There is a pet theory of mine. It can be called a philosophy even. It says that there is no wrong or right in the absolute sense. The protagonist of this book confirms that thought of mine - I was happy that the great Mr Khushwanth Singh thought the same way too. While the protagonist is an ex-dacoit and a accused in a murder case, a village ruffian,we are shown another side of him which makes us wonder - what is right and what is wrong - it is but perspective from two different sides.
The book is about a painful period in Indian history called as the partition. It was a time of heinous atrocities in the name of religion and nationalism. It was a time when a handful of politicians and bureaucrats used turmoil and fanned the fires of intolerance to achieve goals - for some political, for some monetary and for some others pure fanaticism.
The book reminded me very much about my favourite author - the great George Orwell for the fact that it lucidly brought out an analysis of how exactly a political event impacted the lives of a nation's subjects.The partition until today was just a historic event for me, but after this book, it will never remain the same. It was much more - it was blood shed, it was politics at the cost of humanity.
The plot revolves around two characters, one a rustic Sikh from the village of Mano Majra where the story in the book unfolds, and the second one a communist, stark opposite of the first character mentioned, foreign educated, whisky drinking, intellectual types. The contrast in character has significance in the way the narrative ends. The book brings out in vivid detail the level of violence that gripped both sides of the border. The geographical and figurative blood line of the story is the railway line that runs through the village and how much of a role it played in the lives of people affected by partition in 1947.
While the setting for the plot is the tumultuous partition period of 1947, the story itself is about the lives of the protagonists. It is about love found and lost. It is about how police officers and government employees functioned in those dark hours and how a handful of men sacrificed their lives for the good of the many - often times for people of the other religion.
In a eerily relevant message for the times, the author brings out how a handful of few religious fanatics stoke the fire of communalism and instigate violence. The book touches upon everything that we are fighting for as Indians even today - freedom from caste based oppression, freedom from religions intolerance, freedom from the superstitions and social fetters that religion forces its believers to carry.
Each character of the novel has a role that is not just a role in the novel, it is a message to the world. For example the message about Meet Singh, the village Sikh priest at the end of the book is this - while in the good times he was revered and given importance, his voice at the time of the violence is muted by the angry Sikh mob.
The irony of the characters is delicious - the authors perspective on the way of the world under religious tyranny is a tribute to the liberals and humanists who did whatever they could to save lives. This book will bring out tears for the horrors of partition and also open ones eyes to how a few men can convert a calm and seemingly peaceful society into one that lusts for blood.
This book is a must read in today's India where religious intolerance is spreading its vicious venom in the name of religion and hollow nationalism. It talks about how a false sense of nationalism helped in ruining lives, and created unending misery - all for a cause that a few politicians wanted.
The book is about a painful period in Indian history called as the partition. It was a time of heinous atrocities in the name of religion and nationalism. It was a time when a handful of politicians and bureaucrats used turmoil and fanned the fires of intolerance to achieve goals - for some political, for some monetary and for some others pure fanaticism.
The book reminded me very much about my favourite author - the great George Orwell for the fact that it lucidly brought out an analysis of how exactly a political event impacted the lives of a nation's subjects.The partition until today was just a historic event for me, but after this book, it will never remain the same. It was much more - it was blood shed, it was politics at the cost of humanity.
The plot revolves around two characters, one a rustic Sikh from the village of Mano Majra where the story in the book unfolds, and the second one a communist, stark opposite of the first character mentioned, foreign educated, whisky drinking, intellectual types. The contrast in character has significance in the way the narrative ends. The book brings out in vivid detail the level of violence that gripped both sides of the border. The geographical and figurative blood line of the story is the railway line that runs through the village and how much of a role it played in the lives of people affected by partition in 1947.
While the setting for the plot is the tumultuous partition period of 1947, the story itself is about the lives of the protagonists. It is about love found and lost. It is about how police officers and government employees functioned in those dark hours and how a handful of men sacrificed their lives for the good of the many - often times for people of the other religion.
In a eerily relevant message for the times, the author brings out how a handful of few religious fanatics stoke the fire of communalism and instigate violence. The book touches upon everything that we are fighting for as Indians even today - freedom from caste based oppression, freedom from religions intolerance, freedom from the superstitions and social fetters that religion forces its believers to carry.
Each character of the novel has a role that is not just a role in the novel, it is a message to the world. For example the message about Meet Singh, the village Sikh priest at the end of the book is this - while in the good times he was revered and given importance, his voice at the time of the violence is muted by the angry Sikh mob.
The irony of the characters is delicious - the authors perspective on the way of the world under religious tyranny is a tribute to the liberals and humanists who did whatever they could to save lives. This book will bring out tears for the horrors of partition and also open ones eyes to how a few men can convert a calm and seemingly peaceful society into one that lusts for blood.
This book is a must read in today's India where religious intolerance is spreading its vicious venom in the name of religion and hollow nationalism. It talks about how a false sense of nationalism helped in ruining lives, and created unending misery - all for a cause that a few politicians wanted.
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