NE stories that take readers through the changing times

Short stories are like the warmth of the sun on a winter afternoon, and a good collection of short stories is a beautiful bouquet that holds in it the choicest blooms and greens, creating a perfect harmony of diverse hues. The Greatest Stories from The Northeast Ever Told, selected and edited by Jobeth Ann Warjri, is such a collection.

The stories of love, loss, conflict, innocence, despondency and revelation not only portray lives but also document the times, places, demographics and socio-economic status of the respective states. This way, each narration becomes the microcosm of that particular time and place.

One such story, Home, by Ramzauva Chhakchhuak, reflects on the hardships faced by migrant workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Andrew Syngkon, a youth from Meghalaya, has travelled hundreds of miles to Karnataka in search of employment. The working conditions are abysmal, but that barely makes a difference in the lives of many like Andrew.

When the pandemic hit, these youths, living away from families and friends, were abandoned by their employers. While some were lucky to find altruistic strangers, many were left at the mercy of fate.

The story ends with a sea of questions, not only for Andrew but also for the readers. In its simple narration, Home holds up a mirror to so many issues that remain undiscussed and unprotested. Unemployment in the northeastern states, the lack of awareness of and complete disregard for human and workers’ rights in the country, and the waning humanity in today’s world remain stark despite the daily rantings of politicians and the promises of policymakers.

For Andrew, and many like him, hope is the only straw in the ocean of despair. One is ‘Meye Perom’ in Lede E Miki Pohshna’s beautiful short story, The Lover of Stories, for whom love is the hope for a better future. His queer love is pure and stronger than the taunts of his mother, and his hope for a life with his beloved storyteller is the weapon to fight any social odds.

Pohshna, who has a doctorate in queer literature, focuses on a topic that is taboo not only in a Christian-dominated state such as Meghalaya but in other conservative parts of the country.

While hope keeps the fighter’s spirit burning, it is the survival instinct that trumps all emotions and every incentive in life. Whether it is Moti’s mother (Rats by Bhabendra Nath Saikia), Romzan (The Cost of Hunger by Abdus Samad) or Neerumoni and her children (For the Greater Common Good by Aruni Kashyap), the desperation to survive in the face of adversities takes over all emotions. At the same time, the underlying picture of social marginalisation, poverty and superstition is unavoidable in the narration.

Each story ensnares readers in its web of narration and leaves them overwhelmed, at times mortified. However, there are stories, like Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih’s His Mother’s Pork and Why He Is Not a Christian, that help readers breathe easy with a little humour.

Some stories, like The Smell of the Bamboo Blossoms by Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi and Brothers by Mamang Dai, take readers back to a past that can only be remembered with fear and a feeling of malaise. Yeshe Dorjee’s story reminds one of the insurgency years in Mizoram in the late sixties that followed Mautam, a terrible famine, owing to the blossoming of bamboo flowers. In fact, the state witnessed a massive rodent attack last year when Rawthing, a local bamboo variety, flowered again. This phenomenon is known as Thingtam.

Mamang Dai takes readers back to the insurgency days when the sound of guns drowned young dreams.

Most of the stories in the collection are published works of renowned authors like Mamoni Raisom Goswami, Temsula Ao, Mamang Dai, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih and Anjum Hasan, among others. These renowned works are complemented by those of the young writers like Ramzauva Chhakchhuak, Lede E Miki Pohshna and Rishav Kumar Thakur.

Those who are familiar with northeastern literature may find familiar names and stories. And those who are not familiar with the region’s literature, history and culture will find the collection unique and the ensemble of characters intriguing. Together, they take readers through a time-travel that is crucial to know the region.

Book: The Greatest Stories from The Northeast Ever Told; Selected and edited by: Jobeth Ann Warjri; Publisher: Aleph; Pages: 240; Price: Rs 799