Sunday book pick: The superb satire of Rajshekhar Basu aka Parashuram in ‘Selected Stories’
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Rajshekhar Basu (1880-1960) was a man of many talents. He was a scientist and an industrial executive and wrote under the pen name “Parashuram.” Basu was among the most illustrious humorists of Bengali literature, and had even found a fan in Rabindranath Tagore, who said in admiration, “He creates image after image in such a way that I had known them forever.”
A collection of his Selected Stories, translated by Sukanta Chaudhuri and Parash Baran Pal and published in 2006, displays his most cherished works of “satire against social customs.” The 17 stories in this book are primarily meant for adult readers but would be equally appealing to the young.
Cheaters, brides, and ghosts
In “Shri Shri Siddheshwari Limited”, a group of Marwari and Bengali businessmen has found a sure-shot way to make money – buy shares in a temple and make handsome profits through alms and donations. It is business hiding in plain sight, and keen entrepreneurs have the acumen to transform ancient faith systems into modern corporate business. The hyper-faithful are blessed with both piety and profit. A similar theme reappears in “Birinchi Baba” (adapted for the screen by Satyajit Ray as Mahapurush). A 5000 year old godman (who has held court with Jesus Christ and taught...