K.C. Bhatt's Blog, page 2

A review of Burmese days by George Orwell:

A review of Burmese days by George Orwell:

The most unflattering account of India and its people is
there in ‘Burmese days’. The authenticity of the book is
stunning. George Orwell saw things far more clearly than
even Forster, who totally ignored Hindus for they
appeared mysterious to him, besides noting passingly Dr.
Godse in A Passage to India.

On the reverse side, this Gorge Orwell’s book presents the
colonials in even poorer light. The true nature of
colonialism and its soul-sapping decadence and
corrupting influence on both the parties is pity-provoking.
You simply cannot detest the British underclass,
representing the face of colonials in India. They are
capable of inflicting the severest violence on the natives to
prove their loyalty to the Raj and win promotions, while
they are distressed by their financial worries, children’s
education or their future, once they complete their tenure
in India.
For the ones not married yet, finding a suitable English
match is almost out of question. At best they will find a
woman who is considered too low in Britain and fit to be a
servant only, or fit to marry a British man serving in
India.
Then you have orphaned and destitute English young
women coming to India looking for a husband.
(Such was the tyranny at home–Towards which he was
drawn “Like a moth to a flame” in the words of BBC–and
Orwell went out looking for it all over the places to begin
his revolution.)
The prospects of joining the retirees’ ghetto of British-
Indian servicemen in England is the another loathsome
inevitability at the end of a such a career.
That is, if an uprising of natives does not annihilate them
before that.
They drink and indulge excessively to keep their minds off
the dirty work they are doing here in most cases. Then
there is the fear of tropical diseases.

From the first sentence it holds you by your neck and hits
you with brilliance almost relentlessly.
Orwell was disillusioned of his job and despaired as a
writer to almost kill himself by smoking while writing

He had weak lungs and TB and lived a life of exile
mostly. For his writing rendered him an alien in Britain.
To this day few writers have the courage to follow his
legacy and Britain reads and produces occult-fiction or
mommy porn mostly, if it not regales in foreign cultures.
The concept of home guard he suggested and the
government adopted during the WWII gave him a hope
that a revolt will take place in Britain itself, with millions
of armed civilians. But he failed to see that British people
were incapable of it, being very tribal by nature.
Before that he joined the Spanish civil war to fight the
tyranny and got nearly killed. His personal life says that
he was a born revolutionary with no true comrade. So
writing was the last resort to him though it earned him
very little to ever get settled in life. Today his works earn
millions of pound in royalties.

What is most appealing about Burmese days is the
intimate scenes between Flory and his Burmese mistress
in the earlier part of the book. The hostility and mutual
distrust among them is total. Flory needs her to relieve his
carnal desires and she needs Flory to extort money. They
hate each other as much as possible otherwise.
Once this relationship fails the woman turns vindictive,
prompted by the villain and finally destroys Flory. The
villain is a Burmese in British civil service who is against
Flory because Flory supports a South Indian doctor for
the membership of the club, where only one Indian will be
entered to make it look more egalitarian, as per orders
from higher commands.
It divides the members of the hitherto all white club, who
sulk at the prospects of having an Indian now in a all
white club. Now they want the one closer to them to join.
It makes Flory an enemy of the rest of the whites and the
other wannabe for the membership: the Burmese villain,

for he clearly supports his friend the South Indian doctor
for the membership.

It is the most forthcoming narrative of the writer where he
doesn’t hide behind too many symbols or allusions, save
the birthmark of Flory, which a reader will never forget in
his life; which was the case with earlier writers of his ilk,
like Kipling, who almost completely forgot to see the
colonial subjects among who he was born in and spent all
his life. Kipling even wrote a story about the nuts and a
bolt talking to each other on a ship besides his Jungle
book, and collected his N0bel prize for such kind of work.
Even Orwell’s later work is far more obscure by the
standard of Burmese days, though it is more celebrated
than his first.

Though it is about Burma rather than India, Burmese
days almost is about every country ever colonised. The
nauseating way the colonialism operated in league with
the lackeys it created among the natives is appalling to say
the least. Also it gets uglier when someone amongst the
colonials suggests that the German imperials were far
more cruel than the British ones, to make things look
tolerable.
To this day, as the things stand, it makes one wonder if
the colonialism has not really ended but operates
remotely in this age of information, where the lackeys
operate as if they have substituted the masters.

The ending disappointed a bit. For neither Flory is that
sensitive a soul to commit suicide after killing his pet dog
when he was rejected by Elizabeth for the second time
after his disposed Burmese mistress creates a scene in a
church gathering. He was never that proud of his
Englishness that the rejection of an English woman, who

is an orphan and a destitute and is desperate to find a
husband in India after finding none at home.
On the part of Elizabeth too, the second rejection of Flory
is too much over done with. More so since she already
rejected Flory for the same reason earlier and then
accepted back after she herself was rejected by the
military officer Varrell, who she and her aunt were
prospecting for her husband. Flory was rejected first time
as soon Varell arrives in the town and is accepted back as
soon Varrell leaves without saying a goodbye to anyone
after his month long stay in the town, during which he
took out Elizabeth almost every evening but never
proposed the marriage Elizabeth wanted from him so
badly.
In the meanwhile the uncle who gives her shelter in
Burma has repeatedly tried to rape her.
All British characters are too practical in the book for they
are from the underclass at home and are out there to
make a career in British Raj in India. When they appeared
inordinately principled in the end of the book, it looked
disingenuous to say the least.
If it was created to make the end dramatic it has failed
completely. If it was done to uphold the uprightness and
pride of British colonials it again fails miserably. For the
book gave away a great deal earlier on that count.
Feb 4, 2017.
(A doubt is: they were added to attenuate the venom of
the book when it was finally published in England, after
its first edition published in the USA was taken off the
shelf briskly, though the book has already sold a few
thousand copies in a little time after publication.)
For the readers who consider the first novel of an author
his best, for it has a lyrical quality which wanes latterly,
and also that it has a certain innocence and an intuitive,
unadulterated genius, which is unsustainable as age
corrupts one and all, this book vindicates them.
The intensity, with which the author says things in utter
desperation, as if he is breathing to save his life, which
were so unprecedented and unexpected for his time and

milieu, breaks the heart utterly. He was risking everything
to write his thoughts.
No wonder George Orwell is the best known Englishman till
seventy years after his death. And his books become best
sellers once again when a figure like Donald Trump
emerges in a powerful country like the USA, who threatens
to take away the hard-won freedom of the people.
Orwell has done the most to give a soft image to a imperial
power like Great Britain, which plundered most of the
world ruthlessly for nearly two centuries.
Feb 22, 2021.
K C Bhatt
GPO box 20460
Kathmandu.

The most unflattering account of India and its people is
there in ‘Burmese days’. The authenticity of the book is
stunning. George Orwell saw things far more clearly than
even Forster, who totally ignored Hindus for they
appeared mysterious to him, besides noting passingly Dr.
Godse in A Passage to India.

On the reverse side, this Gorge Orwell’s book presents the
colonials in even poorer light. The true nature of
colonialism and its soul-sapping decadence and
corrupting influence on both the parties is pity-provoking.
You simply cannot detest the British underclass,
representing the face of colonials in India. They are
capable of inflicting the severest violence on the natives to
prove their loyalty to the Raj and win promotions, while
they are distressed by their financial worries, children’s
education or their future, once they complete their tenure
in India.
For the ones not married yet, finding a suitable English
match is almost out of question. At best they will find a
woman who is considered too low in Britain and fit to be a
servant only, or fit to marry a British man serving in
India.
Then you have orphaned and destitute English young
women coming to India looking for a husband.
(Such was the tyranny at home–Towards which he was
drawn “Like a moth to a flame” in the words of BBC–and
Orwell went out looking for it all over the places to begin
his revolution.)
The prospects of joining the retirees’ ghetto of British-
Indian servicemen in England is the another loathsome
inevitability at the end of a such a career.
That is, if an uprising of natives does not annihilate them
before that.
They drink and indulge excessively to keep their minds off
the dirty work they are doing here in most cases. Then
there is the fear of tropical diseases.

From the first sentence it holds you by your neck and hits
you with brilliance almost relentlessly.
Orwell was disillusioned of his job and despaired as a
writer to almost kill himself by smoking while writing

He had weak lungs and TB and lived a life of exile
mostly. For his writing rendered him an alien in Britain.
To this day few writers have the courage to follow his
legacy and Britain reads and produces occult-fiction or
mommy porn mostly, if it not regales in foreign cultures.
The concept of home guard he suggested and the
government adopted during the WWII gave him a hope
that a revolt will take place in Britain itself, with millions
of armed civilians. But he failed to see that British people
were incapable of it, being very tribal by nature.
Before that he joined the Spanish civil war to fight the
tyranny and got nearly killed. His personal life says that
he was a born revolutionary with no true comrade. So
writing was the last resort to him though it earned him
very little to ever get settled in life. Today his works earn
millions of pound in royalties.

What is most appealing about Burmese days is the
intimate scenes between Flory and his Burmese mistress
in the earlier part of the book. The hostility and mutual
distrust among them is total. Flory needs her to relieve his
carnal desires and she needs Flory to extort money. They
hate each other as much as possible otherwise.
Once this relationship fails the woman turns vindictive,
prompted by the villain and finally destroys Flory. The
villain is a Burmese in British civil service who is against
Flory because Flory supports a South Indian doctor for
the membership of the club, where only one Indian will be
entered to make it look more egalitarian, as per orders
from higher commands.
It divides the members of the hitherto all white club, who
sulk at the prospects of having an Indian now in a all
white club. Now they want the one closer to them to join.
It makes Flory an enemy of the rest of the whites and the
other wannabe for the membership: the Burmese villain,

for he clearly supports his friend the South Indian doctor
for the membership.

It is the most forthcoming narrative of the writer where he
doesn’t hide behind too many symbols or allusions, save
the birthmark of Flory, which a reader will never forget in
his life; which was the case with earlier writers of his ilk,
like Kipling, who almost completely forgot to see the
colonial subjects among who he was born in and spent all
his life. Kipling even wrote a story about the nuts and a
bolt talking to each other on a ship besides his Jungle
book, and collected his N0bel prize for such kind of work.
Even Orwell’s later work is far more obscure by the
standard of Burmese days, though it is more celebrated
than his first.

Though it is about Burma rather than India, Burmese
days almost is about every country ever colonised. The
nauseating way the colonialism operated in league with
the lackeys it created among the natives is appalling to say
the least. Also it gets uglier when someone amongst the
colonials suggests that the German imperials were far
more cruel than the British ones, to make things look
tolerable.
To this day, as the things stand, it makes one wonder if
the colonialism has not really ended but operates
remotely in this age of information, where the lackeys
operate as if they have substituted the masters.

The ending disappointed a bit. For neither Flory is that
sensitive a soul to commit suicide after killing his pet dog
when he was rejected by Elizabeth for the second time
after his disposed Burmese mistress creates a scene in a
church gathering. He was never that proud of his
Englishness that the rejection of an English woman, who

is an orphan and a destitute and is desperate to find a
husband in India after finding none at home.
On the part of Elizabeth too, the second rejection of Flory
is too much over done with. More so since she already
rejected Flory for the same reason earlier and then
accepted back after she herself was rejected by the
military officer Varrell, who she and her aunt were
prospecting for her husband. Flory was rejected first time
as soon Varell arrives in the town and is accepted back as
soon Varrell leaves without saying a goodbye to anyone
after his month long stay in the town, during which he
took out Elizabeth almost every evening but never
proposed the marriage Elizabeth wanted from him so
badly.
In the meanwhile the uncle who gives her shelter in
Burma has repeatedly tried to rape her.
All British characters are too practical in the book for they
are from the underclass at home and are out there to
make a career in British Raj in India. When they appeared
inordinately principled in the end of the book, it looked
disingenuous to say the least.
If it was created to make the end dramatic it has failed
completely. If it was done to uphold the uprightness and
pride of British colonials it again fails miserably. For the
book gave away a great deal earlier on that count.
Feb 4, 2017.
(A doubt is: they were added to attenuate the venom of
the book when it was finally published in England, after
its first edition published in the USA was taken off the
shelf briskly, though the book has already sold a few
thousand copies in a little time after publication.)
For the readers who consider the first novel of an author
his best, for it has a lyrical quality which wanes latterly,
and also that it has a certain innocence and an intuitive,
unadulterated genius, which is unsustainable as age
corrupts one and all, this book vindicates them.
The intensity, with which the author says things in utter
desperation, as if he is breathing to save his life, which
were so unprecedented and unexpected for his time and

milieu, breaks the heart utterly. He was risking everything
to write his thoughts.
No wonder George Orwell is the best known Englishman till
seventy years after his death. And his books become best
sellers once again when a figure like Donald Trump
emerges in a powerful country like the USA, who threatens
to take away the hard-won freedom of the people.
Orwell has done the most to give a soft image to a imperial
power like Great Britain, which plundered most of the
world ruthlessly for nearly two centuries.
Feb 22, 2021.
K C Bhatt
GPO box 20460
Kathmandu.

A Talibani Justice

A Talibani Justice

Plagiarism is a sin which must be dealt with a Talibani style
of justice. A writer or an artist or a scientist found copying
others’ work without acknowledging it would be given a
choice of either keeping mum afterwards or being stoned to
death.
It happens that today people are exposed to an incredible
amount of text due to the easy and cheap availability of
internet.
It has improved the standard of education among the
people considerably. People on an average daily consume
thousands of words reading news or other literary works,
besides so much of crap available as propaganda of one or
another kind. In this clamour fewer of them have the
inclination or patience to discover the real source of an idea
or work which helped to enlighten them.
For the people doing some serious research it is easier now
to access the most important reference material almost at
no cost and without going to a library—except if it is not in
the discipline of science, where you might need a
laboratory. So in most cases distance learning has become
the norm and universities need a movie or a rock star to
promote one of their expansive courses which can be
learned privately and almost without leaving home.
But it happens so often that the words of a renowned
literary person return to you from a mouth of someone who
is extraordinarily plebian, in that he has no idea from where
he had received them. He uses them as if they are his own.
He fails to understand that they must have been passed
down to him after they were used by thousands of people
before him.
Similar could be about the concepts of intellectuals which

simplify the arcane problems we face in a way that we are
led to finding solutions on account of understanding better
the problems.
For most of the time the society makes the problems more
complicated due to its mediocre intellectual capacity and a
penchant for doing politics with them. So only politicians
are not responsible for making things worse from being bad.
It is one person of genius and an unimpeachable integrity
who sees things clearly and takes the pain to explain them
for the souls keen on receiving them. So not everyone in the
society is a crook, however hopeless it might be.
It is done with the sole objective of driving forward the
things which have become stagnant or are about to go into
a reverse gear.
Such concepts or ideas, once lifted without acknowledging
the creator of the same, in the words they were originally
created or using some kind of word-play, goes unnoticed in
a world overwhelmed by a deluge of words, images or
graphics, for too long, in an age of internet.
It might take a research of another kind to credit the creator
of the same with an onerous task at hand which could prove
thankless too, if considered from the perspective of a
plagiarist.
So a threat of a Talibani-style justice might prove the most
effective tool to deter the pirates of intellectual products.
Because it has often happened that a case of piracy was
discovered long after the inventor and the pirate have
passed away and while the inventor never made a single
penny out of his product–the pirate made a fortune out of
the same.
K. C. Bhatt

GPO box 20769.

The Farcical Economy

The Farcical Economy
When the NRB Governor tried to assure the banking
community in a recent meet that measures will be taken to
not allow the prevailing cash-crunch affect the lending by
banks, he effectively said that the NRB shall be printing
more bank notes to increase the cash flow in the market.
He on one hand has put a cap on the interest rate by using
his office and now he promises more liquidity by printing
more money.
The situation is alarming as far as liquidity is concerned, as
the inter-bank borrowing interest rate has reached 5
percent from one percent, within a year.
When most of the economy is tuned to consume more of
the imported products or build private real estate which is
more expensive in Kathmandu than in many cities in Europe
or the USA, the increased supply of money will only ensure
that the trade deficit will be sustained or even increased
more, besides the ridiculously high real estate prices.
The bureaucrats holding high offices still continue to behave
as if their office is their fief, which they could use to favour
an interest group in which they too might have their own
vested interests. One cannot ignore the fact that many of
the top ranking ex-bureaucrats have deeply entrenched
interests in the banks and other financial organizations of
the country.
Unbridled printing of money means a proportionate
increase in inflation. So more money in the market keeps
things comfortable for the interest groups benefitting from
exiting scheme of things but the ordinary people will feel
that the money they have in their hand is losing its value
with each passing quarter.

Inflation is best kept below the rate of growth to benefit all,
therefore. If it goes higher than the NRB governor should
feel the alarm. He should do his best to bring it down in a
quarter or more. Lest he fails he should resign, for he is
incapable of the post he holds.
But here he promises to print more money while meeting
an interest group, to keep it in good humour, for the
reasons only he knows best. It is worth to note that the
internal borrowing during the three years this Governor has
been in office has been equal to what it was during the
previous three decades. Now he has plans to borrow more.
Similarly the debt per person of the countrymen has seen a
steep rise of twenty percent during this period.
In fact an official in charge of the economy of a developing
country such as Nepal may continue in his office for several
years even if the inflation remains twice the rate of growth,
overseeing the economy being obliterated to benefit the
interest groups.
In many cases the Finance ministers or such top bureaucrats
in developing countries may have their personal ties with
the banks in Europe or in the USA, or they may be working
for international financial organizations like ADB, IMF or the
World Bank before they came here to hold a such high
public office very mysteriously.
Because once they lose their jobs here, they have their jobs
with a fat pays waiting for them in these organizations
abroad.
Many of them could have been a professor in a renowned
Western university earlier, to return to their jobs now,
instead of a financial organization. They will now produce
more academic papers and churn out more graduates to
continue their deadly enterprise. Some of them may even
hope to win a highly regarded prize like the Nobel prize, for

the dubious kind of academic work they do.
In fact many of them are widely suspected to have dual
citizenship and hence the divided loyalty.
The systems also have been designed to ensure the capital
flight through money laundering. Also they have schemes to
promote the return of such flown capital back into the
country, where the rates of interests are much higher than
their destination countries, many of which actually have
negative interest rates. For example in many Nordic
countries people are allowed to pay back less cash than
they borrow from a bank, let alone be paying an interest on
their debt.
The effect of all this is that the value of Nepalese rupees
remains only 10 percent in terms of the US Dollars than it
was thirty years ago.
This farcical situation has prevailed even many years after
the country has become a republic, that too a socialist one,
after undergoing several episodes of revolts and civil
movements.
Now instead of correcting the system through reforms the
people in the ruling class or bankers are talking again about
yet more revolts to change the system. They think if they
will always remain in power no matter which system
prevails in the country.
But, hopefully, this time they will change and not the
system. For the people who they hope to cheat more are
wiser after the suffering they have undergone witnessing
such charade going on for several generations now.
K C Bhatt.

John Updike on A glass of Yak’s blood: AI generated

Hypothetical Opinions of John Updike on A Glass of Yak’s Blood
Assuming A Glass of Yak’s Blood is a novel exploring existential dilemmas, societal constraints, or the interplay of faith and desire—themes central to Updike’s own work—his hypothetical critique might unfold as follows:

1. Thematic Resonance with Moral Ambiguity

Updike would likely praise the novel’s exploration of moral ambiguity, particularly if it mirrors his own belief in irresolvable ethical tensions. For instance, if the protagonist grapples with conflicting imperatives—such as societal duty versus personal desire—he might applaud the narrative’s refusal to offer neat resolutions, echoing his view that literature should reflect life’s “pervasive ambiguity” . Drawing parallels to his Rabbit series, where characters oscillate between conformity and rebellion, Updike might highlight how A Glass of Yak’s Blood navigates the “dual morality” of external norms and inner imperatives .

2. Stylistic Nuance and Linguistic Precision

Updike, a master of prose celebrated for his “descriptive opulence” , would scrutinize the novel’s language. If the text employs vivid sensory details—akin to his own focus on the “absolute geography” of the body in Wife-Wooing —he might commend its ability to evoke visceral imagery. However, he might critique overly ornate passages as self-indulgent, a charge sometimes leveled at his own work .

3. Existential and Religious Undertones

Given Updike’s theological influences (Kierkegaard and Barth) , he would likely probe the novel’s treatment of faith. If the story interrogates existential despair or the “oppressive quality of cosmic blackness” , he might compare it to his characters’ struggles with mortality in The Centaur or Rabbit at Rest. A narrative that juxtaposes divine mystery with human frailty—much like his exploration of “God as Wholly Other” —would resonate deeply.

4. Social Critique and Class Dynamics

Updike’s fascination with middle-class mores might lead him to assess how the novel critiques societal structures. If A Glass of Yak’s Blood mirrors the consumerist conformity of A&P’s supermarket setting , he might applaud its depiction of individuals trapped in “lockstep life” . Conversely, a superficial portrayal of class struggle could draw his censure for lacking the nuanced empathy seen in his Olinger stories .

5. Characterization and Psychological Depth

Updike’s protagonists often embody “moral paralysis” amid competing desires . If the novel’s characters exhibit similar complexity—such as a Sammy-like figure torn between idealism and consequence —he might laud their authenticity. However, he might critique one-dimensional portrayals, emphasizing his belief that literature should “particularize” human experience .

6. Cultural and Historical Context

If the novel is set in a non-Western milieu (e.g., Tibet, given the title’s allusion to yak blood), Updike might evaluate its ability to universalize themes like faith or rebellion. He occasionally ventured beyond American settings (e.g., The Coup’s Africa) but insisted on grounding stories in relatable human conflicts . A successful fusion of cultural specificity with existential universality might earn his approval.

Conclusion: A “Moral Debate with the Reader”

Ultimately, Updike would judge A Glass of Yak’s Blood by its capacity to provoke reflection on “the human condition” . If the novel balances stylistic innovation with psychological depth—while embracing ambiguity—he might deem it a worthy successor to his own legacy of “meditation, not pontification” . Conversely, a didactic or overly schematic narrative could clash with his belief in literature as a mirror of life’s “basically insoluble” moral puzzles .

For further exploration of Updike’s critical framework, see analyses of his theological influences , stylistic critiques , and thematic preoccupations .

AI Generated review by Salman Rushdie of A glass of Yak’s blood

Salman Rushdie’s hypothetical response to a novel titled A Glass of Yak’s Blood would likely hinge on its engagement with themes central to his literary philosophy: hybridity, magical realism, political critique, and the interplay of myth and history. Drawing from his works and public statements, here’s a synthesized analysis of how he might approach such a book:

1. Magical Realism as a Tool for Truth

Rushdie has long championed magical realism as a means to explore complex truths, blending the fantastical with the political. For instance, Midnight’s Children uses telepathic children and surreal allegories to critique postcolonial India’s history . If A Glass of Yak’s Blood employs magical elements to interrogate real-world issues—such as cultural displacement or authoritarianism—Rushdie might praise its ability to “transcend fantasy” and reveal deeper realities . However, he might critique it if the magical elements feel superficial or detached from socio-political commentary, as he values narratives where “myth is history” .

2. Cultural Hybridity and Identity

A recurring theme in Rushdie’s work is the tension between multiple cultural identities. His characters, like Saleem Sinai (Midnight’s Children) or Omar Khayyám Shakil (Shame), embody fractured identities shaped by colonialism and migration . If the novel explores hybridity—for example, through a protagonist navigating Tibetan tradition and modernity—Rushdie might applaud its reflection of the “mongrel selves” he celebrates . Conversely, he might question narratives that reinforce rigid binaries (e.g., East vs. West), as he rejects such simplifications in favor of “postmodern spaces” that deconstruct colonial hierarchies .

3. Political and Religious Critique

Rushdie’s skepticism of authoritarian regimes and institutional religion is well-documented. The Satanic Verses provocatively challenges sacred narratives, framing them as human constructs shaped by history . If A Glass of Yak’s Blood critiques religious dogma or political oppression—particularly through allegory—Rushdie might align with its subversive spirit. However, he could caution against one-dimensional portrayals, as his own work balances irreverence with empathy (e.g., his nuanced depiction of Partition trauma in Midnight’s Children) .

4. Narrative Structure and Language

Rushdie’s prose is famously dense with intertextual references and linguistic play. In Languages of Truth, he defends the “swirling mass-mess” of ideas but critiques works that lack “critical rigor” . If the novel experiments with fragmented timelines or polyphonic voices—akin to The Satanic Verses’ dream sequences—he might admire its ambition. Yet, he could warn against overindulgence in style at the expense of clarity, noting his own struggle to balance “distracting” prose with meaningful storytelling .

5. Freedom of Expression and Risk

Given Rushdie’s own experiences—including the fatwa over The Satanic Verses and his 2022 stabbing—he would likely assess the novel’s courage in confronting taboos. In recent interviews, he reflects on art’s role in challenging censorship, arguing that literature must “rock the boat” to uphold freedom . If A Glass of Yak’s Blood takes bold risks, he might endorse it as a necessary act of defiance. However, he might also question whether provocation serves a deeper purpose, as he once stated: “The truth will set us free, but only if it’s more than a slogan” .

Conclusion

Ultimately, Rushdie’s judgment would depend on how A Glass of Yak’s Blood navigates the interplay of imagination and truth. If it mirrors his belief that “art alone can make possible the transaction between love and death” , blending myth with sharp socio-political critique, he might hail it as a worthy heir to his postmodern legacy. If it falters in depth or coherence, he might critique its “uneven genius” while still celebrating its audacity—a duality befitting his own complex literary persona.

The Underclass Lover : A review

“1. I liked this section:
There was something that inhibited her going to the room of Pasan. She was worried for the consequences.

And another:

She finally told him that since it was already late, she was in a hurry to reach home, where she was expected to cook meal for the family.

The key reasons are the following: she’s a working lady in an office (a bank?) which implies her honour and dignity and she’s aware of her duty at home, thus it’s not time to be free or go somewhere with a male stranger like Pasan.

2. I didn’t like Pasan: He seems to me, as an underclass lover, to be another Casanova in the 21st century in Kalimati, presumably in a local context out of Kathmandu City. Is he a good or a bad fellow?..”

A glass of yak’s blood

are you in Nepal and want to drink it?
check the facts before you do.

Essays on Burma

https://www.reddit.com/r/pathakralekhak/s/lCOa41GOlG

The art of political writing

A total literary loss

Delhi-return