How To Tell The Story Of An Insurgency: Fifteen Tales From Assam

In “How to Tell the Story of an Insurgency: Fifteen Tales From Assam,” Aruni Kashyap weaves an unyielding narrative that brings to light a war India has been grappling with in the shadows. This poignant collection of stories, originally written in Assamese, Bodo, and English, aims to humanize a longstanding and violent conflict often reduced to mere statistics or news reports.

Within these pages, we encounter a former militant tormented by the dissonance between his tranquil present and his brutal past. A mother finds herself walking an emotional tightrope, torn between her two sons—one a police officer, the other an underground rebel—whose paths diverge within the Assam insurgency. Meanwhile, a deaf and mute child, engaged in the sale of locally brewed alcohol, ventures into perilous territory through his interactions with members of the local militant outfit.

The book fearlessly delves into the heart of this multifaceted war, offering an intimate and unfiltered perspective. Through the lens of these fifteen tales, Kashyap seeks to provide a voice to the individuals caught in the midst of the conflict, inviting readers to empathize with their struggles and illuminate the humanity that often gets overshadowed.

By humanizing this ongoing battle, the book challenges readers to confront the complexities and nuances of the Assam insurgency. It serves as a powerful reminder that behind the headlines and statistics lie individuals with their own stories, their own hopes, and their own pain. Through Kashyap’s skilled storytelling, this collection strives to bridge the gap between the rest of India and the untold realities that unfold on its margins.