The Pyre of Tears | A moving tale of love, memory and loss, where scars become strength and absence teaches the true meaning of belonging

About the Book -

When memory becomes both a refuge and a prison, how can someone find a way to live again? Against the warm backdrop of a middle-class Indian household, Vivek Venkat beautifully traces the gentle yet turbulent journey of Rohan, whose childhood is filled with love, loss, and the lingering shadow of his mother's absence. At the heart of this story is a car—the iconic Premier Padmini—not just a vehicle, but a cherished vessel of memory that carries a family through moments of joy, tragedy, and misunderstood togetherness. As grief reshapes their bonds, will the family regain their love for each other? Will Rohan, once a care free child, turn into a mess or reshape into a better human? Will he suspect love or believe in love?

'The Pyre of Tears' isn’t a story of perfection, but of scars that turn into strength, and of love that endures even in absence. Haunting, lyrical, and deeply human, this book gently explores memory, growth, and the heartfelt search for belonging.

About the Author -

COLONEL VIVEK VENKAT is a career military officer with an enviable track record spanning twenty-five years. He forged his persona in harsh frontier terrains, combining brute strength with sustained introspection. Over the years, close encounters with separation, solitude, and serendipity have fueled his inner growth and spurred him to pursue spiritual goals through close interactions with people, places, situations, and threats.

An eclectic blend of military toughness and measured vulnerability, Vivek has used his military forays to develop a spiritual outlook grounded in discipline, focus, and transparency. His writings are not merely a mirror to society but also serve as a sponge for many a bleeding heart. A deep understanding of human emotion helps soothe souls stirred by conflict—both moral and physical—as he accepts pain as an intrinsic component of the self-realization process.

He currently resides in Jalandhar with his wife, two children and their fur-child, finely juggling the rigors of military life, engaging literary pursuits, familial affections, and the small pleasures of simple living.