Looking for an Address

By: Nabaneeta Dev Sen, Chhanda Chattopadhyay Bewtra - translator

Narrated by: Raji Pillai

Set in New York City in the 1990s, when Rudy Giuliani was Mayor and Bill Clinton was President, Looking for an Address explores the lives of Bengali men and women from both Bangladesh and India.

Jhilli has come to New York for a few months from Kolkata for training at the School of Social Sciences, staying with her childhood friend Shipra in Queens. Through Jhilli’s eyes, we see the wonders of New York, meet their Bengali friends, and experience their friendships and romances with native New Yorkers Gloria, Joshua, and Benjamin.

There are bombs, both literal, with India’s nuclear testing, and figurative, with unexpected revelations about the characters and their lives. Nabaneeta Dev Sen’s keenly observed novel sensitively depicts the intersection of the immigrants’ lives in New York as they search for a home and an address: for their bodies and their hearts. In 2025, as the plight of immigrants is hotly debated, the stories of these immigrants, whether cabbies or lawyers, are especially relevant and poignant.

The translator, Dr. Chhanda Chattopadhyay Bewtra is Emerita Professor at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska. Her previous translations include novels by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay and Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay.

©2020 Parabaas (P)2025 Parabaas

A pleasant understated Bengali Diaspora story

A subtle story portraying two contrasting sections of Bengali lives in New York through the eyes of a visitor. Translation preserves the mood of typical Bengali storytelling.

The lives of quasi-documented Bangladeshi immigrants strikes a note of relevance in the current political atmosphere.

The narrator did a great job coping with the undramatic nature of the story and kept it low key. Also, I liked how she has been careful about correct Bengali pronunciations without making a caricature of it.

A Story of Displacement and Belonging

This is a timeless story that beautifully portrays the lives of Bengali immigrants in New York City; their struggles, resilience, and efforts to survive as they build new lives far from home. The storytelling is powerful, offering an authentic portrayal of identity, belonging, and the search for connection in a foreign land.

Raji Pillai’s narration adds depth and emotion to the story. Her voice brings the characters to life with warmth and sensitivity, making the listening experience deeply engaging and heartfelt.