Memoirs and More of an Insider

I read with great interest Monica Das's Memoirs and More... It was absorbing. In Memoirs and More..., Monica Das has described in fascinating details her growing up in the tightly knit extended family of Odisha's literary icon and thought leader, Fakir Mohan Senapati. As a great granddaughter she never met the great man but managed to record glimpses of his personality from those who were near and dear to him. Her dedication to Fakir Mohan inspired her to establish the Fakir Mohan Foundation, a commendable initiative. Every great personality deserves a Monica in the family! - Lalit Mansingh, Indian Diplomat and former Ambassador to USA Monica Das's fascinating account of a life lived in the shadow of her great grandfather, Vyasa Kavi Fakir Mohan Senapati, the father of modern Odia novel, admirably performs this task. The narrative of her discovery of Fakir Mohan's place in her life and the meaning of his legacy, chiefly centres around the house Fakir Mohan had built in Bakhrabad in Cuttack and the house in Balasore where he spent the closing years of his life. While recounting the experiences of spending her childhood days at the house in Bakhrabad, Monica Das does more than evoke a lost world of enchantment, and renders the texture of daily life lived in Cuttack years ago. Recounting details of people and events, objects and artefacts, customs and festivals, enrich this account of a world that has become memory. Social historians will find much that is valuable in the narrative. - Jatindra Kumar Nayak, Translator, Literary critic, Columnist, Editor and educationalist; Former professor in Utkal University, Bhubancswar, Odisha ISBN 978-93-88859-38-7