Over the course of the novel, the narrator makes reference to various major historical events. This is important to the book's overall themes, as it is interested in the way that historical events impact people's personal lives and also looks at their unexpected causes. Among the events alluded to are the London Blitz and the communal riots in Dhaka and Calcutta during 1963-64. These events make up the backdrop of the story while eventually impacting the characters in direct and indirect ways.
The Blitz was an extended bombing campaign in England carried out by the Nazis during World War II. Between 1940 and 1941, the country was battered with air attacks, with a particularly focused effort directed toward London. The attacks were designed to erode English morale by creating terror, killing civilians, and causing massive structural damage to the city. During this period, people living in the city were frequently forced to hide in bomb shelters and subway stations. These bombings are referred to when the narrator describes the time Tridib spent in London. Lionel Tresawsen is killed by a beam that falls during one of the raids.
The riots in Dhaka and Calcutta came as a result of the theft of a Muslim relic in Khulna. The disappearance of the relic sparked violence throughout the subcontinent, with Hindus being attacked in Pakistan and retaliatory attacks against Muslims occurring in West Bengal. This rioting went on for an extended period of time, with periods of dormancy followed by terrible flare-ups of conflict. The novel alludes to these riots towards the end of the novel, eventually discovering that they incited the mob that killed Tridib.
The novel uses these events to explore how the characters' lives are swept up in major historical events. In both cases, the narrator describes how these events caused tragedies under chance circumstances and how as a result of their split-second heroism, Tresawsen saves Francesca and Tridib protects May. Ghosh uses these events to show the impact of history on people's lives and how they can choose to make a small impact with their actions.
