The Life and Culture of North East India as U...

The Life and Culture of North East India as Unveiled in Janice Pariat’s Boats on Land

Author Name : Aswathy G Babu

ABSTRACT

Janice Pariat is a vibrant story teller and exotic writer from Shillong and is the recipient of the Sahitya Akademy’s Yuva Puraskar Award in 2013 for her historically significant collection of short stories titled Boats on Land: A Collection of Short Stories. Janice Pariat, in this collection, brilliantly brings forth the pre- and post-independent North East India, particularly her homeland, Shillong, its myriad customs, scintillating culture, political struggles and deep-rooted mythical beliefs. Each of the fifteen short stories in the collection excellently illustrate the often-undisclosed history and the alluring culture of the unexplored North East India. Pariat coherently sets the mood, style, spirit, pace and feel of the stories by employing striking images of the land. The culture, traditions, customs, beliefs and way of life in India’s North-east is at once relatable as well as alien.

Keywords: Culture, History, Myth, North-East India