Writer Amitabha Bagchi reflects on the profound influence of Shrilal Shukla's work, particularly 'Raag Darbari,' on his own writing. Bagchi recounts discovering Shukla's novels in his twenties, appreciating their dry humor and sharp critique of idealized village life. He notes that Shukla's writing, fueled by anger at the betrayal of post-independence India's promise, expanded the reach of Hindi literature and shaped Bagchi's literary perspective. Bagchi emphasizes that literature is a continuous conversation with past writers.