Abhiyatri: One Life Many Rivers

Abhiyatri is based on the astonishing life of Chandraprabha Saikiani, one of the pioneers in the field of social activism, especially the rights of women. She emerged from the misty obscurity of a remote Assamese village to register many triumphs for the oppressed and the victimised, including persecuted women. As the author shows, this gutsy character was humanised by her frailties, contradictions and desires. By plunging into the narrative the reader sees how Chandraprabha transcends her personal grief - especially a frustrated love affair and the burden of being a single mother - to become a significant presence in the socio-political landscape of Assam. The author has conducted extensive research on Chandraprabha, to draw a living portrait of a woman who may be justly called the first 'feminist' in Assam.