On a Saturday evening (November 5), the Rose Garden in the India International Centre underwent a transformative shift, becoming a secluded haven filled with discussions on environmental conservation, fiction writing, the overlooked heroes of science, and the rights of indigenous communities. Janice Pariat, an author, poet, and creative writing professor at Ashoka University, unveiled her latest novel, “Everything the Light Touches,” engaging in a conversation with critic and writer Nilanjana Roy.
The novel takes on a unique form, blending prose, poetry, diary entries, and letters to convey a story that underscores a central thesis: in nature, everything is interconnected.
The inspiration for the novel struck Pariat nearly a decade ago while wandering through a garden in the United Kingdom. She stumbled upon a section dedicated to Victorian and Edwardian women botanists, captivated by their untamed and adventurous lives.
This encounter gave birth to Evelyn, the English woman scientist protagonist in “Everything the Light Touches.” Evelyn embarks on a scientific journey to North-Eastern India, a narrative heart that intertwines with three other stories — those of Shai, a Meghalayan woman; Goethe, the German poet and botanist; and Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish taxonomist. Despite its lyrical celebration of nature and preservation, Roy describes the novel as having a resolute undertone, conveying the message that “everything about how you live in this world must change.”
