Chokher Bali
Encyclopedia
Chokher Bali literally Sand of the Eye, equivalent to eyesore, is a Bengali
novel written by Rabindranath Tagore
in the early twentieth century.
left to her own devices when her husband dies soon after they are married. She returns to her village and lives there for a couple of months until she accepts the invitation of Rajlakshmi to live with her and her son, Mahendra (who had rejected a former marriage proposal with Binodini). He is newly married to Ashalata (a naive, gentle girl), but soon begins to feel a strong sexual attraction for Binodini.
The story details the relationships of these three and Mahendra's best friend Bihari as they deal with issues like distrust, adultery, lies, and numerous problems between them.
Binodini is a convent educated young girl who has been widowed and hence reduced to living very badly (like all widows of that period). Her husband had died soon after their marriage. When Rajlakshmi, a wealthy widow living in Calcutta, invites Binodini to stay with them, Binodini accepts.
Initially, Rajlakshmi's son Mahendra is besotten with his wife and forgets the world for her but after Binodini arrives, Mahendra and Binodini begin to have an affair.
on the part of widows, who were not allowed to remarry and were condemned to a life of seclusion and loneliness. It is a melancholy, stirring tale of the deceit and sorrow that arise from dissatisfaction and sorrow. Tagore has said about the novel, "I have always regretted the ending".
The novel was adapted into a 2003 film
by Rituparno Ghosh
, starring Aishwarya Rai
, Prasenjit Chatterjee
and Raima Sen
.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
novel written by Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore , sobriquet Gurudev, was a Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of Gitanjali and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse", he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature...
in the early twentieth century.
Plot
Binodini is a young widowWidow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
left to her own devices when her husband dies soon after they are married. She returns to her village and lives there for a couple of months until she accepts the invitation of Rajlakshmi to live with her and her son, Mahendra (who had rejected a former marriage proposal with Binodini). He is newly married to Ashalata (a naive, gentle girl), but soon begins to feel a strong sexual attraction for Binodini.
The story details the relationships of these three and Mahendra's best friend Bihari as they deal with issues like distrust, adultery, lies, and numerous problems between them.
Binodini is a convent educated young girl who has been widowed and hence reduced to living very badly (like all widows of that period). Her husband had died soon after their marriage. When Rajlakshmi, a wealthy widow living in Calcutta, invites Binodini to stay with them, Binodini accepts.
Initially, Rajlakshmi's son Mahendra is besotten with his wife and forgets the world for her but after Binodini arrives, Mahendra and Binodini begin to have an affair.
Critical acclaim
Tagore elaborately records early 20th century Bengali society, through his central character, the rebellious widow, who wants to live a life of her own. In writing this novel he exposes the custom of perpetual mourningMourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
on the part of widows, who were not allowed to remarry and were condemned to a life of seclusion and loneliness. It is a melancholy, stirring tale of the deceit and sorrow that arise from dissatisfaction and sorrow. Tagore has said about the novel, "I have always regretted the ending".
Film adaptation
Chokher Bali (film)
Chokher Bali is a Bengali film based on the novel Chokher Bali by Rabindranath Tagore. It was directed by Rituparno Ghosh in 2003 and stars Prasenjit as Mahendra, Aishwarya Rai as Binodini and Raima Sen as Ashalata. Ashalata and Binodini refer to each other as Chokher Bali...
by Rituparno Ghosh
Rituparno Ghosh
Rituparno Ghosh is a Bengali film director. He has won 8 National Film Awards in India and several awards at international film festivals abroad.- Early life and background :...
, starring Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994...
, Prasenjit Chatterjee
Prasenjit Chatterjee
Prosenjit Chatterjee Prosenjit Chatterjee Prosenjit Chatterjee (also Prosenjit Chatterjee or Proshenjit Chattopadhyay , professionally known as Proshenjit, is a Bengali film actor. His fans affectionately called him Bumba Da...
and Raima Sen
Raima Sen
-Early life:She is the daughter of Moon Moon Sen and the granddaughter of legendary actress Suchitra Sen. Her sister, Riya Sen, is also in the Bollywood industry. Their father Bharat Dev Varma is a member of the royal family of Tripura. Her paternal grandmother, Ila Devi, was the princess of Cooch...
.