Book Review: A Pardesi in Paradise by Govinda Rizal – A Journey Through Resilience and Identity

Isha Dhakal
Ohio, America

A Pardesi in Paradise by Govinda Rizal is an extremely informative book set against the backdrop of Bhutan and a refugee camp in Nepal. Throughout the book, readers gain insight into life in Bhutan before and after the implementation of the “One Nation, One People” policy through the eyes of Govinda Rizal. This was particularly eye-opening for me as I am a child of parents who lived a very similar life due to this policy. While I understood the tragedies that occurred as a result of the government’s actions and the events leading up to them, I was previously uneducated about the perspective of those directly experiencing these circumstances. This book broadened my understanding of the many viewpoints people have on the journey from having a country to call home to becoming stateless.

Dr. Govinda Rizal’s narration is captivating, drawing in many readers with his phenomenal depiction of events. However, I personally prefer to connect emotionally with the protagonist in any book I read, and A Pardesi in Paradise did not facilitate a strong connection with the author. In my opinion, the writing style felt as though he was merely listing events one after another without truly conveying his emotions. Of course, I recognized the wrongdoings of the Bhutanese government, influenced perhaps by my prior knowledge and being a child of those who experienced these traumatic events. Despite this, I felt empathetic toward Dr. Rizal’s story. I recommend that potential readers research or read about Bhutan’s policy and its impact on its former citizens before diving into this book to gain a fuller understanding of the context, as the narrative is from the perspective of one individual. Nonetheless, Dr. Rizal’s storytelling is phenomenal, particularly in how he captures his journey.

“I was not born ‘a refugee’. For the first two decades of my life, I had a country to love and be proud of.” This quote, like many others in the book, resonates deeply with the community. My parents, former refugees themselves, found this quote particularly powerful. It was one of the moments in the book that genuinely conveyed the author’s emotions. As a child of a refugee, I cannot claim to have undergone this experience myself, but reading this quote felt like stepping through a door to understanding what my parents and many others endured. This is one of the strengths of this book: the power to vividly and compellingly portray such scenes.

Another strength of the book is its pace. Although over 400 pages, it does not repeat facts or events unless necessary for understanding. The narrative progresses event by event, making it easy to grasp what is happening now and what happened previously. It’s also memorable that Dr. Rizal includes his journey to Japan and why he went there, along with some of the experiences he had in Japan. This was notable to me because I had never heard of anyone from my community going to a foreign country both to share his experience and to study.

One aspect of the book that can be confusing is the use of names. The book has a tendency to introduce names that aren’t prevalent throughout the entire story. For example, on page 161, an entire paragraph is dedicated to names. While I understand the need to recognize these individuals, for me personally, it was difficult to keep track of these names. They certainly had an impact, but their frequent introduction was somewhat confusing.

I really appreciated how Dr. Govinda Rizal did not shy away from discussing the nightmares that the refugees went through. Many people prefer not to relive these traumatic times by speaking about them, but I believe my generation greatly values those who are open about these issues. Discussing these matters exposes the real and raw reality of the situation. It shows us how brutally our parents and loved ones were treated because of their culture and religion. While my generation—the children of refugees—may never fully understand what happened, thanks to authors like Dr Rizal, who is not afraid to recount the horrific things they endured, we can begin to grasp the distressing circumstances they overcame.

Overall, A Pardesi in Paradise by Dr. Rizal is a remarkable and highly educational book. It takes readers through the journey of an individual navigating the traumatic events before and after the enforcement of the One Nation, One People policy by the Bhutanese government. This book has been extremely helpful in helping me understand the struggles that my parents and other loved ones endured. It is particularly beneficial for children of refugees, helping us comprehend the traumatic events our parents and loved ones faced.