19 Books By Northeast Indian Authors That Are So Good, You'll Be Adding Them To Your Reading List ASAP
Diversify the books you read.
How inclusive is India's mainstream literary culture? Time and again, it has overlooked the wealth of literature produced in the Northeast region and has ignored the existence of the rich literary tradition of the Northeast. It is only very recent that literature from the Northeast has even reached the rest of India. At a time when we all speak of inclusivity, it is absolutely necessary to stop the othering of the region in mainstream culture as well.
Here are a few books to help you get started with building an inclusive bookshelf and educating and understanding the complex issues that mire the diverse region of the Northeast. This list comprises a mixture of fiction and non-fiction books by Northeast Indian authors and it is, by no means, exhaustive.
1. The Legends Of Pensam by Mamang Dai
What it’s about: The Legends of Pensam is a collection of interconnected stories spanning across generations that introduces the readers to the people, customs, traditions, and history of the Adi tribe of Siang valley by recounting their myths, legends, superstitions, and oral history. The book chronicles how the tribe’s way of life changes when it comes in contact with the colonial regime in the late 19th and early 20th century, leaving them in a state of in-between or pensam as they come to terms with this change.
You can buy it here.
2. The Many That I Am: Writings From Nagaland by Anungla Zoe Longkumer
What it's about: This book is an incredible anthology of short stories, poems, personal accounts, and stunning artwork and visuals that attempts to showcase the literary potential of the Nagas, who did not have a tradition of written literature. Each piece illustrates different times and aspects of Nagaland through the voices of the Naga women and has a prominent feminist voice throughout the narratives. Each piece in this anthology speaks of these women’s many journeys to reclaim their pasts and understand their complex present.
You can buy it here.
3. Around The Hearth: Khasi Legends by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih
What it's about: In this book, Nongkynrih has collected Khasi folk tales that were handed down orally through generations, from village raconteurs to that of the community, and grandparents to parents to children. The stories include purinam (fairy tales), puriskam (fables), khana pharshi (parables), khana pateng (legends), and true stories that have gradually slipped into the hearts of one and all.
You can buy it here.
4. Bitter Wormwood by Easterine Kire
What it’s about: Bitter Wormwood, as Easterine Kire states in the introduction, is about ordinary people whose lives were completely shaken by the freedom struggle. It portrays the violence and impact of the Naga freedom struggle from Indian dominance on the lives of common men and women in Nagaland. This is done through the protagonist's — Moselie's — experiences.
You can buy it here.
5. The Collector's Wife by Mitra Phukan
What it's about: Mitra Phukan's novel is set in a conflict-ridden small town of Assam called Parbatpuri and revolves around Rukmini Bezboruah, the wife of the District Collector, who lives a seemingly safe and privileged life, free from the violence and terrors of insurgency. However, she experiences a desolation of not having children and living a monotonous and lonely life. She finds comfort in Manoj, and their ever-growing physical intimacy is played against a world of violence. Soon, the political starts connecting with the personal, and Rukmini's life inside the bubble of privilege and safety starts to break open.
You can buy it here.
6. WARI: A Collection Of Manipuri Short Stories by Linthoi Chanu
What it's about: Wari is a collection of eight stories that introduces the readers to the folklore, beliefs, culture, arts, and cuisine of Manipur. Each of the eight stories is unique and distinct and explores various themes ranging from ancient beliefs of black magic, idol worship and local deities, the impact of the Japanese Army infiltration during World War II, drug abuse, and superstitions.
You can buy it here.
7. These Hills Called Home: Stories From A War Zone by Temsula Ao
What it's about: Temsula Ao's collection of stories depicts how the turbulent years of carnage and tears from the struggle and demand for independence from the Indian State have restructured the psyche of the people in Nagaland. These are moving stories of ordinary people striving for survival, searching for their identity, and searching for peace amidst terror after their old ways of life are torn apart due to modernisation and war.
You can buy it here.
8. The King's Harvest by Chetan Raj Shrestha
What it's about: The King's Harvest consists of two novellas set in the state of Sikkim. The first novella is sort of like a detective fiction about a woman called Kamala who purposely murders her husband and tries to take law into her own hands. The second novella is about Tontem, a deformed man, who gets shunned from the kingdom and is now on his way to meet his king, whom he owes a harvest from his fields.
You can buy it here.
9. How To Tell The Story Of An Insurgency by Aruni Kashyap
What it's about: The stories in this collection give a gritty account of experiences of living in the shadow of insurgency. In this book, Aruni Kashyap has compiled stories that are originally written in English, Bodo, and Assamese. It highlights ethnic clashes between communities and includes the experiences of the tribal communities, minorities, and other settler communities — thus giving the subaltern a voice. Through the tales in the book, Kashyap attempts to foreground the human experiences of living in a region riddled with conflict.
You can buy it here.
10. India Against Itself by Sanjib Baruah
What it's about: This is a thoroughly researched book that provides an in-depth analysis of the complex issues that confront the state of Assam and other Northeastern states. Baruah explains the cultural politics of language, militant sub-nationalism, Pan-Indianism, how the precolonial Ahom kingdom came to be called Assam under the British rule, how insurgency in Assam has roots in the history of Assamese sub-nationalism, and so much more.
You can buy it here.
11. Zorami: A Redemption Song by Malsawmi Jacob
What it’s about: Set in the 1960s during the time of political unrest and insurgency in Mizoram, the novel tells the story of a young girl, Zorami, as she observes and experiences the horrors of the insurgency. It is layered with Mizo folklore, tradition, and songs composed during that time and shows Zorami's journey towards personal healing and discovery of a new identity. Through her character, the author represents what the whole of Mizoram was going through during those turbulent times.
You can buy it here.
12. The Nine Chambered Heart by Janice Pariat
What it’s about: Set in nameless cities with nameless characters, The Nine-Chambered Heart is the story of a young woman, told from the perspective of nine different men with whom she has had one or the other kind of relationship. These nine different men have loved her in nine different stages of her life and as we learn about this woman through different viewpoints of these characters, it also makes us realise how our identities are fragmented and how it forms and transforms in relation to the people around us.
You can buy it here.
13. The Desire Of Roots by Robin S Ngangom
What it's about: Ardent lovers of poetry — this book is for you! Robin S Ngangom is a bilingual poet who writes in English and Manipuri, and this is his third book of poetry. In his poems, he speaks about rootlessness, his search for identity, his alienation owing to his inability to go back to Manipur, and how he does not have a sense of belonging to his place of birth even though he longs to go back home.
You can buy it here.
14. Struggling In A Time Warp by Hiren Gohain
What it's about: This book by Hiren Gohain is a selection of essays (written by him) and has been published in various different journals, including The Economic and Political Weekly. It also consists of a number of addresses delivered in various institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University. The book covers nearly half a century of the Northeast's history, society, and politics and sheds light on various endemic and critical issues causing unrest in the region.
You can buy it here.
15. The Moth-Eaten Howdah Of The Tusker by Indira Goswami
What it's about: This novel narrates the story of Giribala, a young widow from an Assamese Brahmin family, and shows the plight of the widows and the revolt of Giribala. It also illustrates how the traditional authority is threatened as the feudal system gets disintegrated post the independence of India.
You can buy it here.
16. Being Mizo: Identity And Belonging In Northeast India by Joy L. K. Pachuau
What it's about: This historical anthropology book by Joy L.K. Pachuau is mainly about identity-shaping and identity-making and gives the readers an insight into how colonialism, Christianity, and identity politics played a role in the construction of the Mizo identity. It traces the history in the making of the selfhood of Mizos, and how they constitute and understand themselves.
You can buy it here.
17. A Bowstring Winter by Dhruba Hazarika
What it's about: Told in three parts and divided according to the cold winter months of November, December, and January, Dhruba Hazarika's novel revolves around John Dkhar whose life takes a turn when he meets and befriends James Kharlukhi, Jennifer D'Santos, Charlie, and Dor Kharkongor. It is a tale of friendship, betrayal, divided loyalties, and revenge. It also gives an insight into the infamous game of teer — an archery-based game, which is extremely popular in Shillong and other parts of Meghalaya.
You can buy it here.
18. Strangers Of The Mist by Sanjoy Hazarika
What it's about: This is a thoroughly well-researched book for those trying to understand the complex issues of Northeast India. It provides insight into the insurgency, identity crisis, drug abuse, floods, illegal immigration, cross-border infiltration, and environmental problems plaguing the region.
You can buy it here.
19. Undertow by Jahnavi Barua
What it's about: Undertow is a gripping book that one won't be able to put down. It is a coming-of-age tale that revolves around Loya, who arrives from Bangalore to Assam to visit her grandfather, Torun, and follows her journey of discovering her roots. Loya's mother, Rukmini, was cast out of her paternal home for marrying a Christian Malayali outside her caste. It is about severed connections between family and delves into the personal strife of Loya, played wonderfully against the backdrop of a strife-ridden Assam.
You can buy it here.
