Chokher Bali (Bengali: চোখের বালি), literally Sand of the Eye, equivalent to eye-sore, is a Bengali novel written by Rabindranath Tagore in the early twentieth century.
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Plot
Binodini is a young widow left to her own devices when her husband dies soon after they are married. She returns to her village and lives there for a couple of months until she accepts the invitation of Rajlakshmi to live with her and her son, Mahendra (who had rejected a former marriage proposal with Binodini). He is newly married to Ashalata (a naive, gentle girl), but soon begins to feel a strong sexual attraction for Binodini. The story details the relationships of these three and Mahendra's best friend Bihari as they deal with issues like distrust, adultery, lies, and numerous fallings-out between them.
Critical acclaim
Tagore elaborately records early 20th century Bengali society, through his central character, the rebellious widow, who wants to live a life of her own. In writing this novel he exposes the custom of perpetual mourning on the part of widows, who were not allowed to remarry and were condemned to a life of seclusion and loneliness. It is a melancholy, stirring tale of the deceit and sorrow that arise from dissatisfaction and sorrow. Tagore has said about the novel, "I have always regretted the ending".
Film adaptation
The novel was adapted into a 2003 film by Rituparno Ghosh, starring Aishwarya Rai, Prasenjit Chatterjee and Raima Sen.
External links
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