Book name:
Mountains, Fugitive Life and the City of Purity
A journey across landscapes and the inner self by Altaf Hossain Uzzal
Language: Bangla
Reviewed by Esrat Jahan Maria
Travel writing has long held a distinguished place in Bengali literature, evolving from descriptive narrative into a rich blend of observation and reflection. Altaf Hossain Uzzal’s Mountains, Fugitive Life and the City of Purity, published by the Joldhi publications, enters this tradition as a thoughtful contemporary contribution.
The book is not merely a record of journeys through Norway, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland; it is an exploration of the traveller’s inner landscape. Beginning in Norway in April 2003, Uzzal’s reflections move from the snow-laden stillness of Tromsø and Narvik to the sobering memory of war preserved at the Narvik War Museum. History, for him, is not distant—it is a reminder of human fragility.
In Denmark, Copenhagen and its surrounding towns reveal a society shaped by order, balance and quiet warmth. The rural countryside, with its red-tiled houses and flower-filled gardens, becomes less a postcard image than a philosophy of life. Germany offers contrast: Frankfurt’s modern skyline stands beside the medieval Römerberg, embodying Europe’s layered history. Through his friend Ayub, the author touches poignantly on migration and the quiet loneliness of exile.
The narrative concludes in Switzerland, where Zürich and Aarau evoke calm introspection. By Lake Zürich, the idea of the “City of Purity” emerges as harmony between society and nature.
Uzzal’s prose is gentle and reflective, favouring atmosphere over detail. Ultimately, the book suggests that travel is less about distance than about inner transformation —a quiet search for meaning across landscapes and within the self.
The travel book is currently available at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair, being held on the premises of Bangla Academy. The cover has been designed by Liton Halder, and the book is priced at Tk 350.
