Kallol by Barid Baran Ghosh [Hardcover]

**"Published in the month of Baisakh, 1330 (April-May 1923), 'Kallol' was a monthly magazine with a lifespan of just about seven years. Yet, despite its brief existence, this literary magazine has left an indelible mark on the history of Bengali literature. 'Kallol' was not just a literary magazine; it became a literary movement. From its inception, 'Kallol' was a stir, a rebellion. It was the wave of creation and dreams of all the new literary aspirants of a particular period between the two world wars, as young writer Sailajananda Mukhopadhyay said at the time. Its path was not easy; it was a path of uniqueness, its practice was of novelty and distinctiveness; rejecting what exists, discovering what does not—as Achintya Kumar Sengupta wrote in his unforgettable memoir 'Kallol Jug.'

How 'Kallol' became an era, the revolutionary impact of this collective literary effort of all the young writers of that time, and the literary impact of 'Kallol's era' on Bengali literature—is uniquely identified in the intimate descriptions of contemporary writers and discussed in various analyses by many later eminent writers, literary researchers, and critics. Above all, Dr. Jibendra Singha Roy's exceptional comprehensive book contains the extensive history of 'Kallol' and evaluates its literary significance in analytical light. Enthusiastic readers can read those. However, while knowing the history of 'Kallol' is easy, experiencing the essence of its original writings is not so simple. From one perspective, it can be said to be almost impossible. Because copies of the 'Kallol' magazine are extremely rare today. Although some copies of this magazine, which became scarce soon after publication, might exist in the cold storage of the National Library, they are nowhere else. Only in the personal collection of Dr. Jibendra Singha Roy, the author of the book 'Kalloler Kal,' was there a complete file of 'Kallol.' We are fortunate that Barid Baran Ghosh found this rare and invaluable collection. Not only that, based on it, he selected fifty stories from the many stories published in 'Kallol' and adeptly arranged them within the two covers of this extraordinary collection. Each story has its publication date noted at the end. Enriched with numerous unknown and little-known facts, he has specially discussed the characteristics and diversity of the compiled stories in a lively and lengthy preface and has also introduced the main features and various diversities of the stories published in 'Kallol' as a whole.

Earlier, by publishing the 'Kuntalin' story collection in three volumes, Barid Baran Ghosh had restored a missing link of Bengali short stories, and through this 'Kallol Golpo Panchashat,' he once again brought to the readers a lost chapter of Bengali short stories. This is not only an extension of his work but also a lasting contribution to Bengali literature. Over seven years, approximately three hundred and fifty stories were published in 'Kallol.' From them, the compiler has skillfully selected fifty stories that fully represent the spirit and rebellion, distinctiveness, and success of 'Kallol.' He entirely rejected stories enriched by translations or shadows of foreign stories. He gave more importance to the quality of the stories than the fame of their authors. Hence, alongside the stories of many later renowned authors, this collection also includes remarkable creations of many writers who have been lost in the tide of time. Without such a collection, these writings might have been lost forever."