কোবাড ঘান্দীর ফ্র্যাকচার্ড ফ্রিডম

For Bengali Readers
Dear Reader,
It is with great satisfaction that, with this translation, the views expressed in this book can be carried to the Bengali readership all over the world. Out of all
the 6-7 translations, I feel, this is the most important. Why? For two reasons: First, Bengali culture has a strong element of the bhakti tradition, reflected
in the popularity of Chaitanya and also the Baol and Fakiri folk music culture. Not only that, this bhakti tradition is fused with the progressive Sufi practice creating a democratic syncretic culture not seen in other places.
Second, Bengal has a great revolutionary past – whether the Anshulin Society, or the INA of Subhas Chandra Bose amongst others, and of course the Naxalbari
a movement whose essence has been the ability to continuously accept new radical ideas and bring these to fruition in our lives.
Both these aspects are deeply engrained in Section III of this book where I call for a new Marxist awakening, built on the foundation of the centuries of progressive-non-brahmin thought throughout the country, fused with a new culture of good values (Anuradha model), democracy/freedom toward the goal
of happiness for the majority.
I am confident new dawn will appear, with the sun rising in the east, 2,000 km away from where I live. There is, after all, a saying that in this sub-continent, any change that takes place, appears first in Bengal, and then spreads to the rest of the country. Hope this book helps sow this seed, in our deeply troubled times.
Kobad Ghandy Feb. 15, 2022