Fanus by Smaranjit Chakrabarty [Hardcover]

In the deep, vast sky, the sky lantern, or Fanus, flies with the light of its own heart, as if it were a human life embarking on a journey of uncertain solitude. This novel tells the story of such people and their light. After many years, Purayan has returned to Kolkata for a special task. He must buy a plot of land from Kusumkamini Devi, as instructed by his firm. It is through this task that he meets Rupu, the granddaughter of Kusumkamini. Rupu has just passed her NET exam and is currently at home. Kusum asks Rupu to accompany Purayan for the land transaction.

Meanwhile, Deep, who had previously left after a breakup, returns to Rupu’s life. In another way, Katum forms a connection with Ayan. Katum, from a lower-middle-class family with her father and brother, dreams of escaping the life of a puppet under a landlord’s control and flying towards a better life. Despite everything, Purayan cannot forget his dark past. His previous life in Kolkata tries to ensnare him again. Amidst all of this, characters like Naku, Jimida, Sami, and Tan enter like hyphens, linking one life to many others. Pain and suffering call out to everyone, yet in the relentless struggle, humanity returns. The fire in a person’s heart cuts through the darkness, leading them toward the light. Fanus tells the eternal story of the defeated, who return again and again, learning to love anew and returning to old love.