Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part C (2025)

Anuradha Roy’s Sleeping on Jupiter (2015) tells the story of how trauma and memory shape lives, focusing on the protagonist, Nomita (Nomi), whose childhood experiences of abuse and displacement continue to haunt her. The novel uses a fragmented narrative, shifting between past and present, to show how memories of trauma can feel broken and disconnected. Characters like Nomi carry the weight of their silenced histories, struggling to make sense of their pain. The temple town of Jarmuli, with its mix of spirituality and oppression, becomes a place where buried traumas resurface, forcing characters to face what they’ve tried to forget. Roy also critiques the societal systems that enable violence and silence survivors, particularly women. At the same time, the novel suggests that storytelling and art can help heal wounds and rebuild fractured identities. This paper examines the protagonist Nomi's nostalgic recollections and psychological torment. Due to the war, Nomi lost her family and was subsequently taken to an ashram, where she endured abuse at the hands of a spiritual figure, Guruji. As she matured, she experienced mental distress, persisting even after relocating to Norway. Eventually, she returns to Jarmuli for documentary research, where she recalls the traumatic incidents of her childhood that continue to haunt her. These haunting memories ultimately transform her into a fierce woman who resolutely decides to confront her traumatic fears.