This compendium of 33 papers attempts to analyse the various aspects of social, cultural, political and economic changes that Bengal has witnessed over the last hundred years, covering the period from 1913 to 2013. Going deep into the partition of Bengal, it discusses at length the popular perception of nationalism, and the quest for universal humanism and social harmony.

Taking a close look at the literary development in Bengal, it also deals with the evolution of the Bengali cinema over the last hundred years, Rabindranath Tagore’s conception of man and religion, Swami Vivekananda’s views on practical Vedanta, urbanization and municipal governance, changing patterns of governance in West Bengal, construction of caste identity, changes in the quality of life of women, and economic development of West Bengal.