The Hills are Burning

The political unrest in the hills of North bengal during 1986-87 is quite fresh in our memory. Those days of no Internet and our source of information was mainly from Television (that too Doordarshan) and newspapers . I remember how everyone spoke about the unrest yet we entitled city dwellers were far away from reality . The news did affect us but not too the extent where we start hearing the cries of people being killed in our sleep. I am big fan of Anirban’s writings and this book was preordered but it took me a long time to finish . The reason behind is that the gory details of the unrest got me choked . I was unable to proceed . I shuddered to think how the author who is my batchmate had to go through during his school days when the demand was for a separate state Gorkhaland and how ruthlessly the Government tried to handle it . The book speaks of a love story between two teenagers with the political unrest as a backdrop. The turmoil in the lovers lives were accentuated with the killings and violence around them. Yet love bloomed and the protagonist Tukai a Calcutta boy studying in Kalimpong feels cornered as his love stories have no happy endings . True love is always incomplete . In the journey he is befriended by locals and he starts identifying with them. The characters are so beautifully narrated and I realised that how mercilessly their lives have been destroyed by the political disturbance . My heart went out to Ellen who saw memories which she had cherished being destroyed in front of her eyes. A daughter witnessing the death of her innocent father who was mistaken for a militant. I had to take a break and take a deep breath. Truth is so hard to digest. The love story kind of balanced the merciless killings and I realised that love blooms in the most difficult situations. Love sees no colour , caste , creed and can probably bring in peace . That’s what I guess the writer also looked forward to . There are funny moments and I loved how a teacher described a kiss which according to him was an exchange of saliva and germs . The days of bandhs , lack of communication, violence seem to conspire against the lovers . Their love story highlighted the hatred the locals had for Bengalis which was so sad but the writer explains the reason too. The friendship remained intact between Tukai and his friends and I loved how they gave him a shoulder to cry every time his love story met with a dead end . That’s what friends are for . Friendship is beyond any colour , caste , religion , language and this is what the writer wanted us to realise . Now in 2023 after finishing the book I realised that the situation in the hills could be handled in a better way . The merciless killings of innocent lives was so not done . Who was accountable ? What happened to the families who lost their earning members ? Have the horrifying experience scarred them forever ? Were they able to rise from the ashes and carry on ? This book will get you thinking ? This book makes you time travel to a period when we were enjoying a normal life but our neighbors up north was witnessing genocide . Life is so unfair and that’s what I felt after reading the book. A must read for people since it’s history being narrated . We all should know the horrific stories that happened in the late 80s and this comes from an eyewitness. I plan to visit a few places mentioned in the book in my next trip to Kalimpong. Many places have been burnt down yet I want to visit the remnants . This is what the book has done to me .

The Hills Are Burning is a compelling autobiographical novel by Anirban Bhattacharya that offers a deep and insightful look into the violent backdrop of the Gorkhaland Agitation that took place in the hills of West Bengal in the late 1980s. The story is based on true events and is centred around Tukai, a young boy who is forced to move from Calcutta to Kalimpong due to his father's transfer to Kalimpong.As the story progresses, the author, who relives his growing up years in Kalimpong during the most violent period, vividly describes the GNLF protest and its subsequent silencing by the then state government, resulting in atrocities being imposed upon the locals. Through the eyes of Tukai, the reader experiences the struggle and turmoil of the Nepali-speaking people who were fighting for a separate state of Gorkhaland.Anirban's ability to capture the essence of the events is truly remarkable. He has not only presented the events that occurred during the Gorkhaland agitation, but has also given a vivid description of the emotional and psychological trauma that the people of the region went through. By doing so, he has not only provided a historical account of the events, but has also allowed readers to understand the human toll that was exacted during this dark period. Some of the chapters unabashedly showcase the inhumanity that humans are capable of displaying when they are at their most violent.The Hills Are Burning is not just a story about the Gorkhaland Agitation, but it is also a coming-of-age story of Tukai, who has to deal with the challenges of conforming to a new school, making new friends, and dealing with bullies. The author paints a vivid picture of Tukai's life in Kalimpong, his friendships, and the people he meets, giving readers a glimpse into the Bengali sentiment of that time. Through Tukai's eyes, we witness the violent struggle that the people of Darjeeling had to endure in the past.The characters in the novel are well-etched and relatable, making readers root for them as they navigate through the turmoil of the Gorkhaland Agitation. I, particularly, loved Ellen's strong character and resilience that caught my attention, and I found myself rooting for her throughout the story. Tukai's friends and love interests provided a sense of warmth amidst the harsh reality that the young characters were confronting and the whole world around them was burning. The book effectively balances its weighty subject matter with relatable characters that you will find engaging. It is not easy to cover a thirty-year-old movement in its entirety and yet make the book sufficiently light and accessible, but the author manages to do just that.Since Anirban's first book, I have been a devoted fan of his writing. His storytelling style and how he vividly portrays his characters, settings, and situations have always fascinated me. With his latest book, he once again succeeds in evoking a wide range of emotions - from humour to sadness, love to horror. However, I did feel somewhat disconnected with the fictionalisation of certain characters and parts of the story, as I was expecting a more authentic memoir. Nevertheless, this doesn't diminish the overall impact of the book and the quality of the writing.The Hills Are Burning is a powerful novel that captures the essence of the Gorkhaland Agitation and its impact on the people who lived through it. I found it an insightful and moving story that highlights the struggles of the Nepali-speaking people of West Bengal and their fight for a separate state. It is a book that should be read by anyone interested in Indian history, politics, and society.

Coming of age stories have always been my favourite. Anirban's novel pulled me into the world of the protagonists, who lived,loved and grew up in a situation of political turmoil. The timeline of the novel took me on a nostalgic drive. Around the same period I was living through my school adventures in a relatively calm part of South India. How ignorantly blissful I lead my life, while my counterparts witnessed calamity. The author's narrative style replete with humour, drama and romance thrown in equal measure makes this one a wholesome read.Sangeetha Vallat.