The Sundarbans

The Sundarbans is the birthplace of the legend of the Gun Merchant. They serve as the basis for most occurrences within the novel. Had Deen not been implored to speak with Nilima Bose about the legend, he would not have met Piya. Had he not been persuaded to see the Sundarbans for himself, he would not have met Tipu and Rafi, and he would not have embarked on his quest to learn more about the Gun Merchant. Without seeing the tiles at the shrine, he would not have been interested in following the Gun Merchant's journey. It is a place of deep supernatural significance, and as such, it is fitting that Piya is never able to visit it herself.

The Sundarbans are also significant in representing the squalor from which a lot of the refugees going into Europe have escaped. They represent the exhausting dead-end life that...