The Inheritance of Loss

Noni concedes with the insurgents’ viewpoint while Lola dismisses it, foretelling atrocities and no real change on the horizon. Sai sits at Mon Ami with Mustafa the cat in her lap, distracted by thoughts of Gyan, as Lola continues, criticizing Prime Minister Nehru for declaring a seemingly endless number of states within India. She complains that the Nepali have demanded statehood before and assume they can play the same “dirty trick“ again.

Noni says that the Nepali have faced much persecution and displacement, and she suggests that Nepali be taught in the schools of Kalimpong. Lola rejects the idea because it might further inspire Nepali separatism. Mrs. Sen arrives, and the sisters draw her into the conversation. They critique the British’s poor border-drawing around Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

Mrs. Sen brings up Pakistan, and Lola continues that “[i]t’s an issue of a porous border” (144) between Nepal and India that brings so much conflict. Mrs. Sen comments on the hypocritical lifestyles of Muslims. Lola says the Muslims are not a threat to them as the Nepali are. After another of Mrs. Sen’s comments about the constant multiplying of Muslims, Lola says her words are off-topic.