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The author begins the saga a few years before the 1857 mutiny and portrays well-depicted characters, touching not only illustrious families, intellectuals and literary men but also those living on the edge of society. Nineteenth century Kolkata forms the backdrop for a fantastic amalgamation of history, politics and romance. Historical characters are made to mingle with great ease with the fictional ones. A period of darkness, ignorance and religious dogmatism is the focus as also a society steeped in medieval culture which tries to imbibe enlightened European values and stands on the brink of a change. Though primarily the story of Nabin Kumar and his brother Ganga Narayan, the novel recreates the history of nineteenth century Bengal by incorporating in a powerful narrative the life and works of towering personalities who actually shaped the society, culture and destiny of Bengal. A crucial historical period, the Bengal Renaissance, has been chosen. The Bengal Renaissance and the 1857 uprising form the backdrop of Those Days, a saga of human frailties and strength. The story revolves around the immensely wealthy Singha and Mukherjee families, and the intimacy that grows between them. The manner in which the feudal aristocracy, sunk in rituals and pleasure, slowly awakens to its social obligations forms the central theme of the novel. Historical personae interact with fictional protagonists to enrich the narrative. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the reformer; Michael Madhusudan Dutt, the poet; the father and son duo of Dwarkanath and Debendranath Tagore; Harish Mukherjee, the journalist; Keshab Chandra Sen, the Brahmo Samaj radical; David Hare and John Bethune, the English educationists; Rani Rashmoni, founder of the Dakshineshwar Temple, and a host of others walk the streets of Calcutta to bring alive a momentous time. The vast array of historical and fictional characters are deftly intertwined and one finds the British educationists and reformers like James Hope, John Bethune and David Hare playing important roles in the novel. The novel has an epic dimension with its many protagonists and a plethora of issues. One finds the historical figures, too, not just venerable ones but people of flesh and blood with their share of frailty. Each character, involved in a struggle, evolves with the passage of time.