A banana republic

The place was a storm of anger and confusion. The square was littered with debris, and the air stank of bananas and rage.

In sleepy Bananapur, nestled in Kavre’s foggy hills, the Banana Mahotsav, a noisy festival celebrating the village’s lifeline fruit, was set to unveil the grand Banana View Tower, a bronze symbol of wealth. But in Nepal, where plans always falter, chaos loomed. The village square buzzed with noise and colour, draped in banana leaves; the air was thick with fruit and incense. K Prasad Dai, a portly politician with a twirling moustache, boasted that the tower would make Bananapur famous. “From London to Cambodia, they’ll flock to our banana!” he declared, gesturing like a Kollywood star.