Red boards good for age.
**_So Many Hungers!_** is a novel by Bhabani Bhattacharya, first published in 1947 by Victor Gollancz for the Left Book Club. It is one of Bhattacharya's most famous works and deals with the harrowing effects of the Bengal famine of 1943, which took place during British colonial rule in India. The novel highlights the physical, emotional, and social dimensions of hunger, both literal and metaphorical, as it follows the lives of different characters affected by the famine and the war.
Key themes in the novel include:
- **Hunger and Poverty:** The book vividly portrays the devastating famine and the mass starvation it caused. Bhattacharya explores not only the physical hunger for food but also other forms of hunger—hunger for power, wealth, freedom, and dignity.
- **Colonialism and Exploitation:** The novel critiques British colonial policies that exacerbated the famine, focusing on how wartime profiteering and mismanagement contributed to the suffering of millions.
- **Human Resilience and Compassion:** Despite the overwhelming adversity, Bhattacharya illustrates the endurance of the human spirit and the acts of kindness that emerge amidst suffering.
- **Social Injustice:** The stark contrast between the lives of the wealthy and the impoverished is a major focus, with Bhattacharya highlighting the inequalities and injustices that were magnified by the famine.
_**So Many Hungers!**_ remains a powerful exploration of human suffering, resilience, and the socio-political dynamics of colonial India during a tragic period in its history.
