Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay : Selected Stories

Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay: Selected Stories brings together stories by one of contemporary Bengali literature's distinctive voices. Set largely within the everyday world of middle-class Bengal, the collection examines marriage, sexual autonomy, psychological conflict and the search for self. Through women negotiating convention and rebellion and men confronting desire and guilt, Bandyopadhyay presents intimate lives with directness and psychological intensity. This Bengali edition is suited to readers interested in contemporary Bengali fiction and stories centred on relationships, identity and social expectations.

The stories focus on characters whose private experiences reveal tensions beneath ordinary routines. Riya plays an elaborate game of house with an unsuspecting man, Ahana presents an image of happiness and prosperity to strangers on Facebook, while Anima, living in an old age home, navigates everyday indignities and conflicts with fellow residents and caregivers. Together, these narratives examine how people construct identities and relationships within changing social circumstances.

About This Book

Bandyopadhyay's fiction places psychological and emotional realities at the centre of its characters' lives. Her women often occupy the space between social convention and personal rebellion, while her male characters contend with desire, guilt and the expectations surrounding them. The stories question the structures that shape intimate relationships, particularly the institution of marriage and the pressures of modern patriarchy.

Moving through Kolkata's apartments and public spaces, the characters encounter situations that expose the distance between outward appearances and private experience. Social media, ageing, relationships and everyday domestic interactions become settings for examining identity and autonomy. The writing combines provocative subject matter with a close attention to psychological experience.

What You'll Discover

• Stories examining the hidden tensions of middle-class life in Bengal
• Women negotiating convention, rebellion and personal autonomy
• Psychological conflicts involving desire, guilt and relationships
• Riya's unusual game of house and its unexpected implications
• Ahana's carefully constructed Facebook image of happiness
• Anima's everyday struggles inside an old age home
• Critiques of marriage and the pressures of modern patriarchy

Perfect For

• Readers of contemporary Bengali literature
• Readers interested in Bengali short stories
• Readers exploring themes of marriage, identity and sexual autonomy
• Readers interested in psychologically focused contemporary fiction

Why You'll Love This Book

Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay: Selected Stories offers a close examination of relationships, identity and social expectations through characters living in contemporary Bengal. With psychologically intense stories that question convention and patriarchy, Bandyopadhyay brings private conflicts and everyday experiences into sharp focus.