Alapan Bandopadhyay, Chief Adviser to Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of West Bengal, launched ‘Ajanar Daake Achenar Khonje,’ a book that chronicles Abhijit Bhattacharya’s picturesque journey between Moscow in western Russia and Vladivostok in the Russian Far East. Smt Bharati Ray, former pro-VC of Calcutta University and ex-MP, gave the book’s introduction. Shri Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee, a multidisciplinary artist, read an excerpt from the book for the august gathering. There was also an interesting discussion between the author and the audience at the event.

“Since I was a teenager, travel has piqued my interest, whether it was the bylanes of Kolkata, as described in my first book, or the epic train journey across one-third of the globe on the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway. It appears to be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that spans the length and breadth of the continent. My late wife, Gopa Bhattacharya, had always been my inspiration in realizing my adventurous dreams and knack for exploring the world” said Abhijit Bhattacharya.

This book is a collection of the author’s personal travel stories. The author, an avid traveler, embarks on a journey of nearly 9250 kilometers on the Trans-Siberian Express, a railroad that connects Moscow in western Russia and Vladivostok in the Russian Far East. During his journey, he also records the tumultuous October Revolution as told by the current generation of Russian fellow passengers.

The book “Ajanar Daake Achenar Khonje” depicts the scenic journey from Russia to Mongolia. After briefly reiterating Mongolia’s victorious past, the author has attempted to present modern Mongolia’s cultural heritage, religious beliefs evolution, and contribution to the field of art in a succinct manner.

Finally, after a brief encounter with a three-millennia-old neighboring civilization, the author attempted to comprehend the strengths of the Chinese society’s foundation. Rather than using materialistic parameters to assess the strength of Chinese society, the author sought to determine how well the society is supported by living faith principles as laid down by Confucius and Lao Tzu.

The book, published by Prativash Publication is priced at Rs250. It will be available across offline retail book shops and online platforms like Prativash.com and Flipkart.

Grab your copy now.

Priyanka Dutta