“Travelling long and arduous roads in the company of my husband who was at the time a senior official in the Home & Political Department of the Assam Government, I was struck by the graves of Malegarh, the little known story behind the graves and the unsung heroes lying therein, the dusty drive along the Indo-Bangladesh International border, the barbed fences punctuated by massive border gates facilitating visa-less movement for villagers with homes in Bangladesh and fields in India, the historic Sutarkandi Outpost, and moving anecdotes from locals. All of these unwittingly gave birth to An Unfinished Search.” – Rashmi Narzary, Sahitya Akademi prize-winning novelist
About the Author
Rashmi Narzary is a dog-lover at heart, an author by passion, a creative writing mentor, and an independent editor.
Her book His Share Of Sky was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Prize for Children’s Literature in 2016. Bloodstone: Legend of the Last Engraving was her debut novel.
Some of her work is taught in undergraduate courses, and some is being translated into Vietnamese by the Japan Foundation.
She lives in Guwahati, India, with her husband, two children and a happy host of pets.
Interviews and other important mentions
“A gem of a book” – Sikkim Express
Assam Tribune‘s front page of its Sunday Reading Supplement, September the 9th, 2023: https://epaper.assamtribune.com/clip-preview/57961Jc4TjZBQkeFNqjc448nvMHIWh0GWQs165572922
The Hindu picks An Unfinished Search as the first of its selected new books on July the 27th, 2023
Asman Hazratkandi remains in the village where he was born, while the village itself is shoved from India to Pakistan, and then to Bangladesh. In death, he lies in the no man’s land at the Indo-Bangladesh international border, leaving behind an unfinished search that goes back to Assam’s Malegarh, where lies the graves of 26 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting against the British in 1857.“
Endorsements
Professor Malashri Lal, doyenne of Indian literary critics, and member of General Council of the Sahitya Akademi
“Exploring the troubled history of Assam’s borderlands, Rashmi Narzary builds a gripping narrative on the meanings of home and belonging. On a philosophical note, this is everyone’s timeless story — because ’country’ and ‘affiliation’ have lost their connotations in the global migratory acts of restless, rootless people. But they cannot find peace. There is an eternal quest for attachment— for someone, some place. Written with great insight and finesse, this novel, An Unfinished Search, leaves an indelible mark as a testament of our times.”
Dhruba Hazarika, author and former Civil Service Officer
“An Unfinished Search is an extraordinary yet as-true-as-life story written by a sensitive writer whose mastery over historical fiction is more than evident in her seamless weaving of fact and fiction. Original in its conceptualization, powerful in its characterization, this is a novel that touches the innermost recesses of one’s heart. Rashmi Narzary has once again contributed a work of art to lovers of refined, thoughtful literature.”
Sanjeev Srivastav, journalist and editor
“An Unfinished Search looks at rejection and a sense of non-belonging, brought about by war and partition, from a fresh, exceptional and very moving perspective. The description of the places, the characters and each of their emotions is so marvellously handled; but what is absolutely fabulous is that the author manages to tell a tale through three generations, keeping the narration and the sequence of events totally gripping all along! The weaving of fiction through fact is done so brilliantly yet effortlessly that the book is simply unputdownable!”
Govind Bhattacharjee, author, academic and former civil servant
“Identity is a strange word that often eludes many of us through our lives, just as in Rashmi Narzary’s poignant novel. Anjaan, Badal and Asman departed while the flaming gulmohors remained witness to their unfinished quest for identity, and the oleanders and periwinkles planted by Asman would continue to shower their love on the graves of unknown martyrs. In this mesmerising novel, Rashmi brings alive a forgotten piece of history and entwined it superbly with the turbulence of the times that unsettles ordinary people’s lives.”
Sunita Khaund Bhuyan, violinist & leadership practitioner
“A powerful yet sensitive portrayal of a human being’s challenge to be able to belong! Rashmi Narzary excels once again in her simple yet articulate prose as she depicts the individual struggle of Asman, as well as brings to the fore the eternal struggle of migrants and how, as a developed world, we are yet to find a practical solution. A refreshing new read from the author who has earlier given us delightful children’s stories.”
Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
It’s a gripping account, a moving story of human identity and dignity subsumed under changing national identities. An Unfinished Search again confirms the travails of societies in transition in Asia and beyond …. It also vividly reminds us of changes in multicultural and multireligious societies in transition with unrequited search for identity and roots.”
Jishnu Baruah (Retd. IAS), former Chief Secretary of Assam
“An Unfinished Search is a heart wrenching story which keeps the reader interested and absorbed throughout.”
Admin –
“Brilliantly told… beautiful and vivid … exceptional characters, developed beautifully…. I have seldom felt such strong emotions while reading books. Despite the sadness at the family’s failure to find their identity, I felt inspired by their heartfelt efforts, marveled at their courage and their determination, and appreciated the heartwarming relationships they formed with some beautiful souls. A gem of a book” – Pankaj Giri, novelist https://pankajgiriauthor.wordpress.com/2023/09/17/book-review-an-unfinished-search-by-rashmi-narzary/
Prabhu Guptara –
“Rashmi Narzary’s great achievement is that she speaks (to the hot issues of identity, race, religion and homeland) gently, lovingly, and simply beautifully” – review by Ratna Joshi in The Times of India:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/105126703.cms
Prabhu Guptara –
The Asian Age’s review, titled, “A family’s quest amid shifting sands of identity”:
“The author has dedicated the book to the rootless, separated, identity-less people, victims of war and Partition.
Cover photo of ‘An Unfinished Search’ by Rashmi Narzary. (Photo by arrangement)
Cover photo of ‘An Unfinished Search’ by Rashmi Narzary. (Photo by arrangement)
“Deep in the winter of 1857, a group of about 200 sepoys belonging to the 34th Native Infantry took up arms against British colonial rule. They fought the British forces in the Battle of Malegarh Tila which now falls in the Indo-Bangladesh border in upper Assam. Twenty-six sepoys would die that day, martyrs to the cause of freedom. Till recently, it remained a forgotten episode in India’s First War of Independence.
“This battle, though not part of the novel, provides the central core of Narzary’s book because that graveyard of the 26 martyrs holds a secret for a family searching to find its identity.”
https://www.asianage.com/books/190823/book-review-a-familys-quest-amid-shifting-sands-of-identity.html
Prabhu Guptara –
An excerpt from the novel has just been published at https://www.thebeacon.in/2023/12/15/an-unfinished-search-by-rashmi-narzary-an-excerpt/
Prabhu Guptara –
Dishari Malakar reviews Rashmi Narzary’s An Unfinished Search (Published by Pippa Rann Books and Media, 2023)
In the realm of contemporary fiction, Rashmi Narzary’s “An Unfinished Search: One Lineage, in One Village, through Three Nations” stands out as a remarkable literary accomplishment. This novel captivated me due to my keen interest in Partition Literature. The story begins with an introduction to Asman Hazratkandi, an elderly man in his mid-eighties, in the year 2017.
Narzary skillfully employs a non-linear narrative structure, moving backward and forward in time to construct a clear sequence of events. The primary characters hail from Malegarh, a village situated within the geopolitical zone of Assam’s Karimganj district.
Writing and Plot
Central to the narrative is the family’s enduring quest to establish their identity, particularly their nationality, spanning over three generations. The story reaches an “unfinished” yet poignant conclusion, leaving a lasting impact on the readers. Narzary explores profound themes such as race, the influence of religion, and the intricate notions of identity and homeland amidst social and political turmoil.
One of the novel’s most striking features is its ability to encapsulate the shared experiences of numerous individuals. These characters grapple with the struggle to find their sense of self as their homeland undergoes tumultuous changes. Initially, they were part of India, then Pakistan, and eventually Bangladesh, ultimately rendering their place of origin a state of “nowhere.” Narzary deftly portrays the complexities and hardships faced by those caught in the midst of geopolitical shifts.
Characters and Storytelling
The linear movement of the timeline is another brilliantly employed narrative technique that the author uses to trace the life of Anjaan Hazratkandi, who was born out of wedlock in the village of Hazratkandi. His mother, whom he never really met, doesn’t leave behind much of a lineage. Therefore, this backdrop becomes the anchor of the story leading to Anjaan’s ‘unfinished search’ for his own identity.
When looking at the nomenclature of the protagonist from a critical perspective, the word “Anjaan” can be decoded into the author’s attempt to remind the readers of the actual essence of the story. The word Anjaan in the Hindi language translates into “unknown,” which appropriates and suits the plight of the protagonist, accentuating his search for his own ‘unknown’ identity. Through his character, the absence of a ‘surname’ is the key highlight of the story that emphasizes the theme of identity and its intertwined connection with one’s motherland or homeland.
With its lucid language and concise chapters, this captivating book keeps readers engrossed in the story from start to finish. The novel deftly explores contemporary issues such as the impact of education and technology, political atrocities, displacement, and dislocation, weaving them into the narrative as critical elements. Additionally, the exploration of the struggle between tradition and modernity adds depth and richness to the book.
Climax
After reading the novel in its entirety, a profound sense of heartache lingers, evoking empathetic contemplation for the countless individuals who are still on a quest to find their true identity, regardless of their geographical location. As the title might suggest, this book does not provide a comforting conclusion or a quintessential happy ending for its characters or readers. Instead, it serves as a reflection of the shared experiences of many like Anjaan, who remain “unknown” to the world.
Favourite Quote from An Unfinished Search by Rashmi Narzary
Anjaan, of Hazratkandi, left just as he arrived. Without a family name, without an identity. But the search of the Hazratkandis continued.
Prabhu Guptara –
Review of An Unfinished Search in The Indian Experess An Unfinished Search’: Rashmi Narzary pens family’s quest across generations, countries | Books and Literature News – The Indian Express
Prabhu Guptara –
“In the realm of contemporary fiction, Rashmi Narzary’s An Unfinished Search stands out as a remarkable literary accomplishment” – Dishari Malakar, The Purple Pencil Project
Prabhu Guptara –
“Captivating novel spanning well over a century and a half, tracing one family’s plight through the ever-changing political landscapes and borders of a country torn in three” – Aashera Sethi, in The Telegraph (Kolkata, India) https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/lifestyle/a-tale-of-two-countries-of-identity-and-belonging/cid/1952864