A land far away

Stories that bring to life the world of Tangkhul Nagas of Manipur

- RITWIK SHARMA

ASA READER, it feels rewarding to be transported to a world that remains unfamiliar in our popular imagination. Jim Wungramyao Kasom does so effortlessly in his new collection of short stories, The Last Free Naga. It brings alive the world of Tangkhul Nagas, a tribal group that forms the dominant population in Ukhrul district of Manipur.

He has authored two books earlier, Homecoming & Other Stories (2020) and an anthology of poems titled Cradling Memories of My Land (2023), the themes reflecting the position of a writer living awayfrom home.The dozen stories in his new compilation have characters who have flown the nest as well as those who have stayed put.This evenness helps avoid a limiting perspective and broadens the canvas. Considering that he has spent the better part of his life away from Manipur—Kasom lives in New Delhi—the vivid descriptions reveal a rootedness and intimate understanding of life in the hills.