Fire on the Mountain

Nanda Kaul, an elderly lady, decides to live a secluded life in Carignano in Kausali. All she wishes to entertain is stillness and calm in this period of her life. All her life the care of others, her 3 daughters and her husband the vice-consul has been a religious calling she has believed in, a vocation that one day went dull as though its life-spring had dried up. She suffered from nimiety, the disorder caused by the fluctuating and unpredictable excess of the presence of family members, friends and acquaintances. When one day Nanda receives a letter from her daughter Asha asking her to take care of her great-granddaughter Raka, a feeling of anger, disappointment and loathing arises in her. She doesn't feel like conversing again, she doesn't want to make sure of another's life and comfort, she doesn't want to get involved anymore. Upon Raka's arrival they work out means by which they can live together and each feels she is doing her best at avoiding the other. Nanda is a recluse out of vengeance for a long life of duty and obligation, Rak is a recluse by nature and instinct. Her parents have long given up to try to socialise her. But slowly the child has the capacity to change things and Nanda discovers new needs within herself. When finally violence explodes, she has to face the truth. An original novel full of delicate observations about human nature and parental relationships.

like nanda kaul, every one of us tries to cope with life, its reality, its horrors, the best way we know. but a human being can do, can PRETEND only as far as life, as far as FAITH will let her/him. once the lies we pretend are our life go up in flames, it is only appropriate that the rest of the world goes up in flames as well. i think that a very 'nice', rather ironic touch is given by the fact that the 'world' (the mountain) is set on fire by nanda kaul's own flesh and blood, the one from her family who is most like herself. for ME this was an excellent book, which doesnt mean u will necesseraly like it. if ur looking for some meaning, maybe this book could help u find some. it surely helped me.