History has never been kind to the common man. While recording events that change the course of a nation, history has been mostly silent about the repercussions of these events on the lives of the poor. In the early nineteenth century, when the Burmese rolled out their invasions of Assam, almost one third of the population perished. Most commoners’ stories were lost to time, but in these pages the life of one such man illuminates the darkness. When the Burmese army invades his village, killing nearly all of his family members, young Nilu is forced to flee his home. Years later, Nilu and his father are finally able to return to their home, left in ruins by the merciless invaders. This book narrates the struggles of adolescent Nilu to rebuild not only his home, but his shattered life, while learning important life lessons from those he meets. Along the way he finds the love of his life, Charubala, and must find a way to bind their lives together before it is too late. This is the story of a man whose honesty, humility, and perseverance drive his battle with adversity.