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I have three copies of ‘The Palace of Illusions’ by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni on my bookshelf. Every time someone borrowed my copy of the book, I bought another one because I would want to read it again and it wouldn’t have been returned. Now that all the borrowed books have made their way back to me, I have multiple copies. But I don’t mind it at all. I like looking at the forest-green spines with yellow letters and because there are three of them, it stands out.

I recently gave away quite a few books but I didn’t want to give away a single copy of The Palace of Illusions because I know I will eventually recommend it to someone and they will want to borrow it. It’s a book that brings back happy memories as I grew up watching Mahabharat on TV.  This is Panchaali’s Mahabharat. Narrated by Draupadi, the wife of the Pandava brothers, The Palace of Illusions gives a woman’s perspective on an epic that has largely been shown through the eyes of men.

Mahabharat focuses on the Pandava brothers and how they grew up. Divakaruni’s version tells us about Panchali—her birth, upbringing, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, and her secret attraction to her husband’s most dangerous enemy. Some conversations and stories would perhaps not have seen the light of day hadn’t it been for this reimaging. There are a lot of important events of the Mahabharat in the book but it’s the quieter moments, of introspection and affection, that stand out. The peaceful years after marriage, and moments after the battle of Kurukshetra shine light on the essence of life. It makes for an insightful read.

Most of us have watched or read some version of the Mahabharat. But the story will still enchant you as you will see a completely different side to it. You will also come to view Karna, whom we know as Arjuna’s archnemesis, in a renewed light. One of my friends said The Palace of Illusions did what her parents couldn’t during her childhood. It got her interested in Mahabharat. And the book is indeed fascinating. It’s a fresh take on an ancient tale. You get to know the women much more intimately than you do in the original epic. Here, the women are the heroes. And you couldn’t cheer for them any louder if you tried.

Mythology

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1774836.The_Palace_of_Illusions 

The Palace of Illusions

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Published: 2008

Publisher: Picador

Pages: 360, Paperback

The Government of China has pledged USD 490,000 to the WTO's Least-Developed Countries (LDCs) and Accessions Programme (also known as the China Programme). The China Programme — initiated in July 2011 under the WTO’s Aid for Trade initiative — aims to enable LDCs to better integrate into the global economy by strengthening their participation in WTO activities and helping those not yet members join the organization.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao signed the renewal of the Programme's Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the eve of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13) to be held in Abu Dhabi on 26-29 February. 

The Government of China and the WTO review the contents and consider the extension of the MoU on an annual basis. The China Programme provides financing to support:

• WTO accessions internships
• WTO accessions round table meetings
• LDCs' participation in WTO meetings
• South-South Dialogue on LDCs and Development
• LDCs' Trade Policy Review follow-up workshops 
• LDCs' Experience Sharing Programme 

This has also contributed to facilitating the participation of LDC delegations in WTO ministerial conferences. 

More information can be found here.

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said: "I welcome this new contribution by China, which will contribute to facilitating the accession of LDCs to the WTO and to supporting their participation in the global economy. This important contribution once again demonstrates China's consistent  commitment to the objective of promoting LDCs' development and trade integration, as well as its solid support for the Aid for Trade initiative of the WTO." 

Minister Wang said: "Empathizing with the acceding countries, China has been taking every solid step possible to help the countries in need. The China Programme, initiated in 2011, funds internships and LDCs' participation in WTO sessions and holds activities, such as Trade Policy Review (TPR) follow-up workshops and South-South dialogues, to help LDCs and developing members prepare a talent pool familiar with WTO rules, strengthen policy coordination, and better integrate into the multilateral trading system. In the past dozen or so years, the China Programme has achieved a lot, helping eight LDCs join the WTO."

Since 2008, China has contributed US$ 8.89 million to assist developing members and observers, especially LDCs, to integrate into the multilateral trading system.

Renowned in Nepali literature as Pradip Rodan, ghazal artist Pradip Pandey, 37,  originally from Gorkha, has written several famous ghazals, such as ‘Bhagawan Tapaile Aaja Samma Malai Ruwaunu Bhayo’, ‘Pithunma Dhap’, ‘Aafnai Nam ra Thar Ta Chhutiyera Baseko Chha’ and many more. In 2016, he received the ‘Lokpriya Ghazalkar Award’, followed by the ‘District Youth Literature Award’ two years later. In 2023, he was awarded the ‘Nagar Sahitya Samman-Gorkha’ and the ‘Uttam Best Poetry Award’ for his ghazal collection ‘Muffler’. In addition to his writing endeavors, Rodan teaches at Dharmodaya Secondary School in his hometown. Babita Shrestha from ApEx spoke to Rodan about his journey as a ghazal writer.

What drew you to ghazals?

I had no knowledge of ghazals until I was 30 years old. In 2003, I started teaching but I wasn’t satisfied with what I was doing. After four years, I ran a radio program for six years. But it didn’t fulfill me either. Later, I attended a program in Abu Khaireni and  I came across Ramesh Bhatta Sadhu’s ghazal. He graciously offered to help me perform ghazals. I used to sing lok dohori in the village so I gave it a shot. In 2016, one of the institutions dedicated to promoting ghazals, hosted a competition and I submitted a ghazal. It got selected among the top 12, earning me an award. The sight of the award motivated me to write more and eventually, ghazals became the purpose of my life. 

How do you approach ghazal-writing and choose the themes for it?

Things around me trigger me to write. For me, it’s not just about writing a ghazal but also expressing how I perceive things. Maybe because I grew up in a rural place, the surroundings inspire me, and I channel the imagery and emotions into my ghazals. In my work, I use simple words so that everyone can understand the emotion behind them. Mostly I write on the themes that revolve around the reality of society, the essence of life, and the inevitable sorrows. I don’t think too much when I write. I try not to rationalize my feelings. 

What do you enjoy the most about being a ghazal artist? 

The most enjoyable aspect is when I feel capable of capturing the essence and originality of life that transcends time. During recitations, I enjoy being able to captivate the audience with the intensity of emotions. I remember the time I performed for the first time at Gorkha bazaar when I presented some of my early ghazals like ‘Payena Bhaney Maya Manako’ and a few others. It was such a memorable experience. People were whistling, applauding, and appreciating my performance. I have to admit that the best part about being a performing artist is the love and appreciation you get from the audience. It is what sustains me and fuels me to write.

Can you tell us a little about the collection you’ve just launched? What was the inspiration behind it?

I have more than half a dozen collections that I have co-authored such as ‘Indreni’, ‘Akchyar Haruko Pyramid’, ‘Ek Kadam’ and many more but recently, I have authored my own ghazal collection called ‘Muffler’. ‘Bango Kadh ma Chadera Chora Hurkiyo’ is one of my favorites. It was inspired by my grandfather and was written on the day of his demise. Before he passed away, he put his arm around his son. He had always been strong and self-reliant. This scene shook me and I wrote about the incident in the ghazal. Another one ‘Chora Mareko Khabar Aama lai Nasunaidinus’ is based on a relative from my hometown who cries for her dead son even after three decades of his passing. Overall, the book is crafted with insights into the realities of life and stems from my observations and experiences, particularly in the face of increasing materialism and harsh traditions. 

How can one get into ghazal writing?

Ghazal writing isn’t easy. It requires focus, a sort of devotion, if I might say so, and perseverance. You have to be a student of life as it can teach you a lot, but you also need to learn from the works of other ghazal writers. Life, I believe, is a delicate equilibrium between joy and sorrow, action and consequence. When I write, I want to maintain harmony which is why I consciously keep my thoughts and emotions attuned to the rhythmic flow. I find comfort in expressing emotion through simple yet heartfelt words, sometimes humming them to match the tune. You have to find and develop your style. 

Diclofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug commonly used in veterinary medicine, has been linked to vulture population declines in South Asia. When a vulture ingests this drug, it causes renal failure and results in the scavenger’s death. As the population of the natural cleansers of the carcasses declines, carcasses are left in the environment to rot, spreading various infectious pathogens to humans and animals in their close periphery population, posing a big threat to public health. 

Nepal is home to nine species of vultures, eight of which are either threatened or near threatened. 

The country was home to almost a million vultures until the 1980s. But due to a massive use of diclofenac sodium in livestock since the 1990s and its residual effect on carcasses of the dead animals, which is the feed source for vultures, the population of vulture had been declining massively, with almost 91 percent of the vulture population lost by the year 2001. 

Out of the nine species found in Nepal, four species, namely slender-billed vulture (G tenuirostris), white-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Indian vulture (G indicus), and red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) are now critically endangered.

This dwindling population of vultures has raised concern among conservationists and several initiatives are in progress to arrest this decline. This includes the government’s decision to ban the production, import, sale and use of diclofenac in animals since 2006. 

Despite this ban, it took 17 years to declare Nepal diclofenac-free, which, nonetheless, is a commendable step in the field of vulture conservation and protection of ecological crises resulting from declining vulture populations.

Against this backdrop, a complete phase-out of diclofenac became possible through collaborative efforts of stakeholders like government agencies, veterinary professionals, pharmaceuticals and vulture conservation groups including Bird Conservation Nepal. 

The use of vulture safe anti-inflammatory drugs such as the Meloxicam Sodium and Tolfenamic Acid, public awareness campaigns and regulatory measures of the government have played a significant role in making Nepal diclofenac-free. 

Summing up, other nations dealing with similar problems, especially South Asian countries, can learn a lot from Nepal’s experience on how to work collaboratively on the protection of endangered species and ecological well-being. The involvement of various stakeholders with a collaborative approach and use of safe drugs should be the top priority of any nation as they seek to mitigate the impact of diclofenac on vulture population and maintain a healthy ecosystem and biodiversity.

The author is a veterinary officer at the Department of Livestock Services