Set in mid-nineteenth century Assam when the forces of tradition were being challenged by new concepts of modernity, Swarnalata is the story of three women from very different social backgrounds each caught in the whirlpool of change, each trying to chart out her own course in life heroically, silently. As the intertwined lives of Swarnalata, Tora and Lakhi unfold, the reader is taken on a fascinating journey into the social milieu of the times where issues like women’s education and widow remarriage held centre stage. The plight of indentured labour, peasant resistance against colonial exploitation, the reformist initiatives of the Brahmo Samaj and the proselytizing efforts of the Christian missionaries are themes that run throughout the narrative. Real historical personages—such as Rabindranath Tagore—are presented side by side with fictional characers, resulting in a wonderful blend of history and fiction. Swarnalata was first published in Asomiya in 1991. It was awarded the Ishan Puraskar by the Bhartiya Bhasha Parishad in 1995 and translated into Bangla and Hindi under the ‘Adaan-Pradaan’ programme of the National Book Trust. The Asomiya original is now in its fourth edition and has received wide critical acclaim in the last 15 years. Published by Zubaan.