Question

Read a novel/story on Partition by an Indian and a Pakistani/Bangladeshi writer. What are the commonalities of the experience across the border?

Answer 1

1. Indian writer: Khushwant Singh, Train to Pakistan. It presents the fear, violence and displacement caused by Partition in a Punjab village.
2. Pakistani writer: Saadat Hasan Manto, Toba Tek Singh or other Partition stories. Manto exposes the absurdity of religious hatred and the suffering of ordinary people.
3. Pakistani writer: Bapsi Sidhwa, Ice-Candy-Man. It describes Partition through the experiences of children, women and families in Lahore.
4. Bangladeshi writer: Selina Hossain or Jahanara Imam may be consulted for stories dealing with displacement, communal tension and the memories of divided Bengal.