A musician never realized the truth of the saying 'Music is a harsh taskmaster' until his beloved instrument exacts the highest sacrifice. An unfaithful husband is baffled: his wife grows more and more perfect until she literally becomes the goddess of plenty. A loving mother is naturally distraught at the kidnapping of her son by insurgents...or is she? And Modon Sur, with the spoils of a full night's thievery in tow, finds himself in a sticky situation on a black amavasya night.

In this collection, Mitra Phukan sounds the rhythms of contemporary Assamese society, deftly weaving...