A Strange Attachment and Other Stories

Nora Robson was a writer living in Montreal.

At age 56, at the time of his death (1950), Bandyopadhyay was reputed to be one of India’s greatest writers. His novel, Pather Panchali, made him famous in the Western world in 1968 when its translation appeared. Dr. Phyllis Granoff, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at McMaster University, is the first person to provide extensive translations of his short stories.

The 27 stories in this collection are charming and, on first reading, deceptively simple in the way they present day-to-day life in a Bengali village. They vary from childhood memories to family relationships to accounts describing the cultural and religious life of Bengalis living in both rural and urban settings. We know when we read these stories that they are not Canadian literature; however, we find in some the universality that distinguishes the great from the mediocre, so are able to draw parallels. Almost without exception, the stories dwell on India’s widespread poverty, illness, and the inbred acceptance of the caste system. The author’s political statement is subtle in the extreme.

Bandyopadhyay writes with innocent delight when portraying childhood experiences and injuries and injects sometimes humour, sometimes pain with perception. Note particularly “Little Uma,” the sad tale of an uncooperative, unloved little girl, or “Dalu Gets in Trouble,” in which two small mischievous boys are forced to deal with the emotions of fear and pride. When writing about the hypocrisy of religion, the author’s sarcasm is at its acerbic best. “Grandma Drab Goes to Benares” is a perfect example, offering a story of the son who wishes to house his mother in the “superior” city of Benares. Bored and disgusted with the religious trappings of her surroundings and homesick for her best friend, Mungli, an ancient cow, Grandma Drab returns to her roots. “Canvasser Krishnalal,” another tale of the older generation, tells about a medical salesman who loses his job and is eventually reinstated. The sense of pride is strong here and the trick ending is almost like a proverb.

Most of the stories centre on the passage of time and the constant comings and goings of the seasons in a particular Bengali village. Some, however, make use of the fantastic or the supernatural. My favourite is the title story, “A Strange Attachment.” This Indian ghost story is excellent; its haunted house will remain in your memory long after you’ve closed the pages of the book.

Twenty-seven short stories, taken all at one sitting, are somewhat overwhelming; instead approach them as you would a bottle of rare cognac — take them in small sips, and don’t rush.