Beneath the Simolu Tree

In a village in rural Assam, quiet, unassuming Paridhi grows up witnessing domestic violence at close quarters. The conservative society she inhabits, shapes and befuddles her. Her rebellion is silent—she submerges herself in a world of colour. Pebbles turn into objects of art in her hands. She writes and reads extensively to escape her cloistered life. But to what end? Is it really ever possible to escape one’s confines? The house she’s lived in ever since her childhood, now infested with termites, is her responsibility now. With an ageing mother, an ailing uncle and an absentee brother, Paridhi feels like she has no one to depend on. Except perhaps Bondeep. But with passing time, there are growing concerns—will Bondeep’s family ever be able to accept her? She could always confide in the vivacious Juroni, her best friend, neighbour and confidant. But Juroni has secrets of her own, which she keeps close to her heart until the inevitable, devastating end. Peopled with characters great and small, Beneath the Simolu Tree follows Paridhi as she navigates life, confronts injustices and comes out stronger but not embittered. Stories and realities are brought into sharp conflict in this tale of human yearning, as Pritam explores the depths of her innermost desires. At the heart of this novel lies the one question we spend our entire lives searching an answer for—what is it to love and be loved?