The First PromiseThe First Promise is a translation of Ashapurna Debi s novel, Pratham Pratisruti, originally published in Bengali in 1964. Celebrated as one of the most popular and path-breaking novels of its time, it has received continual critical acclaim: the Rabindra Puraskar (the Tagore Prize) in 1966 and the Bharitiya Jnanpith, India s highest literary award, in 1977. Spanning the late eighteenth and early twentieth centuries, Ashapurna tells the story of the struggles and efforts of women in nineteenth-century, colonial Bengal in a deceptively easy and conversational style. The charming eight-year old heroine, Satyabati is a child bride who leaves her husband s village for Calcutta, the capital of British India where she is caught in the social dynamics of women s education, social reform agendas, modern medicine and urban entertainment. As she makes her way through this complex maze, making sense of the rapidly changing world around her, Satyabati nurtures hopes and aspirations for her daughter. But the promises held out by modernity turn out to be empty, instigating Satyabati to break away from her inherited world and initiate a quest that takes her to the very heart of tradition. |
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Ashapurna asked aunt Ayurveda Baba Banerji Baruipur Behula Bengal Bengali calendar Bhabatosh Bhabini Bhubaneswari boys brahmin bride Calcutta ceremony child co-wife cooking course courtyard Datta-Ginni daughter daughter-in-law dhoti Dinatarini elder Elokeshi eyes face father fear feel feet felt ghat girl goddess gone groom hand happened head heard heart hookah household husband in-laws inside Jata's Kashiswari knew Lakshmikanta laughed leave listen live look marriage married mind Mokshada Mukherji Naba Nabakumar Neru never night Nilambar Nitai Nivanani paan palki Panchu's mother Patli Perhaps puja Punyi Ramkali rasagollas Rashu response rice ritual Sadhan Sadu Sadu's Sadudi Saral sari Satya Satyabati Saudamini Shankari Sharada sigh silent smile stay stopped Subarna suddenly Suhash Sukumari sweets talk tears tell there's things thought touch turned uncle village voice wedding What's widow wife woman women words