to curiosity about Marxist ideas, given their philosophical roots in rationalism and humanism.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 sent shockwaves across the world, and Bengal was no exception. However, Bengali interest in Russia was not new—back in 1818, the Digdarshan magazine had already published an article titled Russiya, indicating early awareness. By the 1920s, the influence of Communist thought had intensified, with many Bengali intellectuals and political activists traveling to Russia. This culminated in the 1925 Kanpur conference, where the Communist Party of India was formally established.

The following decades were marked by India's independence movement, World War II, mass movements, and the trauma of Partition. Throughout this period, Bengali intellectuals actively engaged with Marxist thought, producing a substantial body of literature—books, essays, and articles exploring communism and the Russian Revolution. However, much of this intellectual history remains scattered and underexplored by contemporary readers.

This book brings together a wealth of such writings, offering Marxist theory in accessible Bengali, insights into Soviet society, and an analysis of its influence on literature—spanning novels, poetry, drama, songs, and essays. Many of these works were originally published in rare or short-lived periodicals, making this collection even more valuable.

While no single ideological trend may be discernible in these diverse writings, together they form a crucial political and literary landscape. Without understanding this body of work, our perception of the Bengali intellectual tradition remains incomplete. Through meticulous research and dedication, the editors have compiled an essential reference on Bengali Communist discourse—one that will remain invaluable for generations to come.