Archive · 2 Aug 2025
Gurnaik Johal's 'Saraswati': A Novel Blending Satire & Rivers
Gurnaik Johal wrote a book called "Saraswati" that's like a funny story about politics and a love letter to rivers.
It imagines what would happen if an old, holy river was brought back.
The story looks at how people and nature affect each other, like the impact of invasive species.
It follows the lives of many characters over time, all related to a couple named Sejal and Jugaad.
The book also talks about migration and how countries use rivers for power.
Johal wants us to think about the environment and how history shapes our world.
Gurnaik Johal's novel, "Saraswati," blends political satire with a tribute to rivers.
The novel explores themes of ecocriticism and the impact of invasive species on human history.
It features interconnected narratives spanning generations, stemming from the romance of Sejal and Jugaad.
"Saraswati" addresses contemporary issues, including migration and the use of rivers in geopolitics.
The story's temporal and spatial scale is ambitious, ranging from British Columbia to Singapore.
- Who
- Written by British-Indian writer Gurnaik Johal.
- What
- A novel titled "Saraswati" that blends political satire and a paean for rivers.
- When
- Not explicitly mentioned in articles.
- Where
- The novel spans locations including British Columbia, Nairobi, and Singapore.
- Why
- To explore themes of ecocriticism, migration, and the interplay of history, politics, and nature.
- Author
- Gurnaik Johal
- Novel Title
- Saraswati
- Genre
- Political satire and ecocriticism
- Main Themes
- Rivers, Migration, History
- Narrative Structure
- Interconnected narratives across generations