Sulochana

Vishwanath Dutt, the father of the renowned Swami Vivekananda, one of the greatest creators of the new India, wrote a popular social novel called Sulochana. At the time of Sulochana, the Dutts of Narendranaths birthplace were ravaged by countless family problems. Later, the world-renounced Narendranath also became embroiled in litigation to protect the rights of his helpless mother, Bhuvaneshwari, and his minor siblings. Caught in the complex vortex of a joint family, Vivekanandas mother, Bhuvaneshwari, suffered humiliation and suffering along with her helpless sons and daughters, and was occasionally exiled from her birthplace by her absent husband. Was the character of Sulochana created against this backdrop? Isnt Bhuvaneshwari herself peeking from behind the character of Sulochana? So, does the creation of the Ramayana continue to unfold in the realm of literature even before the birth of Rama? We may know some things about the difficult environment in which Narendranath Dutta grew up and became the renowned Swami Vivekananda, but theres much we still dont know. By retrieving Vishwanath Duttas Bengali novel, published before Bankims Anandamath, from the depths of oblivion, the renowned Bengali writer Shankar has added another remarkable chapter to the discussion of Vivekananda.