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n 2005, India facilitated the his-

I toric Peace Agreement between

the Maoists and the Seven Party
Alliance in Nepal, ending a
decade-long war waged against
Nepal’s centuries-old monarchy. A
decade and a half later, Nepal and
India hit the lowest point despite the
two countries share close socio-cultur-
al, political, economic, and strategic hidden push for a Hindu Rashtra in
ties. Similarly, Karan Singh, who had Nepal backfired on India. India cannot
successfully convinced King deny that its shortfalls are due to
Gyanendra to accept the people’s short-sighted strategic interests and
demand and pave the way for democ- lack of promised deliveries to Nepal.
racy in 2006; visit by the Foreign For instance, in 2016, the Eminent
Secretary S. Jaishankar to Kathmandu Persons Group (EPG) was formed to
at the eleventh hour to convince the revise the 1950 Treaty and smoothen
Nepal Government to accommodate border management. Still, five years
the demands of Madhesis, was termed since its formation, the final report of
as the ‘wrong advice.’ What led Nepal the EPG continues to dust in the
to shift from ‘special relations’ with Prime Minister’s Office. Nepal also
India to ‘conditional relations’ and waits for India to exchange the demon-
forge strategic ties with China? etised Indian currency stuck with the
Many such questions seek an Nepal Rashtra Bank.
answer as one begins to unfurl the In contrast, the “Chinese have
Roti-Beti relations between India and acted purely on national interest”.
Nepal amidst ongoing India-Nepal There has been no compromise on
fiasco. China’s security concerns looming
The book entitled The Backfire in from a critical border between Tibet
Nepal: How India Lost Plot to China by and Nepal. From cracking down the
US-based Nepali journalist Sanjay 2008 free-Tibet movement to the sign-
Upadhya helps find these answers. The ing of Mutual Assistance Treaty in
book provides a detailed account of Criminal Matters in 2019, and Nepal’s
Nepal-India relations in the last fifteen unequivocal support to ‘One China
years. In his previous books, Nepal and Policy’, China has shown an uncom-
the Geo-Strategic Rivalry Between promised bargain in Nepal. On the
China and India from Routledge in other hand, India continues to misread
2012, and The Raj Lives: India in Nepal how Beijing sees Nepal — both in
from Vitasta in 2008, Upadhya had terms of China’s visions of the past and
carried ground-breaking works on the future. This complicates the core
India’s colonial past and its impact on trilateral challenge: ensuring that
Nepal, and Nepal’s geo-strategic loca- Nepal is not sucked deeper into the
tion between two Asian giants. Unlike Sino-Indian vortex, only to be scorned
his previous research works, The for aggravating the Asian giants’
Backfire in Nepal is a journalistic rivalry.
account of Nepal-India relations focus- As the events unfold between India
ing on China’s diplomatic and strategic cism was a beneficial ‘New Nepal’ President, Prime Minister, and Chief of Parliament, Oli was seen taking a and Nepal, the book could not have
success in Nepal in recent years. China. the Nepal Army, allowing the former moderate view of India. However, it been timelier. The book becomes a
Divided into seven chapters, the Between 2005 to 2020, Nepal has to make public appearances in these changed very soon after he reiterated must-read for policymakers, journal-
book provides a timeline of events in forged new transit, trade, security and offices and advise on administrative Kalapani, Lipulekh as Nepalese territo- ists, researchers intending to know
India-Nepal relations beginning with strategic ties including Belt and Road and political matters. Millions of mili- ries, and relocated Ayodhya in Nepal. recent developments in India-Nepal
the 2006 peace-building process in Initiative and first-ever Joint-Military tary assistance from China have helped On the other hand, despite a tur- relations as it covers history and the
Nepal which was officially overlooked exercises with China. Chinese invest- Beijing buy diplomatic immunity to its bulent relationship, India’s humanitari- most recent events. That said, the book
by the United Nations Mission in ment in Nepal accounts for more than citizens involved in scamming, phish- an assistance to Nepal helps ease the falls short on the analytical front. The
Nepal to facilitate inclusion of the for- sixty per cent of the total Foreign ing, and trafficking in Nepal. tensions. Noteworthy, India was the author has also avoided dealing with
mer Maoist fighters into the Nepal Direct Investment in Nepal, which was While previous administrations in first country to reach on the ground dates which makes the reader seek dig-
Army, their arms surrender and peace- once topped by India until 2014. Nepal strike a balance between India after a major earthquake had hit Nepal ital support that breaks the rhythm.
ful conduct of first Constituent China’s annual aid to Nepal had also and China including Prachanda who in 2015. India has also supplied a mil- Overall, unlike history books, the
Assembly elections in 2008. In the sec- reached USD 128 from a meagre USD stood as a staunch critic of alleged lion doses of Covid-19 vaccine and books’ language keeps the momentum
ond chapter Provisional Posturing, the 20-24 million in the past decade. The Indian ‘expansionism’ since 1950, KP other medical assistance including for a reader until a few scattered pages
author has beautifully portrayed the number of high-level visits from China Oli has used India’s 2015 unofficial medicines, ambulances, and medical of the last chapter: All in Mind, often
free-Tibet movement of 2008, which to Nepal including President Xi’s in border blockade to his advantage in appliances. However, India continues repeating the arguments. The book is
got China worried as it hosted world October 2019 amidst border row evoking ultra-nationalism based on to misread Nepal’s political develop- pocket friendly and most recent
athletes for the Beijing Olympics. The between India and Nepal over anti-India manoeuvrings. Oli also E96324<7:C6:? ments. additions to the literature in India-
unconditional support from a new Kalapani and Lipulekh, have provided holds India accountable for his ouster ?6A2=+9@H:?5:2 Prime Minister Modi’s 2014 visit Nepal relations with a focus on China
Maoist Prime Minister Pushpa Kamala China with an ultra-edge in the politi- in 2016 from the Government, and =@DEA=@EE@49:?2 after seventeen years gap by an Indian factor.
Dahal alias Prachanda in cracking cal and foreign affairs of Nepal. Most with his present tenure, he continues Prime Minister to Nepal helped India The reviewer is ICSSR Doctoral
down on the protesters and arrest of importantly, the Chinese Ambassador to be revengeful. Meanwhile, post- DR_[RjFaRUYjR “dispel many traditional Nepalese mis- Fellow, School of International Studies,
Tibetan refugees amidst global criti- to Nepal has direct hotlines with the December 13 dissolution of the GZeRdeR C%*& givings about India policy”, but the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)

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B Plate of White Marble) has in its
three decades since publication got
deeply embedded within the Bengali
reader’s psyche. One would like to think
SXbX]U^a\PcX^]P]S_P]XRX]SdRX]V that books such as this, a story of the
bcPcXbcXRbfTPaTR^fTSQhcWTT]^a\Xch young widow Bandana, in post-indepen-
P]Sd]RTacPX]ch^UfWPc³bd]U^[SX]V dence Calcutta, and her relentless battles
CWT]PaaPcXeTb^UPaWPbQTT]PQ^dccWXb
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YdbcPQ^dcB0AB2^E!8cXbPQ^dccWT lover play nuanced and memorable
eXadbP]SdbFTWPeTR^TgXbcTSfXcW roles, fortify the winds of liberalism
eXadbTbUa^\cWTSPf]^UTe^[dcX^]FWPc which are on retreat in our troubled
WPbRWP]VTS.7PeTfTSXbad_cTS times.
b^\TcWX]VRadRXP[X]=PcdaT. So it is definitely good news that this
02a^f]^UCW^a]b XbbRXT]RTP]SWXbc^ah much-admired novel has now been
f^eT]X]c^cWTWd\P]bc^ah¯cWT[^]V made available to readers in English in a
eXTf^]P_P]ST\XRcWPc³bR^]bd\X]Vdb pitch-perfect translation by Nandini
3ab8bWaPcBhTSP]S:P[_P]P Guha. Many who would have been
BfP\X]PcWP]faXcX]VPb:P[_XbWAPc]P introduced to this story through the
SXbcX[cWTXabcdSh^U_[PVdTbP]ST_XST\XRb movie featuring a sterling performance
X]c^Pf^aZ_PRZTSfXcWXSTPbcWPc_a^e^ZT by Aparna Sen as the widowed Bandana, 2A=2E6@7H9:E6>2C3=6
P]SX]bXVWcbcWPcX[[d\X]PcT would nonetheless do well to read the
book because the layers of the story with 3R_Z3Rdf,EcR_d]ReVUSj
its depths and nuances are not always ?R_UZ_Z8fYR
8<068=485)BC>A84B captured in the language of celluloid.
>5>A38=0AH Bandana is married to the elder son
?Zj`XZEY`c_SZcUC%&!
?4>?;4F8C7 Abhimanyu of the well-to-do
4GCA0>A38=0AH Bhattacharjee family of Shyambazar in have to bother about any restriction. dante who eventually raises her voice in Question) and the nonconformist Memorial could be seen like some mys-
6A8C north Kolkata but early in the plot the They were reserved for the women and Bandana’s support. But there is no easy Bandana of this novel, and examine how terious, celestial presence in the dis-
%>7$9 3% husband dies of heart attack. It is inter- women alone.’ resolution of Bandana’s woes at her in- these portraits of liberated women tance.’
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6dadYX1:B8hT]VPaRaTSXcTSfXcW accident which kills him and there are this stultifying tradition comes from nomad-like Somnath babu, who takes Bengali fiction. marvel at the many roles a strong
b_aTPSX]VcWTV^b_T[^Uh^VPPRa^bbcWT other such departures from Basu’s origi- her son Abhiroop, still a child, who her away from the Bhattacharjees. Calcutta, from the decaying splen- woman like Bandana plays as she juggles
f^a[SQTVP]c^_aPRcXbTXcPbPh^d]VQ^h nal plot. Immediately after the husband’s suffers convulsions and the doctor Still, back at her own home, things dour of the ‘north’ to a ‘south’ of between mother, daughter-in-law,
7TfPbX]cW^bTSPhbR^]bcP]c[hd]fT[[ death the weight of patriarchy, personi- makes it clear that his mother’s sudden won’t be easy as with the kindly uncle’s Hindustani classical music concerts and oppressed widow, and finally an emo-
P]SWXbQa^cWTaX][PfcW^dVWch^VPf^d[S fied here by the father-in-law and the transformation into a white-sari clad passing and Abhiroop’s coming of age, busy flowing streets is also a character in tional connect with her son’s art teacher
WT[_WX\R^_T>eTacX\T[TPa]X]VUa^\WXb acquiescing members of the joint family ascetic is the cause. Despite their reluc- new tensions begin to simmer which the background of this finely crafted Sudipto Sarkar. Which of these will
^f]Tg_TaXT]RTb6dadYXaTUX]TSP]ScWT] of her in-laws, come to bear upon her. tance, her in-laws have to relent and might very well tear her apart. Bani Basu novel and often you want to linger and redeem which will break her apart or is
aTSTUX]TSfWPcWTfPbcPdVWc0SXbTPbT Bandana is pushed into a life of forced make some concessions in allowing her develops her characters with love and a enjoy the passing scenery — the passage it some totally new calling, a wider street
UaTTbcPcTfPb]^[^]VTaWXbV^P[*WTP[cWWT austerity and abnegation where she has to wear a coloured sari but soon new kind of academic rigour which would of time itself, as the river of the narrative that will finally let her discover herself
WPSR^\Tc^QT[XTeTX]R[dSTSfT[[QTX]V^U to wear white saris, live like an ascetic situations bring the clash with ortho- appeal to students of literature while draws you along: behind many masks? This engaging
cWTQ^Sh\X]ST\^cX^]bX]cT[[TRc and have frugal meals on the floor from doxy out in the open. pleasing the seeker of a good story. It is ‘The concert came to an end after novel has some answers which speak to
R^]bRX^db]Tbb\^aP[Xchb^RXP[XchP]S a plate of white marble. In the carefully woven plot appear also not difficult to draw a line connect- the Bhairavi Thumri. It was past mid- our time as it did to the one it so bril-
R^]bRXT]RT1aX]VX]Vc^VTcWTa6dadYX³b The customs of this prejudiced other characters like Mili and Koli, two ing Tagore’s powerful protagonist Mrinal night. The roads were empty but well-Iit. liantly evokes.
X]b_XaPcX^]P[\TbbPVTbP]SWXb household are revealed at the beginning sisters-in-law of which the former of Streer Patra (A Wife’s Letter), The sky above was full of stars. Bandana The writer is the author of The
aTR^\\T]SPcX^]b^]PbP]Pb8\PVX]T8U Xb when the author writes, ‘The men of the becomes a conduit for the widow’s Saratchandra’s equally uncompromising had never seen Kolkata looking so beau- Butterfly Effect (Niyogi) and other works
P]TRTbbPahc^^[X]^dacdaQd[T]ccX\Tb house, the ruler class that is, did not oppression while Koli is more of a confi- heroine Kamal in Sesh Prosno (The Final tiful. The huge silhouette of the Victoria of fiction and translation