The second literary work 'Awasthis of Aamnagri' by author and IAS officer Shubha Sarma was launched on December 2 through a virtual ceremony graced by the likes of Jnanpeeth laureate Pratibha Ray, eminent bilingual author Dr Debasis Panigrahi and Executive Director of 'Sambad' group, Tanaya Patnaik.
The event was live-streamed on several channels and social media platforms of 'Bakul Library' and 'Niyogi Books'.
After the success of her debut book 'Fly on the Wall and Other Stories', Shubha Sarma wanted to embark on a nostalgic journey in the Hindi heartland through her lucid, informative yet engaging narration.
In 'The Awasthis of Aamnagar', she captures a different world in a different mood. 'Aamnagri', where the plot is set refers to 'Aam' or mango, which Sarma uses as a metaphor for the sweet-sour-messy middle-class life in an emerging urban landscape.
Published by 'Niyogi Books', the book traces the life of a middle class family - as the name would suggest – in a setting of the 70s and 80s. It begins with the Awasthis embarking on the quest for a bungalow and what follows in their individual lives, as well as the joint-family system, is told by Sarma with subtle humour and satire, often harking back longingly to the slow-paced life in her growing-up days.
Dr Pratibha Ray said, "Heartiest congratulations to Shubha on the release of her novel. The title of the book speaks a lot and attracts the readers to go through the pages."
"Shubha's narrative of the Awasthis is fun, engaging, effortless and most importantly nostalgic of a time that has been lived and lost," Tanaya Patnaik said.
"In today's fast-paced routines, a strong thread of nostalgia runs through our lives. It emerges in the most unlikely places and times: 'WhatsApp' forwards that reminisce about the good old days that speak about growing up in the 1970s, the 1980s and the 1990s. I wanted to capture that period in our lives when summer vacations were long, languorous and full of a game of cards and when the greatest worry was not losing all your contacts stored on your smartphone," said Shubha Sarma.