“Great Eastern Hotel” by Ruchir Joshi
Ruchir Joshi spent twenty-five years writing this novel. It is meant to be read in the leisurely manner that it seems to have been written in. It is a history of Calcutta captured beautifully in words. The reader has to immerse themselves completely in it to get a sense of the landscape or even the characters. It is a very Bengali bhadra kind of literature. Hard to describe it to those who do not understand what “bhadra” is. Loosely put, cultured, Western upbringing while hanging on to your local cultural roots. An elegant balancing act between two cultures and yet making it your own. There will be something in this novel for everyone to appreciate but for me, it is Ruchir’s writing on food. He is always brilliant on food as is evident in the column he writes or his social media posts and it shows even in the novel. Worth savouring!
The Great Eastern Hotel is a history of Calcutta of the past, captured in words but with the eye of a filmmaker.
15 August 2025
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