“Rajmohan’s Wife” by Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay is the author’s only English novel as well as he went on to write Bengali novels and poetry including India’s national song Vande Mataram. Here is the brief from theContinue Reading
Strangely enough, Bengal’s first great novelist, like Bengal’s first great modern poet, made his debut in the field of literature in the English language. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was only twenty-seven when he won a permanentContinue Reading
CHAPTER I THE DRAWERS OF WATER THERE is a small village on the river Madhumati. On account of its being the residence of wealthy zemindars it is regarded as a village of importance. One ChaitraContinue Reading
CHAPTER II THE TWO COUSINS THE rays of the setting sun had vanished from the tops of the cocoanut palms. But night had not yet descended on the earth. It was at this time thatContinue Reading
CHAPTER III THE TRUANT’S RETURN HOME KANAKMAYEE and her companion silently pursued their way home. The latter was feeling extremely shy before men, and at her silence Kanak also had to remain silent. Kanak, however,Continue Reading
CHAPTER IV THE HISTORY OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF A ZEMINDAR FAMILY IT is a notorious fact that many eminent zemindar families in Bengal owe their rise to some ignoble origin. Bangshibadan Ghose livedContinue Reading
CHAPTER V A LETTER—A VISIT TO THE ZENANA When Madhav returned from his garden, where he had parted with his cousin, he found a messenger waiting for him with a letter which he said wasContinue Reading
CHAPTER VI MIDNIGHT PLOTTING ALL who have their eyes shut do not sleep. Mat-walls like stone-walls have ears. Let us now return to Matangini.—Led to her chamber by her aged aunt-in-law after the harsh treatmentContinue Reading
CHAPTER VII LOVE CAN CONQUER FEAR In which the author narrowly misses an opportunity of introducing a few ghosts and regrets that he cannot gratify his young readers. EVERY word that caught the ear ofContinue Reading
CHAPTER VIII FOREWARNED AND FOREARMED MATANGINI stopped at an open veranda and desired Karuna to awaken her sister and bring her thither. In a few minutes Hemangini, who had not been asleep, came with utterContinue Reading
CHAPTER IX WE MEET TO PART “CAN I ever forget what you have done for me?” said Madhav to Matangini, after he had rejoined his wife and his sister-in-law. The former, as soon as herContinue Reading
CHAPTER X THE RETURN IT wanted an hour to the first streaks of day-break, when Matangini with sad heart and heavy steps again threaded the wild foot-path. Karuna silently followed her homeward footsteps. The palingContinue Reading
CHAPTER XI WHEN THIEVES FALL OUT In which is discussed the physical possibility of a robber being robbed and an assassin assassinated. “YOU think of killing your wife, ruffian?” said one of the newcomers, who,Continue Reading
CHAPTER XII THE FRIENDS AND THE STRANGER THE recent shower had lent to the morning a delightful and invigorating freshness. Leaving the mass of floating clouds behind, the sun advanced and careered on the vastContinue Reading
CHAPTER XIII THE PROTECTRESS THE house of Mathur Ghose was a genuine specimen of mofussil magnificence united with mofussil want of cleanliness. From the far-off paddy fields you could descry through the intervening foliage, itsContinue Reading
CHAPTER XIV BETWEEN RIVAL CHAMBERS Containing a dissertation on connubial warfare.—A siege and a dubious capitulation. MATHUR Ghose, as our reader had no doubt guessed in the course of the previous chapter, had the goodContinue Reading
CHAPTER XV CONSULTATIONS AND COUNCIL THE wild and lovely shores of the Madhumati are covered even in the vicinity of well-inhabited villages by a tall rank grass almost impervious to human feet. Such a spotContinue Reading
CHAPTER XVI WHAT BEFELL OUR HERO THREE days had elapsed since the occurrences of the last chapter. The night was dark, and the brilliant and trembling light in Madhav’s room, which could be seen fromContinue Reading
CHAPTER XVII THE VIGILANCE OF LOVE AT the hour when this strange turn of fortune overtook the hero of our tale, for such we believe the reader thinks Madhav, Mathur Ghose was resting, or, toContinue Reading