Unearthing Ecological Identities: An Exploration of Place/Self in Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's <i>Aranyak</i>

Abstract

The notion of place-attachment establishes a place-based identity, forging connectivity between place, psychology, and ecology. Exploring this tripartite connection, the paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of the novel Aranyak (1939) by acclaimed Bengali writer Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. The paper demonstrates how an individual manifests place attachment, sense of self, and identity in relation to the forestscape of Purnia, Bhagalpur, and Labtulia. Therefore, incorporating Lawrence Buell’s idea of place attachment and Arne Naess’s concept of ecological self, the paper attempts to unveil a sense of self-embeddedness shaped by an individual’s lived experiences and attachments with the ecology of the forest. The essence of a place ecology retains its impression upon the subconscious of the central character, Satyacharan. His comprehension of Aranya or the forest stems from the mycelial attachment of his psyche with the psyche of the place. This cultivates a profound sense of belongingness, echoing the notion of Dasein or being in the world in relation to forest ecology, central to our ecocritical exploration.