Decoding Chhattisgarh: The Road not Taken!
Muneeta Aneja has swept through India’s media and communication landscape, emerging as the face of hard-core investigative journalism. She is a prominent Research Journalist and a communication specialist. One of her most notable achievements is her debut best- selling, top-ranked Amazon book, “Chhattisgarh: The Land of Hidden Mysteries,” which discusses the ninth-largest Indian state that is heavily stigmatized by the raging issue of Naxalism. She has officially become India’s Youngest Female Journalist to document an Indian State holistically with written content and high-resolution pictures, at the mere age of 24, with her book being published by 29th October 2023. Her initial research, which was hardbound and spanned 1008 pages, was completed by June 3rd, 2023, and presented to the state’s former Home Minister by June 14th.
It took about 4 months to condense, edit, polish, and publish the book, with the polished manuscript being published with 216 pages. By February 2025, she will have completed one year and four months of book publishing, making a name for herself in a field that has been largely unaffected by stigma. Muneeta discusses her journey and what led her to write the book, which has secured the number one position in the fields of archaeology, ancient history, and social and cultural history. She further interacts about the challenges she encountered and the role of credible Journalism in society.
CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY:
Growing up in a modest household, Muneeta found inspiration in her grandparents’ stories of great adversity. She became enthralled with history as her grandmother narrated the story of India’s partition, how they made their way from the pre-partitioned region of India to the newly created borders, and the hardships her ancestors faced. Her heart was fortified by the tale of tenacity and faith of her great grandfather being a freedom fighter, and the story of a family starting over with courage. She considers herself fortunate to have been raised in a brave family that instilled in her the core values of humanity, benevolence, ethical integrity, and the need for communal harmony. Religion in her family was all about not leaving anyone starving or bleeding on the road.
WHY DID THIS BOOK SERVE AS YOUR DEBUT WORK?
More than 64% of India’s population lives in villages, but rural news coverage accounts for only 0.08%, and only when it is affected by a natural disaster or catastrophe or is part of a press release for a government project. But who goes out to monitor the proposed project’s implementation and deadline? These villages are the heart and soul of India, but they are dying a slow and painful death every day; who would raise awareness about rurals in retrospect? Who goes out to question the government about failed infrastructure projects or hygiene and sanitation initiatives that never get implemented?
As an agrarian nation, we have been declining in recent years, with approximately 43% of the population employed in agriculture, animal husbandry, or related fields, and their economic contribution remaining stagnant at 17%. So, how can I let my country die a slow death when more than half of its people reside in the underappreciated rurals with hidden gems, and they wish for their voices to be heard? I chose this as my debut book because Chhattisgarh is India’s ninth-largest state and is heavily stigmatized by the ongoing Naxalite conflict. Tourists are hesitant to visit the state, and the tourism industry falls short of capturing the true beauty of Chhattisgarh.
The state is brimming with underappreciated tourist attractions and hotspots that deserve international recognition. Despite having Asia’s most ancient amphitheater, the subcontinent’s widest waterfall, and the world’s largest festival, the state remains impoverished.
My goal with this debut book was to cover these underappreciated tourism hotspots and turn them into a global kaleidoscope in a written and pictorial format so that people all over the world understand what India represents and what Chhattisgarh truly is. People are familiar with the Udaipur and Jaipur Palaces and their respective dynasties, but how many are aware of Chhattisgarh’s 900-year-old Royal Clans?
I wanted to show them the tribal diversity and the traditional folk art instruments that we continue to use. I wanted tourists to be mesmerized by Chhattisgarh’s cultural tapestry and social fabric. However, I saw the desperation in the eyes of the villagers who lacked basic amenities, and I wanted to present these hidden treasures so that tourism thrives in these regions, encouraging micro tourism and thus generating employment and income circulation in villages. Advancement of Educational awareness, hygiene and sanitation drives, and the increase in the happiness index of the rurals and the state would be like icing on the cake.
EMOTIONAL LITERACY s EMPATHY MATTERS:
During my school years, “Whenever a topic was assigned to me, I wanted to write as if I had to breathe in the skin of that topic, and I asked myself, “Where is the impact?” Education was about more than just passing classes; it was also about emotional literacy, and I wanted to incorporate people’s sentiments and raw emotions into everything I wrote.
Research and documentation were one thing, but I aspired to be a “voice.” I spent the majority of my college time in a public library, reading every newspaper and magazine that was available to me. If I knew something about a subject, I wanted to learn more about it; I could not quench my thirst for knowledge, and I was constantly challenging myself as a writer, finding flaws in my own work or adding flair to it. Scrutiny, caution, fact-checking, and credibility became my trademarks in journalistic writing.
NOTABLE WORK:
Muneeta Aneja is a Gold Medalist from the Kushabhau Thakre Patrakarita Avam Jansanchar Vishwavidyalaya, and she has received numerous awards including the Abbey Mathew Memorial Award along with scholarship in the field of Journalism and Mass Communication. Her work for The Times Group includes full-length articles in a variety of genres, including civic journalism and human interest features on fashion, lifestyle, art, and heritage. Her stories focused on the city’s growth, the challenges associated with infrastructure projects, and the government’s inability to meet deadlines and complete projects on time. She addressed stories about the revival of folk art and music. She soon began covering heritage and archaeological sites, raising concerns about their development.
She previously worked with the Samvaad, DPR, for the Chhattisgarh CMO, where she successfully managed their crisis management, case studies, social media management, speeches, press releases, English news coverage across a variety of media, and their annual magazine highlighting the government’s major initiatives and achievements. She left the position in 2021 because she realized her pen was better suited to the Oath of Journalistic Writing. She has helped well-known businesses and national and international websites with their public relations strategies. She ran a website that drew a large audience and covered topics such as mental health awareness, geopolitical tensions, Indian tourism, heritage sites, fashion and lifestyle features, and motivational content.
THE JOURNEY OF THIS BOOK:
I had to study archaeology to understand the different types of temples, as well as their structure and anatomy. I had to learn about the different types of empires and how temples were constructed during their reign. From citing the 2300-year-old ancient Archaeological monolithic Vishnu with a similar-sized mace (kaumadi) from Malhar to the 1500-year-old brick temple in pristine condition in Sirpur, driving throughout the ambit of 85% of the state on a two wheeler was a challenge for me. Driving to Chilpi Valley and Keshkal Valley as a lone woman was a challenge in and of itself. My vehicle’s belt used to wear down due to thermal heating, and I have returned home as late as 2 a.m. from dark rural roads that were completely devoid of lights, soaked in silence, and lean pathways with nothing but pebbles on them, and the GPS would be unreliable in such conditions.
But I always carried a district-by-district map and remembered the names of the villages I would pass through, so I could find my way home.I was already spending a lot on the research—fuel, books, data, servicing costs and buses. For days, I had no network coverage while I was surveying the lower Bastar terrain. I went to Darbha Ghati, the scene of a significant Naxal incident that occurred many years ago. I also held interviews and candid discussions with the royal clans of Bastar and Kanker Palace. I wanted to educate people about the Red Corridor and dispel myths about Naxalism.
Everything documented in the book is supported with factual references. While working on the details of Sirpur, I made sure to visit the museum and look at the 5th-century stone tablet manuscripts that claimed to be the foundation stone for the excavation of the Surang Tila and much more. I researched everything thoroughly until I was certain, and I double- checked it with higher museum authorities. Mythology and archaeology are two very different subjects, and I made certain that my book was clear about the distinction.
The mythological references have been interpreted as mythological beliefs or annotations in nature, whereas archaeological and historical sites and their findings have been supported by ample evidence and thorough research.
There were some debates on archaeological subjects dating back to the 5th century excavated idols that have been cited by J.D Belgar and Alexandar Cunnigham “Father of Indian Archaeology,” and I made sure to present the various perspectives that have been shared on the subject. I added my own insights in the book as well, clearly marking them as my personal input. I was clear about distinguishing between things that were proven facts and things that were being studied from various perspectives.
THE RUSTIC LANES OF CHHATTISGARH:
I came across fascinating villages where I got to know about Ghotuls: the social dormitory clubs to the practice of living relationships among certain tribes. It was an interesting
tradition to put gods on trial, or “Adalat,” and then judge the local village deity based on how well they performed. Villagers would complain about how their gods were acting, and the Mukhiya would decide if the gods should be treated with greater reverence or if they should be punished. For instance, if a region had a good harvest because of appropriate rainfall, the God would be rewarded; if a village suffered from a drought or other calamity, the God’s ornaments would be taken down.
I could not get enough of the rich and alluring tribal traditions and customs. During the 75- day peculiar Bastar Dusshera period, people travel from all over the world to Bastar. This festival honors the king, the local deities of the villages, the supreme Danteshwari Mata, and the tribes of Bastar; it has nothing to do with Ram or Sita. People are astounded by the celebration, fervor, rituals, and ecstasy, and foreigners frequently request that the local
tribals prepare “Chapura” for them, which means “the red ant chutney.” Half of the state believes that Chhattisgarh is Rama’s maternal home, and the Dandak forests were their abode during the exile period, whereas in the lower parts of Bastar, certain tribes abolish the practice of Ravan Dahan, believing that they belong to his lineage of the Asura clan. There are many other facts, ranging from Mesolithic period paintings to the Greco-Roman connection that I discovered, but one has to take a look at the book to go through them, and decide things according to their preferences.
It took me one and half year to simply document every nook and corner of the state, editing and paraphrasing took a different timeline. Chhattisgarh is a state of contradictions. I recall traveling from Darbha, where I came across the “Halbi Tribe,” who had their own language, distinct culture, and claimed to be the main warriors who accompanied the Kakatiya dynasty that arrived in Bastar approximately 700-years-ago. I saw them selling bamboo trays and knives, local forest products like imli, mahua, and tikhur, and wooden handicrafts at incredibly low prices. My driver assisted me in interacting with them, and they were thrilled that someone was interested in having a conversation with them. Despite the fact that they lacked finances to have blouses with 3/4th calf-length sarees draped around their bodies in a modest fashion, they were hospitable and humble.
There were many more challenges, like continuous weather change, heavy rains and storms, constant mechanical issues with the vehicle, personal research costing, network non availability in mountainous and naxal terrains, data usage and constant editing and para phrasing, publishing, but I was adamant about pursuing my goal.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE REAL JOURNALISM?
With eight years of experience in myriad fields of Journalism and Mass Communication, I have had my fair share of Journalism and its intricate weaving, yet it is a constant process of inner introspection and constant growth. I have handled public relations, but I am very clear that “journalism does not mix with any other form of communication specialization”. I can say with due modesty that I never engaged in bribery or yellow journalism. I have received an Appreciation Letter for my book by Mr. BrijMohan Agarwal, present MLA, and former State Cabinet Minister for major departments like culture and tourism, higher education, schools, etc. I took my oath of Journalism and Media Ethics seriously, and I don’t wish to leave this world without being of any benefit to mankind, no matter how small it is.
Even if a single person reads one of my articles or goes through my book, and visits any of these sites, and that leads to a boost in the tourism sector of the region, thereby encouraging villagers to open flower and incense stick shops, food stalls, and sell local handicrafts, that would be enough for me. The people who would visit the place would then spread a word about it, and it would form a chain, that has not yet been formed. The most important aspect of “Journalism” is understanding and listening to what is unsaid and unheard.
If you sit with people and they develop a strong faith in you that tears stream down their cheeks while you simply listen to their story, you learn about life and it’s hurdles. Whether it was a Royal, a tribal, or an official, I realized that at some point, people just want to be heard and their voices to be acknowledged, so I made sure that their words were safe with me. What was “on the record” went out, but what was “off the record” stayed with me, etched inside my bones and nerves, and I will make certain that their stories inspire me to stand and fight for everyone who wants to be heard and seen.
HOW TO WRITE NON-FICTION? HOW TO BE AN ASPIRING INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST?
Your research should be so strong with credible facts, that when you enter the domain, you should be familiar with the dimensions and rules of the game. Your planning should be so precise that execution should be treated as a bonus. Anyone who wishes to document non- fictional subjects such as ancient civilizations, ancient history, Indian heritage, archaeology, architecture, art, social and cultural history, and myriad forms of cultures should understand that, “Every piece you present in your book is a piece of history, and history is not something you can play with.” Because writing history exposes you to a wide range of sources who may review your work for further research, and the last thing you can do is to provide them with half-truths or outright lies that they may extend for future research.
The first step in writing about history and heritage is to read as much as you can from trustworthy sources, and to be passionate about it. It also depends on who you read and what interests you the most. Even if it starts with a single step, chase it and make sure that the history you are going through was someone else’s present, and your present would one day become history, so you must be honest with your upcoming future.
Spend time exploring the museum, library, and archives sections. Spend time with people who witnessed history and double-check everything. Remember the cardinal rule: “It is better not to say a word than to say it wrong.”
The bestselling book “Chhattisgarh-The Land of Hidden Mysteries” is available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback format globally. It is a fully glossy colored hardbound A-4 sized Encyclopedia quality coffee table book with a red ribbon bookmark affixed to its surface, printed on 250 GSM glossy pages. The book includes a personalized handwritten and handcrafted greeting card, a travel guide map, the state’s current political map, and a royal bookmark. Readers can also purchase the book from my website which provides them with a large Collection of Chhattisgarh Collectible edition planners, postcards, and bookmarks at incredibly low costs.
Amazon Link for the book attached below: Amazon
