Chambal Revisited

Chambal Revisited is the English rendering of Suvendu Debnath's Abar Chambal, contemporary non-fiction, by Nabanita Sengupta. In this volume, the author writes about his first-hand experiences in that region. The very name Chambal evokes images of terror, violence, or revenge - images produced in the collective fantasy of the masses by the mainstream Bollywood movies and other popular media. On the other hand, Chambal Revisited brings out the real flesh and blood human beings living there, their hopes, aspirations, pains, and struggles, and most importantly, the compulsions that have turned them into Baghis. It narrates stories not just of men but also women and shows how, for women, the causes of embracing the Beehed are often different from that of the men. The success of this book lies in its sensitive portrayal of those who are otherwise considered to be dreaded dacoits to the outer world. Chambal Revisited will open up newer discourses on Chambal's empirical, socio-cultural, and gender issues. It will be a significant addition to the primary resources in that area.