The plot is as simple as the language used. It begins with a writer, an alter ego of Sapkota himself, being asked by his acquaintance to pen down the life story of an elderly lady named Pema. [break]
A few refusals and meetings with Pema later, the writer is convinced enough to sketch her life on paper, which is then presented to the readers.
And suddenly, from the familiar confines of Kathmandu, the readers are taken on a journey to wherever Pema travels – Sikkim, Tibet, Lhasa, Silguri, Mussorie, Bhutan, and finally back to the lanes of Bouddha. This is the best part of the work – how it sweeps readers along and helps them taste diverse cultures and scenarios.
The story begins as in a movie, where the chubby toddler Pema is stolen from her biological Sikkimese parents and adopted by wealthy and issueless traders from Tibet.
Indulged by her parents, she never knows the truth until the adoptive father lashes out at her in his passion. She is yet to come to terms with this divulgence when Tibet is attacked by China, and she has to flee to save her life.
Unwittingly abandoned by her parents, Pema and three of her adolescent friends decide to take shelter in nearby India.
But on the way, love and family obligations beckon the others until Pema is the only one left. Determined to cross the border even without proper papers, she is arrested and imprisoned until a kind officer takes pity on her and appoints her as his housekeeper.
It is from here that the plot thickens and deepens, as twists of fate make Pema encounter her long-lost biological family and then the adoptive one. Torn between love, duty, affection and attachments, Pema wanders hither and thither until the love of her life tethers her down.
From then on, we are allowed glimpses of her biography until the husband, seeking his roots, arrives back with her to settle in Kathmandu.
And that, as mentioned above, is where the writer meets her and retraces her life history. In the process, Sapkota has provided readers with a chunk of world history as well, particularly of that part of the south Asian world which readers can easily identify with and get moved by.
Almost all Nepali readers will have heard about acquaintances, perhaps even one’s own grandparents, who lived such nomadic lifestyles due to visible and invisible forces.
The invasion of China, the struggle of the Tibetans, the trend of settling down in the border towns of India and the constant need to establish kinship with one’s own are explored well in the work.
Unlike the contemporary globetrotting cosmopolitans who do so by choice, the pain of unwillingly having to leave behind one’s universe and start afresh in some hostile place is described quite meaningfully within a few sentences.
In between, the writer has deftly woven in incidents of contemporary Nepali unrest to make us aware of our own present times.
But what the novel deals with most is the trauma and sense of displacement at having to constantly change identities and relationships, here experienced by Pema.
For no fault of hers, Pema is rejected cruelly by the adoptive father in one place, while she cannot forge bonds with her biological parents of whom she has no memories.
And, at last, when she finds a sense of peace and security with her husband, her love for him as well as threats to their security force her to agree to his proposal that they shift away to and settle down in a place completely foreign to her.
This constant bewilderment and her perplexity as well as her desire and efforts to build a safe haven for herself and her loved ones are shared by the readers as well.
But what really tugs at the heartstrings is her courageous character that meets life headlong: how she never gives up even in the most unforeseen circumstances, and she lives with her head held high and makes us proud of her.
Sapkota has etched Pema’s character quite well, which is a consistent and dynamic one.
But the same may not be said for the other characters, which either fall into a rut or transform into unrecognizable beings. It is as if the narrator is simply not bothered with anyone other than his heroine.
The author’s grip also slackens in several places where the language slips from the simple into the mundane and monotonous. An example would be the description of Pema’s adaptation into a new scenario, “A novel twist arose in Pema’s life. Her father enrolled her in school.
The school was near the house. It was a new world for her.” It seems as if the writer is simply jotting down the first draft of his ideas.
Such clumsiness is reflected in other bland statements like these, “One sad incident. Pema’s father passed away. He had surrendered his life for familiar happiness. He was helping in the family hotel.”
Here the writer is clearly stretching the idea of simplicity a tad too far in the direction of boredom. This not only irritates readers but also takes away from the emotions and sentiments which are dealt with in a matter-of-fact way.
But then, at other places, simplicity has its just rewards. The whole work moves forward so smoothly, it is like inviting readers to sail across a calm sea.
The subject matter may be full of turbulence, but everything from the choice of words to restful dialogues suggests a sense of humaneness. A major plus point is that its clarity and obvious honesty will appeal to everyone, from youngsters to elderly readers. Its very boldness to take as its base a straightforward biography and tell it properly adds to its charm and allure. All in all, an easy reading!
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