Life in troubled times

STUTI GOSWAMI

Book title: The Undulating Land Author: Tridiv Chouwdhury Publisher: Power Publishers Pages: 350 Price: Rs 425 Tridiv Choudhury has woven his novel around an interesting premise: Assam and its problems during its most turbulent post-Independence era. The story is etched against a backdrop that would find an echo in the heart of every Assamese. Spanning the decades from the late 1970s to early 1990s, this coming-of-age novel tells the story of a young boy Ratan. Born out of an inter-caste love marriage, he has a scarred childhood, with a dominating father who himself is scarred for life in the eyes of his in-laws for marrying a girl above his caste. His father vents his frustrations on his ever-praying mother and a younger sister, who Ratan grows up to love immensely. From his earliest days, his maternal grandfather, a retired history professor, is his only friend. It is from him that Ratan learns his first lessons in Assam's history and life. However, his father dislikes this proximity and sends Ratan to a boarding school, from where, when discovered with an adult magazine, he is sent back home. His enraged father banishes him to a rooftop room. Though Ratan seems to enjoy the confinement, the brewing tumult of an adolescent mind overwhelms him and leads him to lose the friendship of the maid's daughter in his ancestral village, whom he tries to force himself upon. This leaves him shaken, and possessed by guilt and shame, he decides to redeem his life by focusing on his studies after he returns to Guwahati. Destiny, however, seems to have other plans in store. The Assam Agitation breaks out. Defying her husband for the first time, his mother begins to take part in the protest marches. She is injured one day and eventually passes away, virtually snapping all ties Ratan had with his father. He attends college, has a brief but passionate affair that ends with Ratan being reminded of his caste and social class and loses his only friend to insurgency. Then, one day, his sister elopes with a man beneath their caste, for which Ratan has an argument with his father. He leaves home, ends up in Calcutta as an apprentice for a publishing firm. Throughout the novel, the author's sincerity of intentions is evident: his anguish at the caste-related hypocrisies prevalent in society, the way the Agitation petered out to assume the form of mindless violence are all powerfully evoked. The author reveals an understanding of the emotional upheavals of a young boy during his growing years. The rural scene is beautifully depicted and equally vivid is the portrayal of Guwahati and Calcutta. The amount of research that has gone into the novel is evident. Sadly, however, the brilliance of the novel comes in flashes. There are some exquisite lines but also some rather banal expressions that leave the reader feeling uncomfortable. The narrative is slow in the first few chapters and only picks up from around chapter V. At times, the narrative assumes a journalistic tone that seems to impinge upon the lucidity. There are also jarring typographical errors, which seem ironical given the fact that the protagonist grows up to be a copy editor. There is also no consistency in italicisation of vernacular words. Had the editorial work been better, this novel would probably have been one of the best books to have come out of this region in recent times. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130412/jsp/northeast/story_16762234.jsp#.UWgUUvKIlgg