Guwahati, May 27: The verdant lawns of Gymkhana Club in Guwahati were steeped in folklore, memory, and magic on Sunday evening as the much-anticipated book Tales from the Dawn-lit Mountains by debutant author Subi Taba was launched.
The event was graced by two of the Northeast’s most celebrated literary figures—Mitra Phukan, award-winning writer and translator, and Rashmi Narzary, Sahitya Akademi Award-winning author—who jointly unveiled the book amidst warm applause from a gathering of readers, writers, and cultural aficionados.
Published this year by Penguin Random House, Tales from the Dawn-lit Mountains is a collection of folkloric and magical realist stories inspired by the rich oral traditions of Arunachal Pradesh. Through this debut work, Subi Taba—herself hailing from the state—has offered readers a rare glimpse into the mythical imagination and cultural memory of one of India’s most underrepresented regions.
Speaking at the launch, Mitra Phukan lauded the book for its layered literary craftsmanship and cultural depth. “What Subi has done here is no small feat,” Phukan noted.
“To bring oral narratives into English is a kind of double translation—first from memory and voice into written form, and then from the rhythms of native languages into the cadences of English. These stories retain the lushness of oral storytelling while offering readers an elegant literary experience. It is an important work of documentation, preservation, and celebration of Arunachali culture.”
Rashmi Narzary echoed similar sentiments, praising the author’s bold approach to a genre often difficult to render authentically. “It is never easy to write stories inspired by folklore,” Narzary said.
“The line between myth and history, between the real and the imagined, is delicate. But Subi walks it with poise and reverence.” Narzary read aloud a passage from her favourite story in the collection, ‘Macabre Memories of a Headhunter’, a haunting tale told from the point of view of a historical headhunter. Her reading cast a spell over the room, drawing listeners into the eerie yet poignant world the author has created.
The author also read an excerpt from the story, ‘Love and Longing in Seijosa’, about the story of how a widowed woman, a hornbill and a cicada transforms as the season changes in the lonely rural town.
The evening also saw active participation from members of the North East Writers’ Forum, All Women’s Book Club, fellow writers, scholars, and literary enthusiasts who engaged in a lively Q&A session with the author. Many in the audience expressed their excitement at seeing stories from Arunachal Pradesh, long neglected in mainstream Indian literature, being brought to the fore.
Subi Taba, visibly moved by the reception, thanked the audience and her mentor Aruni Kashyap, who had mentored her for this book through the South Asia Speaks fellowship.
“This book is not just mine,” she said. “It belongs to the voices I grew up with, the hills that raised me, and the memories that refused to fade.”
As twilight settled over Gymkhana Club, the conversations continued, fuelled by cups of tea and the shared joy of storytelling. Tales from the Dawn-lit Mountains promises to mark a milestone in the literary map of Northeast India—and this launch was a fitting tribute to the power of stories that endure, evolve, and enchant.
The book is available online on Amazon, Flipkart and in select bookstores across India.