TALES FROM THE OPIUM TRADE: SMOKE AND ASHES

A Storizen Exclusive Feature

- PRIA

Amitav Ghosh

In the annals of literary creation, some narratives are borne not from deliberate design, but from serendipitous encounters. Such is the genesis of Amitav Ghosh's latest masterpiece, "Smoke and Ashes." Intricately woven around the opium trade, this magnum opus finds its roots in Ghosh's earlier work, "Sea of Poppies." As the author reminisces, "It was during the process of researching 'Sea of Poppies' that I stumbled upon the history of opium." A chance revelation ignited an odyssey of exploration that would span continents and centuries, giving rise to a literary tapestry of opium's hidden narratives. 

Wanderlust and Imagination: The Intertwined Odyssey of Travel and Creativity

Amitav Ghosh's literary odyssey is underpinned by a lifelong affinity for travel, a passport to worlds both real and imagined. Ghosh's formative years were steeped in movement, nurturing an innate curiosity that found expression in his narratives. "Travel has played an enormously important role not just in my work, but also in my ways of thinking," Ghosh reflects. From distant horizons to uncharted territories, the act of traversing geographies serves as a crucible for the alchemy of imagination, fusing cultures, landscapes, and histories into literary gold.

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