'I nearly went mad after the death of my first wife. I didn't eat on time, didn't leave my corner of the room, read books on ghosts and spirits all the time, and pondered in silence. I loved my wife so much that even after conducting her last rites at the crematorium, I did not believe that she had indeed been converted to vapour and ashes, that she was nowhere in this world anymore. I was convinced that she would return, that I would see her again.'

Manik Bandopadhyay was an Indian writer and novelist, regarded as one of the major figures of 20th century Bengali literature. During a lifespan of 48 years, he produced 36 novels and nearly 250 short stories. His notable works include Padma Nadir Majhi which was later made into a film by Gautam Ghosh.