Amitav Ghosh talks Ghost-Eye over fish at The Bombay Canteen

What prompted you to look at reincarnation as the overarching theme in Ghost-Eye?
It’s a theme that has interested me for a long time. I’ve also addressed it [reincarnation] in a previous book, The Calcutta Chromosome. It profoundly intrigues me; if it does occur, and we know that it does, it completely upends our normal view of the world. It means that the material world is not all that there is.

Like most Bengalis, Amitav Ghosh also loves ilish (hilsa) and rohu. Pics/Wikipedia

The research is expansive, spanning decades. It hops from science to superstition, to marine fauna, and traditional practices.
I always enjoy doing research, and especially about strange things! It was fun, particularly researching fish.

Fish — the soul of every Bengali meal is at the core of your story.
(Laughs) Yes! I’ve always been a keen cook and a keen eater. Food is an underexplored subject in literature. If you think about it, food is the primary medium through which we engage with our environment. It’s the most important thing in the world — it’s how we relate to other people, other cultures, and our culture. In Bengal, fish and food are the foundation of our culture. Every Bengali starts their morning thinking about fish!

Did you get drawn into the world of subcultures, riverine lore and Bengali mythology?
(Chuckles) Absolutely. I love going down rabbit holes!

 ...And did the same happen while developing Shoma’s trajectory?
Very much. She is a distinctive Bengali type — women who get deeply engaged in a subject.

Did her character challenge you the most as you took the story forward? Or were there others?
That’s an interesting question. Shoma was always the heart of the book. But there is also Tipu, who is quite the character.

You’ve described 1960s Calcutta as a vibrant canvas. Why did you pick that period to set the beginnings of this book?
I grew up in 1960s Calcutta; it was a distinctive place like no other. I wanted to write about it, including the difficulties like the load-shedding (laughs). It was the only Indian city run by Communists for decades. In the late 60s, it was a city in a state of perpetual revolt — morchas, marches, bandhs.

...And despite the turmoil, what kept the city alive?
That’s a very good question. Despite all of that, Calcutta continued to produce amazing films — that was the high point of Bengali cinema. There was so much talent; I remember Tapan Sinha’s works. In fact, I’d say not despite, but because of it [that cinema thrived]. It often happens that political difficulties make good cinema. Look at Iranian cinema. It really was an incredibly productive time, culturally and intellectually. Today, Calcutta is more prosperous and better-run, but it is not a patch on that time.

Amitav Ghosh clicks a photo of the Chilled Sea Bass Sev Puri served at the restaurant for his social media feed

Water is a common backdrop in most of your novels. What kind of influence does it have on your writing? 
Bengal is a land of rivers, a land of waters, and that’s why we have all this fish! (laughs) Water is very much tied to the landscape. We also have a long tradition of river novels, and I grew up reading many of those. The most famous was Titas Ekti Nadir Naam written by a Dalit author called Advaita Malla Barman. Such books have impacted my writing. (Pauses) There are people who love mountains. And, I love the water. That’s why I was in Goa for so long. I will head there next week.

Another aspect that we love is how your storylines organically and almost lyrically, shift from one era to another, and then back...
In a book, it’s nice to have a contrast of textures, times, characters. I like that. It adds depth, variety. So I’ve always enjoyed that process.
A straight narrative works well sometimes, but there are other times when it’s interesting to have that contrast.

How do you balance it all out?
While I am writing one chapter, at the end, I start feeling restless, and I think let’s try something else (laughs).

It’s fascinating for a reader when you ensure continuity despite jetting between timelines?
Good question. You have to take a lot of work and craft to link one segment with another.

The ending is enthralling; did you foresee the climax?
Everyone who read it said the last chapter was riveting. It’s extremely hard to write endings. This came straight into my head towards the second half of writing the book. But there are clues throughout the storyline.

Looking back, did the book take long to write?
The writing process was completely different from any other book. It usually takes years. I wrote it in nine-10 months, which is a record for me! Compared to other books, this felt like speed writing.

…And why do you think this happened?
This book wrote itself. The subject has a lot to do with it. I can’t explain it, really. It came to me in a certain way. It was exciting; I thoroughly enjoyed the process.

We cannot let you go without discussing your favourite fish.
Bengali fish is not available in New York. The fish that I really like to cook there is pomfret, which is also available in Bengal. 
Pomfret is easy to prepare, and delicious. I buy my fish from the local Chinese markets.

I love rohu. And like most Bengalis, I am also very fond of ilish (hilsa). I particularly like small fish, including lotey maach, which is our version of the Bombay Duck. We make it in a different way, like a mash. Though, I like the Goan preparation. It’s one of the things I really long for.

All my favourite fish are in the book. Overall, I love small eels (gojar maach); I prefer to fry it where it can be eaten like a bar snack. So, there are no worries about getting the bones out.

The sections in the book about eating thorny/bony fish are useful, especially for non-Bengalis like us…
It’s an art. It happens in your mouth, so you really have to learn to navigate it.

After this thrilling book, what’s next from your desk?
It’s time to rest a bit. I’ve written so many books in the past decade! Ek ke baad ek (smiles)…

AVAILABLE Leading bookstores and e-stores