And the Teesta Flows is the biography of a mountain river the Teesta. The book traces the river’s course right from its origin in North Sikkim to its confluence with the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh. However, what lies as an undertone in this narrative is the story of a girl Teesta, the river her namesake who lived to see only thirteen summers. Authors Utpal and Samita Chauduri have constantly travelled to the Himalayas seeking a reflection of their daughter in the perennial flow of the river Teesta. Thus begins a story.
Written in the style of a diary without chronology, the book sketches the diversity of the people living by the Teesta, delineating the tales of their philosophies, their lifestyles, their livelihoods and their emotions. The anecdotes that find a place in the narrative are the author’s first-hand experiences of interactions with them. A memoir, a piece of dedication, an offering in remembrance of a loved one, call it what you may, this book is bound to touch your heart.
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