Introduction

The Holder of the World is a novel by Indian writer Bharati Mukherjee, first published in September 1993. Considered a blend of the historical fiction and sci-fi genres, it encompasses a wide range of settings, from twenty-first-century America to late-seventeenth-century New England to Mughal India. The novel also references different works of literature, including Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Thomas Pynchon's V., and the Sanskrit epic Ramayana. 

An immigrant herself, Mukherjee explores themes of rootlessness and relocation in The Holder of the World and many of her other fiction works, including The Tiger's Daughter, Wife, Jasmine, Desirable Daughters, The Tree Bride, and The Middleman and Other Stories.  

Plot Summary

The novel opens with Beigh Masters, a so-called assets hunter, explaining the program her partner Venn Iyer has been working on for years: X-2989, a database containing all the information in the world. Once finished, the program will be able to simulate virtual realities of any point on the time-space continuum.

At the bidding of one of her clients, Beigh searches for the “Emperor’s Tear”—a perfect diamond from Mughal India. However, she is more interested in the Salem Bibi, a courtesan who once possessed the precious jewel. Through extensive research, Beigh attempts to retrace the life of the Salem Bibi—a woman originally known as Hannah Easton. 

In 1670, Hannah is born in Brookfield, Massachusetts. Shortly after her father dies, her mother fakes her death to start a new life with her lover, a man from the Nipmuc tribe. She leaves her daughter on the doorstep of a local pioneer family, Robert and Susannah Fitch, and Hannah Easton becomes Hannah Fitch. In 1675, she and the Fitches flee to Salem because of King Philip’s War. 

After nearly two decades in Salem, Hannah attends the funeral of her best friend, Hester Manning, who drowned at sea. She accepts a marriage proposal from Hester’s former suitor, the one-eyed seafarer Gabriel Legge. They move to his hometown of Stepney, North England. Two years into her new life, she receives news of Gabriel’s death. 

Now a widow, Hannah gains a modest reputation as a healer. Eventually, a man named Hubert suggests she come with him to become a governess in Cambridge. However, Gabriel's sudden reappearance thwarts her plans. He explains that he has joined the East India Company and intends to take her with him to India. After a six-month voyage, the pair arrive at Fort St. Sebastian in Bengal. 

The following year, Gabriel has a falling out with the chief factor, Prynne, over administrative affairs. He murders Prynne and quits the East India Company to become a pirate. Eventually, tensions escalate between Gabriel and the new chief factor, Samuel Higginbotham. In an attempt to blow up Gabriel’s wares, Higginbotham destroys half an alley. 

While Gabriel escapes unscathed, Hannah learns that he was with his bibi—or Indian mistress—at the time of the explosion. She intends to leave for London without him. However, a devastating cyclone forces her to flee town with Bhagmati, her household servant and close friend. They fall into a river, but kind strangers rescue them. 

The two women are transported to the palace of Panpur, a follower of Raja Jadav Singh. Hannah becomes enamored with the raja, eventually becoming his lover. Meanwhile, the raja’s enemies receive word of his whereabouts and send General Morad to assault Fort Panpur. Outnumbered, Raja Jadav proposes a fake truce and escapes with his men, as well as Hannah and Bhagmati. However, they suffer a devastating ambush on the road. 

After the battle, General Morad rides his elephant to crush the fallen bodies under its feet. Instead of killing Hannah, he lets her ride with him, a decision that proves a grave mistake when Hannah plunges a dagger into his back....