আরণ্যক

The narrator, Satyacharan, is a young Bengali man who takes a job managing forest land in a remote part of Bihar, near Labtulia and Purnia. Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay describes the jungle, its seasons, its rivers, the wild animals and the people who live there, such as local tribal families, and the narrator's growing attachment to a place he is supposed to clear for farmland. The book is about nature and the loss that comes when it is cut down.

It suits readers of classic Bengali literature who enjoy nature writing, and anyone who likes reflective, episodic novels. It leaves a lasting impression of a landscape at the edge of change.

Deep, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.

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