Kanai

Kanai Dutt is one of the novel’s three principal protagonists. He is 42-years-old, of medium height, and with thick hair that has some grey at the temples. Kanai runs a successful translation business in New Delhi, and when the novel opens he is traveling to the island of Lusibari to visit his aunt Nilima. Kanai has not visited the island since he was ten-years-old when he was sent there to stay with his aunt and his uncle Nirmal as rustication for bad behavior in school. He is now returning, at the request of his aunt, to take a look at some papers left for him by his late uncle.

Kanai first sees Piya on a train station platform and then again when she sits opposite him on the train and spills her tea on the papers he is reading. Despite it being his fault, as he had...