Books on modern Assamese society, queer identities launched

Two Assamese books — Pop Axomiya Rachanavali and Chinaki Chuburi — by renowned Assamese author Najma Mukherjee were released in Guwahati on April 25.

Pop Axomiya Rachanavali is a collection of three Pop Axomiya books by Mukherjee. The first book in the series is Pop Axomiya (published in 2010), a witty satire on the ever-changing Assamese language and society; the second is Akou Pop Axomiya (published in 2019), a fantasy set in an alternate reality in Assam; and the third book is Chinaki Chuburi Athaba Akou Ebaar Pop Axomiya, which is a fiction centered on queer identities, alternative lifestyles and posthumanism.

Chuburi Athaba Akou Ebaar Pop Axomiya opens in the pandemic, moves to the past and then subtly graduates to an alternate reality in the present. The book celebrates all those familiar voices in our society that usually don’t find a place in dominant narratives.

Written in an experimental fluid style, it explores alternative ways of living and newer ways of seeing the world through an inclusive lens.

While ‘Rongili’ brings in newer perspectives to the people around them, ‘Jonaki’ explores subversive definitions of love. ‘Champak’ and ‘Astha’ hint at genderlessness, whereas ‘Shyamali’ rediscovers companionship after her husband’s death.

Pop Axomiya has been lauded by literary stalwarts like Homen Borgohain, Hirendra Nath Dutta, Dr Prafulla Kataki and Dr Ananda Barmudoi.

At the event, Assamese polymath Dr Hiren Gohain inaugurated Pop Axomiya Rachanavali and called Mukherjee’s writing witty. While he said the book sees society in a modern light, it is also important to consider the long-term durability of such topics and discourses.

Acclaimed author and critic Dr Garima Kalita inaugurated Chinaki Chuburi and called the book a unique achievement in postmodernist literature. She praised the non-linear storytelling style of the book and compared it to Freudian close association. However, she criticised the lack of multiple shades of the characters due to the high density of the plot.

Film producer and queer rights activist Milin Dutta talked about the necessity of detailed empathy-filled homework cis gendered artists should do to portray queer lives correctly. He explained how queer individuals are not liable for the rest of the society to be able to understand their lives. He also stressed the importance of producing Assamese audiobooks, which are currently a rarity.

The co-founder of Intersex Human Rights India, Mohammed, talked about the rarity of intersex representation in art and considered this book a win for such representation. They appreciated the care and sensitivity the author brought in while writing it. They commended Najma’s work by saying that they felt their own lives being represented in it. They appreciated Najma for not just including an intersex character but honoring them and not portraying them as metaphors or medical anomalies.

Writer and queer rights activist Rituparna Neog called the book a care-driven queer portrayal in Assamese literature and one that would stand the test of time. She appreciated Mukherjee’s serious approach towards understanding queer lives with love and also stressed on queer lives not being an object of non-queer curiosity.

Mukherjee expressed the need to consider “alternativism” as a part of the world narrative. She talked about seeing the world not just from a human-centric gaze, but also including non-humans and technology to achieve sustainable co-existence.

Mukherjee has authored around 10 books in the Assamese language, ranging from short story collections, translations, to novels, which have been published by Sahitya Akademi and other reputed publication houses from Assam. She is also an Associate Professor at the Department of Assamese, Cotton University.

~ Team Sunday Monitor