ABSTRACT
The West Bengal-Bangladesh border, from the way it was conceived and drawn, resulted in a number of convoluted territorial arrangements which left its inhabitants in a permanent limbo. The enclaves or Chhitmahals, as they are called in the regional parlance, were the most complicated territorial dispute that ensued, leaving a considerable number of inhabitants permanently stranded as foreigners in a neighbouring state. The chapter aims to look at the narratives of the India-Bangladesh enclaves as integral parts of border narratives and as an important strand in the evolution of border consciousness along the border. Residents of counter-enclaves maintain a lukewarm cordiality with their enclave neighbours, since they need to access the enclave lands to reach hospitals, schools, and markets. Simply by virtue of being located on the 'right side' of the border, the inhabitants of counter-enclaves enjoy a better life than those inhabiting the enclaves on the 'wrong side', despite the similarity in their spatial uniqueness.
