Children of the Hidden Land (Mandira Shah)

It is great to see Indian authors writing books for teenagers - books that bring to the fore political issues that our young women and men should be aware of and should be sensitized about. Children of the Hidden Land is one such book that I got to read recently. 

The story happens in Imphal valley, in Manipur in the present day. 15 year old April has grown up seeing curfews, tear gas shells, disappearances and children going missing. Her own sister went missing a few years ago and her mother goes to the Police Station every day in the hope of finding something about her daughter. Now her best friend Henthoiba goes missing and she is plagued with worry and can do anything to find him.   

Into this city comes Shalini from the “mainland”, whose childhood problems have been mundane so far and the biggest among them being trying to prove to her father, an Army officer, that she is as brave and strong as a boy. While her army background makes her a target of derision and suspicion for April, friendship gradually grows and the girls start respecting each other’s abilities. April and Shalini team up to dig into all angles related to Henthioba’s disappearance and bit by bit piece the puzzle to reach him. 

 A great story line and a plot that explores various angles of the situation in Manipur, the Indian govt’s position, the problems of a people caught in the cross fire, changing loyalties, and the dangers that come with it. Some real life incidents like the brutal rape and murder of Manorama and the chilling protest of the Meira Paibis that followed, are mentioned in conversations. The friendship between April and Shalini is sweet and both girls grow on you. The twists are many and the suspense is maintained throughout - no answers are easy. The adjacent problems of substance abuse, children being used as informers or soldiers, the suspicion the people from the valley and the mainland have for each other, all comes into sharp focus.

The only critique i have, and which would have made my reading experience better, is the number of characters in the book. There are far too many characters introduced, with back stories and this makes one confused. While one is following the line of investigation of the young sleuths, Shalini’s grandfather’s story also starts towards the end, and suddenly becomes central to the plot. Also, more historical context on the turmoil in Manipur (how it started, what the stances of the key parties to the dispute is etc) would help the intended audience to understand the plot and storyline better. 

Overall a great story and a must read for young adult audiences.