The Quest

The Quest is an adventure fiction set in the northeastern region of India (Northeast) with a rural backdrop. The birth of a dreaded terrorist outfit called the United Liberation Front of Assam in the early eighties meant the demise of peace and tranquility in the state of Assam. Tinsukia, the commercial hub of the state and notoriously close to the Myanmar border becomes the worst hit locality, where a large chunk of the non-indigenous business community is forced to close shop and flee. Ignoring this harsh reality, twenty three year old Mahesh Burman of Sonarpur is determined to set up his own business in and around Tinsukia, encouraged by his spirited girlfriend, Pori Baruah. Surprisingly, Mahesh’s business picks up well, but a strange series of coincidences begin to seep into his life. Of late, he seems to have become highly accident-prone. After two chilling accidents within a short span of time, yet another motorcycle accident claims his life while he is on his way to his elder brother’s wedding, four days later, at Sonarpur. Madhab, a Major in a crack infantry battalion of the Indian Army, is convinced by his close friend, Prabhat, that Mahesh’s accidents were much more than what met the eye. “Business rivalry can turn quite nasty at times, especially when a girl also comes into the scene. And mind you, these chaps from Tinsukia Motors are on a good wicket with the ULFAs,” he had said, and continued after few moments of contemplation. “And, I don’t understand why your family should be so friendly with Horen Rajkhowa. Well, I just want to tell you quite bluntly. There may be, I repeat, there may be some foul play somewhere.” So, the seed of doubt having being planted in Madhab’s head that the accidents could have been orchestrated, he takes a vow to get to the bottom of it. Thus, a tale of a brother’s quest to discover the truth begins to unfold, making it a saga of sorts due to the constraints imposed on him by his service in the army. Endued with the psyche of a true infantryman, Madhab’s uncanny ability to take up challenges and dangers becomes abundantly apparent as he digs deeper into his brother’s death. A clandestine trek he undertakes to the obscure land of Myanmar to meet the commander of a terrorist group, for instance, is fraught with grave danger and risks. In his search for the truth, Madhab is compelled to travel from place to place and the Northeast becomes his basic area of focus. His narration of these little-known places is not only interesting but highly informative as well. At the same time, his fascinating experiences with the simple and rustic lifestyle in the countryside are also vividly depicted, laced with satirical humour, frankness and honesty. Madhab reminisces a great deal on the lighter side of life in the army and portrays the romanticism attached to it in a rather stylistic manner. His reference to some of the customs and traditions of the army, which are still so very British-like, could also be a matter of awe to many.