Fiction: In a remote village in Bengal, the tribal Sahish community lives in neglect with its pigs

Guhiram Sahish has a streak of eccentricity, with hints of madness evident in his everyday actions and demeanour. There isn’t another quite like him in the Sahish community. He is as whimsical as he is obstinate. But no one pokes fun at the guy. Why should they? He, too, after all, is a part of this colony. A colony of pigs and humans – all mixed and jumbled up to such an extent that neither species can be well distinguished. Nevertheless, Guhiram Sahish stands out, even when these pig-keepers are lined up alongside their herds.

Guhiram spends entire days chasing after pigs. With a tattered lungi tucked at the waist and his limbs bare knee down, the man spares no care either for his clothes or for the blazing sun. Perpetual cohabitation with and constant nurturing of pigs has turned him a little wild. The scalding sun has left his skin irrevocably tanned. Equally remarkable is his build. Tall and broad, with an emaciated physique. Like a pig, his ribs jut out awkwardly, unsightly, and overly pronounced – straining to mask his belly. Even with such a frame, he can tirelessly chase after pigs. He can shout out loud. And leap...

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