All Roads Lead North

-A review by Ujwal Niraula

Amish Raj Mulmi, the author of “All Roads Lead North”, is a name I had not previously heard of.
So when tasked upon reviewing a book written by him, I was both skeptical and full of intrigue. 
Mulmi is a writer, journalist, analyst and his writings have been published in various journals and
magazines. Nevertheless, “All Roads Lead North” is his first book. As the subject of international
relations and diplomacy has always fascinated me, I was more than stirred to read the book
dedicated to explaining the nuances of Nepal’s relationship with its neighbour and a global
powerhouse, China. I have to say Mulmi kicks it out of the park with his very first book. 

All Roads Lead North is the long view on Nepal’s foreign relations, as well as the story of China
as a global power in the twenty-first century. Mention of diverse accounts and notions on Nepal-
China relations from already written texts coupled with first hand experiences of Tibetan guerilla
fighters, trans-Himalayan traders and half-Tibetan offsprings of ‘Lhasa Newars’, this book
examines and explains histories that tie remote Himalayan communities to each other and shed
light in the existing implications of growing connections between the two nations. Part historical
study, part journalistic account and most of it rigorously researched, Mulmi’s account of a
country caught between two neighbouring giants is thoroughly compelling. 

The book is divided into three parts; Borderlands, In The Shadow of Empires and Status
Update. In the first part, consisting of four chapters, the ancient history of trade between Nepal
and Tibet and many strings attached to it has been put forth. The modern realities of northern
districts of Nepal bordering China and the local people’s reliance on the latter rather than the
former for survival have been discussed in the second chapter. The situation of border
demarcation and changing of the ease or the difficulty in navigating the border to get to Tibet via
Nepal and vice-versa has been analysed in the penultimate chapter of the first part. Finally, the
history of wars or hostile exchanges between Nepal and Tibet along with the causes leading to
them and their implications has been brought up in the final chapter of the first part. 

The second part deals with the political intricacies (both historic and modern) between the two
nations shedding light especially on the role of China in the upsurge of communism in Nepal.
The second chapter of this part focuses on the ever present case of Tibetan Exiles in Nepal and
their hardship. The complex relations between Nepal, China and India and Nepal’s attempt of
balancing the connections with these two fastest growing economies of the globe has been
talked upon with fairly detailed analysis in the final chapter of this part. The final part of the book
deals with rather modern state of affairs and states how China, previously just a card Nepal
could play to break the shackles imposed by over dependence on India has now evolved into a
friendly neighbour and bilateral ties with which might be the quickest path to development for a
developing nation like Nepal.

In the introduction of the book, Mulmi writes, “This book is an attempt to establish the many
ways in which China has shaped, and continues to shape, Nepali lives.” Mulmi has done full
justice to this notion. With first hand experiences of Nepalese people, whether it be Pragya
Ratna Tuladhar’s memories of life as trader in Tibet in mid twentieth century or it be Ramesh
Bishwokarma (San-Dai) and his life as an entrepreneur in Thamel, the modern tourist capital
within the capital, Mulmi has managed to give brilliant insights into the narrative China and its
influence on Nepalese lives over the years. Mulmi also states the desire to break free of
nationalist tellings of histories to bring light to a people's perspective and no doubt he manages
to do so. Whether it be the realities of people in Limi valley who were by and large ignored by
the Nepal state in dire times turning to Tibet for their survival or just by quoting locals casual
remarks such as Pasang’s, a character in one of the chapters, commenting “Why can’t Nepal
build something like that too?” Mulmi puts forth an unadulterated people’s view of Nepal, China
and all the intricacies in the relationship of the two.

Mulmi is a researcher and a journalist too, and it is portrayed in his writing. The book is not just
all about people’s view and Mulmi’s own narratives, he cites different historical accounts, throws
in factual figures whether it be related to trade or the numbers of Chinese tourists visiting Nepal
in different years. His research is thorough and backed up by facts which always helps when
you are reading non-fictions. 

The theme of the book as I understood is predominantly how China’s influence in Nepalese
large political scheme or day to day life of a commoner in Nepal is ever increasing and
strengthening of ties with China to benefit and to realize this vision of growth and vision of a
developed future is the best chance Nepal has in terms of its foreign policy and diplomacy.
Mulmi’s examples of ‘Timal’ village and change in its agricultural culture mostly for the benefit of
local people, how Chinese tourist and their spending contributes to the bulk of the revenue from
the Tourism industry in Nepal, how trans-himalayan people sustain life in difficult terrain by
finding work in Tibet or whether it be modern day entrepreneurs like ‘San-dai’, all these
examples totally support the narrative Mulmi is trying to put forth. 

While my hymns of praise for Mulmi and his book is warranted, the book, I believe also leaves
you desiring for more in some respects. For instance, the experiences of people or ground
realities of the local area is all from places that are either north and bordering China or the major
well developed cities of Nepal. What about the views of the people from the southern parts of
Nepal regarding the neighbour to the north? Or perhaps, people’s perspective of the plains
which is much closer to India and whether they truly believe the reliance of Nepal is really
shifting more towards China at the expense of India. Those views and narrative would have
further strengthened Mulmi’s attempt to shed light upon all the nuances and intricacies of Nepal,
China and India relations and the rhetoric of ‘yam between the two boulders’.

Nevertheless, the book does a praiseworthy job of explaining and examining the ever growing
relations between China and Nepal also talking about China’s growing ambitions both globally
and in South Asia and the global image it is trying to portray. As Mulmi states in the book’s final
chapter, ‘The road to the north has been built’ inferring the Nepalese bilateral ties with China
which is at its peak after the unofficial blockade imposed by India on Nepal. China can act as a
brother and a model of development for Nepal and Nepal, no doubt, should be working out all
the angles to benefit from this relation. Thus, I believe the title of the book, ‘All Roads Lead
North’ holds true and it is a must-read.