#455 - Caravan to Tibet

by Deepa Agarwal and illustrated by Manobhiram Chakravarti

“Caravan to Tibet” by Deepa Agarwal and illustrated by Manobhiram Chakravarti. Published by Penguin. An engrossing story of a fourteen year old’s desperate journey to a forbidden land in the quest for his father who got lost there in a blizzard.

This historical fiction book is set in the late nineteenth century. 1892 to be precise. Fourteen year old Debu lived in the village of Milam in Garhwal on the Indo-Tibet border. He was from the nomadic Shauka community who travelled with their herds spending their winters in the lower reaches of Quithi and spring in Munsiari. The story starts off with Debu and his younger brother Hayat trying to sell the rugs woven by their mother in the market. Debu is desperate to make a good earning as they have been struggling to keep the house running ever since his father Dharma was lost the previous year during his annual trip to Tibet for trading in a snow blizzard on their way back. Though most people presumed that he was dead, Debu felt that his Baujyu (father) was alive and would come back. He was being pestered by cousin Trilok who happened to be their closest male relative to return him money which he said that he had lent to Debu’s father. But Trilok was an unreliable and untrustworthy character. If his father did not return within the next three months, the village Boorah would declare him officially dead since it would be a year gone by and his mother would have to marry cousin Trilok which would be horrible.

Debu decided to try and accompany the caravan that was leaving from their village  this time around to Tibet. He had to find his father at any cost and bring him back. The journey was going to be a difficult one. He manages to convince everyone to let him go with the caravan determined to succeed in his mission. Adventures start following him at every other step. He is forced to stay in a monastery as the head lama, who is a mere child, takes a liking to him. When he tries to escape, he ends up being captured by a notorious and even more strange bandit Nangbo who is believed to have magical powers. He even makes it to the legendary gold fields of Thok Jalong. As if all these unexpected occurrences aren’t enough, he finds himself participating in a breathtaking and heart pounding horse race which was popular in Gartok. Does Debu find his father at all? Will the ordeals faced be worth it? Does he win the horse race? Read the book to go on a whirlwind of an extraordinary journey full of twists and turns which is going to be memorable for a long time for sure.

The book had been on our wish list for quite some time when I finally bought it as one of the birthday gift books for my son’s ninth birthday. The action packed plot with its twists and turns kept us on the edge of our seats as we read it. We couldn’t even expect what would happen next! Debu’s journey to the exotic land itself seemed shrouded in a thick air of mystery. His undaunted attempts to escape each time he was caught were a testimony to his inner strength and determination. We kept hoping that he succeeded every time he faced an obstacle in his path. The vivid description of the landscape took us on an armchair trip. We were amazed by the fact that the story was inspired by fascinating journeys that the author’s ancestors actually undertook every year. The Shauka traders used to make these annual expeditions till the 1950s when political events led to the end of this trade forcing them to adopt other professions. Thanks to this story, we got a chance to get a glimpse of how life must have been for this community in those days. The book made it to the 2008 IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Honour List.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 9/10 and above.

Reasons to Read

For a fascinating and adventure filled story that gives a glimpse into life in the enigmatic land of Tibet and the history of Shauka community.