Reflections of Life Rummana Chowdhury By Syeda Nazmun Nahar

From the very beginning of civilization the position of women in society was extremely degrading. They were nothing but a commodity meant for buying and selling. An object to be consumed and enjoyed. A sole machinery for producing children. They had no other identity besides being an expert slave in their homes. Down through every age and decade women have become the victims of social oppression, their hopes, aspirations and personality have been trampled in this manner. When womenfolk were extremely helpless and being suppressed by uncivilized procedures and barbarity in this way and when the shackles of women hood were being trampled again and again a few women emerged like circles of raging fire to establish their rights to the world's forefront. Their blazing stand was: "The hand of the mother who rocks the cradle Also rules another world" Foremost amongst them were Joan of Ark, Madame Curie, Florence Nightingale, Quun Elizabeth, Pearl S. Buck, Nawab Faizunnessa, Begum Rokeya, lndira Gandhi and countless such women. Their penetrating and enveloping light spread from the United States to Beijing, from Europe to Africa like the moving waves of the sea and distributing their enlightenment all over the world. At that time the captive women living in Bengal dressed up as Sokina and started contributing to the world's civilization. They started to become progressive and left their footprints as poets, artists, teachers, scientists, doctors, engineers and pilots. They started denoting success and merit to their fallen behind race and class. A name amongst them is Rummana Chowdhury, a poet, writer and translator. One of her 'extra-ordinary creation is " A Compilation of Tales From Abroad". Her stories and their characters reflect the fulfillment of life and individuals. When characters of short stories are etched by a writer the individual's personal character wakes up and identity of personal views and the world shines through. A short story is intact when a writer over rides the Person and the Individual. One of Rummana's characteristic trait in her writing is that she does not take the aid of usual measures of expressions to depict the complexities of life and living, or the world of unknown landscapes of the human mind. But her imagination is vivid and expansive. The distant magic of the flute takes her to a world of intuitive powers and realism. The pain and pathos of life drenches her and reflects in her stories of life's joys and victories. This collection of short stories is a commendable example of her literary work. Not only it is very realistic but it touches the hearts of readers in a universal manner. Many a time when the colours of reality and imagination are playing opposite roles it often elevates the standard of literature. Every person while understanding the past and it's heritage and while expressing personal emotions takes the refuge of imagination and creativity. With this expectation a writer creates a kaleidoscope of colours and thoughts in his or her world of literary expressions. Sometimes it is modern, sometimes contemporary and sometimes a canvas of other characters. This collection of stories is a unique specialization depicting culture, tradition and past history in a creative endeavour. The Bengali Neighbourhood, Danforth and Victoria Park, Children, One Amidst One, The Fragrance Of The Sea, h Groom Wanted Bride Wanted, Walkie Talkie, Untimely On This Life's Gathering, At Twilight, Unknown Bird In The Cage, Storm In A Teacup, Only Water Colour Picture, Fire, Puja's Story, Some Sculpture, Just After The Winding Road, Net, Run Girl Run, Crossroads, People will Always Say, Pathos, Captivity Everywhere, Shelter, Rainfall At last, Bite From Which Snake, Should I Go Or Not? Doubt, Hello Stranger, Marble, Offering For The Goddess, The Shimmer Of The Full Moon, The Distant Path, Nakshi Kantha, TeleJournal, Forest, The Frolic Of Light And Shade, Ambrosia, 'Bengali Mela In Toronto, The Rain, Mary's Metabolic Disorder, Little India Of North America, Aboriginal People Of Canada, The Sunlight At End Of Day: all these stories are written based on Reality. The clearness of the inward eye penetrating life and living and the style of literary expressions, reflections and thoughts make this book a unique creation. When the Individual, 'Society, Country and the mysterious of the nation are brought out in the open to the readers by a capable artist with his or her mighty pen then it becomes like discovery of a lost treasure. The inherent sorrow, pain and frustration of living abroad is often painful. Relates to both successes and failures. Those verses of joy and pathos are reflected in Rummana Chowdhury's stories. It is because she has performed this noble act that we have been able to enter the distant doors of mysterious foreign countries. Let this forward moving journey of hers remain intact in the future contributing to the enrichment and advancement of our language and literature.