What does the shadow ask the light? In The Day I Felt the Sun, Shubhadip Mishra explores this question through the story of a ruler of shadows confronted by a single, unwavering lantern.
Following Whispers from Tokyo, Mishra shifts his focus inward, crafting a tale where light and dark don’t battle—they converse. The light doesn’t seek to conquer the darkness but to understand it, and in doing so, forces the protagonist to confront truths he has long ignored.
“The smallest light can make even the deepest shadows feel fragile,” Mishra reflects. “That’s why we resist it. It’s not the light we fear—it’s what it reveals.”
The Interview: On Shadows and Their Questions Q: Why does the protagonist resist the light?
Because it disrupts everything he knows. Shadows are familiar—they let you hide. Light forces you to be seen, to confront yourself.
Q: Who brings the lantern?
A human presence. Someone ordinary, but extraordinary in their resolve. They don’t try to banish the
darkness—they simply refuse to let it consume them.
Q: Is this figure based on someone real?
Yes. Her name is Pragya. She carried light into my life without trying to, without asking for recognition.
Q: What does she represent in the story?
She represents the quiet courage it takes to carry light into the dark—not to fight it, but to coexist with it.
The Day I Felt the Sun isn’t about victory. It’s about understanding—and the quiet, steady power of light.
