Reflection of Ethnic Voice in the Fictional World of Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi: A Critical Study of Thongchi’s Selective Novels

North-Eastern region of India is the abode of a large number of ethnic groups who have varied socio-cultural traditions. This cultural diversity and colourful traditions of different tribes find expression in the writings of some literary figures that belong to the tribal communities of this region. Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi is the most distinguished novelist of Arunachal Pradesh who very beautifully and realistically mirrors the ethnic voices in his novels. Thongchi's fictional world basically revolves around the life and society of the innocent tribal people living in the darkest and remotest area of Arunachal Pradesh. All of Thongchi's novels reflect the social diversity and rich cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh and his two famous novels ‘Sonam' (1982) and ‘Mouna Ounth Mukhar Hriday' (2005) are no exception of this. ‘Sonam' was Thongchi's first novel which is based on the custom of polygamy and polyandry that prevalent among the Monpa tribe and according to which two or more men can share a common wife. The second novel, ‘Mouna Ounth Mukhar Hriday' (Silent Lips and Murmuring Hearts), was Thongchi's masterpiece, which portrays the life and rituals of two different tribes- Wangi (Nyishi), on the one hand and Serdukpen on the other. This novel centered on a very tragic and heart-touching love story set against the backdrop of Arunachal Pradesh going through a process of transition. The objective of the study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the tradition, custom, rites and rituals of different Arunachalee tribes that have been reflected in Thongchi's two famous novels- ‘Mouna Ounth Mukhar Hriday' and ‘Sonam'. The study also attempts to explore how the strict observance of such customs and rituals give birth to some problems and issues like identity crisis and marital conflict among these tribes.