Capt. Tara Pun
I am honoured to share my thoughts on Lahureko Relimai, a powerful war novel written by Bijay Hitan, a retired British Gurkha soldier. Bijay served with distinction for 15 years in the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers in Hong Kong, where he earned a reputation for exemplary conduct. After retiring in 1995, he pursued a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and currently works as an Environment Officer with the Environment Agency in England. Alongside his environmental work, Bijay has become a well-known figure in eco-poetry and eco-fiction. However, his deep connection to war literature, likely stemming from his own military experience, led him to author this remarkable novel Lahureko Relimai.
Lahureko Relimai is dedicated to Master Mitrasen Thapa, a Gurkha soldier who served in the British-Indian army during the British India era. The novel is a tribute to Mitrasen’s life and the sacrifices of Gurkha soldiers in World War I.
Having read Lahureko Relimai, I find it to be a unique and deeply moving work. This fictional story is rooted in the real-life experiences of Mitrasen Thapa. Born in India but of Nepali origin, Mitrasen joined the British Indian Army at the age of 16. He was a highly intelligent Rifleman who was deployed to the Flanders Fields in northern France/Belgium and Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq and Syria) during World War I. Despite the horrors of war, he survived and returned home after four and a half years of service. He then devoted his life to raising awareness within the Gurkha community through music, drama, and literature, passing away at the age of 50.
In the novel, Mitrasen is portrayed as a soldier who, unlike many of his fellow Gurkhas, did not wish to be relegated to administrative duties. He joined a field platoon and served as a signaller, transmitting messages using Morse code—an essential role that many of us can relate to from our own military careers. Mitrasen was multilingual, fluent in Nepali, Hindi, Urdu, and English, which made him an invaluable interpreter in various situations, from hospital beds at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton to interpreting for King George V during battlefield visits. He was eventually promoted from Rifleman to Naik (the equivalent of Corporal in the British Army) and commanded a full section during the intense fighting of World War I.
What sets Mitrasen apart is his outspoken nature. He was not content with unquestioningly following orders. He challenged his superiors, asking why Gurkhas were treated differently from British soldier.
One of the most poignant moments in the novel is when Mitrasen and his comrades experience the famous Christmas Truce during the war. In a rare moment of respite, soldiers on both sides of the conflict temporarily ceased fighting, exchanged gifts such as sweets and cigarettes, and even played football together in the no-man’s land. The next day, the brutal fighting resumed, underscoring the futility of war. Mitrasen, ever the creative soul, also composed songs during his time on the front lines. One such song, written and sung by Mitrasen during a rare period of rest, captures the spirit of his comrades and their shared experiences:
Lahureko relimai phesnai ramro
Rato rumal relimai khukuri bhireko.
Kalo kot seto jangi galbandilai gheri, hei…
Musmus haanchhan chultho thuti tarunilai heri
Lahureko relimai phesnai ramro
Rato rumal relimai khukuri bhireko.
Baseki chhe kanchi nani naya luga feri, hei…
Karke aankha lai herchhan lahure auda kheri
Lahureko relimai phesnai ramro
Rato rumal relimai khukuri bhireko.
After the war, Mitrasen, like many other Gurkhas, faced harsh treatment. Despite his bravery and service, he was demoted back to Rifleman and faced redundancy. The Gurkhas, who had fought and bled for the British Empire, often received little to no welfare benefits upon their return. This sad reality is poignantly captured in the novel.
In his post-war life, Mitrasen continued to serve the Gurkha community through his passion for literature and music. He wrote songs, composed them and sang; wrote plays acted in them, and even danced in the performances he created. His dedication to Nepali music earned him the title of ‘Master’ among his peers.
I must commend the author, Bijay Hitan, for his thorough research and dedication to telling Mitrasen’s story. Bijay travelled to important locations, including Bhagsu-Dharmashala in India, Flanders Fields in Belgium, Marseille in France, and the Royal Pavilion Hospital in Brighton, to gather information. His visits to these sites helped him capture the emotional and historical truth of Mitrasen’s story, both the tragic and the heroic. I found myself deeply moved as I read the novel, especially given my own experiences visiting Flanders Fields for a battlefield study and serving in Iraq during Operation TELLIC.
I encourage all readers, specially serving and retired Gurkhas, to pick up Lahureko Relimai. I believe you will be as emotionally impacted by this novel as I was. It’s not just a story about war, but also a tribute to the resilience and humanity of the Gurkha soldiers.
(April 2025, Maidstone, UK)
