Book Review: Durbin (Binoculars)

As an avid school-going reader, my interest always centred around the weekly magazines we subscribed to at home. Other than the usual ones for kids, the curious cat inside me sometimes secretly dared to go through the ones meant for elders. Like the literary magazine, Desh. At that time, I was surprised to find that the same authors whose works for children I was hooked to, like Sunil Gangopadhyay, Samaresh Basu and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, were writing for the elders too. One such serial novella, Durbin, was first published in Desh magazine. Recently, I had a chance to read the book, and today, I have decided to write about it.

About the Author

Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay is one of the most prominent literary figures of our times whose vast contribution to Bengali literature is unparalleled. He has been awarded many times for his outstanding works in adult and children's literature. His notable works include Kagojer Bou, Chokh, and Chhayamoyi for adults, Nabiganjer Doittyo, Patalghar, and various paranormal and ghost stories.

About the Book

The name Durbin means Binoculars. The story spans three generations of a wealthy landlord family. It starts with Hemkanta, an honest widower who is soft-spoken and kind-hearted, indifferent towards the condition of his vast estate, who was an eye-witness to India's struggle for independence, and indirectly gets involved in it by offering shelter to one of the revolutionaries of that time. The next focus of the story falls on Krishnakanta, one of Hemkanta's sons, who maintains a daring demeanour and gets actively involved in India's freedom movement. The final focus is on Dhrubo, a drunkard who often comes across as indifferent, irresponsible, and a strong opponent of his father's (now politician Krishnakanta) political ideologies. 

The Story & Characters

The character of Hemkanta is very simple, a widower who finds joy in simple things in life and, after spending a very unhappening life, gets romantically involved with a widow, Rangabati, in his later years, much as a need to provide strong support for his ailing health and mental weakness, then his physical desire. While Krishnakanta, who is very different from his father, places his love for his country over anything else, he goes through the ordeals of the tough British treatment as a freedom fighter, only to rise as an able and strong political leader in his later years, finally taking oath as a cabinet minister. He is a man of strength and will, who most people look up to, but on the personal front, his estranged relationship with his wife leads her to commit suicide, leaving his son, Dhrubo, to turn into his strongest hater. The most flawed character, Seem Dhrubo, was a witness to his mother's horrific death and considers his father's negligence towards her as the main reason. To keep his grief concealed, he seeks solace in alcohol and in the company of pretty women. His mood swings and daily banter is unchanged even after his marriage. However, when he becomes a father, everyone starts noticing the slow but significant progress in his life. The once brute and irresponsible brat takes charge of his life. The story ends on a tragic note, shifting his lifelong hatred towards his father to empathy and respect.

My Review

The book consists of a whopping 600+ pages. I loved how the author highlighted the complexities of all characters, never demonising any of them. Even Dhrubo, the one character who comes across as the most reckless, becomes a caring husband in times of need. Despite being a charmer often seen around women, he neither objectifies nor takes undue advantage of their trust. Krishnakanta, a strong and powerful, highly successful politician, failed to be a good husband and father. The last few pages reveal the vulnerable sides of both Krishnakanta and Dhrubo, including their hidden dilemma and inhibitions of coming close to each other for all these years. Even Hemkanta- a man of few words who often came across as a weak individual, secretly wants to die every time he thinks about his inability to protect the freedom fighter who he had given refuge to but could not save from the British punishment. The characters, layered under various complicated incidents and activities, stand out with their individual virtue. And that is the beauty of this book. There are many side characters who one would love to hate, but every mean act is well-explained with suitable reasoning that comes through the subtle building up of their activities. The author, indeed, has a deep observational approach to the complexities of the human psyche that turns every character into a real human, with their individual insecurities and weaknesses, virtue and vices.