There's Gunpowder In The Air | Hindi

Hawa Mein Barood Hai (Hindi) - There's Gunpowder In The Air is set in Bengal in the early 1970s, when the Naxalbari Movement was gaining strength. The novel follows five Naxals imprisoned in a high-security jail as they carefully plan an escape, believing that they must regain their freedom if their revolution is to continue. At the centre of their plans is Bhagoban, a petty thief secretly placed among them by Jailor Bireshwar Mukherjee as an informant.

As Bhagoban becomes increasingly drawn towards the imprisoned revolutionaries, the story examines the tension between loyalty, political idealism and the effects of deprivation and isolation. Manoranjan Byapari’s novel explores how extreme circumstances can challenge deeply held convictions and reshape relationships between people on opposing sides.

About This Book

The story unfolds against the backdrop of a period when young men and women involved in the Naxalbari Movement were taking up arms in an attempt to free land from feudal landlords and the state and return it to oppressed landless farmers. Arrests and imprisonment form an important part of this historical setting.

Inside one such prison, five Naxals develop a detailed plan to break out. Their mission becomes complicated by Bhagoban, who has been planted among them by the jailor. Although initially motivated by his own familiarity with prison life and its basic comforts, Bhagoban gradually begins to identify with the people he has been placed among.

Hawa Mein Barood Hai explores the consequences of isolation and deprivation for human idealism. The novel was shortlisted for the JCB Prize, the DSC Prize and the Crossword Book Award in 2019, as well as the Mathrubhumi Book of the Year Prize in 2020.

What You'll Discover

• The Naxalbari Movement in Bengal during the early 1970s
• Five imprisoned Naxals planning a high-security jailbreak
• Bhagoban’s role as an informant planted among the prisoners
• Jailor Bireshwar Mukherjee’s involvement in the prison operation
• The changing relationship between Bhagoban and the Naxals
• The tension between revolutionary ideals and harsh circumstances
• The effects of deprivation and isolation on human idealism

Perfect For

• Readers interested in political and historical fiction
• Readers interested in the Naxalbari Movement and Bengal’s history
• Readers who enjoy stories about political idealism and conflict
• Readers interested in Manoranjan Byapari’s fiction

Why You'll Love This Book

Hawa Mein Barood Hai places a tense prison escape story within the political upheaval of 1970s Bengal, using the relationship between five Naxals and an undercover informant to examine idealism under extreme conditions. Its focus on deprivation, isolation, loyalty and political conviction makes it a thought-provoking work of contemporary Indian fiction.