By Aparmita Das | SHILLONG:
Shillong-based writer Naphirisa Kordor Tariang released three books – The Canvas of Time, The Ink Spilled Pages and Tug of Words – at the Khasi National Dorbar Hall in Mawkhar, on February 14.
Tariang’s translation work of Anne Jones, a historical novel by her father Dr B P S Toi, was also released on the same day.
According to Naphirisa, the books throw light on her unwavering desire and the compelling need to give expression to her grains of thoughts, ideas and perspectives through words.
Speaking to The Meghalayan, Tariang said that the inspiration for the books was drawn during the lockdown period as she pondered upon the concept of time.
“With the coronavirus, everything had come to an abrupt halt. Life was heavily punctuated by this unexpected surge of the pandemic,” the author said.
This made her mind hop back to the past, the concept of time, “how far we have come, and how much we have evolved”.
The book Canvas of Time takes the reader on a journey from the last leg of the 20th century when not much was available in Shillong, but then globalising forces had already entered the local context through inventions like the TV.
“On one side there were people who were only recently introduced to these modern marvels, while the other half of the globe had youth who were already binging on burgers, Starbucks and creative content on TV,” Tariang said.
According to the writer, the book throws light on characters who lacked this experience but at the same time were witnessing them unfold on the screen. “This gives them an awareness of the concept of progress.”
“It generates a sense of awareness in them that life on the other side of the globe is leagues ahead of theirs.”
“The characters’ lives are shaped by minute events and monumental moments in life shared with the people close to their hearts,” she said.
“So, when we think in terms of the future during the pandemic it fringes on whether there can be shared experiences with our loved ones.
“We cannot hold back time but there will always be memories etched in our minds. So, basically, this book revolves around this theme,” she said.
Speaking about the translation work of Anne Jones, originally written by her father, Tariang said that translation is not merely “changing of words from one language to another” but rather a pathway or bridge between cultures.
“It made me realise that it throws light on the deep bond that was forged between the Welsh and the Khasis,” she said.
“Language, when engraved into writing, casts a torch on the many shared generations of the past. I read the poem of Soso Tham and it made me harp back on to the past and the gift of the alphabet we got. Had not it been for that, I would have not been able to read the poems.”
Tariang’s second book “The Ink Spilled Pages” is a book of poems, divided into two parts.
The first part delves into the concept of the self by channelling them into poetic lines, tuning into the conversation between the heart and the mind. And, the second part touches on social issues, and how family forms the very fabric of the Khasi society, and at the heart of the society is the self.
“It is better to know oneself before navigating through realities and our fragmented identities,” Tariang said.
The ‘Ink Spilled Pages’ encapsulates the essence of existence with an eye on looking inward at the self, to unfold the hidden layers of one’s personal identity before navigating through the multiplicity of realities and fragmented identities.
The third book “Tug of Words” is a compilation of short stories, that deals with the tussle between tradition and modernity. It is a myriad of Khasi folktales, myths and legends, along with the voices of the millenials. “This book is a conversation between the millenials and the older generation,” Tariang said.
The author had been immersed in the literary terrain since the age of eighteen when she had published her first book of poetry, ‘The Vision Dancing In My Mind’s Eye,’ and ‘The Engaging Allure of Meghalaya’ when she was nineteen. She had also published her debut novel ‘The North Star’ at the age of twenty.