Seated on the front porch of his home in Raiwaqa surrounded by family and friends, Mr Narain talked openly to the Herald of the fear, boredom and ignorance that dominated his time under armed guard.
"I felt like a frog in a well, surrounded by darkness.
"There were always two of them with guns inside the room and outside, day and night. We couldn't talk freely - we were restricted.
"Some guards were good and would allow us to, otherwise we would just sit there. We were not allowed newspapers. We didn't know what was happening.
"Our letters, both sides, were censored with big lines through them, and we could just write personal things, nothing about the situation.
"Our families brought us books. We had Bibles. We would exchange the books with each other - I read about a dozen.
"We got to know each other very well - details, behaviour, attitudes and feelings. We became very close. Sometimes you got stressed with each other, just like anyone being held captive."
There was little to do but eat and sleep. "I tried to live with the situation. You're kept against your will and there is nothing you can do."
Mr Narain said it was often tense, especially when the group heard last week's shooting outside Parliament between soldiers and the rebels. Six people were wounded and one later died.
"We thought the military was coming and we would be the target - that the supporters would say, 'This is the time'."
There were also times of false hope when the men believed they would be set free: "We packed up ready, and nothing."
Then just before 1 am yesterday one of the rebels read out the list of nine to be released: former ministers Shiu Sharan Sharma, Anup Kumar, backbenchers Pradhuman Raniga, Prince Gopal Lakshman, Mr Narain, Vinod Maharaj, Leo Smith, William Aull and former Attorney-General Anand Singh.
They were escorted secretly to a Red Cross truck, hidden in bush outside Parliament.
Mr Narain's wife, Santosh Narayan, said she was asleep when she received the telephone call she had waited 55 days for.
"I got to the door and he was at the gate - I ran to him. I was so happy."
Mr Narain, an agricultural and political economist, said he did not want to comment on the political situation because it could jeopardise the safety of the remaining hostages.
But he said the takeover had set Fiji's economy back eight years.
"I feel pity for the poor, who suffer the most."
There were emotional scenes at Suva's Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral yesterday when four of the other freed hostages attended a vigil for the release of their colleagues.
Anup Kumar said he would not wish his worst enemies "to go through what we have gone through."
The four men thanked the Red Cross - who visited them daily, bringing clothes and messages - their families and members of the National Council of Women Fiji who prayed for their release.
"When you are close to the end, it is only the prayers and wishes of those close to you which give you courage," Mr Kumar said.
For Mr Narain's family in Auckland the long wait is also over.
Mani Lal has called his sister-in-law, Mrs Narayan, in Suva every day since the coup began for news of his captive brother.
"We couldn't really tell from here what was going on but we were fairly frightened," Mr Lal, a 46-year-old high school teacher, said at his Lynfield home yesterday.
He was happy about his brother's release but was worried about the long-term effects on his health of the confinement.
Mr Narain had lost 5kg and seemed depressed about the outlook for Fiji.
"The position of Indians is very bad," said Mr Lal. "They will be isolated politically and he thought they should be moving out of the country."
Mr Narain, who is in his 60s, was the family's elder statesman and Mr Lal said his other three brothers in Fiji would be overjoyed to have him home.
Mr Lal wants him to come to live in New Zealand.
George Speight was yesterday reported not to be on a list of potential cabinet ministers to be considered by the Great Council today.
Speight's name was missing from the 21 nominees selected by about 200 people who met at Parliament House.
Although the chiefs would choose a new Prime Minister and cabinet, the absence of Speight from a list drawn up by his supporters meant he had little chance of a place in a new government.
He has frequently said he does not want to be a politician, but he would serve if asked.
More Fiji coup coverage
Main players in the Fiji coup
The hostages
Under seige: map of the Parliament complex
Fiji facts and figures
Images of the coup - a daily record
Prime Minister Qarase addresses the nation
George Speight: "I’m certainly not mad."
