Book Sharing- ' Zorami ' by Malsawmi Jacob

Our  book Lovers club called "Bring your own Book", based out of Bangalore, meet periodically to share the gist of a book we have read and liked. Everyone brings a book he/she liked and talks about it. Great conversations follow!"Participants are encouraged to read a few lines from the book as well.  The best part of the exercise is that you get information and snippets from more number of books than you have actually read and you may be motivated to get hold of a book that impressed and actually read it yourself. Further you get exposure to a variety of books be it fiction, self help, classics, health, economics, spirituality, mystery or adventure!

When we met in November 2018 at the Takshashilla Foundation premises, I shared about the book "Zorami" the maiden novel of author Malsawmi Jacob, who is also an accomplished poet. The book,  tells about the life and times of the protagonist Zorami, from her childhood in the sixties to the year 2004. Parallelly, it traces the chequered history of the freedom movement of the Mizo people who were also part of British India.

 At the time of independence however, the Mizo people were not happy to be included with Independent India. Majority of the population felt that traditionally in terms of culture and as a race (Mongoloid), they were different and distinct from the mainland (Vai) people. They also felt that New Delhi was not bothered or concerned about the misfortune or difficulties experienced by people living in far flung areas.  In 1959, the Mizo Hills were devastated by a great famine known in Mizo history as 'Mautam Famine' . The cause of the famine was attributed to flowering of bamboos which  resulted in a rat population boom. After eating up bamboo seeds, the rats turned to crops, infested the huts and houses, causing plague in the Villages. 

Many people died on account of the famine and the administration did not seem to care. In chapter four of the book titled "A plague of Rats" , a character laments "They are eating up all the food. At this rate,we will all die of starvation" The local people formed a society called Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF) which  gained considerable popularity as a large number of Mizo Youth assisted in transporting rice and other essential commodities to interior villages. Later on the word "Famine" was dropped and MNF under the leadership of Pu (Mr) Laldenga was formed in October 1961 with the specified goal of achieving sovereign independence of Greater Mizoram.

The movement that had turned violent, was mercilessly crushed by the Indian army and MNF was outlawed in 1967. Many activists were tortured and their families and homes destroyed. In this regard some of the Mizos played the role of informers and assisted the army. The problems were finally sorted out through negotiations and Mizoram became a union territory and later a state. But the period of the struggle was a nightmare for the ordinary citizens and this has been effectively brought out in the novel. It is painful for a reader to read of brutalities by a state on its own people. It must have been all the more painful for the author to write about it, being a Mizo herself . 

Although there is the story of the movement in the background, 'Zorami' is not all dark and dreary. It is enlivened with stories of day to day life of the various characters who live in the town. Beautiful caricatures of  personalities abound in the book whether it is of the shy, diffident, quiet Zorami, her  high spirited friend Kimi or the kind hearted soldier Sardarji. It is delightful to read the small little pleasures of community living, and social life that is so universal- "When not in school, the girls played house, climbed trees and dug out dung beetles.But the greatest fun was sliding down a hill side on a mound of freshly dug earth. Then they'd forget to go home until dark. That brought on scolding,of course. But the fun they had was worth it." 

The bitter sweet life of Zorami with its secrets, joys, longing and concern are all brought home dramatically by the author and then there is the sweet climax  when  Zorami and Sanga  are together again in spirit, sans the misunderstanding. 

Utilizing the opportunity to read a few lines from the book, (instead of opting to read traumatic details of the Mizo agitation) I chose to read the part that had a big impact on the relationship between Zorami Pari, the protagonist and her spouse Lallian Sanga. 

Exercept

" Dinpui, Dinpui, wait for me, Don't leave me! Sanga mumbled

A startled Zorami put down the book that she was reading and gazed at her sleeping husband. She sat up and awoke her husband " U Sang, what is it? Who are you calling? 

He sat up and rubbed his eyes.She put a hand on his shoulder and asked " What is troubling you?" 

" A sad dream."

" Who is Dimpui?"

After a long silence, he told her. Dimpui is the girl he loved. He can't forget her, though he has tried. 

Zorami felt like she's hurtling down into a black abyss. And then she felt nothing.No anger, no grief, no emotion at all.Only a heavy deadness. "No wonder there is no spark of romance in our life together.He's a burnt out stub, poor guy!" She thought. 

At last,in a flat,listless voice she managed to ask " where is she now?"

" Dead."  

  After I shared about the book, I was happy that it elicited  excited discussion..One member shared his experience of a time when he was working in the north east region. There was  apathy from Delhi to a disaster faced by the region. We also discussed of what the reputed television anchor Rajdeep Sardesai had said about mainstream media  knowingly or unknowingly tending to pay less attention to incidents that happen far away from the Capital city. As for example, he admitted that the devastating  Chennai floods were nor given adequate coverage by the media in the initial days. Rajdeep has opined  that the media needs  to be consciously and constantly vigilant to ensure that this does not happen. 

Even as I write this post, fifteen  miners trapped in a rat hole mine in Meghalaya since 13th December  are yet to be rescued although more than two weeks have lapsed. There has been apathy and delay in mobilizing the high pressure pumps essential for the rescue. Contrast this to the Thailand Cave rescue operation wherein young children and their football coach were successfully rescued by the concerted efforts of many agencies including the Government.

 During that crisis, the Pune based pump maker, Kirloskar Brothers had contributed by sending machinery and teams of engineers to assist in the Thai rescue operation. Unfortunately, the same has not happened in Meghalaya. Given the number of days lost, a survivor says that "There is no way the trapped miners will come out alive. My only hope is to see that their bodies are pulled out and last rites be carried out as per traditions.".

At a time when  there are so many divisions being created in the minds of people by vested interests in terms of language, region , race, religion or caste (that hit at the very concept of a single nation and unity in diversity), the novel 'Zorami', reminds  and exhorts us to love and respect all countrymen living in any part of our great nation, be it  east, west, north or south!  

( Readers may like to read an earlier blog reviewing Malsawmi Jacob's book- "The Messiah"  
  https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-book-review-messiah-by-malsawmi-jacob.html )