{"product_id":"the-boatman-of-the-padma-9788125049340","title":"The Boatman of the Padma","description":"\u003cp\u003e • Author(s): Ratan K. Chattopadhyay (Tr.)\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher: Orient Blackswan Pvt Ltd\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher Imprint: Orient Blackswan Pvt Ltd\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIn the grey monsoon dawn\u003c\/em\u003e,\u003cem\u003e the fishermen catch\u003c\/em\u003e ilish\u003cem\u003e on the Padma. Kuber \u003c\/em\u003emajhi\u003cem\u003e, Dhananjoy and Ganesh\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cem\u003ecount their share of the catch that will be transported to Calcutta in rail wagons. But the money does not necessarily come immediately in return for the fish. Yet, paucity and poverty do not allow protests. Back in Kuber’s hut, a newborn’s cries greet him. There is his aunt \u003c\/em\u003e(Pishi)\u003cem\u003e, his still-to-be-married daughter, Gopi, his two sons, Lakha and Chandi, and his crippled wife Mala; Kuber worries how to feed another mouth.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eContrary to this mundane everyday, Kuber has a secret life where he is happy weaving dreams around his ebullient sister-in-law, Kapila. And then there is the mysterious and powerful Hossain Mian, luring the unwary to his fabled Moynadwip. In the lives of poor fishermen like Kuber, greed, treachery and helplessness are countered by hopes, aspirations, also moments of joy and love.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn English translation of Manik Bandopadhyay’s Bengali classic \u003cem\u003ePadma Nadir Majhi \u003c\/em\u003e(1936), \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Boatman of the Padma\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e is a story of the lives of boatmen and fishermen in Ketupur, a village in Bangladesh (then, East Bengal), nurtured by the river Padma, the lifeline of the country. Written largely in the local dialect, it is a captivating portrayal of the Padma, of survival and predicament—of life. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRatan Kumar Chattopadhyay’s translation is insightful and precise, masterfully retaining the nuances of the original. Detailed notes on some of the terms and cultural practices used in the context of the story also add to the read.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA timeless tale, \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Boatman of the Padma\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e is sure to make a place on every reader’s bookshelf and in every reader’s heart.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Orient Blackswan Pvt Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":45616476225687,"sku":"9788125049340","price":538.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/3471\/1191\/files\/9788125049340.webp?v=1769294894","url":"https:\/\/atlanticbooks.com\/products\/the-boatman-of-the-padma-9788125049340","provider":"Atlantic Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}