Two neighbours meet as little children in Patuakhali town, deep in the delta where the mammoth Meghna breaks up into a myriad branches to meet the sea, in East Bengal. The year is 1922; the boy, Shishu, is eight, and the girl, Noni, eleven. Swiftly, a special bond forms between the two, strengthened by a shared love of books and poetry. However, in 1927, their paths diverge—Shishu, a member of the revolutionary outfit Tarun Sangha, stabs a police inspector to death and has to spend seventeen years in jail; his Noni-di is married off at the age of sixteen. Yet, they continue to exchange letters, and Shishu keeps a notebook, a diary of sorts, in which he writes poems meant for his friend and first love through the years, about his life, his feelings, and his struggles. He is released in 1945, but the Partition tsunami rips the two friends apart. They lose all contact, and the connection that held them together over all these years is broken. In 1991, they miraculously reconnect. Noni and her refugee family from East Bengal have survived and she has gone on to have a large family, with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Shishu, on the other hand, has remained single. He gives her his notebook in which he had continued to write all these years, an offering to his friend and lifelong muse.

This story is based on the life of Rimli Sengupta’s Dida, her paternal grandmother. The notebook—scuffed and old, its pages curled by time and water damage, yet surprisingly intact—remained a prized possession of her grandmother’s till the time of her passing and, with it, Sengupta pieces together the story of Shishu and Noni. In A Lost People’s Archive, she masterfully fuses her imagination with history, both personal and national, to narrate a story of two friends, and their passage through pre- Independence India, the Partition, a refugee exodus, communism, and through the political and social landscape of Bengal. And, at the root of it all, this story is about Bangals, the displaced East Bengalis, and the narrative of their fractured land and lives.

About the Author

Rimli Sengupta writes in both Bangla and English. Her previous book, Karno's Daughter: The Lives of an Indian Maid, was a work of non-fiction. This is her first novel.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

We specialise in General Interest Books from South Asian countries.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

BOOKS AND PERIODICALS AGENCY LTD
90 Barnet Gate Lane, Barnet, EN5 2AX, United Kingdom

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Returns accepted if you are not satisfied with the Service or Book.

Right of withdrawal

If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.

Information regarding the right of withdrawal

Statutory right to withdraw

You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.

The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.

To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.

To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.

Effects of withdrawal

If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).

We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.

We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.

We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.

We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.

You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Majestic Books, Hounslow, United Kingdom, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.

Exceptions to the right of withdrawal

The right of withdrawal does not apply to:

The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.

Shipping Terms

Best packaging and fast delivery

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Order quantity	14 to 45 business days	5 to 10 business days
First item	� 6.50	� 9.85

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.