Decolonizing the Margins: Examining the influence of English Literature on the Development of Regional Identities in Punjab and Northeast India

Abstract

Ethnoreligious and ethnocultural affinities are socially cohesive forces in Punjab and in Northeast India that shapethe internal dynamics of the region. The orthodox approach in practicing these factors destabilizes the regional fulcrum of peace in the mindset of nationalists, but contrary to it, practicing these values are pride and glory in the mindset of regionalists. The nexus of politics, religion, culture, and the stream of regionalism in transnational northeast India and in Punjab paints an agitating picture of tribes riven by atrocity and menace. Both regions, despite their distinct sociopolitical histories and cultural contexts, have utilized English literature as a medium to articulate their identities, confront marginalization, and navigate the complexities of tradition and modernity. The regional extremism on display is at odds with the dignified piety commonly linked with religion and culture. Opportunists stoke the flames and label the regional tribal community as extremist and regionalists, conflicting with the national interest of mainland India. Treating northeasterners as alien, savage, and uncivilized within India has become a default response in the state, which was not new to them, as missionaries also believed that the arrival of Christianity was the arrival of light to this dark world.

Multidimensional identity remains a major question in India. In Indian English literature, R. K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand, Raja Rao, Arundhati Roy, Temsula Ao, Kiran Desai, Anita Desai, Jhumpa Lahiri, Vikram Seth, and Khushwant Singh are some of the most remarkable names who contributed their work directly or indirectly to identity as a serious phenomenon in diverse India. It is widely believed that the ‘Indian Freedom Struggle’ and ‘Imperialism’ generated sentiments of nationalism that brought together diverse religions, languages, and lifestyles to demand a home from colonizers. However, during the decolonization process, Punjab divided, and Sikhs suffered more than the rest of India. This paper will highlight how the concept of identity transits throughout Indian English literature after decolonization in Punjab and Northeast India via indigenous and diasporic writers. This study further aligns ethnoreligious and ethnocultural identities in Punjab and Northeast India and their transnational impacts on regional identity in regional literature. We will explore these concepts to examine how regional English literature has served as a platform for articulating and redefining regional identities, particularly within the contexts of Northeast India and Punjab, with a focus on the literary contributions of Easterine Kire and Khushwant Singh. The article will provide an in-depth examination of literary works, unearthed thematic undercurrents, illuminate the nuanced struggles and lived experiences that define the identities of these regions.