''La Nuit Bengali'' () is a 1933 Romanian

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

written by the author and philosopher Mircea Eliade. It is a fictionalized account of the love story between Eliade, who was visiting India at the time, and the young

Maitreyi Devi Maitreyi Devi (or Maitreyī Devī; 1 September 1914 – 29 January 1989) was an Indian poet and novelist. She is best known for her Sahitya Akademi Award-winning novel, '' Na Hanyate'' (). Biography Devi was born in 1914. She was the daughter o ...

(protégée of the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, who became a famous writer herself). The novel was translated into Italian in 1945,

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

in 1948, Spanish in 1952,

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

in 1988,

Esperanto Esperanto ( or ) is the world's most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Created by the Warsaw-based ophthalmologist L. L. Zamenhof in 1887, it was intended to be a universal second language for international communi ...

in 2007 (as ''Fraŭlino Maitreyi'' as part of the

Serio Oriento-Okcidento Serio Oriento-Okcidento ( en, East-West Series) is a publication series initiated by the Universal Esperanto Association, which aims to contribute to the "Program of UNESCO for the study and mutual appreciation of cultures." In the series, particu ...

), Catalan in 2011 and Georgian in 2019. Its most famous translation is the one in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, published as ''La Nuit Bengali'' in 1950. For many years,

was not aware that the story had been published. After reading it, she wrote her own version of the relationship in 1974. Entitled ''

Na Hanyate ''Na Hanyate'' () is a novel written in 1974 by Maitreyi Devi, an Indian poet and novelist who was the protégée of the great Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. The writer received Sahitya Akademi Award for this novel in 1976. She wrote the no ...

'', it was originally published in

. It was published in English as ''It Does Not Die''. In fulfillment of a promise Eliade made to Maitreyi that his novel would not be published in English during their lifetimes,Kamani, Ginu (1996)
A Terrible Hurt: The Untold Story behind the Publishing of Maitreyi Devi
Toronto Review. an English translation, of ''Mayitreyi'', ''Bengal Nights'' did not appear until 1993. In 1994, the University of Chicago Press published the two works in English as companion volumes.

Plot

Allan is an employee of the company run by engineer Narendra Sen. When sent to work in a rain-abundant region of India, Allan becomes ill with malaria. He is returned to Calcutta and admitted into a hospital. After treatment, Sen invites Allan into his own house. Shortly after the young guest falls in love with the host's daughter (Maitreyi), their forbidden love gradually grows, resulting in Maitreyi and Allan ending up together. Chabu, Maitreyi's sister, unwillingly witnesses the lovers hugging thus banishing Allan and isolating Maitreyi. Both suffer immensely. To rid himself of the suffering, Allan retreats into a bungalow in the Himalaya mountains where he meets Jenia Issac.

Film, TV or theatrical adaptations

'' La Nuit Bengali'' is a 1988 film based upon the French translation of the same name. It stars Hugh Grant (Allan),

Soumitra Chatterjee Soumitra Chatterjee (also spelt as Chattopadhyay; 16 June 193515 November 2020) was an Indian film actor, play-director, playwright, writer, thespian and poet. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of ...

(Narendra Sen), Shabana Azmi (Indira Sen), Supriya Pathak (Gayatri),

Anne Brochet Anne Brochet (born 22 November 1966) is a French actress. Career Brochet has appeared in films such as ''Cyrano de Bergerac'', '' Le temps des porte-plumes'', ''30 ans'', '' Une journée de merde!'' and ''Tous les matins du monde''. She has also ...

(Guertie).

References

The Untold Story behind the Publishing of Maitreyi Devi

External links

* ttp://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/I/bo3646483.html Devi, Maitreyi It Does Not Die: A Romancebr>Eliade, Mircea Bengal Nights: A Novel
1933 novels 20th-century Romanian novels Novels set in India Romanian autobiographical novels Romanian novels adapted into films Romanian romance novels Works by Mircea Eliade {{1930s-autobio-novel-stub