The Conquest of Kailash
Summary
Ali Akbar, a closeted gay man mourning the loss of his wife Helen—who has left to become a Buddhist nun—returns from California to India in his old age. At the Deer Park, where the Buddha delivered his first sermon, Ali discovers a flyer promising to teach him how to love again. After being assaulted at a parade led by a religious fundamentalist, Ali embarks on a journey from Benares to the icy peaks of Mount Kailash, inspired by the flyer’s promise.
During his travels, Ali confronts the relentless sexual abuse he endured in his childhood in India, his personal failures including his expulsion from Cambridge University, and the broken relationships with his wife Helen and their daughter Homa. As he navigates through a society marked by competing fundamentalisms and social collapse, Ali strives to seize his last chance at finding love, even if it turns out to be different from what he expected.
Introduction
‘The Conquest of Kailash’ by Inderjeet Mani is his second novel after his award-winning debut ‘Toxic Spirits’. ‘The Conquest of Kailash’, is a heartbreaking novel about a gay man, who faces cruelty, sexual abuse, and marginalization. It is also an interesting blend of the classical philosophies of Greece and India, introspection, and, a thorough travelogue. Mani’s novel takes readers on a journey that is both physical and spiritual, with underlying themes of destiny, human frailty, and the quest for true liberation from the vices of the world.
Plot
Ali Akbar is a closeted gay man married to a woman named Helen. His wife leaves him and his daughter to become a Buddhist nun. Missing his wife and feeling lonely, Ali Akbar returns India from California. At Deer Park, where Buddha gave his first sermon, Ali comes across a flyer promising to teach him how to find love again. After being assaulted outside the park during a parade led by religious fundamentalists, Ali decides to pursue the owner of the flyer. His journey takes him from Benares to the icy peaks of Mount Kailash. Along the way, he confronts the relentless sexual abuse he endured in his childhood in India, his failures including his expulsion from Cambridge University, his failed career aspirations, and his relationships with Helen and their daughter Homa. As he navigates through the competing fundamentalisms of an ever-changing society, Ali strives to seize his last chance at finding love — even if it turns out to be differently.
As Hans runs his fingers over his most sensitive spots, he feels this is what he has wanted
all these traumatic years. To lie in the arms of someone who is kind and wise,
who can teach him and hold him and guide him into the future.
Characters
The characters in ‘The Conquest of Kailash’ are richly drawn, each with distinct personalities and backstories that add depth to the story. Ali’s character is as formidable as is vulnerable, and readers will find solace and sympathy for him, rooting for him through his arduous journey in his quest for love and happiness. His life is laid bare one chapter at a time exposing his challenges and struggles at different stages of life. The other characters in the story are Helen and Homa. The characters are revealed through the emotional ups and downs in Akbar’s relationship, highlighting the fragile family bonds they survive. Helen although condescending at times, is a strong-willed independent woman who follows her own, and that quality sets her apart in their relationship. Between the two, Ali comes forth as a more compromising, caring, and conserved character; one readers will most certainly fall for. The characters drive the story impeccably with their raw portrayals typical of contemporary relationships.
Who he is – in terms of ideas or opinions or sexual preferences – matters not a whit to Homa.
All that matters is being there for her in person, a father standing by his child for life.
Settings
Akbar’s journey from Benares to the Kailash peaks becomes metamorphic in this story. He recalls his childhood traumas and failures, along with the stigma that was attached to his identity owing to his sexuality. The journey upwards through the mountainous terrains, icy and cold, challenging, becomes a crucial setting for the novel— mirroring Akbar’s inner struggles, dreams, and aspirations. Akbar’s queer identity plays a fundamental role in the plot, and that comes forth strongly with emotionally charged settings that the author carefully constructs, wittingly juxtaposed with the icy terrains. His complex emotions and the atmospheric surroundings complement each other, imparting readers a glimpse into his emotional and psychological turmoil, leaving the readers feeling for him deeply. Exotic locations with vivid descriptions have been explored by many, but not as incredibly as Mani.
To know that you are loved is one of the great comforts of life, but to be told that
while actually being abandoned by your life partner is an unbearable blow.
Language & Writing
One of the most striking things about this novel is the richness of the language that Mani uses to unravel his characters’ deepest emotions, traumas, and reconciliations. It’s poetic with melancholy dripping from every word promising to soak the reader right through to their soul. And even though the pace is a bit slow; Mani’s writing combines Ali’s journey with the larger themes of societal collapse and religious fundamentalism, dissecting profoundly human weaknesses, beliefs, and philosophies. The peeling off of the protagonist’s sexuality and its cultural complexities in a society that lacks understanding and sympathy is portrayed sensitively and authentically, and how it tugs at the heart! His experiences journeying from Banaras to Mount Kailash, are vividly described, in the simplest of vocabulary; albeit too wordy in places, and yet page after page one wants to devour every word. Readers will warm up to the book owing to its sympathetic discourse surrounding the softer themes like love, longing, and lost chances. The plot isn’t exactly novel but the beauty lies in the way it’s been written; so heartbreaking yet so satisfying and how!
In the garden, surrounded by lilacs and lemon trees and clouds and birdsong,
he has more breathing space.
Final Verdict
‘The Conquest of Kailash’ is a compelling tale that combines human emotions, search for identity, self-reconciliation, and travel experiences through a deeply introspective lens. The climax of the story will dazzle the readers yet! Although the book feels emotionally intense, the character development and plot will surely keep the readers hooked. The author’s skillful storytelling and evocative settings right from California to Banaras to Kailash, make this a much-interesting read. Mani has created an engaging piece of literature, one that would leave readers introspecting their own lives, choices, and relationships, but most importantly, leave them wondering about – How far would you go in the search of happiness?
Author Profile
Dr. Inderjeet Mani (X/Twitter: @InderjeetMani) is a former US professor and scientist. He has published two novels, nearly fifty shorter literary pieces, six other books, and a hundred-odd scientific papers. His thriller Toxic Spirits (now in its second edition) is based on his experiences volunteering with hill-tribes in Thailand’s Golden Triangle. His new novel The Conquest of Kailash is a story about cruelty and marginalization, and the struggle to find meaning in a world of mounting prejudice and false belief. Born in India and educated across four continents, he also studied creative writing at Penn (with Carlos Fuentes), at Bread Loaf (with Patricia Hampl), and at Harvard (with Paul Harding). His writing has been featured on LitHub and has been one of Story South’s Million Writers Award Notable Stories, and has won the Reader’s Choice Award, Glimmer Train Short Fiction Award, The Common Room Story of the Month award, and he has also been a Finalist for the Pan Literary Award and for the Katherine Anne Porter Prize. (Amazon)
Have you read ‘The Conquest of Kailash’? What did you think?
