The Distaste of the Earth

by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih

(THE DISTASTE OF THE EARTH LONGLISTED FOR THE JCB PRIZE 2024; SHORTLISTED FOR THE KERELA LITERATURE FESTIVAL BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2024)

Inspired by the true and tragic love story of Manik Raitong and Lieng Makaw, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih weaves an ancient world of Khasi kings and queens, warriors and plunderers, and chronicles the sorrows of a young man caught up in that world. And it all begins in a pata, the local bar.

Ambitious and expansive, lifelike and filled with wonder, this is the layered fictional history of a land where love knows no boundaries, where animals recount their tales of woe against man, and where retribution arrives, sooner or later.

Artfully raising questions about earthly powers, godly dispensation, and where our anthropocentric attitude is leading us, The Distaste of the Earth grapples with such themes as greed and oppression, revenge and justice, love and tragedy, strife and peace.

At once mythical and contemporary, this is the work of a master fabulist.

Genres: Fiction

480 pages, Paperback

First published May 20, 2024

About the author

Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih is the winner of the Shakti Bhatt Prize 2024. He was born and brought up in Sohra, Meghalaya, and writes poetry, drama and fiction in Khasi and English. His latest works are "The Distaste of the Earth" (Penguin India, longlisted for the JCB Prize 2024 and shortlisted for the Kerala Literature Festival Book of the Year Award 2024) and the 1024-page debut novel, "Funeral Nights" (Context/Westland Amazon for India; And Other Stories for the UK-US). He is the author of "The Yearning of Seeds" (HarperCollins), "Time’s Barter: Haiku and Senryu" (HarperCollins), "Around the Hearth: Khasi Legends" (Penguin) and the co-editor of "Late-Blooming Cherries: Haiku Poetry from India" (HarperCollins), Lapbah: Stories from the Northeast (Penguin) and "Dancing Earth: An Anthology of Poetry from Northeast India" (Penguin).

He has published poems and stories in Planet: The Welsh Internationalist, Wasafiri, The New Welsh Review, PEN International, The Literary Review, Karavan, The Sentinel Literary Quarterly, Cordite Poetry Review, Poetry International Web, The Indian Quarterly, Down to Earth, The Hindu Business Line, Indian Literature, The Oxford Anthology of Writings from North-East India, Pilgrim’s India, Day’s End Stories and others.

His other awards include the first North-East Poetry Award (Tripura, 2004), the first Veer Shankar Shah-Raghunath Shah National Award for tribal literature (Madhya Pradesh, 2008), a Tagore Fellowship (IIAS, Shimla, 2018), the Bangalore Review June Jazz Award (2021) and the Sparrow Literary Award (2022). He teaches literature at North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong.

From http://keralaliteraturefestival.com/s...

Reviews

[Yesha- Books Teacup and Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

review - https://booksteacupreviews.com/2024/1...

The Distaste of the Earth is a touching and captivating work of historical literary fiction that reimagines a popular folktale from Meghalaya—the tragic love story of Manik Raitong and Queen Lieng Makaw of the Hima (Khasi hills).

The Distaste of the Earth is written third-person narrative with vivid and descriptive prose that brings the Khasi lands and people to life. Author uses use of  local terms and phrases aplenty which was often challenging to read and slowed the pace however translation provided alongside made it easy to understand the terms. It also adds a distinct, ancient feel to the storytelling. The story is divided in three part-

Part One introduces the Khasi land and its people, particularly the kingdom of Hima Makkhiew and its capital, Nongbag. Here, the famous Lyngkien's pata (bar) in Nongbah is established as a central setting.

While Manik is briefly introduced in the beginning and we get to know how he got his name Manik Raitong or Manik the Wretched, or Manik the Forsaken, the focus is in this part remains the story of Lyngkien, the bar’s owner, her staff, and her regular customers. Near the end of this section, the reader is introduced to the palace, the ambitious king of Hima, and his marriage to Lieng Makaw.

This section vividly portrays Khasi life, including their culture, folklore, religion, superstitions, as well as marriage and divorce rituals. While I appreciated learning about a new culture, the pace slows considerably as it delves into these intricate details.

Part Two finally brings Manik's story to the forefront, at around page 150. His tragic backstory is both touching and heart-wrenching. The loss of his entire Risoh clan, the death of his sister after their forced eviction, and the greed of the king and his ministers all set the stage for Manik’s reclusive life. It is here that Manik meets Lieng, though he doesn’t know her identity at first. Their brief romance is shattered by Lieng’s mother, whose cruel words drive Manik to forsake the world.

This section also delves into themes of political greed, power struggles, and a symbolic conversation between animals. The animals share legends that expose the cruelty of men toward them, reflecting how humans often demonize animals to justify their own actions. While these themes deepen the plot and illuminate Manik’s withdrawal from society, the extended conversation (nearly 150 pages) felt unnecessarily long. There is also an extensive focus on the Risoh clan, their culture, and the naming ceremony, which felt overly drawn out.

Part Three brings the story to its tragic conclusion. Manik and Lieng rekindle their love after her marriage to the king, drawn together by Manik’s enchanting music and Lieng’s beauty. Their relationship, however, must remain secret, and it culminates in the birth of their child. Despite the public's condemnation of their forbidden love, Manik and Lieng remain proud of their bond, even as they face the inevitable consequence—death.

Manik’s trial allows him to reveal the injustices done to him. It was amazing how it moved people and changed their perspective towards him but it couldn't affect the heartless king or his greedy ministers. While Manik and Lieng’s end is tragic, the supporting characters from the pata find happiness, offering some resolution.

Is it bad to say I enjoyed the stories of the supporting characters more than those of the main characters? I enjoyed seeing the supporting characters develop more which I couldn’t quite say for the main characters.

Many might feel uncomfortable with the relationship here, as Lieng is technically cheating. However, it doesn’t seem that egregious since the king was with her for just a week after their marriage and then disappeared for three years! It was repeatedly emphasized that his ambition to conquer nations took precedence over love and family. Additionally, there isn't much room for a blossoming romance; we see very little interaction between Manik and Lieng in this 400+ page book.

However, the author explains in the notes that the romance in the original folktale spans only two pages, which is why the focus remains on Manik’s backstory, the exploration of Khasi culture, and the legends of the land and its animals.

Overall, The Distaste of the Earth is an emotive and poignant historical literary fiction that delves deep into Khasi culture and its famous forbidden love story of Manik Raitong, the pauper, and Lieng Makaw, the queen. It explores human cruelty and destruction, but amidst it all, love endures.

[Kynpham Nongkynrih]

https://theconversation.com/best-book....

AU Edition | 4 December 2024

The Conversation

I love end-of-year best books lists. They remind me of books I’ve been meaning to read all year – they’re a great source for summer reading, gift ideas, or the ever-growing bedside table stack.

We asked 30 of our experts to share the books that most resonated with them in 2024. I was unsurprised to see major international events, like the US election and the death of Russian politician Alexander Navalny, reflected in the picks. And I’d expected to see new Australian works by star writers like Michelle de Kretser, Anita Heiss and Nam Le. But as with any good best books list, there are plenty of surprises too – from Stanley Tucci on food, to First Nations poetry from around the world.

Jo Case

Best Books of 2024: our experts share their standout reads

Jo Case, The Conversation

We’ve invited writers, from fields as diverse as wildlife ecology, politics and literature, to nominate their best books of 2024. And this year, the Books & Ideas team share their own picks, too.

````
Best Book for Mridula Nath Chakraborty

In The Distaste of the Earth (Penguin India), Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, author of Funeral Nights (2021), continues his fabulist storytelling about mythic archetypes, against the backdrop of his beloved Khasi Hills rainforests. Subverting the tragic star-crossed lovers folktale of Manik Raitong the Wretched and Khasi Queen Liang Makaw, Nongkynrih extends oral storytelling traditions to create an utterly irreverential narrative. Part poetry, part philosophy and part critique, this is a fascinating glimpse into a world weary of humankind and wise in its Aesop-like vision of our contemporary moment.

Mridula Nath Chakraborty is senior lecturer, Monash Intercultural Lab, Monash University.

[Jainand Gurjar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Distaste of the Earth by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih blends mystical and historical elements in a tale of magical realism. Inspired by ‘the true and tragic love story of Manik Raitong, or Manik the Wretched, and Lieng Makaw, the wife of a famous king who ruled an ancient Khasi state’, Nongkynrih weaves an enchanting story that incorporates the Khasi folktales, culture, language and celebrates it to the fullest.

The story is very descriptive, digging deeper into Khasi culture thoroughly throughout the book, to the extent that there are times when the culture is explained in so much detail that the main story takes a backstage. It is atmospheric and takes into consideration every single character it presents, going to great lengths to describe them, which makes it a very cumbersome read at times. It almost feels like reading a non-fiction book on the cultural aspect of the Khasi land and its people in between the fiction.

Read the detailed review on Blog. Link 👇👇👇 https://jainandgurjar.home.blog/2024/...

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

One Liner: Informative but missing something vital

A loose retelling of the love story of Manik Raitong and Lieng Makaw acts as the central point to weave a multitude of tales about people, community, culture, and nature in the Khasi region.

Set in the past, the book brings together various socio-cultural, interpersonal, and earthly elements woven with an array of emotions.

The story comes in the third-person POV.

My Thoughts:

Unfortunately, not many of us know a lot about the cultural history and lore of the Northeastern part of India. So, when I saw this was based on a real story from the region, I searched for the original (links at the end). The actual story is quite small, so the 400+ page count here resulted in many questions.

The author’s note at the beginning establishes the expectations from the book. He mentions that the book is more of a presentation of the ancient Khasi world with people and nature at its center. This helped adjust my expectations. I realized it would read like a collection of interconnected stories that make sense only when together.

The omnipresent third-person POV acts as the storyteller’s voice, providing information about the local customs, rituals, conditions, etc. For someone who knew almost nothing about the setting (those 3-4 episodes of food shows don’t count), this detailing provided a wealth of knowledge. There are a few triggers, but none of these events are detailed.

There’s a liberal use of local terms and phrases, and translation provided alongside. This may or may not work for everyone. I like it since it brings authenticity to the English narrative. (It’s only in recent times I realized how hard it is to present regional stories in English. The feeling is just not the same without the presence of native words.)

However, the dialogues are a bit jarring. They are a strange combination of modern-day terms, semi-translation, and a sort of ancient vibe. It took more than a while to get used to this blend.
The beginning is slow as expected. There is a lot to know and new characters are introduced often. Moreover, the main lead is nothing more than a random character until the first 150+ pages (part one). We spend all our time reading about others.

The setting, Hima Mokkhiew, is a village in Nongboh of Ri Bhoi. The geographical elements are described on the first page. However, a map would have done a better job. All those routes, hills, forest lands, and flat lands in different directions can get confusing without a visual representation. [The Khasi lands are spread over Meghalaya and a part of Assam as well as Bangladesh (the neighboring country)]

We finally get to our MMC’s story, and it presents a range of social and political situations. However, right when the plot thickens, we end up with ~60 pages of stories about animals by animals. I didn’t mind the first two or three stories but then my interest level crashed to the lowest. These went on for too long and pulled me out of the mood. I’d have preferred for the tales to be spread across the book instead of being dumped together. That way, we would have also seen the MMC’s past in tiny flashbacks.

At last, the core love story begins… but ends up in a few pages! While I appreciate the backstories provided for the characters and the foundation for their love, I wanted more. We see two or three scenes of the couple interacting before there’s a time jump and drama begins. The actual part of their ‘love’ is not even shown. If only the other stories were trimmed to make space for at least another 10 pages of their interactions!

The ending brings the different threads together and provides the necessary conclusions for each track. A little more about Nem would have helped.

To summarize, The Distaste of the Earth has much to teach about the ancient Khasi culture while exploring the basic human traits and the power of love. However, I cannot help but wish for a better focus on the true and tragic love story that inspired this book.

Thank you, Blogchatter and Penguin Random House India, for a copy of the book. This review contains my honest opinion about the book.

***

More about the Original:

The love story of Manik and Lieng is famous in the Khasi Lands even today. A movie was made on this (Manik Raitong , 1984) and was the first color film in Khasi. Speak Your Roots has shared a post about the original story with pictures of the book ( Ka Liengmakaw da Jespil Syiem).

***

TW: Battle, plague, death, mentions of rape, beheadings, and alcoholism

[Fictionandme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Name : The Distaste Of The Earth
Author : Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih
Genre : Historical literary fiction

My 💭:
[03/10/24 11.18 PM]

I can't quite explain what I am feeling right now after finishing this book. I found this book to be relatable and heartbreaking at the same time.

I'm not sure whether historical literary fiction is the correct genre for this book, because there's an otherworldly mythical aspect to it as well. First of all, the writing style of the author is something spun from magic - lyrical and transcendental. Even though each para had many many details, not once I could glaze over. This book felt like the haunting melody of Manik Raitong, that would leave you restless and pierce your soul.

The story begins with lives of a few residents in a village, all in their own uniqueness forms the heart of the village. But the main story starts around the 2nd half of the book with Manik's story, or rather tragedy. His life taught me that maybe some lives were meant for suffering only - without any reason whatsoever. If you had asked me a month ago, I would not have reached this conclusion, but I do now, because of my circumstances and I believe it now. At least Manik had someone to blame for most of his misfortunes, but I don't have that luxury. But he gave me a very necessary realisation, all thanks to his animal friends - something my own mind has been building towards :
"Be alone as much as possible; you cannot hurt yourself."

But what's the chance of me reading this book NOW, that I was supposed to read months ago? And I'm quite sure that if I had read it earlier, the story would have been different. The soul of this book matched mine. Idk what God or Fate is trying to tell me by giving me this book. It opened up a whole can of worms in my mind. Maybe acceptance of life as a suffering? Because that's what life is, an unhappy ending waiting to happen. And I finally understand why Prince Siddhartha renounced society on that day. I do.