American Research Journal of English and Literature

 Dancing in Cambodia, At Large in Burma gives a rather misleading impression to the reader who glances at its title. It seems that it is Ghosh’s narrative description of his travels through these two countries after this achieved independence from colonialism. However, as one progresses along, the first impression soon gives way to a serious realization that the book defies conventional literary classification of a ‘travelogue’ or ‘travel-writing.’ In fact, it is an imaginative rendering of complex responses of a scholarly researcher and sensitive writer of the agonizing process of the evolving of a nation for two South Asian Countries Cambodia and Burma in their postcolonial phase. These responses make, no doubt, a fascinating reading have been rendered in elegant and rhythmic prose revealing the harsh realities of the political, socio-cultural, economic and ethno-regional problems that these countries were confronted with after throwing off the yokes of slavery. In sooth, these countries are still grappling with the problematic of evolution of their distinct national identities; and the writer appears to hold a mirror to the other nation-states in the region and the continent. However for my article presentation I have chosen the title called “The Cultural legacy of Music and political turmoil in Amitav Ghosh’s Dancing in Cambodia at Large in Burma -A Postcolonial review, which explores the significance of Cultural legacy and political turmoil of Cambodia. This thought- provoking and disturbing book is a non-fictional personal review of the author which covered in about each and the middle – one genuinely sandwiched into historical evolution.