Pronoy Chatterjee

A Living Memory Pronoy Chatterjee

Set in the days of violent revolution against British rule in India, "A Living Memory" begins in a remote village, Alipur, at the bank of Mahi River in India, where families live in harmony in a close-knit community surrounding a sugar mill. Life in the community remains serene, not affected by the outside turmoil, as Romi and Tushar grow up playing and having adventures in a rural setup. As they mature, their paths diverge but they remain in close contact maintaining their old intimacy. One day a young girl, Runu, is found missing from her home. She was being held captive by a man of authority in the community. Later, as she walks to a house late one night, Tushar and his friends recognize her and bring her back home. The story then begins to unfold the life of Runu, along with Tushar, as she goes through a tumultuous life in uncertainty and disappointments as well as love and hopes. She longs for reaching her living memories and to her dismay finds that time has robbed her dreams. The story reflects the complexities of life in love, desire and social conflicts. Life in a small close community with scenes of a rural village in India has been eloquently described. Significant historical events, like the revolt against colonial power, great famine and horror of communal riots of the1930s and 40s that changed the social and political landscape of India are entwined with the characters' lives. Born in India, the author was educated and professionally engaged in scientific disciplines and moved to the United States in the 60s. On the literary side, he has written many short stories and essays for various magazines and published his first novel, "Her Own Path" in 2002.