Kolkata: Can a handwritten letter preserve the intimacy of a relationship that death has interrupted? Author Soma Bose explores this poignant question in her third book, The Garden of White Roses, transforming the loss of her mother into a deeply personal literary tribute while questioning what a fast-paced, digitally connected world risks losing in the art of emotional expression.
The book was launched at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity amid a gathering of distinguished personalities from cinema, theatre, literature, dance and contemporary arts. The event was attended by veteran actor Barun Chanda, danseuse Tanushree Shankar, Sreenanda Shankar, actors Sohini Sengupta and Joy Sengupta, author and journalist Nandita Puri, interdisciplinary artist Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee and director Sudeshna Roy, among others. The programme was hosted by Chaity Ghosh, founder of Phreedom4Ever.
At the heart of The Garden of White Roses lies a daughter’s effort to reconnect with her mother through letters, shared thoughts, unspoken conversations and the intimate details of a relationship that transcends physical absence. What emerges is an exploration of bereavement that seeks not merely to mourn, but to celebrate the enduring influence of a loved one.
The book also offers a timely reflection on communication in the digital age. As instant messages and fleeting online exchanges increasingly dominate everyday interactions, Bose revisits the handwritten letter as an expression of patience, vulnerability and emotional honesty.
Beyond its personal narrative, the work recognises the literary significance of ordinary lives. Family histories, private correspondence and seemingly insignificant moments can reveal profound truths about human relationships yet often remain undocumented.
In author Soma Bose’s words, “I wrote The Garden of White Roses because I felt that some memories are too precious to be allowed to disappear. The book grew out of my desire to preserve the emotions, relationships, letters and quiet moments that have shaped lives but often remain undocumented. In a world where we communicate instantly but rarely pause to truly express ourselves, I wanted to return to the intimacy of handwritten words and the stories hidden within them. This book is deeply personal for me—it is my way of holding on to people, emotions and moments that time can otherwise take away. I hope that while reading it, every reader finds a memory of their own, a person they have loved, or a moment they thought they had forgotten.”
More than a book about bereavement, The Garden of White Roses is an exploration of how love endures through the stories we preserve and the words we leave behind. It invites readers to reconsider the value of handwritten correspondence and the relationships that shape their lives.