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Contents

Borderless, May 2024

Painting by Sohana Manzoor

Editorial

Though I Sang in my Chains like the Sea… Click here to read

Translations

Three poems by Nazrul have been translated by Niaz Zaman from Bengali. Click here to read.

Projapoti (Butterfly) by Nazrul has been translated by Fakrul Alam from Bengali. Click here to read.

Human by Manzur Bismil has been translated by Fazal Baloch from Balochi. Click here to read.

Now, What I Can Do by Ihlwha Choi has been translated from Korean by the poet himself. Click here to read.

Chhora or Rhymes by Tagore has been translated from Bengali by Mitali Chakravarty. Click here to read.

Poetry

Click on the names to read the poems

Michael Burch, Kirpal Singh, Ryan Quinn Flanagan, Shamik Banerjee, Stuart McFarlane, Mary Tina Shamli Pillay, George Freek, Radhika Soni, Craig Kirchner, Tapas Sarkar, Stephen Philip Druce, Anjali Chauhan, Michael Lee Johnson, Milan Mondal, Rhys Hughes

Poets, Poetry & Rhys Hughes

In Dylan on Worm’s Head, Rhys Hughes describes a misadventure that the Welsh poet had while hiking as a tribute to him on Dylan Thomas Day. Click here to read.

Musings/Slices from Life

Hooked for Life and Beyond…

Ravi Shankar looks at the computer revolution in a light vein. Click here to read.

Sundays are Only for Some…

Snigdha Agrawal introduces us to the perspectives of a child of parents who iron clothes for the middle class in India. Click here to read.

Eternalising the Beauty of Balochistan

Munaj Gul gives an in memoriam for a photographer from Balochistan. Click here to read.

Musings of a Copywriter

In Is this a Dagger I See…?, Devraj Singh Kalsi gives a tongue-in-cheek account of a writer’s dilemma. Click here to read.

Notes from Japan

In A Golden Memory of Green Day in Japan, Suzanne Kamata tells us of a festival where she planted a tree in the presence of the Japanese royalty. Click here to read.

Essays

When the Feminist and the Revolutionary Met

Niaz Zaman writes of the feminist leanings of Nazrul’s poetry in context of Madam Roquiah, a contemporary of the poet. Click here to read.

Metaphorical Maladies

Satyarth Pandita looks into literature around maladies. Click here to read.

The Storied Past of Khiva

Gita Viswanath takes us to the heritage city in Uzbekistan. Click here to read.

Akbar Barakzai: A Timeless Poet

Hazaran Rahim Dad explores the universal poetry of Akbar Barakzai. Click here to read.

Stories

Don Quixote’s Paradise

Farouk Gulsara takes us through a dystopian adventure. Click here to read.

The Buyback

Devraj Singh Kalsi gives a tale of reconnecting with the past. Click here to read.

Pier Paolo’s Idyll

Paul Mirabile traces a story of a young boy in the outskirts of Rome. Click here to read.

Conversations

Ratnottama Sengupta in conversation with Sohini Roychowdhury, who tries to bridge cultures with dance. Click here to read.

A brief overview of Rajat Chaudhuri’s Spellcasters and a discussion with the author on his book. Click here to read.

Book Excerpts

An excerpt from Selected Essays: Kazi Nazrul Islam, translated by Radha Chakravarty from Bengali. Click here to read.

An excerpt from Aruna Chakravarti’s Jorsanko. Click here to read.

Book Reviews

Somdatta Mandal reviews Radha Chakravarty’s translation of Selected Essays: Kazi Nazrul Islam. Click here to read.

Malashri Lal reviews Lakshmi Kannan’s Nadistuti: Poems. Click here to read.

Ajanta Paul reviews Bitan Chakraborty’s The Blight and Seven Short Stories. Click here to read.

Bhaskar Parichha reviews Will Cockrell’s Everest, Inc. The Renegades and Rogues who Built an Industry at the Top of the World. Click here to read.

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Click here to access the Borderless anthology, Monalisa No Longer Smiles

Click here to access Monalisa No Longer Smiles on Amazon International

Categories
Review

Contemporary Everest Industry as seen by an Explorer

Book review by Bhaskar Parichha

Title: Everest, Inc.The Renegades and Rogues who Built an Industry at the Top of the World 

Author: Will Cockrell

Publisher: Gallery Books/ Simon & Schuster India

This book delves into a unique topic with a unique approach. Will Cockrell’s Everest Inc. The Renegades and Rogues who Built an Industry at the Top of the World explores the intersection of democratisation and commercialisation in the realm of high adventure. Through meticulous research, Cockrell presents a dynamic narrative of the evolution of guided climbing on Mount Everest. The narrative captures the shift of the mountain from a challenging climb to a lucrative business venture. From the pioneering expedition of Hillary and Norgay in 1953, Cockrell traces the journey of various individuals who played a role in making the summit more accessible and profitable.

Cockrell, an award-winning writer and journalist, skillfully delves into the captivating world of mountain climbing. With meticulous research and interviews with guides, sherpas, amateur climbers, and even Hollywood figures, he unveils the fascinating story that led to the rise of this industry. These entrepreneurial adventurers, who once catered to affluent clients, have now become an indispensable part of the lucrative adventure economy, revolutionising our perception of mountain climbing and the majestic peaks themselves. Despite the unfortunate tragedies and the excessive commercialisation that have plagued the mountain in recent years, Cockrell’s narrative remains an inspiring and uplifting tale.

This comprehensive adventure history delves into the world of guided climbing on Mount Everest, featuring exclusive interviews with renowned mountain guides and climbers such as Jimmy Chin and Conrad Anker. It serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of overexposure while also celebrating the enduring allure of this ultimate terrestrial adventure.

Says the blurb: “Anyone who has read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air or has seen a recent photo of climbers standing in line to get to the top of Everest may think they have the mountain pretty well figured out. It’s an extreme landscape where bad weather and incredible altitude can occasionally kill, but more so an overcrowded, trashed-out recreation destination where rich clients pad their egos—and social media feeds—while exploiting local Sherpas.”

“There’s some truth to these clichés, but they’re a sliver of the story. Unlike any book to date, Everest, Inc. gets to the heart of the mountain through the definitive story of its greatest invention: the Himalayan guiding industry. It all began in the 1980s with a few boot-strapping entrepreneurs who paired raw courage and naked ambition with a new style of expedition planning. Many of them are still living and climbing today, and as a result of their astonishing success, ninety percent of the people now on Everest are clients or employees of guided expeditions.”

The book glances at the lives of early guides, victories and setbacks experienced during the industry’s growth, and diverse opinions on the evolution of the guiding industry on Everest. Cockrell interviews prominent figures in the Everest guiding community — ranging from Conrad Anker to the late David Breashears, as well as climbing legends like filmmaker, Jimmy Chin, and outdoor industry leader, Yvonne Chouinard.

Filled with firsthand accounts from over a hundred western and sherpas, clients, writers, filmmakers, and even a Hollywood actor, Everest, Inc. places emphasis on the perspectives of those who have shaped the mountain’s current state. While it delves into the gripping tales of triumph and tragedy spanning the past four decades, it goes beyond clichés and presents an inspiring alternate narrative about the dedicated individuals who have fulfilled the aspirations of others, as well as the Nepalis who are propelling the industry forward.

Despite the constant media exposure on Mount Everest, there has been a lack of comprehensive documentation regarding its recent turbulent existence. Will Cockrell discusses this gap exhaustively with research and interviews to by present a multifaceted perspective that pays tribute to various viewpoints, particularly those of the sherpas who consider the Himalayas their homeland.

Everest, Inc. is essential read for anyone considering attempting the world’s highest peak or for those interested in understanding the intricate workings of the contemporary Everest industry.

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Bhaskar Parichha is a journalist and author of UnbiasedNo Strings Attached: Writings on Odisha and Biju Patnaik – A Political Biography. He lives in Bhubaneswar and writes bilingually. Besides writing for newspapers, he also reviews books on various media platforms.

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Click here to access the Borderless anthology, Monalisa No Longer Smiles

Click here to access Monalisa No Longer Smiles on Amazon International