Ujan Jatra by Bani Basu [Hardcover]

The title itself hints at a search for roots, which can also be described as an inner journey. In this novel, what circumstances bring together Kasturi, the daughter of a Gurjar from the distant northwest, and Kajol Munda, a tribal child? Their journey begins in Kolkata. It's their base camp. It ends in the same place. Though their searches are different, their destination is the same. No one knew it would be so. Is it a coincidence or some other profound life signal?

Around them, we've named all negative things as reality, which fills us with false hope and ugliness. The light side of this black reality hides like the moon in daylight – unseen. We don't notice the many people who walk the path of sincerity, honesty, and dedication every day. They live with quests. They get confused, feel hopeless but never abandon their goals. Their mindset is different. Their approach to selfishness is different. The writer repeatedly seeks the truth of this positive way of life.

The characters are not monochromatic, they are not conflict-free, but the nature of their conflicts is different. The story progresses by weaving a net of events and memories, creating an unseen drama, the relationships between men and women, the past and the present. Does the pain of not achieving turn into an achievement, or does it end in frustration, complaints, and failure like an ordinary life?

This journey is a poignant exploration of human emotions and the struggle between despair and hope.