Rivers in fiction: A unique genre of Bengali literature

With hundreds of waterways spread all over the country like a spider's web, it's only natural that rivers play a notable part in our lives. There are numerous novels focused on our riverine traditions, enough to call it a genre by itself.

It would not be wrong to say that 'river literature' is probably a literary culture unique to Bengali. They feature a thematic approach towards the stories and certain aspects are common. One of them is the study of the lives of people who depend on rivers for their livelihood. Whether it is poverty or the apprehension of natural disasters, it affects individuals all the same. The characters are made more real with their use of dialects and colloquial speech. Men and women have very different lifestyles in a riverine society and river literature fully explores that aspect.

"Char literature" — the tales of shoals as we may call them — although part of river literature is essentially different in numerous aspects. Chars by nature are fragile places yet the commotion they bring is notable, to say the least. The formation of a char happens way too often to not recognise it and literature captures these moments perfectly.  

5 must-read Bengali books that centre around rivers

"River fiction" can be considered unique to our native literature and here are 5 must-read books that give you a picture of rivers, the riverine lifestyle, and everything else that comes with it.  

Titas Ekti Nadir Naam by Advaita Mallabarman

This is hailed as one of the defining works in this genre. The story does not centre around one single character; several dramatic events related to the river tie up together in this book. In essence, the novel depicts how the river, Titas has the power to change the lives of people living around it.

Padma Nadir Majhi by Manik Bandopadhyay

The reason why this book is so important is because it paints a poignant picture of the lives of the boatmen of Padma. We see Kuber majhi and his life up close; we see his poverty and struggle with natural disasters; we see how the society of a fisherman works. The appearance of a character like Kapila gives an interesting twist to the plot.

Padmar Pali Dwip by Abu Ishaque

Padmar Pali Dwip is a story that depicts the lifestyle of the char areas and narrates the sequence of events that take place regarding the possession of an island. Chars are formed with alluvium and as a result, these land formations are highly fertile. Padmar Pali Dwip reminds us that just like a char human life is full of potential but can change dramatically. 

Kalindi by Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay

There is always a commotion regarding chars and while the violence occurs on the front line, there are power struggles, plots, and politics going on behind the scenes. Kalindi presents such a story where we see how politics and ploys can affect the lives of everyone connected to the rising of a char.  

Ganga by Samaresh Basu

The book explores the dynamics of fishermen's society and the implications of their actions. And interestingly, in one way or another, eventually they are all connected to the waterbody – the river. They live at the mercy of the river; they die at the whim of the river. And the characters are very aware of this. In addition, native myths play an important part in this book, which is a very common element in rural lifestyle and holds great power over the lives of these people. 

Other notable titles —

There are a few more notable titles in this genre — Karnafuli by Alauddin Al Azad, Ichamoti by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay, Hansuli Banker Upakatha by Tarashankar Bandopadhyay, and Kando Nadi Kando by Syed Waliullah. 

There is always turmoil regarding chars and when things escalate, as they often do, violence occurs in the front line. People whose lives revolve around chars are prepared for it because just like the tide of the river, this is also part of their lives.

There is a power struggle, and inevitably plots and politics going on behind the scenes. Our accomplished writers knew every element of riverine life and painted them with their words with much accomplishment.

River literature reminds us how close we used to be to our surroundings because, in the end, a river is a representative of Mother Nature. That, through our actions, we have altered the paths of many rivers.

Many waterbodies in Bangladesh are on their way to fading away; even the mighty Padma has suffered enough for it to be noticeable. River literature stands as a reminder of the intricate relationship between humans and the flowing waterbodies of our land. It will be interesting to read how the new generation of writers attempts to present the stories surrounding our ailing rivers.