The Quest of Baojender: The quest for just social order

Anirban Choudhury

(eternalflamenew@gmail.com)

Set in the idyllic and picturesque Dima Hasao, The Quest of Baojender by Ramu Upadhaya is both a commentary of the present as well as a lament of the good old days. While taking the readers through the turbulent past, uneasy present and an obscure future, the book highlights the struggles of the hill people. It dwells on contemporary pressing issues of identity politics, political aspirations of the indigenous people, ethnic and linguistic tension, immigration, drug trafficking, encroachment, development, connectivity, etc. The book will readily appeal to readers having roots in Dima Hasao, as it acknowledges the influence of political stalwarts such as Joy Bhadra Hagjer and GC Langthasa along with the current political leadership and bureaucrats in the beautiful hill district, besides several leading social activists.

An interesting facet of the book is that the principal characters through which the author speaks through 54 chapters are all metaphorical — Charming Posse, Baojender, Wiso, etc. These characters create an absorbing tale as they take the readers through a complex web of hill politics, the contentious issue of autonomous state under Article 244 (A) of the Constitution of India, the uneasy calm between Haflong and Dispur, the outsider-versus-insider debate, tribe equations, etc. The author however sounds positive while offering suggestions to the many ills afflicting the society, including in the hills and neighbourhood.

Published by Zorba Books, “The Quest of Baojender” is Ramu Upadhaya’s 10th book. His earlier published works include A Landless Alien: Where Hearts Lay, Trial & Errors, Sight of Vision, Parody, Revelation, Endearing Species, Penalty & Pardon, Assam’s Dima Hasao: Pearls of Big River, and Odyssey Dima Hasao & Autonomous Council.

A resident of Haflong and currently serving in the Soil Conservation Department, Government of Assam, Upadhaya reveals his deep love and affection for the hill district and its people through The Quest of Baojender. As with his nine previously published works, the latest book is his tribute to the land that he was born.