Book review: Thongkholal Haokip (Ed.), The Kukis of Northeast India: Politics and Culture
| Date | 01 March 2019 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556118814669 |
| Author | Lyna H. Misao |
| Published date | 01 March 2019 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
Book Reviews 257
generation. For an alternative, the author vacillates between socialist-liberal pre-
scription and greed-free Gandhian solution to endemic poverty and bourgeoning
inequality. There is no single alternative philosophy of development, which has
been proposed in the work. But we do not read a book to do audit with the title!
I think we read it for its rich content setting us thinking anew, which it is and
what it does!
However, the book is definitely a good read, rather a very good read. One
swims through Indian philosophy, one fathoms the deep malaise India suffers
from. One finds practical solutions for tackling corruption and one climbs high
rock for the ideal kind of society. One gathers several ideas from extensive quotes
from several authorities—philosophers, saints, thinkers, sociologists, scientists
and, of course, economists, especially those who may be considered heretic.
It is a book which deserves a place in our bookshelves as well as in our hands.
Notes
1. The shloka from which this phrase is lifted says that for people of liberal
attitude (udarcharitanaam), the whole world is one (vasudhaivakutumbakam).
The shloka itself does not suggest it to be an exclusive characteristic of Indians
but many of us who wish to show our superiority over others often interpret it
to be our specialty.
2. Poet William Wordsworth is found to have lamented in 1802 in a poem that
‘plain living and high thinking are no more’. That this was also true of Western
ethos once upon a time. Shall it continue with us? Or does it continue with us?
P.K. Chaubey
Director, Institute of Management Sciences
University of Lucknow
Lucknow, India
and
Former Professor of Economics
Indian Institute of Public Administration
New Delhi, India
pkchaubey@yahoo.com
Thongkholal Haokip (Ed.), The Kukis of Northeast India: Politics and
Culture. New Delhi: Bookwell Publications, 2013, xii + 228 pp., `695.
ISBN: 10 9380574444.
DOI:10.1177/0019556118814669
Every community in the world has its own history, traditions and culture which
serve as a guide for the next generations to retain or shape one’s identity. It is,
therefore, necessary to understand their history as it deeply influences the present.
While there are books about the Kuki society by colonial administrators and
military officers, it is obligatory for the community to have the works of literature
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