Prajwal arrives home to release ‘Land Where I Flee”

“THIS DEBUT NOVEL IS MY LOVE LETTER TO GANGTOK AND THE NEPALI LANGUAGE”

GANGTOK, 20 Dec: Sikkimese author, Prajwal Parajuly, is in Gangtok for the Sikkim launch of his second book and first novel, “Land Where I Flee”. His debut work, ‘The Gurkha’s Daughter’, a collection of short stories, had released on 29 November last year.
A year on, his second book was officially launched in India on 03 December in New Delhi. The book will be launched here on Saturday at Rachna Books, Development Area.
Speaking to media persons today, Prajwal says, “It is fantastic to be back in Gangtok and have a weekend launch of my new novel at Rachna’s”. This is the Indian edition of the novel, the UK edition will be launched in February next year while the book is also set to be launched in Pakistan in June 2014. He informs that more than 10,000 copies of the 266-page book have been printed for the first edition.
“The book is about four siblings living in various parts of the world who come together in their home in Gangtok to celebrate the 84th birthday of their grandmother. The story is based on a Brahmin family where the 84th birthday of a grandparent is a very big occasion. The novel is a family drama in which secrets are revealed, enmities developed and delves on issues of class, caste, sexuality, gender and of keeping your ears and eyes open, all in all it is a full-fledged novel,” says Prajwal.
The book is set around the period between 2007 and 2011 which saw the revival of the Gorkhaland statehood and identity movement, just after Prashant Tamang won the Indian Idol and therefore Gorkhaland too is mentioned in the book, he adds.
Prajwal informs that the novel berates politicians who give false hope to people and fail to deliver on their promises.
“80% to 90% of the book takes place in Gangtok and is my love letter to Gangtok and the Nepali language. The book contains a lot of Nepali words, even though I can’t write very well in that language”, he shares.
On the use of Nepali words in his novel, Prajwal says, “If other authors can use French or Spanish words in their English novels why can’t I use Nepali in my work?”
When asked about other future projects, he stated that it would take some years now for him to write another book. “I don’t know when the next novel will come out, but yes it will definitely take some time now,” he added.