Turning the pages of pain
Partition has spawned countless narratives laced with pain and longing. When the subcontinent was cleaved into two and Pakistan was carved out, it also marked the division of hearts, driving a wedge between two communities, and the subsequent dislocations and emotional traumas.
These narratives shed light on the darkness of the human heart through the interplay of history and memory.
Bridge Across the Rivers: Partition Memories from the Two Punjabs is a collection of 16 short stories by some eminent writers of that period. All have been translated into English from Urdu, Hindi, and Punjabi, except ‘Black Waters, Dark Well’ by Keki N Daruwalla, which was originally written in English.
These stories—seeped in religious and political discourse—are chronicles of divided people, nation and families.
The writers include Navtej Singh, Mohinder Singh Sarna, Kulwant Singh Virk, Gulzar Singh Sandhu, Gurbachan Singh Bhullar, Prem Prakash, Gurbaksh Singh Preetlari, Surjit Sarna, Baldev Singh, Ahmed Salim, Keki Daruwalla, Tahira Iqbal and Sanwal Dhami.
The first story of the collection, ‘The Homecoming’ by Navtej Singh, is about the migration and returning home of two co-travellers—a Muslim and his Sikh friend—and their friendship, loyalty, familial bond, fear and hope.
Mohinder Singh Sarna’s story ‘A Defender of Humanity’ is about the migration across the border of Rawalpindi-Srinagar. It is the story of a Muslim driver who puts his own life at stake to help the Hindu and Sikh passengers cross the border safely.
‘Fattu, The Bard’ by Gurbachan Singh Bhullar is the only story that expresses the experience of a return home after migration. It’s traumatic for people when they are uprooted and placed in a new land and a new nation.
Gulzar Singh Sandhu’s ‘Gods on Trial’ is about the conversion of Muslims by the Sikhs. The converted Muslims are later killed with some people demanding: “Send this pig as well to Pakistan.” Here, sending someone to Pakistan was a common phrase for eliminating a Muslim.
Baldev Singh’s ‘Come, Sister Fatima’ is a powerful story about friendship and loyalty. ‘A Bunch of Narcissus’ by Surjit Sarna is a tale of unfulfilled love, an interfaith romance that’s cut short amidst the hatred and chaos but the fragrance of narcissus keeps it alive until old age.
Keki N Daruwalla’s ‘Black Waters, Deep Well’ is a tragic story of a young couple as the commotion of Partition grips the nation. Tahira Iqbal’s ‘One Own’s Country’ and Sanwal Dhami’s ‘Ointment’ represent the fondness for remembrance of things past.
Today, when there is a greater need to build bridges, it is a collection that needs to be read.