I believe I was born to be a storyteller and had my first tryst with the craft at the age of 14. I was in Class 9, at Jorhat Girls’ High School in Assam, when I wrote my first short story for the hand-written magazine, Sandhani. I went on to become an editor with the magazine and was convinced I could become an author one day.

At the prestigious J B College at Jorhat, I studied the general bachelor’s course with Assamese as my modern India language under the tutelage of legendary Assamese storyteller and Sahitya Akademi Award-winner Syed Abdul Malik, among others. It was a red-letter day for me when I received the highest marks in Assamese in an examination conducted by Mr Malik, as it strengthened my conviction to become a writer.

Even though I was married before I completed my graduation, I was determined to become a writer. My husband was a government doctor and, thanks to the transferable nature of his job, we shifted houses for nearly three decades. This helped me pick up various plots for my short stories, most of which revolve around the lives and the suffering of the people I encountered.

So far, I have written about 100 short stories, which have been published in various Assamese magazines and newspapers over the decades. Some of my short stories have also been published in the form of collections of three, namely Abyakta Bedana (1995), Seemar Sipare (2006) and Suwansiri Ajiyo Boi Ache (2016).

Apart from short stories, I have also written for children; I enjoy this the most. I have published many collections of children’s stories, the latest in 2016, and one collection of life sketches of literary legends of Assam.

Like one’s own children, I love all my books equally and don’t have any favourites. But I was surprised at how Edin Mukut Nagaroloi Ahichil (2010) turned out, as it was based more on truth than imagination. This children’s novel talks about the evils of drinking and the benefits of education via my protagonist Mukut.

I also use my stories to speak of my childhood with nostalgia. I simplify stories from myths and epics, making them easy to read for the new generation. In my book Aita Aru Natihot, I accompany my grandchildren on tours to their ancestral home and they are thrilled when their inquisitiveness prompts me to reveal her own past.

In my children’s books, my main objective is to instil moral values through stories, while my other stories depict the sentiments of either women or the underprivileged. I try to capture the various nuances in society, the emotional turmoil of people, their angst, and I weave tales on contemporary themes.

I was conferred three local literary awards for children’s literature (the Assam Lekhika Sangtha Award in 1993, Bani Pathak Suarani Award in 1995, and Punya Bora Award in 2006) and the Assam Government’s Literary Pension Award in 2009. Also, it meant a lot to me when my books were ordered by the state government’s Directorate of Library Services. All these milestones have been a source of encouragement and inspiration, and I am very grateful for them.

Life is good and I am very blessed, for after my husband passed away, I have been living with my only son and his family. I am now 79 years old but still wake up at 3.30 am and use the extra time it gives me to jot down my thoughts and feelings. I still have many more stories to tell!

—Anita Baruah, Guwahati

Photo: Tapati Baruah Kashyap
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
February 2018