Bijane Nijer Sange - Amader Choto Nadi by Sunil Gangopadhyay [Hardcover]

Bijone Nijer Shonge (In Solitude with Oneself) is a remarkable travel novel. The author is one of those rare world travelers who flies from one continent to another, from famous cities to obscure towns. Whether on voluntary trips or invited journeys, he sneaks away during his work to indulge in whimsical solo adventures, where he seeks to find himself.

This time, he has arrived in the little-known Colombian city of Medellín, invited to recite poetry. The city is historically associated with drugs, mafia, and violence. However, the author is astonished to see hundreds of people gathered there just to listen to poetry. During his flight to Colombia, the author encounters a regal woman named Iliana, whose middle-aged grace exudes a quiet pride. On his last day in Medellín, during a bloody confrontation with the police, the author glimpses what seems to be Iliana—armed and in the midst of the clash. Is this warrior woman truly Iliana? Why did she face death that day?

In his forest wanderings, the author has encountered many rivers. The rivers' bodies, waters, riverside people, villages, boatmen, vessels, and the stories of their lives merge together to form this flowing narrative, Amader Chotonodi (Our Small Rivers). As he travels, the author befriends these rivers, each with a unique name—Kapotaksha, Arial Khan, Bidya, Lidder, Purna, Jayanti, Bipasha, Dhansiri. Some rivers are simple and unadorned, while others are mysterious and enchanting. Some are surrounded by endless jungles, while others emit steam from their waters. One river seems like a gentle woman, while another feels like a youthful, energetic boy. If one river is a dancer, another embodies a constant refrain of poetry.

The author feels that the waters of rivers from around the world hold the warmth of his body. True love for a river is formed not just through gazing at it, but through intimate immersion in its waters. Once submerged, the river reveals the secret stories of its life on Earth.