Tara Rai’s Chhapamar Yuwatiko Diary

Abstract

Abstract This paper examines Tara Rai’s Chhapamar Yuwatiko Diary [‘A Diary of a Young Guerrilla Girl’] (2010) – a memoir which describes a 15-year-old girl’s experience of first armed encounter, subsequent detainment, and release from the custody towards the end of the Maoist war in Nepal. We analyze the author’s narrative of adversity and distress, using thematic analysis. Three themes, namely, (1) perception of impending death, (2) severe stress reactions, and (3) gradual recovery are found in temporal succession. In a subsequent analysis, we examine using content analysis the personal, group, and socio-political factors linked to these dominant themes to understand the dynamics associated with Rai’s understanding of personal experience, and adjustment to violence. Discussion of the findings orient the readers of this narrative not only to how Rai’s perception of her trauma experience changes but also to how this account can inform the way people negotiate the trauma of war.