Drishantanu Upakhyan by Mousumi Chakraborty [Hardcover]

Since the Mahabharata, Ganga and Shantanu have been drawn to each other. This novel explores the relationship between Shantanu and Ganga in their contemporary setting, along with the relationship of the main character, Damayanti. The author, Mausumi Chakraborty, skillfully portrays the importance of rivers in human life throughout this novel, with remarkable expertise in every line. 

Since civilisation's dawn, rivers have been a constant presence in human thought and life. The story draws upon this timeless presence and reimagines it personally through the *Dhrishantanu* narrative, based on contemporary themes. Every era has its crisis, and in our time, the crisis of the river and the environment stands at the forefront. The generation that lives through this time, which holds the essence of this moment, is embodied in Damayanti. She is a reflection of the current generation’s struggle.

Ganga is Shantanu’s lifelong companion, and Shantanu, her devoted lover. The story traces Shantanu’s two significant arrivals - first, to an unnamed village by the banks of the river Ganga, and second, to the secluded shores of the Bay of Bengal. However, this is a different Shantanu, one who tells an alternative version of his past with Damayanti, weaving a new tale that in turn shapes Damayanti’s alternative potential as *Dhrishadwati*.

Dhrishadwati is an ancient, now-extinct river. Through the alternate narrative of Shantanu, this long-forgotten river is revived, and Damayanti, by breaking free from the constraints set by the state and society, comes to discover her own inner river. She transcends into the true essence of the river-soul.