Book excerpt: The Sun Behind The Cloud delineates the microscopic history of the colonial encounter between Bhaskararao Bhave of Peshwa dynasty of Naragund kingdom in South India and the authorities of the East India Company around 1857. Exasperated by the Political Agent for South India, Mr. Manson's refusal of permission to adopt a legal heir to his kingdom, he attacks the latter and kills him arousing the anger of the East India Company. He prepares himself to wage a war against the enemy by rallying the like-minded neighbouring kings. But he is betrayed by his own officers and Bhaskararao Bhave is defeated by the army of the East India Company led by Colonel Malcolm. He is caught, imprisoned, tried and sentenced to death by the East India Company. Again to the strange quirk of his fate he escapes from the prison as his cook impersonates him and volunteers to be hanged to death out of his loyalty to the master. Bhaskararao, who is taken to be dead, lives and wanders in disguise. He goes to Nepal and meets Nanasaheb Peshwa, who compliments him for kindling the spark of freedom in India. The novel recreates an important chunk of Indian history of the colonial period and rehabilitates a forgotten hero, who sowed the seeds of freedom and nationalism in the 19th century itself.