CK Khanal

Gaurika- Heroine of Crisis- is a revolutionary tale of love, sorrows and struggles of a typical Nepali family life. The author Chandra Kumar Phunyal, who has been writing on social issues in various newspapers and magazines, has recently got this first novel published by Himalayan Map House, Kathmandu. In its 136 pages, the novel depicts the intricacies of family values and contemporary social issues that shape our society.
The novel has also beautifully brought to light the hidden practices of illicit relationship, romance and love affairs of youths. Romance and love affairs between the main characters Gaurav, who is from a poor family in a remote village and Gaurika from a rich family in the same village who fall in love with Gaurav against the wish of her father, make the novel's story very engrossing and spicy.
Being crazy in one-sided love for Gaurav, Gaurika finally succeeds in winning Gaurav's heart and persuading her arrogant father to allow her in marrying Gaurav. Her selfless, true and innocent love for Gaurav makes the readers feel that true love will taste success at the end, regardless of caste, creed, religion and status. All obstacles and tides weaken and vanish spontaneously. Adding spice to the Gaurav-Gaurika affairs is  the scene of Gaurav's parents Krishna and Radhika's traditional romance and love affairs that consequently leads to their marriage when they were young has also made the novel interesting and colorful.  
The author presents artistically the traditional, cultural and religious  Bhajankirtan, Dhannach, Lakhenach and DhamiJhakri practiced in Nepal and portrays the mesmerising natural beauties of the major touristic spots where the characters in the novel reside or pay visit for various purposes,  making the novel more fascinating.
The novel throws light on the life of Nepali people in hilly villages especially the youths leaving homes for the Gulf countries for tough and risky jobs, their families facing troubles back home, the predicament of Nepali migrant workers both in Nepal and in foreign countries and some notable reparations and reunions in the end.  
Illustrating the dark facet of  foreign jobs which has growingly been tearing  the Nepali families asunder, the novel also touches on how the Gulf countries, especially UAE got progress so fast despite having its limited resources and why our country couldn't do even in having abundant of them.    
The typical family’s bond and responsibilities of the main character Gaurav and the tear-jerking sharing of the migrant-workers' troubles in host country through conversations are some of the heart-touching parts in the novel.
Like the majority of Nepali youths, Gaurav too follows the path of seeking fortune in the (Persian) Gulf leaving his old mother, lovely daughter and newly married wife after his business gets collapsed at home.  
And his journey onwards is further tragic and emotional that keeps the readers at the edge of the chair while going through the novel. Filled with family's love in heart and responsibilities in shoulder, how miserable and precarious situation Gaurav has to face while continuing his job in the host land to earn salary is the tearful scene that touches every readers' heart deep inside.
The novel has also depicted on how the sex-addicts in the society grow successful to entangle the beautiful ladies into their selfish-trap in the absence of their husbands and finally ruin their family relationship.  
Ajesh is presented as an antagonist in the novel who badly misguides Gaurika and makes her elope with him for quenching his sex-thirst.  The novel has also revealed on how the social media including messengers, viber and skype are misused to give rise to deformities and distortions of our societal values.  
Actually the scenes of the pathetic condition of Gaurika after Ajesh abandons her in an unknown city, the heart-breaking situation of Gaurav after he knows that his wife has eloped taking all that he earned, the young daughter Pooja's discovering Gaurika while her mother is going to commit suicide and Gaurav's welcoming the hoarse Gaurika again in the family are the tragic parts that tug the hearts of many readers.  
Even though Gaurav was born and raised in a remote village of Nepal, like a lotus amid dirty muds he blooms as a carrier of revolutionary ideas in a society gripped by poverty, ostentation, superstition and discrimination. His wife Gaurika, raising up from her demolition that led her to fall in coma in life,  turns all of her scars into stars. Her success in transforming the society into a progressive path is celebrated as her heroism.  
Phuyal has established Gaurika as a social reform engineer by speaking out against the Nepali society which always rejects a woman who has once lost her dignity. The author uses the right details to create a moving picture. The novel has also touched on the unbelievable hardships faced by Nepalis during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
However, it would have been more interesting if the author had used more descriptions and backgrounds in the love and romance scenes. Even though Gaurav is portrayed as a hero throughout the novel, Gaurika is given entire credit that is also reflected in the novel's title, which makes the readers feel that writer is unfair and biased toward hero. The author appears more sympathetic  towards her female character.  
Nevertheless, as the book is enriched with life’s ups and downs- love, romance, union, divorce, re-union, struggles, success, failure, sorrows and happiness- it is a perfect creation for all the ranks of readership, especially to the youths.  
Its simple yet artistic language and a sufficiently engaging plot make the novel an absolute page-turner. I simply loved the book that touched my soul and tugged my heart. I cannot wait for the upcoming books from the author.