Literary Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya started getting recognition in Bengal from the forties. He drew special attention in the readership by writing the story 'Nurse Mitra' in the pages of ‘Yugantar Patrika’, but long before writing the story 'Nurse Mitra', he entered his literary life by writing a novel. It is worth noting that his literary career began in the early forties. His novel 'Chalachal' published in 1951 became very popular and it can be said that this early fifties was the beginning of his career as a novelist. It can also be considered that the first phase of his career as a novelist spanned the period from 1951 to 1958. In this episode, a novel selected from the novels written by him, 'Chalachal', has been presented in this research essay on the various topics of social psychology and the various human relationships. The relationships are like love, friendship, marriage, master-disciple Relationship etc. Analyzing these relationships reveals multiple feelings between the characters like hesitation, doubt, competition, hidden hatred and other obvious feelings. Those feelings have given birth to several social and psychological crises like Class discrimination, marital conflict, mental disorder ect. All these issues or subject-matters are analyzed in the presented research paper.

From 1994 AD (Magh, 1400 Bengal) to 2022 AD (1 Baishakh, 1429 Bengal), Ashutosh Rachanavali (26 volumes) has been published in the joint initiative of the writer’s daughter Mrs. Sarbani Mukhopadhyaya and the famous 'Mitra and Ghosh' publication. Twenty-six volumes of Mukhopadhyaya's works. In the twenty-sixth volume, Sarbani Mukhopadhyaya has given a 'final tribute' to the novelist. So the end of this literary entity's vast career with readers can be assured in 2022. Each of the twenty-six volumes of Ashutosh Mukhopahyaya Rachnavali presents a collection of novels, stories or collections of stories published in book form by 'Mitra and Ghosh' and other publications during his lifetime and after his death. However, not only the published novels but also some unpublished new novels have been included in the anthology. Novels published continuously in various newspapers and magazines during his lifetime have also been found there. However, the novelist Ashutosh ordered four novels written in his very early life - 'Kalchakra', 'Artamanab', 'Jivantrisna' and 'Ulka' to be deleted from his novel range. The publication date of these novels is not known. Perhaps it is for this reason that these early novels are not included in the anthology. The number of novels published in the twenty-two volumes of Rachnabali is eighty-nine and the number of stories in the twenty-five stories published in the 3rd, 4th, 7th and 8th volumes is one hundred and seventy-six. Previously, in the newspapers like 'Anandbazar', 'Vartman', 'Yugshankh, 'Desh', 'Barta Today', 'Yugshankh', 'Prothom Alo' etc., there was little or no text-reactionary criticism about the literary Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya and his literary works. Memoirs can be found, but overall research on him has not been particularly noteworthy. Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay himself wrote an article in ‘Desh Sahitya Sankhya-1382’ titled 'Sabinay Nibedan', which contains several details of his personal life. In the introduction part of each volume of 'Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya Rachanavali', several scholarly critics like Prof. Sumita Chakrabarty, Gajendrakumar Mitra (Literature and Publisher), Baridbaran Ghosh, Dr. Satyabati Giri, Pavitra Sarkar etc. have discussed on Ashutosh's creations. In 1989, the year of Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya's death, a special issue on Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya was published by the journal 'Boyer Kagaz'. In that special issue (BOER KAGAZ VOL. B NO.II-III, MARCH-JUNE 1989, R. NO. 48111/81) , critics such as Devabrata Mukhopadhyay, Pralay Sen, Kinnar Roy discussed the life and works of Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya. On January 11, 2014, Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya's daughter Sarvani Mukhopadhyaya wrote an informative article about her father in the famous 'Andabazar' newspaper. Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay's life and works are also discussed in Arun Kumar Mukhopadhyay's literary criticism book 'Madhyanno Theke Sayanne Bingsha Shatabdir Bangla Uponyas'.

Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya himself wanted to remove several early stage novels from his list of novels. Publisher and writer Gajendrakumar Mitra gave Ashutosh's reason for withdrawing the novels in this way: 'There was a literary critic in the writer who was at the root of this withdrawal' ¹ . The novels were 'Kalchakra', 'Jevantrishna', 'Artamanab' and 'Ulka'. Respecting his wishes, these novels were not included in any volume of Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya Rachanavali. He himself hesitated to consider those novels as novels after reaching his old age. So he ordered the publication of these four novels to be completely stopped during his lifetime and currently no edition of these four novels can be found in the book market. Not even an ancient manuscript of any of them has been found to have survived. He also wanted to withdraw the novel, 'Chalachal'. However, considering the huge popularity and demand, writer Gajendrakumar Mitra, the owner of Mitra and Ghosh Publications, finally stopped him from taking the decision to stop the publication of 'Chalachal'.

Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay's novels have a variety of themes. It is not possible to keep the narrative material secondary when discussing all the issues that are part of the novel because the whole narrative is the construction of multiple issues. The themes selected for this first stage novel include friendship, love, marital crisis, master-disciple relationship, mental disorders, urban society, class discrimination etc. Each topic can be presented in terms of events or storylines described in the novel.

Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay's novel 'Chalachal' was initially turned away from the doors of several publishers considering it to be 'overly emotional writing'. But after publication of his two stories 'Nurse Mitra' and 'Kalankvati' published in Basumati's (Reputed monthly Journal of Bengal) page, Manuscript Publishing (1951 AD) took the initiative to publish the novel 'Chalachal' in book form for the first time. A later edition of the novel was published by Bengal Publishers (1955 AD). Published for the third time by Mitra and Ghosh Publications (March 21, 1946 AD). Subsequently, the novel was compiled as the first novel in the first volume of Ashutosh Rachanavali published by Mitra and Ghosh Publications.

In the introduction to the first volume of Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya Rachanavali, publisher Gajendra Kumar Mitra says about the background of the novel 'Chalachal' that 'The background of the novel ‘Chalachal’ is the great field of action in newly-independent India'². This is absolutely true. In 1943,  young Ashutosh re-read the four novels that he had read as a teenager. They were - Saratchandra Chattopadhyay's 'Pather Dabi', Tarashankar Bandopadhyay's 'Kalindi', Keane's 'Eternal City' and Wilfred Saint Mund's 'War Wine and Women'. After reading these four books, Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya's writer entity felt the harshness of the environment and situation at his door - 'Our sky was also black with the poison of war. Among them, there is a severe famine. ... I sat down to write with paper and pen. That's the first. Before this, no dream of becoming a writer was remembered.'³ Therefore, when the author's literary being is in hand with such an environment and mental state, it goes without saying that the native environment and situation will be the first material for writing. So the publisher Gajendrakumar Mitra did not exaggerate at all when he said that there is talk of native action in the novel 'Chalachal' written after the declaration of independence of India. But the character that Ashutosh portrays as the master of that action in this narrative is the veteran professor Dr. Samaddar. This character is introduced on the first page of the novel. He built a medicine factory. At the same time he is a doctor, professor, researcher and medicine dealer – ‘Dr. Samaddar, M. B, D.Sc. he forgot the doctoring. The eyes shine like shiny knives in the laboratory research.'⁴ The rest of the notable characters in the novel are Dr. Mohini Chandra, a young professor newly appointed to the private college of Dr. Samaddar, Sarama, a brilliant student of both these professors, Sarama's friend Avinash, Sarama's elder brother Manimoy Banerjee, Mohini Chandra's wife Aparna, Sarama's husband Bipin Chowdhury. The relationship between all these characters, love, friendship, hesitation, doubt, competition, hatred, all these hidden and obvious feelings, the story structure of the novel and the presentation of these feelings in different ranges of different themes. The issues are as follows –

Friendship and Love

From the beginning to the end of the novel 'Chalachal' there is an excellent narrative of friendship and love. The mutual goodwill of friendship transcends love here. The heroine of the novel is a brilliant student Sarama. His friend is Avinash, a sickly thin-looking man who has repeatedly failed exams. Both of them are son and daughter of lower middle class family. Both have a simple and unpretentious lifestyle. However, there is a huge gap in the educational qualifications of the two. Sarama is good at writing. She is the first girl in Chemistry in ISC, first class in M.Sc exam. On the other hand, the novelist sneers and says about Avinash –'Robert Bruce's rival in his quest for immortality'⁵. Avinash failed the exam every time. The friendship of these two is strange. Stay away from mutual competition so that they gradually become each other's guardians. There is also the sweetness of unspoken love in this friendship between the two. But they remained by each other's side as friends until the end, accepting the frank truth that love will never progress. When Sarama is troubled by the marriage proposal of rich and socially respected Bipin Chowdhury and her hidden love for Avinash. But Avinash shows her the way. In front of her, Avinash has openly revealed the unpleasant truth. It was not possible for the ever-poor Avinash to marry the talented Sarama and lead her to a beautiful future. He himself reminded Sarama about his condition and warned-

‘...knowing that Yama's eyes are coming on me too, I spent my time laughing and playing. ...nothing to think … I will dip-' Like a knife in the chest, like poison in the middle of the mind, like a disease, Lord I am always!

…   Good girl! Study with your mind, you don't have to think about anything else'⁶.

Writing a letter to Dr. Chandra with a humble request to take responsibility for Sarama's studies, arranging Sarama's marriage with the wealthy Bipin Chowdhury through mediation so that Sarama can continue her desired research and studies even after marriage, protecting Sarama from the clutches of the law after the deranged Bipin Chowdhury's suicide, Avinash did everything with utmost responsibility. After delivering Sarama to the open door of attainment of establishment, the day came for Abinasha to retire from the life of disease. Sarama never forgot Avinash. She always tried to keep him alive with the love of friendship. In this novel there is another triangle of friendship and love. That taiangle includes Avinash, Dr. Chandra and Sarma. Dr. Chandra was mentor both of Avinash and Sarama. But gradually the distance between master-disciple relationship started to decrease due to Abinash. Dr. Chandra, a young professor, could not ignore Avinash, a persistent yet vivacious comic who repeatedly failed his classes. Especially seeing his friendship and love for Sarama, he becomes more affectionate towards the boy. Unbeknownst to Sarama, Avinash wrote to Dr. Chandra about his desire to pursue M.Sc. Dr. Chandra was not unaware of the implicit request for help in that letter. But the fact that the failed student wrote a letter to his master to fulfil the wishes of his classmate was unbelievable – ‘On the occasion of a small letter written by him, the relationship between student and teacher has ended in friendship’⁷. But despite having a general affection and weakness for Avinash, the married Dr. Chandra harboured a hidden love for Sarama in the secret of his mind. He has stood by Sarama's side in every difficult situation of life not only as a teacher but also as a lover in disguise. This fact was invisible to both Avinash and Sarama. When this truth is discovered at the end of the novel, it is surprising.

Marital Crisis and mental disorder

In this novel, two circles of marital relationship –One. Dr. Mohini Chandra and his wife Aparna and two. Bipin Chowdhury and Sarama. Aparnadevi was able to detect the hidden love for Sarama that was being cherished in Dr. Mohini Chandra's mind without her own knowledge. And because she was able to do that, she naturally harbors hatred towards her husband and Sarama. She became jealous of Sarama's praises on the husband's lips and Aparna's consonance with Sarama - 'She doesn't spend her days playing songs and sarees like you-'⁸ . Finally, Aparna became desperate to show her dignity in front of her husband. This is how marital sickness begins. She uses the world of her music to establish his own identity. Her song record is also out. Although Aparna made a name for herself in the world of music, she was neglected by Dr. Chandra. Dr. Chandra was not shown the care or pride he needed to show as a husband to this genius of her. At first he was happy but later he could not place this name of Aparna in the seat of respect. On the contrary, he insultingly compared her talent to cheap property – '...there is no reason to be as happy as I was to hear your song on record. ...that cheek disc is a cheap property now, you can get it by dropping four bucks. From street drinking stalls to nightly dance parties, it is bound to satisfy anyone's needs, as often as they want'⁹. In fact, being a man of institutional education and with a deep love for Sarama, Dr. Chandra had lost the will to look proudly at any other person's talent over his educational qualifications and personality. In the end, unable to accept this hidden libido in her husband's mind, Aparna left the family and wanted to test whether her husband could live up to her faith and realize his hidden love for Sarama on her own. Finally Dr. Mohini Chandra did it. But he had to pay the price of such self-forgetfulness by cankering his own two eyes.

The novelist shows Sarama and Bipin Chowdhury in the second circle of the sick marital relationship. Bipin Chowdhury knew Avinash even before marrying Sarama. Although he wanted to not pay much attention in the first stage, he soon realized that without the help of Avinash, it is not possible to convince Sarama to marry him. Like a prudent lover he took refuge in Avinash. It also yielded results. Sarama agreed to marry Bipin Chowdhury through the easy mediation of Avinash's guardian and the marriage was successful. But despite the beginning of a happy marriage, Bipin Chowdhury could not see the friendship of Avinash and Sarama with a healthy eye in the end. In the second chapter of the novel, it is seen that Avinash wrote a letter in his own name by copying Sarama's handwriting in order to embarrass Sarama to her brother Manimoy. The letter was a love letter. After discovering the truth of the crime, Sarama carefully kept the letter to herself as a playful reminder of Avinash. But in the thirteenth chapter of the novel, it is seen that the same letter came to Sarama and Bipin's married life - '...Abinash, you know how much I love you, but I have not said anything openly today...' ¹⁰. Actually, Bipin Chowdhury did not have the patience to verify that this letter was written by Abinash copying Sarama's handwriting. In this way, their marital relationship continued to burn with more mistrust and self-loathing. Finally, the dramatic suicide of Bipin Chowdhury happened.

Novelist Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya has brought up the devastating reality of how neglect, disrespect and mistrust of marriage are making people deranged and how dire the consequences can be. Competition was another aspect of Bipin Chowdhury's mental disorder. He got into a cycle of emotional rivalry with Avinash to get Sarama. Bipin Chowdhury's aim was not to marry Sarama out of love but to win her in a kind of bet - 'All the instincts of the primitive man are awakened in Bipin Chowdhury. Not love, not infatuation. Only desire to win with wild power'¹¹. And he wanted to fulfill this desire at any cost by trickery. So putting aside the pride of nobility, he came to Avinash's hut and humbly offered to accept Sarama. But even after accepting Sarama, he could not eradicate the seed of doubt from his mind. Freed from the pomp of nobility, he could not resist his jealousy of poor everlasting Abinash's lover entity. Deranged from that mental conflict, the conflict chose an extreme outcome, death. Aparna and Dr. Chandra are victims of similar abuse. Aparna, who is jealous of Sarama after realizing Dr. Chandra's affection and hidden love for Sarama, also wants to compete with Sarama. That is why she left the family and his extroversion. She did not shy away from asserting herself by attracting other men with physical appeal. She was ready to leave the family and become a deviant to punish her husband. After his wife's abandonment of the family, social disgrace and his hidden love for Sarma, Dr. Chandra also became depressed. He accidentally caused an accident in the laboratory by falling prey to his deranged mind. His eyes were damaged due to chemical reaction. However, Dr. Chandra and Aparna's married life got a chance to  mend again. But before that, Dr. Chandra's life also suffered this terrible fate. These are the results of abnormal mental disorders rooted in the sensual instincts of primitive savages, the capitalist aristocracy of modern society and the false pride of education.

Master-disciple relationship

Beyond love, friendship, marriage, the most novel aspect of the novel 'Chalachal' is the master-disciple relationship. In this novel, two circles of teacher-disciple relationship-1. Dr. Mohini Chandra and Sarama and 2. Dr. Samaddar and Sarama. There are two mentors – the first, Dr. Chandra, who is impressed by Sarama's genius, has been by Sarama's side every step of the way, through the good and the bad. But he could not stop the movement of his mind from affection to love for the disciple. He cherished that love in his invisibility. The social constraints of married life eventually forced him to withdraw from Sarama. In the end he left the mster's seat himself. And the second person is Dr. Samaddar, who has not special dialogue or action in the entire novel. But with strange simple determination, he has prepared solid ground for student Sarama to stand up from all the sudden storms of life. After the dramatic death of Sarma's husband, Sarama gets a place in his laboratory, giving her research opportunities. Avinash's medical expenses paid. He taught the motto of how to forget personal happiness and sorrow and become a devotee in the work of life. If necessary, he has pulled her close by saying 'My dear, dear!'¹², and if necessary, he has bound her mind by discipline so that mental weakness does not become an obstacle on her way. He did not tolerate negligence in work. When he saw negligence, he warned like a stern teacher - 'Huh. He turned his face in mock displeasure. He said, "First of all, I want you to have a passion like the mother of a starving young child for my laboratory - arrange it every day and then think as much as you like about your own sorrow and pain." What, I am the empathetic.'¹⁴ With strong emotional strength, he vowed only to pursue the welfare of the disciple with a single mind. The result of which was as follows - 'The initiation of Surya-mantra began in Sarama's life as a scientist. It will give light, it will burn. No pause, no rest, white horror continuous motion. ... Sarama Banerjee Scientist'.¹⁵ The teacher's role in the life of the disciple is sometimes that of a friend, sometimes that of an awe-inspiring philosopher and sometimes that of a strict guardian. As this practice existed in ancient times, the same practice prevails in Ashutosh Mukhopadhyaya's contemporary time as well. But some unexpected events also take place in people's lives. Ashutosh could not ignore that kind of situation of master-disciple relationship. Even though he is the best creature, the most primitive desire of creation in the mind of man often causes him to stumble. There the sanctity of the master-disciple relationship can also be eroded through mental or biological attraction-repulsion, both subtle and overt. It is from this spirit that the evaluation of the master-disciple relationship in the novel 'Chalachal' is very important.