Exploring Multilayered Representations of Trauma in Select Narratives from Kashmir and Northeast

Abstract Trauma literature has long served as a powerful medium for exploring the psychological and socio-political ramifications of conflict, displacement, and violence. This study investigates the nuanced representations of trauma in four contemporary Indian English novels: The Garden of Solitude by Siddhartha Gigoo, No Gun at My Son’s Funeral by Paro Anand, The Story of Felanee by Arupa Patangia Kalita, and Bitter Wormwood by Easterine Kire. While existing research has examined individual trauma narratives, this study offers a comparative analysis of trauma’s diverse manifestations across different regional and historical contexts, bridging critical gaps in trauma studies and postcolonial literature. Employing a qualitative, text-based methodology rooted in trauma theory, the paper conducts a close reading of these texts, analyzing their narrative structures, character development, and thematic concerns. Findings reveal that each novel employs distinct yet interconnected narrative strategies—Gigoo’s work explores exile and identity loss among Kashmiri Pandits, Anand highlights childhood trauma amid terrorism, Kalita foregrounds gendered trauma in ethnic conflicts, and Kire examines intergenerational trauma in insurgency-ridden Nagaland. By illuminating how trauma shapes personal and collective identities, this study enhances our understanding of literature as both testimony and healing. The findings contribute to broader interdisciplinary discussions on memory, historical erasure, and psychological resilience, advocating for the inclusion of Indian trauma narratives in global trauma discourse. This paper underscores the necessity for further research on how literature from conflict zones fosters cultural memory and social reconciliation. Keywords: Trauma Studies, Indian English Literature, Displacement, Insurgency, Memory, Postcolonial Trauma