Viyyukka or The Morning Star

Harsh Thakor

[‘Viyyukka’ is the stories of people, real people who either don’t exist or are vilified in the so-called mainstream narrative. These are the stories of the real India that dare to dream, dare to challenge, dare to live. This book comes out at the right time when a dominant narrative of those who are in power is trying to wipe out the narrative of the marginalized. This collection is a bold attempt to let them know that despite all oppression, the Marginalised will and still dare to dream. These are the indefatigable voices of resistance who believe a new world is not only possible but also inevitable through people’s struggles against the state—Moumita Alam, Poet]

Viyyukka or The Morning Star showcases how the life of an underground activist was not a bed of roses, and considerable efforts were endured to vacate the plains and adapt to forest life. It was the product of wholehearted efforts and an assiduous examination to explore the underground revolutionary works of authors. The book Viyyukka is an anthology compiling a set of stories written in Telegu by Maoist women revolutionaries encompassing 4 decades. It was translated from Telegu into English.

The anthology was published by Virasam in the year 2023, encompassing 6 volumes and 316 stories, written by 52 authors.148 dealt with armed revolution, while 168 dealt with other democratic issues. It is edited by P. Arvinda and B Anuradha.

Path-breaking stories in waving the banner of war for liberation by Women revolutionaries.

It is remarkable how the women revolutionaries could find time to write these stories, with their rigorous schedule permitting no leisure time.

The stories reflect how the daily life of squad members entailed hours of walking, carrying the burden of 15-20 kg of weight, including weapons. It is commendable that the women wrote these stories, provided with no material comforts and facing the continuous threat of police attacks.

What is praiseworthy is that none of the stories are fictional. They navigate the daily struggles, the emotional tussles, relationships among activists, and their interactions with people and nature, confrontations with armed forces, etc. They narrated real-life events orchestrated by real-life characters who project the true flesh and blood of a human being.

People from vast regions have established new human relations by extinguishing the reactionary ideology and the seeds that triggered it. In simple, lucid and illustrative language, they express the social reality to make the masses search their soul.

In the stories, the writers explore the changes taking place in the villages, forests, and plains, economic life and production relations and transformation in land relations. The anthology navigates the achievements of the people, and the revolutionaries in the military field, people’s experiences withstanding repression and rge way they retaliated the enemy attacks and the tortuous daily lives of the squads.

The stories revealed the do-or-die spirit or unflinching resilience of the squads and their deep penetration in the hearts of the people and day-to-day problems. They elevated revolutionary romanticism to a boiling point and extent to which the hearts of the masses were evoked by revolutionary squads.

A most illustrative projection of Nallamla and Dandkaranya forests exploring a new realm in women’s writing. The stories show the real India.

The stories reflect conviction, hope, loyalty, hardships, determination and resistance against darkness and portray the tireless efforts of Adivasis to protect their forests from the wrath of exploitation. They echo the aspirations of people who believe a new world is inevitable with the intensification of people’s struggles.

Nearly 50 percent of the squads and people’s militia today are comprised of women denaturing their phenomenal strides.

Many of the Adivasis who joined the movement received their first lessons on reading and writing while being part of squads. Many proceeded to become teachers and barefoot doctors in the guerrilla bases.

The initial stores were written by educated persons, who penetrated the revolutionary movement from the plains, to transform the lives, culture, governance structures and political economy of Adivasis. The revolutionary movement eradicated the difference between outsiders and the locals, crystallising the movement truly belonging to the Adivasis. The Adivasis learned to read and write within the movement, and compiled their experiences in the form of stories.

The stories affirm that an alternate form of life is being established or in the transition process, eradicating meritocracy, competition, and making a departure from negative feudal conventions, assimilating rational aspects of knowledge. They illustrated how the revolutionary movement bred new human beings who are not only rewriting history but also recording history to enable the outside world to view.

Women in the revolutionary movement print magazines like Poromahilu in Telegu and Mahila in Hindi and Gondi. When the movement was blooming in Andhra Pradesh, it published Viplava Malavi and later Viplavi.

The Forward March of History by Ankita intensely explores the influence of the ideology of Maoism in shaping the lives of people, struggles, and resistance against police forces and the administration of self-governance. From the journey of Sudha, one gets the ebb and flow, uncertainty, and effect of the people’s war in infusing relentless defiance, in the gravest circumstances.

Red Flag by Shwetade notes the effect of planting the Red Flag and the work of the people’s militia on the resistance of people and protecting rights, involving characters of Padma, Suko, Lacchu and Kindo.

To an extent, the stories glorify the Janatana Sarkars and armed squads of the Maoists. Not sufficient coverage of the functioning of people’s self-governance in day-to-day lives or the collective struggles of the masses. No report of antagonistic aspects of the Maoist party or guerrilla squads devoid of mass character.

(Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist)
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