Despite being an integral part of India, the Northeast continues to be misunderstood and under-represented in the national imagination. Yet, its literary landscape is rich, deeply rooted in its soil, shaped by its histories and alive with voices that straddle the past and the present.
The region’s literature has long engaged with themes of identity, conflict, folklore and oral traditions, seamlessly weaving the mythical with the modern and interlacing personal narratives with socio-political issues. It is within this vibrant tradition that The Greatest Stories from the Northeast Ever Told, curated by writer, teacher and researcher Jobeth Ann Warjri, anchors itself.
Whether this anthology lives up to its ambitious title is open to debate. What is undeniable, however, is that this collection of stories (including some translations) by 27 writers, spanning geographies, generations and sensibilities, offers a compelling showcase of the region’s literary vitality. By bringing together both established voices and emerging writers, the anthology gains a distinctive richness, combining authority with freshness, and tradition with experimentation.
One of the collection’s strengths lies in its refusal to be defined solely by narratives of conflict and political unrest although these remain an intrinsic element of the region’s lived reality. Instead, the stories draw from a wider spectrum of human experience, revealing the everyday textures of life, love, longing and belonging.
Thematically, the anthology is expansive. It traverses folklore, family, migration, gender, sexuality, identity and memory. Some stories are quietly poignant, others remarkably candid, and a few linger long after the last page.
The opening stories by well-known authors set the tone, exploring humanity, oppression and dignity. In ‘Rats’ by Bhabendra Nath Saikia, an anguished mother confronts hunger without surrendering her sense of self. Similarly, in ‘The Cost of Hunger’ by Abdus Samad, a man is forced to abandon his identity under duress. Both stories grapple with exclusion and the fragile yet persistent desire to live with dignity.
Jobeth Ann Warjri has selected and edited the stories in ‘The Greatest Stories from the Northeast Ever Told’.
Mamoni Raisom Goswami’s ‘Values’ challenges society’s moral standards, unmasking how entrenched hierarchies restrict personal freedom and agency. Meanwhile, indigenous narratives bring in elements of fear, superstition and mortality. Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi’s ‘The Smell of Bamboo Blossoms’ evokes the fear associated with bamboo flowering and the impending famine, while Shalim Hussain’s ‘The Madness of Tree Ghosts’ draws on folklore to depict mysterious afflictions in remote communities.
Aruni Kashyap’s ‘For the Greater Common Good’ weaves magic and mystery to recount age-old beliefs and dead souls haunting the living.
The spectre of violence and unrest finds expression in several stories. Nini Lungalang’s ‘Child of Fortune’ reflects on the impact of conflict on women and children in Nagaland, while narratives by Sudhiranjan Moirangthem, Mainu Teronpi, Mamang Dai and Linthoi Chanu confront the realities of protest, militarisation and loss. These are not merely accounts of suffering but also of resilience.
Equally significant are the queer voices that energise the anthology with a fresh perspective. Janice Pariat’s ‘Boats on Land’ delicately captures teenage queer desire and self-discovery, while the other contributors explore the negotiation of identity within rigid, heteronormative frameworks.
Questions of belonging and identity recur throughout the collection. Anjum Hasan’s ‘The Question of Style’ offers a charming portrayal of two sisters navigating aspiration and belonging, while Mayookh Barua’s ‘We All Know Something About China’ uses humour to examine identity politics within a family setting.
Some of the most touching tales are also the simplest. Avinuo Kire’s ‘Dielienuo’s Choice’ is tender and introspective, while Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih’s ‘His Mother’s Pork and Why He Is Not a Christian’ is unflinchingly honest. Ramzauva Chhakchhuak’s ‘Home’ evocatively depicts the struggles of a migrant worker during the COVID-19 pandemic.
My favourite is Temsula Ao’s ‘Laburnum for My Head’, an enthralling meditation on memory, mortality and the quiet longing to be remembered.
If the anthology falters, it is in its structure. A thematic arrangement might have offered greater coherence, while the absence of a glossary makes certain local terms inaccessible to unfamiliar readers. An out-of-place story set in Nepal further disrupts the otherwise regional focus.
Yet, these are minor quibbles. Ultimately, The Greatest Stories from the Northeast Ever Told succeeds in what it sets out to do — challenge stereotypes and misconceptions, broaden perspectives and quietly assert the northeast region’s literary merit within the larger literary landscape of India. And beyond.
The reviewer is a Bengaluru-based independent journalist.
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