“Bijoya – Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay”

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, alternatively spelt as Sarat Chandra Chatterjee (15th Sept. 1876 – 16th Jan. 1938) was a Bengali novelist and short story writer of the early 20th century. Most of his works deals with the lifestyle, tragedy and struggle of the village people and the contemporary social practices that prevailed in Bengal.

A long story (badadidi) was published in two installments in his own name in Bharati(1907). He was the first novelist in India to live in some comfort on the returns of his output. Some of his stories are very striking for their obvious sincerity and basic realism. These include Bindur Chele, Ramer Sumati, Arakshaniya etc. Sarat Chandra’s earliest writings show striking influence of Bakin Chandra Chatterjee. He is certainly critical of his own ideas but never flouts the accepted moral basis of the Hindu society of anytime.

STORY OF THE NOVEL

“Datta” is one of the most popular novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. It is a romantic novel set in Victorian Bengal with a backdrop of Bengali society fragmented into Hindu and Brahmo (Brahma Samaj).

The story begins with the description of three friends – Jagdish, Banamali and Rashbehari who used to study in a same school which is situated near Hugali. The economic condition of Jagdish was worse than Banamali and Rashbehari. They used to go to the school together and had promised several things to each other like – to not to marry in future, wanted to become lawyers and promised to live together in future. But with each passing days, the situation had changed and these three took a decision to marry. The condition of Jagdish was worse but Banamali and Rashbehari had all luxuries of life. 

They even didn’t talk to each other regularly. Once Jagdish wrote a letter to Banamali and asked if he will have daughter in future then Jagdish would  love to do a marriage of his daughter to his son. But Jagdish passed away and Banamali was at the stage of death, so that time he confessed his daughter Bijoya about the promises he made to his friend Jagdish that he wanted Bijoya to marry Jagdish’s son Naren. Banamali told everything about Naren to her daughter that he was a doctor, received every good quality from his mother but the thing was that Banamali himself didn’t see him.

At that time Bijoya had very radical view towards Naren and she was totally against to forgive the debt of his father. After the death of Banamali, Bijoya went to Krishnapur (Bengal) related to some Zamindari work and wanted to seize the land of Naren’s father and to built a temple for Brahmo Samaj in that place. Rashbehari and his son Bilaas used to handle all her Zamindari work. And her marriage was also being fixed with Rashbehari’s son Bilaas.

But when the days has passed, Bijoya came in contact with Naren, she started showing her interest in him and at once she realised that she fell in love with Naren. After all in spite of so many ups and downs Bijoya a Brahmo girl get married to a Hindu boy Naren in Hindu tradition.