Names, Places, Animals, And Things

Trees quiver and the sacred forests know every little secret of yours in avid bird photographer-writer-poet Nitoo Das’s Crowbite. The slim volume begins with Mawphlang, named, perhaps, after the sacred forest in the Khasi Hills near Shillong, Meghalaya. Toward the end, this poem reads, “The trees quiver closely. / They know everything about me.” When Das writes, “They know everything about me,” there is a sense of the trees (or nature itself) being witness to her inner life, history, and struggles. Conflict narratives often pit man against self, society, or nature. Here, Das sets her ‘self’ against nature.

The eponymous story, Crowbite, tells the mythical story of Bhobhai, a man who embodies freedom and spiritual autonomy as a crow. In many senses, it is a modern folktale. Bhobhai roams freely, perceives others’ secrets, and engages in communal joy. He seeks purification in a sacred river but escapes from religion. The poem captures his journey as a transcendental figure detached from societal expectations.

Crowbite is a collection of poems written by Das. She presents a collection where nature, place, and the self, intersect with quiet power and grace. Das is from Guwahati, and in this book, she explores the landscape of the Northeastern states, especially Meghalaya and Assam. Her poems are rooted in specific landscapes but transcend physicality to explore universal themes of identity.

Her writings are notable for their surety of location. Several poems are named after specific places, like At Laitkynsew, Road to Tawang, or The Elephant at Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew. Birding clearly informs Das’ writing and worldview. These places become a conduit to articulate the nondescript.

Das is a birder, bird photographer, and poet. Through her profound connection with nature, Das crafts a world where time, memory, and existence are intricately woven together. This is embellished by the minimal book design, including illustrations and photographs from the author herself. The cover illustration is courtesy of the Biodiversity Heritage Library. The vivid imagery and sense of place make it an evocative exploration of both the external world and the internal self, offering a meditation on autonomy and belonging.

Crowbite

Author: Nitoo Das

Publisher: Red River