Lamplight

The year is 1934. The picturesque town of Monghyr, in Bihar, lies devastated after a massive earthquake. The mansion of the Chattopadhyays – an old aristocratic family – continues to stand upright though a wall is cracking right down the middle. The members of the big joint family find their lives suddenly touched by the eerie and inexplicable. The ancient house has always had its share of creaks and quirks, but now strange incidents suddenly start occurring.

The eight short stories in Lamplight walk a fine line between the ordinary and the paranormal. Family bonds form the backdrop to the stories, and old-world values and the laidback lifestyle of a bygone era lend them a unique charm.

The paranormal connection of the Chattopadhyay family spans across generations. A range of characters touched with an odd enchantment greet you – Balai or ‘lekhak kaku’, the novelist, Montu, the pampered brat, Raghu kaka, the old gardener who can see into the future and Avantika, the spinster daughter of a politician who with her leftist views and caustic tongue is a perpetual embarrassment to her father. The ghosts that flit through the stories – be it the gluttonous, desperate-to-be-married Tigmanshu or Chitra pishi who is out to wreak havoc or the generous Nimaida who acts as a guardian angel – are never boring or predictable! While the stories are sure to send a chill down your spine, the characters with their kindness and warmth, will not fail to touch your heart.