A void left behind: Lit world mourns Boipara’s bestseller

Kolkata: Boipara on Friday mourned the passing of its best-selling author Shankar but hoped his books would continue to remain popular for years to come.Acknowledging that Shakar's absence had created a void in Bengali literature that would be difficult to fill, publishers and booksellers said his works were the most sought-after among contemporary Bengali authors.
Dey's Publishing House owner Sudipta Dey said: "Among his works, ‘Chowringhee' is the most popular one in terms of sales, followed by ‘Jana Aranya', ‘Gharer Moddhe Ghar', and ‘Ekdin Hathat'. His autobiographical memoir, ‘Eka Eka Ekashi', which won him the Sahitya Akademi, is also in huge demand." He remembered that during last year's book fair, when Shankar was at the Dey's stall, the number of signatures he gave to his avid readers was unparalleled. "For us, it is like losing a guardian and coach."Noor Islam, proprietor of Mitra & Ghosh, felt it was a huge loss for Bengali literature. "We grew up reading his work. I first read ‘Ek Bag Shankar', followed by ‘Tanaya' and ‘Chowringhee'. His absence will create a void," he remarked.According to Deb Sahitya Kutir's director Rupa Mazumdar, she first got to understand what romance is by reading ‘Sesher Kobita' by Rabindranath Tagore. "After Tagore, if anyone showed and explained what love and romance is, it is Shankar. At the age of 6 or 7, I read ‘Chowringhee' and fell deeply in love with Sata Bose. Shankar was a writer who made us look at our familiar city through an unfamiliar lens. The way he developed his character helped us to understand the other side of the corporate world," she shared.Anindya Das of Roy Book Stall at Bankim Chatterjee Street said: "In the morning, my first customer bought books by Shankar. Throughout the day, I sold many of them."Publishers and Booksellers Guild general secretary Tridib Chatterjee recounted that Shankar would make it a point to visit the book fair even when he was wheelchair-bound. "He sat in Dey's stall and signed book after book. His accountability to his reader was unaltered by the changed circumstances," he said.Author Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay shared that there are several instances and memories that he had of Shankar. "They aren't dramatic but little incidents that reveal the man he was: humble to the core and simplicity personified. The news is too shocking for me to put my thoughts together and talk about them. We saw various aspects of Shankar: his warmth and extraordinarily humble demeanour. There was no denying the power of his pen. My favourite is ‘Nibedita Research Laboratory'."