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Wari: A Collection of Manipuri Short Stories
Death be denied, Faith be restored, rumours be flying, memories be evoked, humanity be restored... ‘Wari’ came to be heard and ‘Wari’ continues to be told... ‘Wari’ which means ‘story’ in Manipuri brings you a cauldron of contemporary Manipuri fiction seasoned with age-old tales of magic, black art and deep cultural beliefs that are unique to the state and its people. Linthoi Chanu is the author of ‘The Tales of Kanglei Throne’, her debut book based on mythological stories of Manipur. From an old woman who refuses to die to a small girl venturing into the unknown, Linthoi Chanu’s ‘Wari’ is a collection of eight unusual stories that introduces readers to the rich socio-cultural traditions of Manipur.
84 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 9, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 16, 2024
In a Nutshell: A collection of stories set in the N-E Indian state of Manipur. Excellent representation of the legends and the ethos of the location and its people. There are a few too many typos, but the beauty of the stories still makes me recommend this collection.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My quest to read more books from all parts of my country led me to this lovely story collection. The North-East part of India is quite distinct from the rest of the nation in its lore and culture, and this book shows how beautifully the unique setting lends itself to stories.
‘Wari’ means ‘story’ in Manipuri. Through the ups and downs of life, what keeps our traditions and culture alive are stories. This intriguing collection that juxtaposes the rich lore of Manipur with modern-day situations and incidents offers a refreshingly authentic depiction of the place. As this is an OwnVoices work, there is a strong aura of honesty surrounding each of the tales. Even without ever having visited Manipur, I felt like I have been on a journey through the state and shown around by a local.
There is no author’s note, but the blurb refers to the book as a “cauldron of contemporary Manipuri fiction seasoned with age-old tales of magic, black art, and deep cultural beliefs unique to the state and its people.” This represents the book well, I say!
The eight stories in this collection comes from varied themes, not all of them being fantastical. A couple of them highlight the struggles of daily living in Manipur, but most of the stories have a strong infusion of the local legends and the socio-cultural traditions of the people. The stories aren’t necessarily happy stories. Many are bittersweet. Some are sad. Most are introspective. But despite the lack of a joyous tone, the charm of the stories isn’t affected.
There is a great representation of the language, superstitions, lore, geography, and nature of Manipur. The language part goes a teeny bit overboard, as there were too many Manipuri words, especially the multitude of relationship words that seem to be the hallmark of every part of India. There is a glossary at the end, which was very helpful, but referring to it again and again broke my flow. Thankfully, I had the physical copy of this book, so I simply stuck another bookmark at the glossary page to make the flipping around easier. The vocabulary level is quite simple, making this a good collection even for teen readers.
As always, I read the stories individually. Of the eight stories, four reached or crossed the 4-star mark for me. Most of the remaining tales were between 3-3.5 stars, so they were also good enough. The only dud for me was a story that was supposedly a shortened version of a novella written by the author. Just as micro fiction doesn’t work when padded out to turn into short fiction, novellas don’t click when bits and pieces are culled to make them short fiction. Both these actions result in a jumpy narrative. Better to rewrite the whole story afresh.
These were my favourites:
As is evident, I enjoyed the stories. However, there were two things that bugged me.
🚩 While I try to ignore typos by indie authors if they aren’t too obvious, this book has too many typos to be ignored. Luckily the stories were gripping enough to keep my attention, but the grammar Nazi in me found these errors distracting. There are two editors mentioned in the acknowledgements, but considering how numerous the typos were, it’s quite possible that these two “editors” were just friends of the author who did the best they could with their untrained eyes. I wish authors realised the importance of professional editing.
(I must also add: Amazon shows that there's a second edition of this book available now. The picture of the blurb on the product page of this new edition doesn’t contain the grammatical errors that my book blurb does. So I presume, or rather, I hope, that the book has been re-edited and finetuned.)
🚩 There are some B&W illustrations in the book, about 2-3 graphics per story. While these *appear* to be intricate, the printing makes them look quite blurry, like a small-sized picture was dragged out to make a bigger graphic. This looks quite cheap in print.
The points of disgruntlement don’t impact the actual stories. Hence I won’t dock off stars for these issues, all the more as this is an indie work from a relatively ignored part of the country.
In short, this indie story collection serves its purpose well, giving us a beautiful glimpse of magical Manipur and its citizens and its way of thinking.
Highly recommended to all short fiction and lore lovers.
3.7 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story.
This book is a 2019 publication, so obviously, there is nothing about the present ethnic violence in Manipur. I’ll just say… Here's wishing for peace in Manipur. May national unity prevail over religious divisions, in Manipur and the rest of our beloved motherland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My quest to read more books from all parts of my country led me to this lovely story collection. The North-East part of India is quite distinct from the rest of the nation in its lore and culture, and this book shows how beautifully the unique setting lends itself to stories.
‘Wari’ means ‘story’ in Manipuri. Through the ups and downs of life, what keeps our traditions and culture alive are stories. This intriguing collection that juxtaposes the rich lore of Manipur with modern-day situations and incidents offers a refreshingly authentic depiction of the place. As this is an OwnVoices work, there is a strong aura of honesty surrounding each of the tales. Even without ever having visited Manipur, I felt like I have been on a journey through the state and shown around by a local.
There is no author’s note, but the blurb refers to the book as a “cauldron of contemporary Manipuri fiction seasoned with age-old tales of magic, black art, and deep cultural beliefs unique to the state and its people.” This represents the book well, I say!
The eight stories in this collection comes from varied themes, not all of them being fantastical. A couple of them highlight the struggles of daily living in Manipur, but most of the stories have a strong infusion of the local legends and the socio-cultural traditions of the people. The stories aren’t necessarily happy stories. Many are bittersweet. Some are sad. Most are introspective. But despite the lack of a joyous tone, the charm of the stories isn’t affected.
There is a great representation of the language, superstitions, lore, geography, and nature of Manipur. The language part goes a teeny bit overboard, as there were too many Manipuri words, especially the multitude of relationship words that seem to be the hallmark of every part of India. There is a glossary at the end, which was very helpful, but referring to it again and again broke my flow. Thankfully, I had the physical copy of this book, so I simply stuck another bookmark at the glossary page to make the flipping around easier. The vocabulary level is quite simple, making this a good collection even for teen readers.
As always, I read the stories individually. Of the eight stories, four reached or crossed the 4-star mark for me. Most of the remaining tales were between 3-3.5 stars, so they were also good enough. The only dud for me was a story that was supposedly a shortened version of a novella written by the author. Just as micro fiction doesn’t work when padded out to turn into short fiction, novellas don’t click when bits and pieces are culled to make them short fiction. Both these actions result in a jumpy narrative. Better to rewrite the whole story afresh.
These were my favourites:
🦋 Near Immortal - Based on the legend of the Khoidouwa black magic. Quite a dark story, and though partly guessable, it is gripping. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🦋 Amity in Queue - Doesn't match the core theme but still a powerful story. This showed me an aspect of Manipur I never knew about. I won't ever complain about the queues at petrol pumps here. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🦋 The Scarlet Haophi [traditional winter shawl] –Feels almost like a fable. The strongest tale in terms of traditional Manipuri beliefs. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
🦋 Floating Dreams - Such a beautiful but sad tale! The ending broke my heart. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
As is evident, I enjoyed the stories. However, there were two things that bugged me.
🚩 While I try to ignore typos by indie authors if they aren’t too obvious, this book has too many typos to be ignored. Luckily the stories were gripping enough to keep my attention, but the grammar Nazi in me found these errors distracting. There are two editors mentioned in the acknowledgements, but considering how numerous the typos were, it’s quite possible that these two “editors” were just friends of the author who did the best they could with their untrained eyes. I wish authors realised the importance of professional editing.
(I must also add: Amazon shows that there's a second edition of this book available now. The picture of the blurb on the product page of this new edition doesn’t contain the grammatical errors that my book blurb does. So I presume, or rather, I hope, that the book has been re-edited and finetuned.)
🚩 There are some B&W illustrations in the book, about 2-3 graphics per story. While these *appear* to be intricate, the printing makes them look quite blurry, like a small-sized picture was dragged out to make a bigger graphic. This looks quite cheap in print.
The points of disgruntlement don’t impact the actual stories. Hence I won’t dock off stars for these issues, all the more as this is an indie work from a relatively ignored part of the country.
In short, this indie story collection serves its purpose well, giving us a beautiful glimpse of magical Manipur and its citizens and its way of thinking.
Highly recommended to all short fiction and lore lovers.
3.7 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each story.
This book is a 2019 publication, so obviously, there is nothing about the present ethnic violence in Manipur. I’ll just say… Here's wishing for peace in Manipur. May national unity prevail over religious divisions, in Manipur and the rest of our beloved motherland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
January 15, 2022
This book gave me goosebumps 😌 Not the good kind 👀
This is a collection of 8 short stories based on the various beliefs, superstitions, urban folktales and folklores in Manipur, a North East state of India.
*Contents:
1. Near Immortal
(all the creepy 5 🌟, gave me goosebumps and possibly daymare throughout the story)
Theme: 'black magic and superstitions towards older people'
2. The Hound
(Gave me all the insecurity vibes to my innocent aura)
Theme: 'guardian dieties and ancestral diety worship'
3. When In War
(I love the characters so much! Best historical short story fiction of the year)
Theme: desperate war times (my favourite in the collection!)
4. Amity In Queue
(Pure joy in reading about strangers helping each other in difficult times yet the ending leaving you question the whole thing again)
Theme: desperate common people in times of blockade
5. Hags of the Mountain
(I say, do not read this book when you're alone in the woods. Less chance of you doing it but who knows?)
Theme: human abduction by a certain mythological creature
6. Forbidden Passion
(Saddest beautiful story ever)
Theme: Drug abuse
7. The Scarlet Haophi
(This one is a 5 🌟 'scarred me for life' kind of story)
Theme: 'Laina Chenba' (the spiriting away of kids by guardian deities)
8. Floating Dreams
(One of the best short stories ever written!)
Theme: The lives of those surviving on the Loktak Lake of Manipur
***2021 favourites***
Each story is unique, incredibly well-written and accurately representative of the places and the natives mentioned.
Extra: you will get to learn so many simple Manipuri words from the stories and the glossary towards the end of the collection.
This is a collection of 8 short stories based on the various beliefs, superstitions, urban folktales and folklores in Manipur, a North East state of India.
*Contents:
1. Near Immortal
(all the creepy 5 🌟, gave me goosebumps and possibly daymare throughout the story)
Theme: 'black magic and superstitions towards older people'
2. The Hound
(Gave me all the insecurity vibes to my innocent aura)
Theme: 'guardian dieties and ancestral diety worship'
3. When In War
(I love the characters so much! Best historical short story fiction of the year)
Theme: desperate war times (my favourite in the collection!)
4. Amity In Queue
(Pure joy in reading about strangers helping each other in difficult times yet the ending leaving you question the whole thing again)
Theme: desperate common people in times of blockade
5. Hags of the Mountain
(I say, do not read this book when you're alone in the woods. Less chance of you doing it but who knows?)
Theme: human abduction by a certain mythological creature
6. Forbidden Passion
(Saddest beautiful story ever)
Theme: Drug abuse
7. The Scarlet Haophi
(This one is a 5 🌟 'scarred me for life' kind of story)
Theme: 'Laina Chenba' (the spiriting away of kids by guardian deities)
8. Floating Dreams
(One of the best short stories ever written!)
Theme: The lives of those surviving on the Loktak Lake of Manipur
***2021 favourites***
Each story is unique, incredibly well-written and accurately representative of the places and the natives mentioned.
Extra: you will get to learn so many simple Manipuri words from the stories and the glossary towards the end of the collection.
March 5, 2020
I don't think my review will justify the beauty this book is. I'll try nevertheless. As I mentioned in my earlier reviews, I love authors who are proud of their roots, their culture and introduce it to people like us, who are left in complete awe! This lovely little book takes us on a trip to Manipur, right from the comfort of our homes. I know I'll be recommending this one to everyone and certainly not going to stop talking about this book.
~
"Wari" is a eclectic and a diverse collection of 8 short stories, all about the beauty of Manipur, the people there, their beliefs and everything which is unique to the wonderful state. It's hard to pick a favourite story out of all, because each story was so alluring and distinct in its tone, but I loved Near Immortal, Hags of mountain, Forbidden passion and Floating dreams a tad bit more than the rest. I loved reading about the folk beliefs, the tribal culture and arts, about the Manipuri cuisine, something which I had no idea of. This is what reading diverse books does to you, the book gives more to you than what you ask from it. I went in without any expectations and I wasn't disappointed.
~
I adored how Manipuri words were peppered throughout the text which gave the book a cosy and a snug feel. I didn't need to use Google or Translate because of the glossary provided at the end which kept me connected to the story. Not many books provide a glossary. It's always good to know words from a new language. I also admired the way each chapter ended, with a little footnote about the folk beliefs, which made us understand the story even more. This book beautifully presented the socio cultural and political image of Manipur, covering everything from history to contemporary to age old tales of black magic. I couldn't have asked for a better book to start March with. If this review has convinced you enough, go and read the book. Buy, borrow, beg (if you have to) BUT READ THIS BOOK. Don't let this one slip away. Linthoi Chanu is quite a promising author and I know I'll read whatever she writes. Her writing is very fresh and straight from the heart.
Highly recommended.
5⭐
~
"Wari" is a eclectic and a diverse collection of 8 short stories, all about the beauty of Manipur, the people there, their beliefs and everything which is unique to the wonderful state. It's hard to pick a favourite story out of all, because each story was so alluring and distinct in its tone, but I loved Near Immortal, Hags of mountain, Forbidden passion and Floating dreams a tad bit more than the rest. I loved reading about the folk beliefs, the tribal culture and arts, about the Manipuri cuisine, something which I had no idea of. This is what reading diverse books does to you, the book gives more to you than what you ask from it. I went in without any expectations and I wasn't disappointed.
~
I adored how Manipuri words were peppered throughout the text which gave the book a cosy and a snug feel. I didn't need to use Google or Translate because of the glossary provided at the end which kept me connected to the story. Not many books provide a glossary. It's always good to know words from a new language. I also admired the way each chapter ended, with a little footnote about the folk beliefs, which made us understand the story even more. This book beautifully presented the socio cultural and political image of Manipur, covering everything from history to contemporary to age old tales of black magic. I couldn't have asked for a better book to start March with. If this review has convinced you enough, go and read the book. Buy, borrow, beg (if you have to) BUT READ THIS BOOK. Don't let this one slip away. Linthoi Chanu is quite a promising author and I know I'll read whatever she writes. Her writing is very fresh and straight from the heart.
Highly recommended.
5⭐
January 8, 2021
3,5
I thoroughly enjoyed the 8 short stories that are in this book. As the title already explains, all the stories deal with Manipur and its social and cultural traditions. I most liked all the stories that explore magic, superstition or religion: "Near Immortal", "The Hound", "Hags of the Mountain" and my favorite story of the collection, "The Scarlet Haophi".
But there are also a couple of stories that deal with contemporary problems like "Forbidden Passion" that talks about drug addiction, "Amity in Queue" that faces the problem of "political" blockades, phenomenon that occurs when the trucks are blocked on the national highway, and "Floating Dreams" that talks about the Lohtak lake's phumdis.
There is also "When in War" that shows us what humanity means.
I'm so glad that I could finally read a book about Manipur because it isn't easy to find books set in this Indian state. I have to say thank you to my Goodreads friend Arpit!
I thoroughly enjoyed the 8 short stories that are in this book. As the title already explains, all the stories deal with Manipur and its social and cultural traditions. I most liked all the stories that explore magic, superstition or religion: "Near Immortal", "The Hound", "Hags of the Mountain" and my favorite story of the collection, "The Scarlet Haophi".
But there are also a couple of stories that deal with contemporary problems like "Forbidden Passion" that talks about drug addiction, "Amity in Queue" that faces the problem of "political" blockades, phenomenon that occurs when the trucks are blocked on the national highway, and "Floating Dreams" that talks about the Lohtak lake's phumdis.
There is also "When in War" that shows us what humanity means.
I'm so glad that I could finally read a book about Manipur because it isn't easy to find books set in this Indian state. I have to say thank you to my Goodreads friend Arpit!
June 28, 2020
I am truly privileged to have read "Wari A Collection Of Manipuri Short Stories" by Linthoi Chanu. Manipur is the "Jewel of India".
This is one book that has the author's heart on every page. There's the genuine spirit of the Manipuri people in every story written. Unforgettable ones, and there's one that moved me to tears. "Floating dreams" about a group of students who see the world through their beloved teacher. They are seekers of knowledge and were proud to be schooled and to learn, to escape from the miseries they suffer at home. I've learnt 'Phumdi' are little floating islands on LokTak Lake of Manipur. Felt a stab to my heart when the students were abandoned by every teacher therefore keeping their dreams and visions floating without being able to materialize them. These young minds yearning to learn and see the world, predicted the time of the day primitively based on the movement of the circular sun rays as there were no clocks around to tell time. How heartbreaking can that be to snuff out the aspirations of these innocent young minds? I felt the pangs of disappointment and rejection when the little girl dumps her freshly washed second hand tennis white shoes that she eagerly wore to school that day. Only to realize the teacher did not turn up, anymore.
The nine other stories were so beautiful I re-read some of them. The tenth one however is etched on my heart forever. This book has the indigenous cultural elements of superstition, spiritual & tribal practices, cults, worshipping of nature and guardian deities.
The first story is about 'Khoi-douwa', superstitious belief to describe an old woman who defies aging and death. This occult lady invokes the 'Navel Art' in hosting a spirit that steals souls from surrounding living people to thrive and live longer each time, almost becoming immortal.
I think these beliefs keep their social community fabric intact. A way to feel united and secure. The Meitei clan observed strict ancestral deity worship as a mark of respect. Their belief of worshipping a tutelary deity resonates with me.
My deity worship conflicts with my firm studies of science, physics and astronomy as I am not a believer of religion and god. I have come to accept it's an insoluble conundrum of mine. It keeps me anchored, to worship an idol just so I can draw rage, courage and strength whenever I need be. Just like how one protagonist in the stories felt a wanting in his heart to believe in the legend of the 'Hag of Mountain' to be true. I know that feeling.
It constricted my heart to learn about Manipur being a battleground in the war between the Japanese and the British. And the innocent people were the pawns, scapegoats and spoils of the war. How atrocious and inhumane to have war thrusted upon them.
Youngsters having to constantly dig up holes and bunkers to hide during the brutal shellings.
There was a deadpan dark humour interlude in the harrowing story where our hero could not even take a dump in his toilet in peace. Because a solider rudely barged into his private moment midway and holding him at gunpoint. I laughed, yes. Just like when you have to laugh off a misery.
With war came the psychological abuses to the people. It's an age old warfare tactic to succumb the oppressed to addictions in order for the perpetrators to wield power over them during war. Alcoholism, gambling and drug abuses became rampant among the people trying to thrive on the battleground. It evolved into a vice. Led to alcoholic husbands lashing out domestic violence on their wives and children. And a story of brother who turned to heroin addiction to compensate his grieving of his failed ambition and family falling apart.
What stole my heart completely was the story on the tribal Haophi wool scarf "bright scarlet red bordered with thin black stripes". I love handmade crafts, especially handwoven textiles. If it's a tribal weave, I am sold instantly. I absolutely love indigenous crafts. I was imagining the beautiful Haophi and now desiring to drape one around myself.
It immediately reminded me of a handwoven cotton stole from Manipur I received from a vendor. It has the Manipur state animal "Sangai" deer and their state flower "Shirui Lily" motifs woven onto the stole. You are seeing the stole in this picture featuring the book placed on it The pink flower being the Shirui Lily and the adorable Sangai deer. It is my absolute honour to receive a precious handmade treasure from Manipur and I'm glad this book complemented the beauty of the stole.
Linthoi Chanu is an exemplary storyteller, true to her roots. There's so much you can feel from every story of hers. It's a feeling more than reading. A sense of belonging and longing. I have become a fan of her work. "Wari" has a special place in my heart from hereon.
She wrote a Manipuri adage, "Wari liba mida Ghari ama pi". Thank you, Linthoi for you have given be both the treasures: Wari and Ghari.
My heart and thoughts are with the beautiful Manipuri at this moment.
This is one book that has the author's heart on every page. There's the genuine spirit of the Manipuri people in every story written. Unforgettable ones, and there's one that moved me to tears. "Floating dreams" about a group of students who see the world through their beloved teacher. They are seekers of knowledge and were proud to be schooled and to learn, to escape from the miseries they suffer at home. I've learnt 'Phumdi' are little floating islands on LokTak Lake of Manipur. Felt a stab to my heart when the students were abandoned by every teacher therefore keeping their dreams and visions floating without being able to materialize them. These young minds yearning to learn and see the world, predicted the time of the day primitively based on the movement of the circular sun rays as there were no clocks around to tell time. How heartbreaking can that be to snuff out the aspirations of these innocent young minds? I felt the pangs of disappointment and rejection when the little girl dumps her freshly washed second hand tennis white shoes that she eagerly wore to school that day. Only to realize the teacher did not turn up, anymore.
The nine other stories were so beautiful I re-read some of them. The tenth one however is etched on my heart forever. This book has the indigenous cultural elements of superstition, spiritual & tribal practices, cults, worshipping of nature and guardian deities.
The first story is about 'Khoi-douwa', superstitious belief to describe an old woman who defies aging and death. This occult lady invokes the 'Navel Art' in hosting a spirit that steals souls from surrounding living people to thrive and live longer each time, almost becoming immortal.
I think these beliefs keep their social community fabric intact. A way to feel united and secure. The Meitei clan observed strict ancestral deity worship as a mark of respect. Their belief of worshipping a tutelary deity resonates with me.
My deity worship conflicts with my firm studies of science, physics and astronomy as I am not a believer of religion and god. I have come to accept it's an insoluble conundrum of mine. It keeps me anchored, to worship an idol just so I can draw rage, courage and strength whenever I need be. Just like how one protagonist in the stories felt a wanting in his heart to believe in the legend of the 'Hag of Mountain' to be true. I know that feeling.
It constricted my heart to learn about Manipur being a battleground in the war between the Japanese and the British. And the innocent people were the pawns, scapegoats and spoils of the war. How atrocious and inhumane to have war thrusted upon them.
Youngsters having to constantly dig up holes and bunkers to hide during the brutal shellings.
There was a deadpan dark humour interlude in the harrowing story where our hero could not even take a dump in his toilet in peace. Because a solider rudely barged into his private moment midway and holding him at gunpoint. I laughed, yes. Just like when you have to laugh off a misery.
With war came the psychological abuses to the people. It's an age old warfare tactic to succumb the oppressed to addictions in order for the perpetrators to wield power over them during war. Alcoholism, gambling and drug abuses became rampant among the people trying to thrive on the battleground. It evolved into a vice. Led to alcoholic husbands lashing out domestic violence on their wives and children. And a story of brother who turned to heroin addiction to compensate his grieving of his failed ambition and family falling apart.
What stole my heart completely was the story on the tribal Haophi wool scarf "bright scarlet red bordered with thin black stripes". I love handmade crafts, especially handwoven textiles. If it's a tribal weave, I am sold instantly. I absolutely love indigenous crafts. I was imagining the beautiful Haophi and now desiring to drape one around myself.
It immediately reminded me of a handwoven cotton stole from Manipur I received from a vendor. It has the Manipur state animal "Sangai" deer and their state flower "Shirui Lily" motifs woven onto the stole. You are seeing the stole in this picture featuring the book placed on it The pink flower being the Shirui Lily and the adorable Sangai deer. It is my absolute honour to receive a precious handmade treasure from Manipur and I'm glad this book complemented the beauty of the stole.
Linthoi Chanu is an exemplary storyteller, true to her roots. There's so much you can feel from every story of hers. It's a feeling more than reading. A sense of belonging and longing. I have become a fan of her work. "Wari" has a special place in my heart from hereon.
She wrote a Manipuri adage, "Wari liba mida Ghari ama pi". Thank you, Linthoi for you have given be both the treasures: Wari and Ghari.
My heart and thoughts are with the beautiful Manipuri at this moment.
November 22, 2020
What an incredible short story collection from the lesser known and mysterious state of India.
Usually I'm not a fan of short stories, but each story in such a a small book left an impact and invoked a series of emotions in me..
Near Immortal ---talks about this aging lady who's been forgotten by her grandchildren and left to rot in her own hut. But her secret recipe for staying immortal is hidden in her navel.. Her young grandson visits her and vows to cure her of her ailments..
Next, The hound---a story which was close to my heart, do we really believe in spiritual beings taking humans to the right path.. yes.. Read this story for the hint of folkore and magic..
When in war--- Here we see the sorry state of Border states which are in a constant state of inertia and upheaval because of the war and the singular pain of soldiers who are stuck to digging holes as well as soldiers from the enemy state.. Is there a place for humanity amidst all of this?
Amity in Queue---talks about how wars, bandhs and revolts cause problems in the lives of common man.. there can be a make or break between people for petrol..
Hags of the Mountain---Chilling story of mythical creatures which trap men.. Real or make believe?
Forbidden Passion- Linthoi Chanu manages to tie together so much in this little story - drugs, family pressure, family politics all that leaves brother and sister in a weird limbo..
The Scarlet Haophi- What an incredible story of folkore.. we see how ponds can be a residence for deities and not abiding to tribal beliefs might as well make young children disappear just through a shawl..
Floating dreams- talks about floating city of Lohtak formed by stable floating biomass and the state of young kids only waiting for their teacher to turn up in their mud house school rimmed with holes.
'Wari liba mida Ghari ama pi'
Usually I'm not a fan of short stories, but each story in such a a small book left an impact and invoked a series of emotions in me..
Near Immortal ---talks about this aging lady who's been forgotten by her grandchildren and left to rot in her own hut. But her secret recipe for staying immortal is hidden in her navel.. Her young grandson visits her and vows to cure her of her ailments..
Next, The hound---a story which was close to my heart, do we really believe in spiritual beings taking humans to the right path.. yes.. Read this story for the hint of folkore and magic..
When in war--- Here we see the sorry state of Border states which are in a constant state of inertia and upheaval because of the war and the singular pain of soldiers who are stuck to digging holes as well as soldiers from the enemy state.. Is there a place for humanity amidst all of this?
Amity in Queue---talks about how wars, bandhs and revolts cause problems in the lives of common man.. there can be a make or break between people for petrol..
Hags of the Mountain---Chilling story of mythical creatures which trap men.. Real or make believe?
Forbidden Passion- Linthoi Chanu manages to tie together so much in this little story - drugs, family pressure, family politics all that leaves brother and sister in a weird limbo..
The Scarlet Haophi- What an incredible story of folkore.. we see how ponds can be a residence for deities and not abiding to tribal beliefs might as well make young children disappear just through a shawl..
Floating dreams- talks about floating city of Lohtak formed by stable floating biomass and the state of young kids only waiting for their teacher to turn up in their mud house school rimmed with holes.
'Wari liba mida Ghari ama pi'
June 12, 2020
I loved the set of short stories. Each was unique in its own way and brings you back a piece of Manipur. A set of stories which gives you a glimpse of Manipuri cuisine, their beliefs and folklore
August 21, 2020
Wari (meaning story) is a collection of Manipuri Short Stories that I really enjoyed reading recently. Some stories didn't work as well as others for me, but overall this was a great introduction to the Manipuri culture and lifestyle. It was also a perfect comfort read for me. .
'Amity in Queue' was my personal favorite in this collection. Two women connect with each other instantly while waiting for hours in a long line to fill up the gas tanks of their vehicles. It's a story that showcased some of the problems that Manipur faces as a landlocked state. Essential commodities are brought in via trucks on National Highways and blockade is a regular phenomenon faced by the residents of the state. As an example, in this story, a fuel crisis seems to have been triggered by another blockade. The easy camaraderie between the two women was what I appreciated very much in this story. I loved how easily the two women connected with each other and helped each other out while navigating a particularly stressful situation. It's just a heart warming story that restored my faith in humanity. We all have our share of challenges in life, but the best we can hope for is kindness from each other.
There are a few other stories that I really enjoyed, all exploring themes like Manipuri folklore and superstitions, the drug abuse problem from the 80's, the impact of Second World War on Manipur, etc. The stories are simple and the prose is very minimalistic, but they are insightful into the Manipuri culture. I loved reading the Manipuri words and looking up their translations at the back of the book. Overall, an easy, heart warming, comfort read with a bit of arm chair travel experience to Manipur embedded in it.
'Amity in Queue' was my personal favorite in this collection. Two women connect with each other instantly while waiting for hours in a long line to fill up the gas tanks of their vehicles. It's a story that showcased some of the problems that Manipur faces as a landlocked state. Essential commodities are brought in via trucks on National Highways and blockade is a regular phenomenon faced by the residents of the state. As an example, in this story, a fuel crisis seems to have been triggered by another blockade. The easy camaraderie between the two women was what I appreciated very much in this story. I loved how easily the two women connected with each other and helped each other out while navigating a particularly stressful situation. It's just a heart warming story that restored my faith in humanity. We all have our share of challenges in life, but the best we can hope for is kindness from each other.
There are a few other stories that I really enjoyed, all exploring themes like Manipuri folklore and superstitions, the drug abuse problem from the 80's, the impact of Second World War on Manipur, etc. The stories are simple and the prose is very minimalistic, but they are insightful into the Manipuri culture. I loved reading the Manipuri words and looking up their translations at the back of the book. Overall, an easy, heart warming, comfort read with a bit of arm chair travel experience to Manipur embedded in it.
January 10, 2021
We all carry the seeds of our culture within us. Whether or not we let them germinate, they stay there. Resting and ready at the same time! I have always admired authors, and people in general, who are proud of their roots and always jump at introducing the same to others who aren’t aware as much. So, as per my resolution I have already embarked on a journey to discover gems by north-east Indian authors.
This little book, Wari (meaning story in Manipuri) by Linthoi Chanu is an assortment of eight eclectic short stories, entailing the Manipuris, their beliefs, superstition and the beauty of the state.
1. ‘Near Immortal’, the tale of ancient beliefs in black magic revolves around an old, old woman, who has outlived four generations; much to the envy and fear of the villagers around.
2. ‘The Hound’ is the story of faith and deity worship that provide the villagers with a sense of hope and security.
3. ‘When in War’ dates back to the World War II when Manipur had become the unfortunate battleground for the Imperial Japanes forces and Allied forces.
4. ‘Amit in Queue’ depicts how the rest of the country is blissfully unaware of the problems faced by the Manipuri working class. The ever so frequent blockades that disrupt normal life for days.. months on end has never grabbed much attention in national news and even social media.
5. ‘Hags of Mountain’ is a mysterious tale of a foreign man on an expedition to the forests, where he comes face to face with his worst fears, a supposedly scary creature, ‘Hag’ that trap men.
6. ‘Forbidden Passion’ is the story of, I believe many prominent families which smouldered in the fire of drug abuse. This illegal trade unfortunately is still rampant engulfing the youth and destroying their lives for good measure.
7. ‘The Scarlet Haophi’ is based on the superstitious beliefs of people involving still borne infants, lake deities etc.
8. ‘Floating Dreams’ (my favourite) is the story of school children who live on the floating islands, Phumdi (a pile of biomass at various stages of decomposition) in the Loktak lake.
I loved how local words spiced up the stories and I didn’t even have to bother with the translator because it has a glossary at the back. Also, the footnotes at the end of each story gives you an insight to its background. And the cover, boy the cover! Simply loved it. Its an image of ‘Laiphadibi’, made by sewing black thread for hair and a colourful thread to mark the facial features. Chanu is an exemplary story teller. You don’t just read her stories, rather feel them.
This little book, Wari (meaning story in Manipuri) by Linthoi Chanu is an assortment of eight eclectic short stories, entailing the Manipuris, their beliefs, superstition and the beauty of the state.
1. ‘Near Immortal’, the tale of ancient beliefs in black magic revolves around an old, old woman, who has outlived four generations; much to the envy and fear of the villagers around.
2. ‘The Hound’ is the story of faith and deity worship that provide the villagers with a sense of hope and security.
3. ‘When in War’ dates back to the World War II when Manipur had become the unfortunate battleground for the Imperial Japanes forces and Allied forces.
4. ‘Amit in Queue’ depicts how the rest of the country is blissfully unaware of the problems faced by the Manipuri working class. The ever so frequent blockades that disrupt normal life for days.. months on end has never grabbed much attention in national news and even social media.
5. ‘Hags of Mountain’ is a mysterious tale of a foreign man on an expedition to the forests, where he comes face to face with his worst fears, a supposedly scary creature, ‘Hag’ that trap men.
6. ‘Forbidden Passion’ is the story of, I believe many prominent families which smouldered in the fire of drug abuse. This illegal trade unfortunately is still rampant engulfing the youth and destroying their lives for good measure.
7. ‘The Scarlet Haophi’ is based on the superstitious beliefs of people involving still borne infants, lake deities etc.
8. ‘Floating Dreams’ (my favourite) is the story of school children who live on the floating islands, Phumdi (a pile of biomass at various stages of decomposition) in the Loktak lake.
I loved how local words spiced up the stories and I didn’t even have to bother with the translator because it has a glossary at the back. Also, the footnotes at the end of each story gives you an insight to its background. And the cover, boy the cover! Simply loved it. Its an image of ‘Laiphadibi’, made by sewing black thread for hair and a colourful thread to mark the facial features. Chanu is an exemplary story teller. You don’t just read her stories, rather feel them.
November 29, 2023
The author writes in her note at the end '‘Wari liba mida Ghari ama pi' meaning 'We shall give a watch to the one that tell stories.' indicating the importance of time while telling stories, the obligation to never let a listener or a reader feel that they have wasted their precious time. And the author not only remembers this obligation but fulfills it so well with these 8 stories.
Tales from age old times to the contemporary, from black magic, traditional beliefs to important socio-economic issues, all find a place here. Each story is a memorable one and ends with a little footnote that briefs about the traditions, beliefs of Meitei community and life in the state of Manipur. I loved the generous sprinkling of kinship terms in local language and loved understanding it all in line, in context. There is a glossary too, for clarity at the end.
Read this lovely, slim book of short stories - an old woman who feeds on healthy souls to stay immortal and a slow loris will haunt you, a scarlet Haophi and huts on phumdis in Loktak lake will enchant you, the menace posed by highway blockade and drug abuse will make you stop and think about people here and their problems, atleast for a short while.
Pretty comprehensive and a wholesome slice of the state presented well by the author through these short stories. Loved it !!
Tales from age old times to the contemporary, from black magic, traditional beliefs to important socio-economic issues, all find a place here. Each story is a memorable one and ends with a little footnote that briefs about the traditions, beliefs of Meitei community and life in the state of Manipur. I loved the generous sprinkling of kinship terms in local language and loved understanding it all in line, in context. There is a glossary too, for clarity at the end.
Read this lovely, slim book of short stories - an old woman who feeds on healthy souls to stay immortal and a slow loris will haunt you, a scarlet Haophi and huts on phumdis in Loktak lake will enchant you, the menace posed by highway blockade and drug abuse will make you stop and think about people here and their problems, atleast for a short while.
Pretty comprehensive and a wholesome slice of the state presented well by the author through these short stories. Loved it !!
September 3, 2020
WARI means stories. So as the title says this is a collection of 8 beautiful stories from Manipur.
Near immortal on the ancient believes of black magic is the story of an old old woman who had outlived 4 generations. the story ends transferring us a shock.
The Hound gives us the idea that people have faith in idol worship feels secure with that. Pirel, the hero is a young man in middle of the pressure and responsibility of his own famlily.
When In War : When Manipur was attacked by Japanese during the war, a Japanese Soilder was initially trapped but taken care by a Manipuri Man and his family.
Amity in Queue: Two ladies who meet at a day-long queue at a petrol bunk, befriend themselves sharing feelings and food. But the theme of the story is the Blockade faced by the north eastern people when they run out of fuels for many days.
Hags of Mountain is about a mystery believed by the old generation in the hill side. They believe that hags trap men.
Forbidden Passion was about drug abuse which had shattered the life of a girl by taking away her brother.
The Scarlet Haophi is based on the superstitious believes of the people circled around lakes, new borns etc
Folating Dreams These depict the lives of people from little dot floating islands in the lakes called Phundi
Near immortal on the ancient believes of black magic is the story of an old old woman who had outlived 4 generations. the story ends transferring us a shock.
The Hound gives us the idea that people have faith in idol worship feels secure with that. Pirel, the hero is a young man in middle of the pressure and responsibility of his own famlily.
When In War : When Manipur was attacked by Japanese during the war, a Japanese Soilder was initially trapped but taken care by a Manipuri Man and his family.
Amity in Queue: Two ladies who meet at a day-long queue at a petrol bunk, befriend themselves sharing feelings and food. But the theme of the story is the Blockade faced by the north eastern people when they run out of fuels for many days.
Hags of Mountain is about a mystery believed by the old generation in the hill side. They believe that hags trap men.
Forbidden Passion was about drug abuse which had shattered the life of a girl by taking away her brother.
The Scarlet Haophi is based on the superstitious believes of the people circled around lakes, new borns etc
Folating Dreams These depict the lives of people from little dot floating islands in the lakes called Phundi
September 23, 2020
This is a perfect book to give you a glimpse into the lives of Manipuri people. Even though my father was in the Army and we relocated many times, we never had the chance to go beyond Siliguri in West Bengal. So, the moment I came to know about this book, I ordered it.
The stories are short and crisp and introduce you to the culture, folklore and life of the people. I liked the way the reader is transported into a different decade altogether with each story. On one hand, the book has age-old-stories about magic, the local deities and deep cultural beliefs, on the other hand it tells stories of young gripped with substance abuse.
Amity in Queue, is yet another contemporary story about the problems faced by the Manipuris due to ‘blockade’. Well, you might ask what is a ‘blockade’? The writer has beautifully explained these aspects after each story so that the reader has a better understanding of the things unique to this state.
The writing is amateurish and seems to have many flaws. I had to reread the sentences to grasp their meaning. The writing can’t keep you engrossed but the stories makeup fo it! It is a quick read!
The stories are short and crisp and introduce you to the culture, folklore and life of the people. I liked the way the reader is transported into a different decade altogether with each story. On one hand, the book has age-old-stories about magic, the local deities and deep cultural beliefs, on the other hand it tells stories of young gripped with substance abuse.
Amity in Queue, is yet another contemporary story about the problems faced by the Manipuris due to ‘blockade’. Well, you might ask what is a ‘blockade’? The writer has beautifully explained these aspects after each story so that the reader has a better understanding of the things unique to this state.
The writing is amateurish and seems to have many flaws. I had to reread the sentences to grasp their meaning. The writing can’t keep you engrossed but the stories makeup fo it! It is a quick read!
July 9, 2022
‘🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 ‘
Another great read to my collection North East Indian stories .
Wari’ which means ‘story’ in Manipuri is a collection of 8 stories . ‘Wari liba mida Ghari ama pi’ we shall give a watch to the one that tells the stories is apparently a popular Manipuri saying .Stories which are a melting pot of history , Manipuri culture , superstitious beliefs with smattering of supernatural( which has always been my favourite genre).
Each story gives you a sneak peak in to something integral to the land - Meiti culture , modern reality of blockade which impacts common life ,myths passed on for generations to protect sacred wildlife.
Some of the stories gave me goosebumps and others just made me think about how life as we know it differs so much for different people.
Highly recommended!
Another great read to my collection North East Indian stories .
Wari’ which means ‘story’ in Manipuri is a collection of 8 stories . ‘Wari liba mida Ghari ama pi’ we shall give a watch to the one that tells the stories is apparently a popular Manipuri saying .Stories which are a melting pot of history , Manipuri culture , superstitious beliefs with smattering of supernatural( which has always been my favourite genre).
Each story gives you a sneak peak in to something integral to the land - Meiti culture , modern reality of blockade which impacts common life ,myths passed on for generations to protect sacred wildlife.
Some of the stories gave me goosebumps and others just made me think about how life as we know it differs so much for different people.
Highly recommended!
November 22, 2021
I have been looking for stories from the Northeast of India and was so excited to find this book. It's refreshing, the stories are concrete and have strong bones and speak volumes about the lives, politics and cultural values of this region. The prose is not the strongest and I wish the editing was more scrupulous. I did expect more horror/ witchcraft stories so that was a bit of a let-down. Overall, I loved this book and it opened me to a new world.
October 1, 2021
It's an easy and a difficult read at the same time. It's easy like those old grandmother's stories.. it's difficult when you place it in the socio-political texture of the country. It's even painful at places. Very well written (badly proofread, though).
December 26, 2020
Collection of 8 stories. Easy and quick read. The stories depict variously the life, culture and belief, and values of Manipur.
June 25, 2022
Amazing stories
May 31, 2024
Love this book. Highly recommend it to every reader!
March 8, 2025
It was a re-visit to folktale stories we heard from our elders as kids. It was enjoyable and beautifully written.
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