Why elegy for the east is a must read book to know about Assam Militancy?

Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is perspective, not the truth.

There are always two sides of a coin and in the same way, there is always another side to the situation one is dealing with. Which is correct is mostly decided by what the majority thinks about it.

But is it really the case that something that the majority thinks is correct is the only right thing to do or is the only right thing to think about an issue.

I read a book lately which is surrounded by all such crises that surround a man who is sensitive at heart but has to be logical, rational and right in the senses of majority views.

I always believe that hearing the other side gives a fresh perspective to your thinking and thoughts about any issue you had framed opinions. So, without much delay let’s talk about the book.

TITLE: Elegy for the east

AUTHOR: Dhrubajyoti Borah

GENRE: Translation/Fiction

LENGTH: 305 pages

Before the relentless march of history, the lone individual is helpless. Yet it is men whose collective efforts give history its momentum and ushers in change of eras. These changes are tempestuous at times—like a churning that brings up both nectar and scum. Elegy for the East explores the utter helplessness and travails of man in face of exactly such overwhelming odds. A narrative not far from truth, where an uncaring, anonymous, and overbearing State creates and/or co-creates situations of social and political strife, and where innocent and beautiful dreams of the masses die in the stony bed of terror and counter-terror. The sylvian countryside of Assam with its green paddy fields hide memories of bloodshed, death, rape, and terror. And through all these, the eternal narrative of man’s quest for peace and meaning shine like a beacon.

This novel is a work of fiction; the characters bear no resemblance to any person dead or alive. Yet they walked amongst us all–in flesh and blood, in thoughts and dreams. Fiction that reflects reality in a more truthful way.

A masterly work of a master storyteller.

An Assamese original translated by Kalantarar Gadya, elegy for the east is the fiction which attempts to bring out to the reader another aspect of the problem of militancy that prevailed in Assam. The socio-political unrest in the state brings to a lot of innocent people troubles some even losing their lives.

It is the novel describing the voices which often stay unheard or are ignored amongst the majority views. The voices that are either faint that they never reach the ears of the authorities or are crushed before they could be raised. The voices that stay silent because no one will understand those voices. The voices that want to be heard and in order to be heard they are even raised loud enough but are never encouraged and they slowly die off.

From Prabhat, a young college-going boy who has to become a scapegoat of police harassment to Sombori, a rape survivor all these tales will make you feel about those who stay neglected or have to withstand injustice to bring justice to the majority of people. In order to maintain peace and harmony amongst people, we have a system that needs to maintain a law and order situation everywhere. But does that system is able to do that in a just manner all the time or even the system can fall prey to the evils of the human mind? This book takes you such a place where your mind is forced to ask all these questions.

**elegy for the east by Dhrubajyoti Borah**

Partha, a journalist covering the anti-militancy operations is knocked with dilemmas of Who or What is wrong & right. Partha is a central character who is narrating the story and is also the one who is developing a thought process during the entire plot. He goes through many crises where he is confused as to whose ideology is correct. To help him out he reaches his senior for his opinions and advice who wants him to act like a journalist and not get attached to people or cause in the process. You might imagine yourself as Partha while reading the book

The book is seamlessly smooth in reading and with an absorbing style of composition and stories to hold you on, you will admire the book if you like analyzing the other sides of everything going on in the world.

Also, If you are into translated literature, this is something I would recommend you to read.