When Sanchi experiences a vivid, otherworldly encounter that transports her through a mysterious portal, she is thrust into a world that feels strangely her own—yet belongs to another lifetime. What begins as an inexplicable vision soon becomes a profound journey across timelines.
India, 1947.
The subcontinent is ripped apart by partition—migrations, violence, and betrayal shatter millions of lives. Amid this chaos, young lovers Dharm and Preet, aided by their loyal friend Jaffer, attempt a desperate escape across blood-soaked borders. But destiny has other plans—plans written in heartbreak, sacrifice, and the haunting pull of unfinished lives.
As monsoon rains drown both past and present, Sanchi finds herself living between two worlds—one marked by history’s wounds, the other by questions that refuse to rest. Bound by an invisible thread across eras, she must confront the truth of who she was, what she has lost, and why she has returned.
“Monsoon Earth” is a sweeping tale of love and war, memory and rebirth, where the soul’s journey is larger than time, and where destiny—like the monsoon—always returns.
Inspiration for the Book:
“The true inspiration came from the memories and stories passed down by my parents and relatives. Their recollections of undivided India stayed with me for years. Although I worked on other creative projects—three biographies and a 13-CD album on 100 years of Hindi film music—this story continued to grow within me. When I returned to it, both the novel and I had evolved. I was finally ready to complete Monsoon Earth.”
Writing Process & Creative Routine:
“I write for at least four hours daily. Walking, cooking, and swimming help reset my creative energy. At night, before I fall asleep, my imagination comes alive—characters move, events unfold, and the story progresses naturally. Research is equally important; I travel extensively to experience places and cultures firsthand, then weave those discoveries into the narrative.”
Real People vs Fictional Characters:
“I try to inhabit the minds and emotions of my characters, whether they are protagonists or antagonists. Many of them feel real because they are influenced by people I’ve observed in Mumbai, though they aren’t direct replicas. The fictional town and central family were inspired by stories from my father about life in undivided India. Conversations with friends and relatives about partition helped shape the emotional and historical core of the characters. I even met an Englishwoman in Birmingham who inspired one of the roles. Nature—the rains, seasons, and earth—is as much a character in the book as any human.”
Themes: History, Spirituality & the Afterlife:
“The historical aspect stayed with me from childhood. I wanted readers to relive that era, not just through facts but through lived emotion. I’ve also been deeply fascinated by para-sciences, and speaking with experts opened new perspectives about life, death, and what lies beyond. While the book doesn’t fully explore the mechanics of the afterlife, it reflects my learnings. I hope it encourages readers to look beyond the material world and to honor the stories within their own families. When we retell them, we keep lives alive for generations.”
World-Building & Research:
“Mumbai is home to me, but the other settings came from real journeys. I traveled through Himachal Pradesh and Amritsar, met spiritualists, locals, and even stayed in an ashram with a gurumaa. I underwent a past-life regression session with a well-known healer, just to understand the experience firsthand. Childhood stories of undivided Punjab and the violence of 1947 formed the historical backdrop. Everything I wrote had to feel lived-in, not imagined.”
Balancing Originality with Genre Expectations:
“Once I entered the world of the novel, concerns like expectations and genre disappeared. The story took over. The voice, structure, and layers became naturally mine, and originality followed without being forced. When you are fully immersed, the work holds your signature without you trying.”
Maintaining Tension & Pacing:
“Pacing comes from what the characters want, fear, and struggle against—both externally and internally. External conflicts like war, separation, betrayal, and danger create movement, while internal conflicts—doubt, grief, moral dilemmas—create depth. The rhythm of a story mirrors the rhythm of human experience: rise, fall, pause, surge.”
Storytelling in a Changing Media World:
“Human emotions remain timeless. Whether a story is set in the past or present, readers still connect through character, conflict, struggle, and transformation. I write so readers can see, smell, taste, feel, and hear the world of the book. The language, the food, the culture, the emotional landscape—these create immersion. Not everything will resonate with every reader, but authenticity always finds its audience.”
Ready for a powerful story of history, destiny, and rebirth?
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