Understanding Partition’s Unresolved Grief Through Urdu Literature

Abstract

Thesubcontinentwasdividedintotwonationsin1947whichresultedinthousandsleavingtheir homelandinmassmigration.Asthesewoundsarelefttofester,communitiesremainunhealedas theystruggletorememberthepasttraumaticeventsaswellastoreinventthemselvesandthe society.This dissertationisinvestedinexploringtheeventsandtheaftermathofPartition,not justAugust1947butasanongoingprocessofpolitical,culturalandemotionaltrauma.Theaim istodelveintoexploringtheideaofatransgenerationaltransmissionoftrauma. Andforthis,this dissertationdelvesintosomeoftheworksofIsmatChughtaiandSaadatManto,bothofwhom wereprominentmembersoftheProgressiveWritersMovement(PWM).

FromtheveryfoundationofthePWM,theorganizationcritiquedtraditionalreligiousidealism asdistractingfromsocialcauses.ThereforeinmyessayIarguethatPWMemergedasaforce thatsoughttocounterthishegemonicnarrativethroughthepropagationofUrdufictional literaturethatdiscussedthetraumasofPartitionthroughtheeyesofthelayman.InmyresearchI contendthat thePartitionoftheIndianSubcontinentin1947fosteredasenseofdislocationand alienationamongthepeopleofSouthAsiaresultinginwhatIrefertoasPostPartitiontrauma,or melancholy.Thispaperaimstopresentananalysisofthecollectivetraumafacedbythe individualslivingintheSubcontinentandtheunresolvedgriefthatremainsafterPartition.

I,Mr./Ms.________HafsaKhan_________________________________RollNo.

studentofNationalCollegeofArts,LahoreinthesubjectofCulturalStudiestherebydeclarethat thematterprintedinthethesistitled_____ UnderstandingPartition’sUnresolvedGriefThrough UrduLiterature

ismy ownwork,exceptwheredueacknowledgementismade,andhasnotbeenprinted,publishedand submittedasresearchwork,thesisorpublicationinanyforminanyUniversity,Research Institutionetc.inPakistanorabroad.

HafsaKhan

Signed/Date

SubmittedthroughProf.Dr.SyedaFaridaBatool

HeadofDepartment

DepartmentofCulturalStudies

NationalCollegeofArts

Lahore

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Acknowledgement

Idedicatethisdissertationtomygrandparentswhohadtheforesighttounderstandthatthey couldnotliveinIndia.Whomadedecisionovernighttofleetheirhomelandandtoacceptanew oneandinturnprovidemewithalifeoffreemuslimwoman.

ToAbbu,forsupportingeverydreamIhaveeverhad,andfortakingthefirststandtoallowme totakethiscourse.WithoutyouIwouldnothavedevelopedaninterestinPoliticsorLiterature. Thereisnotasinglethingintheworldthatyoudonothaveknowledgeabout.Thispaperisan amalgamationofourchaidiscussions.

ForAmmi,whoreadmealltheliteratureinUrdusothatIcouldunderstandthemetaphorsand symbolism.Andforinstillinginmetheloveformylanguage. BothofyouhavemademethepersonIamtoday.YouhavetaughtmeeverythingIknowtoday.

ForRabiaApa,thankyouforstandingupformewhenitwasneeded, yourconstantsupport throughoutmydegreeisthebackboneofthisdissertation.

ToMaryamApa,thankyoufordecidingthatIbelongatNCA,andforcountlessotherdecisions youtakeformewhichhaveshapedmeintothepersonIamtoday

ForNoorBhai,mostviewtheirelderbrothersastyrantsbut4yearsatNCAtaughtmethatI luckedoutbyhavingyouasmybrother.

Chapter1

Introduction

ThepoliticalPartition ofIndiaandPakistanin1947causedoneofthegreatestconvulsionsof history.1 Itmayhavehappenedsome70yearsago,buttheimpactandlegacyofBritishruleand colonialismlivesontilltoday.Ithasshapedthelivesofthesurvivors,theirchildren,andtheir grandchildren,whodispersedallovertheworld.WhichiswhythroughthisdissertationIaimto explorethelongtermgenerationaleffectsofPartition,andhowthetraumaandseparationof losingyourhomeandlovedonesiscarriedoverdecades2 .ThePartitionshookthecountry’s rootsastwocommunitieswhohadunitedtofighttheBritishEmpireforthepast100yearshad

1 Patent, Volker India Pakistan Post Partition Trauma,2017

2 Das, Kavita The Trauma of Partition, 2021

decidedtopartways.Theyhadnowturnedbestialandthemanslughterthatfollowedwasneither Jinnah’sdreamnorGandhi’s.Thecommunitieswhereearlier,evenangerandmisunderstandings pavedwayforcementingthebondswithgreaterstrength,suddenlysawtheemergenceof religiousbigotismanddisappearanceofsecularism3 About15millionpeoplesoughtrefugefromonenewlyindependentnationtoanother,without anyassuranceofsafety.Thebiggesttraumathesepeoplefacedwasthatofuncertaintywhere dangersloomedaroundthem,withnohopeorpromiseofresettlement4 .AsRichardSymonds saysandIquote,"TheywereeitherHindusorMuslims,nothingmorethanthat.”

Somewherebetweenhalfamillionandamillionpeoplewerekilled.Thosewoundshavebeen lefttofester.Noonehasbeenheldtoaccountand there'sbeennoreconciliationprocess5.People who livedthrough theviolenceofPartitionwouldhaveexperiencedanumberoftraumatic events,rangingfromwitnessingkillings,betrayalbynextdoorneighbors,fleeingtheirhomes underthreatofmurder,starvationanddestitution.

SeventyyearsagoconceptssuchasPostTraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)werenotpartofthe understandingoftraumainrefugeesinthewaytheyaretoday,howeveritislikelythatlarge numbersofpeoplefleeingtheirresidencestotheirrespectivefuturecountrywouldhave experiencedwhat

wenowunderstandasPTSD

6

Untilthe1980s,Partitionreceivedvirtuallydiscursiveormaterialspaceinhistoriographyor memory.Itwasmarkedbyabsolutesilenceanditsmemoriesencryptedinbothpublicand

3

4 Ibit 2020

5 DrAndrewWhitehead , Partition 70 years on: The turmoil, trauma - and legacy, 2017

6 VolkerPatent,India Pakistan Post Partition Trauma,2017.

Randhawa, Puneet Toba Tek Singh Seeking Identity beyond the borders, 2020

privaterealms7 .AsUrvashiButaliapointsoutinherbook,TheOtherSideofSilence,therehave beennopublicmemorialsorcommemorativemonumentsonthePartition,neitherhavethere beentribunalsorcourtsofjusticetoprovidelegal/juridicalrestitutionfortheviolence.Boththe newlymadestatesfailedtoprovideitscitizenswithavenuestomournthelossofahomeland,in asensetocreatenationalismtheydecidedtoomittheaspectofseparationfromone'sprevious identity.

Theconceptofmelancholyrefersto“suppressedtrauma”orresistantmourning-thefactthatone normalizeslossandtrauma,withoutaddressingonechoosestolivewithit.Peoplelivingthrough itsviolencewouldhaveexperiencedanumberoftraumaticevents,rangingfromwitnessing killings,betrayalbynextdoorneighbors,fleeingtheirhomesunderthreatofmurder,starvation anddestitution.75yearsagoconceptssuchasPostTraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)werenot partoftheunderstandingoftraumainrefugeesinthewaytheyaretoday,howeverinnoway doesthatconsitutethatthisdoesnotexist.Thelargesthumanmigrationinhistorydoesbuildon thethemesoflossandtrauma,thecollectiveviolenceexperiencedbycitizensofboththenewly independentcountriesleadtocollectivetrauma.

BuildingfromFreud’stheoryof“TheEgoandtheId”writtenin1923,Butlerdiscusseshowthis processofgrievingiscentraltotheformationoftheegoitselfandinturn,aperson’sidentity

Theidentificationswhichareformedfromthisunfinishedgriefarelateronpreservedand incorporatedinthelostobjectandtheego.Lateron,thelostobject-theunresolvedgriefcomes toformtheegoandpartofone’sidentity.Thelostobjectismadetocoexistwiththeegoasitis anintegralpartofthecollectiveidentity.8 Iseethelostobjectandtheunfinishedgriefinlightof Partition.Howduringamatterofmeremonthshumanbeingswereexpectedtoleavetheirhomes

8 Butler, Judith Melancholy Gender- Refused Identification,1995

7 Ritupurna Mitra, States of Affect: Trauma in Partition /Post partition south asia, 2015

andfleetoanewhomeland.Wheretheymustadapttothetraditionsandculturesinorderto createanewnationalidentity.Furthermore,beexpectedtosuppresstheirpreviousidentityasfear ofbeingantinationalformourningitsloss. However,thelostobjectcontinuestohauntand inhabittheego,andismadetocoexistwiththeegoitself.Thusthemelancholicidentification allowsthelostobjecttobepreservedaspartoftheego,andsoitsurvivesintheexternal world.Therefore,internalizingthelossoftheirpreviousidentityispartofthemechanismofits refusal.AccordingtoButleritisaprocessthatistriggeredbythedeathoflovedones,butcan alsooccurwhenanobjectislostthroughtheseveringofemotionalties.Thislossthenbecomes partofone’sidentity,asclosureisnotachievedregardingthelossitself.Thelostobjectismade tocoexistwiththeegoasitisanintegralpartofthecollectiveidentity 9Theconceptof melancholyexploredbyJudithButler aswellas VeenaDaswhoarguesthatsincethetraumaof Partitionhasonlybeeninternalizedandwhitewashedoverbythenationalnarrativeto romanticizethisnewland,thepeoplehaveacceptedthisfalserealityandsothegriefandtrauma coexistswiththeiridentitiestoday. Bothofthesetheories addressthethemesofidentityin relationtolossandtrauma.KeepinginmindFreud’sownunderstandingofthetermas unconsciouslymourningforwhatyouhavelost,thispapersuggestshowtheliteraturebeing producedPostPartitioncouldbebetterunderstoodasthesame.Partitionfosteredasenseof dislocationandalienationamongthepeopleresultinginPostPartitionmelancholy.Untilthe 1980s,Partitionreceivedvirtuallydiscursiveormaterialspaceinhistoriographyormemory.It wasmarkedbyabsolutesilenceanditsmemoriesencryptedinbothpublicandprivaterealms10 .

9 Anna Gulickson, 2001, Wellesley college Sex and GenderThr Sex and GenderThrough anAnalytic E ough anAnalytic Eye: Butler on F e: Butler on Freud and eud and Gender Identity,

10 Anne Castaing Lost Home and Poetics of Pain: Writing the memory of Partition Partition and the Practice of Memory, 2018

Literatureallowsyoutounderstandthelaymansstory,byusingmetaphorsboththewriterswere providinganindepthanalysisofhowviolencehadbeeninternalized.Allthreeliteratureschosen shareanoverarchingthemeoflossandseparationofone'spreviousidentity

In1936,MunshiPremChandinauguratedtheProgressiveWritersMovement(PWM)in Lucknow,themovementoperatedinadoctrinaltrianglewhosethreenodeswerepragmatism, Marxism,andawesternorientation.Thisgroupwasleftorientedandantiimperialist,whowished tochangethenarrativearoundnationalidentityandraisequestionsaboutequality,attacking socialinjusticeandbackwardness. 11 ProgressiveWriters dominatedtheUrduliteraryscene throughouttheperiodleadinguptoIndianIndependenceandPartition.Fromtheveryfoundation oftheProgressiveWritersMovement(PWM),theorganizationcritiquedtraditionalreligious idealismasdistractingfromsocialcauses.Iwillanalyzeanddiscussthefollowingwritings:

TobaTekSinghby SaadatHasanMantoand JaadeinbyIsmatChughtaiandascreenplaybyher calledGaramHawa.Ibelievethatliterarylanguageprovidedmetaphorsandimageryforanalysis ofhowtheviolencewasinterpretedand“internalized”communicatedineverydaylive.They shareanoverarchingthemeoftraumaandcarryprescientwarningsofanidentitycrisisthat wouldemergeasaresultofundueemphasisplacedonconstructinganationalidentitypost Partition.Theydelveintothecomplex,seeminglycontradictoryrelationshipbetweentrauma. identityandnationalbelonging.ThispaperpresentsananalysisoftheformationofPakistan’s nationalidentitybylookingatthestate-societyrelationshipofthecountry. PartitionisthemaindispositioninManto’sstories,thetruebanditthathadsmashedthelivesof millions.AlltheaspectsthatplaceManto’sspaceoutfromotherwritersareputinanutshellin hisPartitionstories.ThebeautyofManto’sstoriesisthathewritesfromtheperspectiveofthe

11 SAHNI, BHISHAM “The Progressive Writers’Movement ” Indian Literature 29, no 6 (116) (1986): 178–83

laymanallowingthereadertograspontothehumanemotionshowsomeone70yearslater,who haslesstonoclueaboutthepoliticalneedforPartition-viewsit.

Hisstory“TobaTekSingh”explainsthetraumaofPartition,andhowwithinamatterofdays, nationsweredivided.Likemereassets,humanbeingswerelefttobesenttoacompletely differentland,suchasthelunaticsplacedintheasylums.AsexplainedbyNafsyaZargar-The twingeandtormentthatMantopersonallyexperiencedduringthePartitionofSouthAsian Subcontinentin1947,ismournfullyportrayedinhismostacknowledgedshortstory“TobaTek Singh. 12

SimilarlyIsmat’sJaadeinisfocusedonthedaysafterPartition,howamuslimfamilywantsto shifttoPakistanonthenameofreligionbutAmma,themaincharacterrefusestoleaveherhome asitswhereshefeelshomeis.Shecannotunderstandtheconceptofhowsuddenlyherhomeland willchangebecausesomeonecameanddividedit.TheheartwrenchingconversationsAmmahas withhersonsastheypreparetoleaveherbehindilluminatethethemesoffrustrationandthe unknown,howtheonesleavingalsohadnoideawhatwasgoingtohappenandiftheychoseto staywhatwastohappen.GaramHawaprovidesavisualinsighttothelifeimmediatelyafter Partition,thescenes,dialoguesandtheactingleavetheviewerknowingthattherewasnooption buttoleaveIndiaformuslimsatthetime.However,certaindialoguesremindtheviewerofthe unresolvedgriefandhowthosewholeftIndiamusthavefeltasthoughtheywerecheatingon theirhomelandbyoptingforanewgroundtocallhome. MydissertationisinvestedinexploringtheeventsandtheaftermathofPartition,notjustAugust 1947.Butasanongoingprocesspolitical,culturalandemotionaltrauma.

12 Nafisya Zargar , June 2014 The Identity Crisis in Saadat Hasan Manto’s Short Story “TobaTek Singh”,

TheoreticalFramework

JudithButlerdiscussesthisconceptofPTSDthroughhertext“Melancholy,TheUnfinished ProcessofGrieving.”Building onFreud’stheoryof“TheEgoandtheId”writtenin1923,she discusseshowthisprocessofgrievingiscentraltotheformationoftheEgoitselfandinturn,a person’sidentity.Theidentificationswhichareformedfromthisunfinishedgriefarelateron preservedandincorporatedinthelostobjectandtheego.Lateron,thelostobject-the unresolvedgriefcomestoformtheegoandpartofone’sidentity.Thelostobjectismadeto coexistwiththeegoasitisanintegralpartofthecollectiveidentity.Thelostobjectcanbeseen astheunfinishedgriefinlightofPartition.Whereimmigrantshadtoadapttothetraditionsand culturesofanewsocietyinordertocreateanationalidentity.However,thelostobjectcontinues tohauntandinhabittheego,andismadetocoexistwiththeegoitself.Thusthemelancholic identificationallowsthelostobjecttobepreservedaspartoftheidentity, soitsurvivesinthe externalworld.VeenaDasreopenedPartitioninascholarlyanalysis,shewasinvestedin examiningtheanthropologyofpainanditslanguage.Shearguedthatliterarylanguageand tropesweremoreproductivetransmittersofsufferingandpainthanlegalorsociological.Inher article“TransactionsintheConstructionofPain”(1996)sheshowsthatmetaphorscanbeused toexpresstheunspeakableofbothviolenceandtheeffectsofviolence.InCriticalEvents(1995), Daswritesabouttwotheoriesofpain:itscommunicabilityversusitsincommunicability13.Das locatespainoutsidetheindividualbodyandbyreclaimingitasaninvitationtotheother,locates itinthesocialrealm.Thisexternal“turn”fromincommunicabilityhasacrucialroletoplayin latermappingsofPartitionascollectivetrauma.Similarly,theconceptofmelancholyalsotalks aboutthisideaofunresolvedtrauma,whichbecameinternalizedbytheindividualswhofaced 13 Ritupurna Mitra, States of Affect: Trauma in Partition /Post partition south asia, 2015

thepartition.Theywereunabletocommunicatethetrauma,becausetheyweretaughttolive withitthroughouttheirlives.

ThisremindsmeofMarx’stheoryof“FalseRealities”where,duetothenationalnarrativeof portrayingPartitionasthewayforwardandacceptingthisnewlyformedidentitywithout acknowledgingthepast,thesepeople,ultimately,weretaughttoliveunderfalserealities, constructedbythepowerful.Theywerecoercedtoadapttothechanges,andeventually internalizethem,somuchsothatitbecameapartoftheirpersonalityandtilltoday,playsahuge roleintheconstructionoftheiridentity.The“incommunicability”asVeenaDasputsit,iswhat ledtothecreationofthesefalserealities.

Das’stheorytranscendstimeandisstillrelevanttoday,becausenooneeverputsitintoquestion. Livinginaworldthathasexperiencedmodernity,andshiftedtoapostmodernrealmofrejecting meta-narratives,rejectinguniversaltruthsandquestioningeverythingofexistence,the1947 partitionbecomesoneofthelargesteventsofmigrationinhistorythathasbeenunderstood,void ofitslargercontextandstory.AworldwheretheHolocaust,isseenasanactofgenocide,andto datestrikesanargument,thelargestmigrationinhumanhistoryisunderstoodthroughwhathas beenfedtousbythestate.TheNationalHistoryMuseumInLahorePakistan,isanexampleof aninteractiveandastateoftheartmuseum,thatusesallthemodernmethodsofconveyinga narrative.However,theironyofthesituationisthatthestorybeingconveyedisoutdated,one sidedandstateregulated.

LiteratureReview

AnnaGulkistan’spaper,SexandGenderThroughanAnalytic explainsthetheoryMelancholia explainedbyButler,explaininghowone’spreviousidentityismadetocoexistwiththenewly

formedone.Thusbecominganintegralpartofthecollectiveidentity14.Similartotheshedding ofthehindustaniidentityandadaptationofPakistaniidentity,whichwasfacedbythe immigrantsof1947.

InMourningtheNationbyBhaskarSarkar,hetalksabout“ProlepticMelancholia”whichstates thatthepostcolonialnationisborninloss,whichcomestothecollectivememoryofPartition. Itrepresents“thedeathofacollectivedreamatthemomentofbirth.15”Hearguesthatfilmhas throughouthistoryplayedapivotalroleintheportrayalofsociety,andconstructingpopular narratives.Asalotofpeoplemightarguetheyhavebeenusedtopromotetheideasofacapitalist andelitistsociety,itissafetosaythatfilmhasalsoplayedanimmenselyimportantrolein allowingpeopletoselfexpress,andbecomeamediumforthemtocommunicatefeelingsand emotions,thatotherwisemightnotbepossible.Takingthisveryconceptinconsideration, moviesbasedonpartitionhaveallowedpeopletotrulyshowcasetheemotionsandsentiments involvedintheprocessofmigration.BhaskarSarkar,inhisbook,MourningTheNationtalks abouttraumahistory,throughthelensofanIndianimmigrantandsaysthatfilmisoneofthose mediumsthatmadetheirsideofthestoryvisible,whichotherwisewouldhavebeenopaquein history.

ThePartitionofIndiatransformedformillionstheverythoughtofhome.NafsyaZargar 16 writes inherpaperexplaininghowManto’sTobaTekSinghisanodetothegrotesquesideofPartition. Thestoryhighlightshowpainfulitistoconformtothenewidentityandsuppresstheidentity oneisbornwith.Thestoryusesthelunaticbehaviorofthe inmatesasamirrorforthemadness oftheoutsideworldundergoingPartition.Similarly,KafirbyIsmatChughtai,asexplainedby

14 AnnaGulickson, Sex and Gender Through an Analytic,WellesleyCollege,2001

15 Ritupurna Mitra, States of Affect: Trauma in Partition /Post partition south asia, 2015

16 NafisyaZargar , The Identity Crisis in Saadat Hasan Manto’s Short Story “Toba Tek Singh”,June2014

AjmaulAnsari 17 explainshow 80yearslaterhowIndianandPakistanisocietiesstillremain miredincasteandreligiousidentities.Howimportantitistoconformtosociety’sreligious prejudices.

Similarly,AyeshaJalalinher“ThePityofPartition:Manto'sLife,Times,andWorkAcrossthe India-PakistanDivide”talksaboutManto’sabilitytocapturethesectarianviolencetakingplace, andservingitasaprismforthereadertounderstanditintheperspectiveofthelayman.She drawsonthethemesofManto’swritings-topresentanintimatehistoryofPartitionanditstoll.

Moreover,SaeedShafaqinhispapertitled,PakistaniNationalIdentity:Muslim,Multilingual andMulticultural? 18writeshowinSouthAsia,itis religion,morethannationalismthatpersists asidentitymaker.Resultantly,nationalistaspirationsarecouchedinreligiousandideological overtones,whichinturnerodethecultureoftoleranceinSouthAsiansocieties.Shefocuses primarilyontheexperienceofPakistan,wherereligiousgroupsandthestate–sometimes independentlyandatothertimesinconcert–continuetoinvokereligiontopatronizesome groupswhileexcludingothers.

AspointedoutbyUrvashiButaliaintheothersideofsilencein1998,therehavebeennopublic memorialsorcommemorativemonumentsonthePartition,norhavetherebeenanytribunalsor courtsofjusticetoprovidelegal/juridicalrestitutionfortheviolence.ThemainpointwhichIam tryingtoaddressisthatwhenhumanbeingscontinuetoexistswiththisinternalconflict-froma psychologicalpointofview StatesofEffect,TraumainPartitionand/PostPartitionSouthAsiabyRitipurnaMitrarevolves aroundthecollectivetraumafacedbythegenerationsaboveusinPartitionandthentheFallof

17 AjmaulAnsari, Projection of women as “other” in the select short stories of Ismat Chughtai,Vol6, Issue3,2018

18 SaeedShafaq, Pakistani National Identity:Muslim, Multilingual and Multicultural?

EastPakistan,sheanalyzesVeenaDas’stheoryofsufferingandPain,whostatesthatin situationsofviolencesonesuppressesthememoryandcontinuestolivewithit.

Lastly,AhmedIshtiqueinhispaper‘Pakistan’sNationalIdentity”19 talksaboutthetwomodels ofnationalismadaptedbyJinnahPreandPostPartition.Heusedboth;religiontojustifya separatehomeland,andterritorialnationalismwhichwouldcreateamoreinclusivesocietyfor allsectsandreligion.Thispaperhighlightsthepivotalrolethatreligionplayedinthe constructionofnationalismforthenewlyformedstateanditsrepercussionsfacedbyPakistan today.

InTobaTekSinghseekingidentitybeyondborders,PuneetRandhwaprovidesanexceptional insightonManto’sstoryofTobaTekSinghhearguesthatitwasindeedapoliticalsatireandthat theentirenarrativebeitthevillageorthecharacterswereallsymbolsforthecurrentsocio politicalsituation.

ResearchGap

ThenarrativeregardingPartitionhasbeenalmostentirelyconstructedbythestate,whereinthe traumasofPartitionhavebeenhiddenorcarefullyavoided.WhenPartitionisdiscussed,thereis littletonodiscussionaboutthosewhodidnotwanttoleavethatland,orthosethathaveyetto acceptthislandastheirhome.Mypaperwillfocusonthatnarrative,wherethroughliteratureI willexplainhowthereisalossofidentity,andnowsinceitisnotdiscussedorhighlightedinthe nationalnarrative,thepeoplecontinuetomournthatunknowingly.Thispaperisnotantinational, itdoesnotneglectthetraumaorviolenceinducedbythosewhomigrated.Instead,throughthis dissertationIwanttoacknowledgetheforesightthatourforefathershad,tounderstandthat

19 AhmedIshtaiq,Pakistan’s National Identity, 2008

muslimscouldnolongersurviveinIndia.Itisaboutthefeelingofnothavingacompletesense ofbelongingtoalandthatIwasbornandraisedin,itissomethingIhavecarriedinmyheartfor 20yearsnow.Beforethis,Ihadnoideawhatitwasorthatitevenhadaname-Melancholia.Nor didIknowthatothersfeltthesame,orthatsome70-80yearsago,MantoandIsmatwere suggestingthesame.

ResearchMethodologies

Inthisthesis,contentanalysisofcertainselectedUrdushortstorieshasbeenconducted.Allthree ofthestorieswerewrittenpostpartitionandexplorethesametheme.Furthermore,inorderto understandmywritersbetterIdelvedintomoviesaswellasinterviewsthattheyhadgivenand whatothersweresayingaboutthemandhowtheyanalyzedtheirworksandefforts.Ialso watcheddocumentariesandinterviewsofJinnah,Gandhi,Nehruandotherprominentmembers oftheMuslimLeagueandCongresstounderstandthesociopoliticalsituationatthetime.Ihad tostepintothe1940stogetacompleteinsightoftheentiresituationandeventsthatledtothe hostilityofbothnationsagainsteachother.IalsowatchedtheTobaTekSinghMovie,produced byBimalDuttanddirectedbyShaktiPrabha,Tounderstandthesettingandcharactersbetter, especiallythatof BishanSingh.Itprovedtobeusefultoplacethestoryinthecontextofthe largerparadigmofPartitionanditsaftermath.

ThisContentanalysiswillhelptocreateabetterunderstandingofthesymbolsregardingidentity crisispresentinthesestories.Itgavemeabetterinsightintotheirlives,andwhattheystoodfor whichhelpedmetodecipherthevarioussymbolismandmetaphorsthatwerepresentinthe stories.

LastlyIconductedsecondaryresearchwhereI analyzedpapers,videos,andaudiorecordingsof othersdiscussingtheselectedshortstoriesaswellasotherstalkingaboutthetraumasofPartition tounderstandwhyitwasnecessarytounderstandwhyitwasnecessarytoshifttoPakistanfor mostmuslims.

Chapter2

To understandDas,andButler’stheoryofmelancholyIused2shortstoriesandascreenplayto understandthePartition.BothMantoandIsmatarewritersofthePartitionnarrative,narratives whichexploretheimmediateaftereffectsofPartitionfromtheeyesoftheordinaryman.

Jaadein(shortstory)byIsmatChughtai,TobaTekSingh(shortstory)byMantoandGaram

Hawa(Screenplay)byIsmatChughtaiallhaveonethingincommon- theyusedliterary languagetoprovidemetaphorsandimagery,tomakesurethatthereaderunderstandsandthe workprovidesanindepth analysisof howviolencewasinterpretedand“internalized”and communicatedineverydaylives.

IsmatandMantowerebothprominentmembersofthePWM,andmastersoftheshortstory writing.Ismatisknownforusinglanguagethatwasspokenbythecommonpeopleatthetime, whichiswhyallherstoriesareeasiertounderstand.Knownforhercontroversialportrayalof womenandtheirsexualitytheabovementionedstoriesdisplayasomewhatdifferentnarrative. Boththestories,intheirchoiceofsubjectmatterandthecharactersofferanuppermiddleclass perspective,aboutfamiliesandhowtheirliveschangedrightafterPartition.

Mantowaswritingatatimewherethenarrativeofvariousliteratureprimarilyfocusedonthe politicalleadersandtheirlivesaswellasstruggles,whatheputforwardwasthestoryofthelay manandhowheperceivedPartition.Howhewrotethe“DogsofTithwal”symbolizingthe citizensoftheSubcontinent,endingitwith“evendogswillnowhavetodecideiftheyareindian

orPakistani”Thiswasonceagain symbolismtounderstandthegravityofthesituation,how withinweeksyoucoulddividealandthathadexistedforsolong.Hisstoriesratherprojectthe devastatedsouls,thedilapidatedhomesandthetattered,dehumanizedeternalsufferers20

Hestandsoutasatruespokesmanwhopresentstheturpitudeheapeduponpeopleasapartofthe strategyofthecrueltyofthosetimes.InhislettertoIsmat,hepensdownhisfearofthedivision ofindopakliterature,andexactlywhoownsitnow.AndhisdesiretoreturnbacktoIndia.This evidenceshowshowhewas“missing”hishomeland,yes,hewasinPakistan,yeshewasloyalto thislandbuthestilllongedtogobacktoIndia,perhapstheundividedIndia

TobaTekSingh

TobaTekSinghprovidesaninsighttoahumanparadox,theloveforone’shomeland,his “watan”andtheneedtoclingontotheseroots.To me,asareader,IbelievethathisTobaTek Singhisnotavillage,itisthesituationofone’sownheartandthechaosthattheywerefeeling.It ishumannature'seternaldesiretobelong,itisthesymboloftheemotionalupheavalsofa humanbeingessentiallygluedtotheconceptionofanidealizedworld21

Mantocontinuestoreiteratethatthelunaticswereunawareaboutthepoliticsthatsurrounded thePartition,somuchsothattheydidnotunderstand who GandhiorJinnahwere.Yetthey weredividedasiftheywereleftovers fromawar.Madnessinthementalasylumisseentobea metaphorforthehavocandchaosthatthenationexperiencedatthetimeofPartition.Oneofthe lunaticsisaskedwhatPakistanis?Herespondsbysayingthat

“It's a place in India where they make razors.22”

20 Randhawa, Puneet Toba Tek Singh Seeking Identity beyond the borders, 2020

21Ibid

22 Manto, Saadat Toba Tek Singh

“it is a place where language cannot be easily understood”

Razorbladesisagainametaphordepictingviolence.Ibelievethatthesecondlinewasthe writer'swayoftellingthatthenewlandmaysharethesamelanguageorhistorybutitwillnotbe home.Itwillfailtoprovideitsresidencewiththefeelingofcollectivityornation.Italsomeans thatlanguagefailsatthetimeofturmoil,asthosesubjectingviolenceagainstoneanotheratthe timewereneighborsandfriendswhosharedthesamelanguage,butsuddenlywerebloodthirsty foreachother.Manto'sstoryisthusaprotestagainstthearbitrarydecisionsofpolicymakers.He thusrefusestoacceptthepoliticalidentitythrustonhim. Oneofthepatients wasdistressedtohearthatAmristarwasnowinIndia,becausehisbeloved wasaHindugirlfromthecity,hisexfiance.Althoughshehadrejectedhim,hehadnotforgotten herafterlosinghismind.ThisremindedmeofIndiaandPakistan-onthebasisofreligionyour homelandhasalreadyrejectedyoubutyourefusetoleaveitbecauseit'stheonlythingthatis “home.”

BishanSingh’scharacterdeservestobementionedasthereasonforhismadnessmaynotbeso importantbuthischaracterdisplaystheimportanceoftheuniversaldesiretobeinonenesswith thelandofone'sorigin,alandwhereoneisbornandbroughtup.Hehas,however,lostthebasic humanneedforsleepandlanguage.Constantlyinastateofinsomnia,asportrayedinthefilmby ShaktiPrabha,he’sseeninastateofinsomniawithaswollenleg.Heisshownuttering incomprehensiblephrases,heisindeedinsane,andsoessentiallymarginalizedbutstillheseems toshareanorganicrelationshipwiththeTobaTekSinghofhisimagination.Duetohislunatic state,hedoesnotmaintainhygienenoraroutinehowever, throughhis telepathyhecantell everytimehisfamilyisabouttovisitandsohedressesupfortheoccasionintypicalsikhgarb.I believethatthroughthisMantowantstoascertainthatculturalidentityofthebeingsdoesnot dependuponreligiousidentity WhichwasindeedthesituationofthesubcontinentPrePartition.

TheendingremindedmeofWalterBenjamin’sdeathwhowasaJewandbelongedtoGermany hadcommittedsuicidein1940ontheborderbetweenFranceandSpain.Hehadactuallygoneto ParisaheadoftheNaziadvance.AttheSpanishborder,anofficialclaimedthatrefugeeswould beforcedtoreturntoFrance.Benjamintookanoverdoseofmorphineanddied.Similarlyas Mantowrites:

"In the no man's land between the two barbed wire fences lay the body of Bishan Singh of village Toba Tek Singh.23"

ItappearsasifBishanchoosestodie,inatragicpositionheliesonnoman’slandbetweenthe twoborders.Abovethepoliticalsituationheseekshisidentityandemergesvictoriousindeath.

Tome,whilereadingitIfoundmyselfseekingmyidentitybeyondtheborderanditreminded meofwhatButlersaysthatmyunresolvedgrief,whichisthatpartsofmyidentitycomefrom India,butIhavesuppresseditforsolongduetothepoliticalunrestandthenationalnarrativeto rejectanythingthatisIndian.IbelievethatBishan’smadnessisactuallyametaphorforsanity becauseatleastunlikeme,hewasabletounderstandthathislandishispilgrimageandhechose toacceptandacknowledgeit.HisrepeatedqueryastowhereTobaTekSinghisapleatoremain associatedandthusbuildrelatednesswithhisroots.

"TobaTekSingh"isthusapowerfulsatireandabitterindictmentofthepoliticalprocessesand behaviorpatternsthatcausedPartition.Itisafactual,nonjudgementalchronicleofthebarbarism ofthosetimes.Thestoryprogressesinahauntingmilieu.Theauthornarratesthesituationswith wonderfulsubtletyandliteraryrestraint.Mantoshowsableakanddesolatepictureofreality wherethecommonpeoplehadnoaccesstotheboundarieswhichcreatedIndiaandPakistanas twodifferententities.Therealityisthatyearshavepassedbutthepainofthevictimspersists,the hurtandthelossstillexist.

23 Manto, Saadat Toba Tek Singh

GaramHawa

InGaramHawa,writtenin1971,focusesonSalim’sstory,ashoemakerwhodoesnotwantto shifttoPakistan.Eventhoughheisamuslim,whichistherootcauseforthecreationofthenew land,hefeelsthatIndiaiswherehebelongs.Thescreenplayiswritteninhisperspective,howhe fightswithhisextendedfamilyandchoosestostaybackonlytofindthathismuslimidenitityis thesolereasonwhyhecannolongerlivepeacefullyinhisneighbourhood.Anareaheknows likethebackofhishand,neighborshehasgrownupwith,mostofwhomnowactasstrangers. EspeciallyinthescenewhereSalimloseshishome,Ismatisabletocapturethethemesofloss, traumaandviolencenotintermsoftheentirecountry,ortheneighborhood,butjustSalim.Itis throughthesestoriesthatoneunderstandsthattheywerenotjustnumbers,orstatisticsbutreal humanbeings,whoseentireliveschanged.Shecapturestheessenceofoneman’sstoryinaland wherehecannotliveanymore.

Thesestoriesgetonethinkingthatwerethesetrauma’severaddressed?Itbringsforward Butler’stheoryofMelancholywhichvalidateswhatDashassaid,thattheunresolvedgriefor traumabecomespartofone’sidentityandthusstartstoco-existwiththeselfandtheego.These storiesnarratedbythewriters,suchasTobaTekSinghbyManto,highlightthelayman’s perspectiveofPartition.Howthepatientsatthementalasylumhadnoideaaboutpoliticsor JinnahandGandhibutwe'restillsodeeplyaffectedbytheirdecisions,somuchso,thathe continuestowritethatnoneofthemhadanyinformationaboutwherePakistanwasorwhereit wasgoingtoexist.

Allthesestories,poetryorfirsthandexperiencesthatIhaveheardthroughoutmyresearchfor thisdissertationhavemademerealizethatweall,notjustthegenerationthatexperienced Partition,sufferfromacollectivememoryofthosedecadesofsectarianviolence,lossand

trauma24 .Whenthatcollectivememoryisnotaddressedbythestateitcreatesacollectivetrauma orPartitio,thatweallhaveinheritedfromourparents,grandparentsandtheirparents. Thismethodologywillhelpmetoaddresstheissueofsuppressedtrauma,whichIbelievehas followedthroughgenerationsasunresolvedgrief.Asthegriefcoexistswithone’sidentityand whenonedoesnotreconcilewithitthenIbelievethatyoudonotknowyourownpotentialas youareexistinginastateofconflictwithone'sownself.Thewriterscontinuedtousemetaphors andlanguagethatindicatedthisunresolvedgrief,Itseekstoilluminatetheconceptof melancholiaandits ongoing effectsofthepastshapetheonesofthepresentandultimatelythe future.buttillthisdaythestatefailstoaddressitforwhatit is.Thiscouldpossiblybethereason forournation’sregression.Iunderstandthatthiswoundneedstobeopenedandenabledtobe healed. GaramHawa,anunpublishedstorywrittenbyIsmatChughtai,whichwaslaterturnedintoa screenplayforittobeproducedasa movie in197425 byIshanArya,M.S.Sathyu,AbuSiwani anddirectedbyM.S.Sathyu.ItfocusesonthestoryofSalim,anuppermiddleclassleathershoe factoryownerandhisbrotherHalim,whoissomewhatinvolvedinthelocalpolitics.Itisset rightafterIndependenceisannouncedandpeopleareslowlyshiftingeithertoIndiaorPakistan dependingontheirreligion.Salimhowever,refusestoshifttoPakistaneventhoughheisa muslimbutreiteratesthat :

“The amount of respect I have here, in my homeland, I will never be able to regain in Pakistan.”

24 Anne Castaing Lost Home and Poetics of Pain: Writing the memory of Partition Partition and the Practice of Memory, 2018

25 Garam Hawa, Film, Youtube

Butasthemovieprogresses,throughsubtledialoguesandswitchintone,theviewerunderstands theslowlychanginghostileenvironmentfortheleftbehindmuslimIndians. Onesuchexampleisthat,thetongaridehetakeseverydayfromhisofficetohomecostsin8 annas 26 whichwasdrivenbyamuslimwheretheywouldoftendiscussontheseridesthe changingtidesandhowtheystillchosetoliveinIndia.But,inthenextfewscenes,hetakesthe sametongarideonlytofindthatahinduisdrivingitandheasksSalimfor2rupeesinsteadof8 annas,bysurprisehedemandstoknowwhythesuddenspikeinprices,towhichthedriver responds:

“If you've chosen to stay here, then you live by our rules, otherwise people like you belong there, on the other side.”

Flabbergasted,Salimpaysthemanforhisride.Throughitssilences,andabruptsceneendings theaudienceunderstandsthehostilitytowardsmuslimbytheIndianpeople.Similarly,Salimhas beenaskingthesamebankforthesameamountofloanforyears,butafterPartitionthebank ownerprovidesSalimwithmountainsofpaperworkandsays “Now that people like you are shifting to the muslim land, the bank can no longer risk investing in you lot”

towhichSalimsaysthathehaschosentostaybehind,butthebankmanagersuggeststhathim andthefactoryareadeadinvestment.

Inthenextfewscenes,theviewerunderstandsthroughSalim’sfacialexpressionsthatheisleft withnochoicebuttoleavehishomeland.Salimispowerlessagainsttheshiftinattitudesand politicalclimate;hefindshimselfunabletosecurebankloans,unabletokeeppossessionofhis familyhome,andlosinghismeansofsurvivalasonce-loyalcustomerstaketheirbusiness elsewhere.Hehasdonenothingwrong,yetheispunishedbythepost-partitionenvironmentin

26 The rupee was subdivided into 16 annas.

Agra.AsSalim'ssituationbecomesmoregrave,thecameraframeshiminsmallerspaces, implyinghisimprisonmentinhisownhometown.Hesays: "They have taken everything. Only our faith will survive." Heisstrong,butheisdiscouragedbytheexodusoffamilymembersintoPakistan.Itremindsof Jinnah’ssaying,thatthosemuslimswhoareleftbehindwillnowfortherestoftheirlivesprove theirloyaltytotheIndianpeople.Asaviewer,itallowsmetounderstandthecurrentstateof muslimsinIndiaaswell.Ismatwritingtranscendstimeandprovesitsrelevancetilltoday. PerhapspeoplelikeSalimdidnotwanttoleaveIndiabutwereleftwithnootherchoicebutto fleeit,andsostillcarryatorchforitintheirhearts. Intheend,hetoomakesthejourneytothetrain.Ontheway,SalimandhissonSikander encounteramassiveprotestrallywhichseekstounitethedispossessedofthenation.First Sikander,andthenSalim,jointheflag-wavingmob.Thetrainisforgotten,andthefinalscene bringsasenseofhopeasweseeSalimaccepthissituationinanewwayandbegintotakecharge ofhislife27 .Thissceneissimilartothestories Ihaveheardgrowingup,theacceptanceofanew landbecausetheotheronebecamehostileandunbearableforthemuslims.Thelossofahome,a cityandcountrythatwasandwillalwaysbepartofone’sidentity Afterall,itiswhereyou come from. ThisistheunresolvedgriefthatButlertalks about,thefactthatduetoexternalreasons peoplehadtoleavetheirlivesbehindandstartanewinPakistan.Theylivedhere,hadjobshere andinnowaycantheirintegrityorloyaltytowardsPakistancaneverbequestionedbutthesense of missing yourpreviousidentityaswellasthelandthatyoucomefromisheretostay.This grieftendstoco-existwithyourselfandsoendsupbecomingapartofyouridentity.Internalizing thelossoftheirhomelandispartofthenewlyformedidentity.Ifpubliclytheycannotcall themselvesIndiansanymore-thelostobjectcannolongerexistintheexternalworld,itwillthen

existinternally;andthatinternalizationwillalsobeawaytodisavowthatloss,tokeepitatbay, tostayorpostponetherecognitionandsufferingofloss.

Jaadein

Ismatwasknownforexploringthemesofloss,separation,traumaaswellasthepainand sufferingfacedbymuslimsleftbehindinIndiaJaadeinisashortstorywrittenbyIsmat,it focusesonthestoryofAmmaandherchildren.It isafictionaltakeontheimpactofthe Partitiononinterpersonalrelationships,memoryaswellastheideaof‘home’and ‘community.ThestoryissetinMarwar,justbeforethedeclarationofIndependenceofIndiaand Pakistan,wheremigrationshavealreadybeguntakingplace.Thenarrative,whichisseenfrom theperspectiveofanagedwoman‘Amma’-whosechildrenareadamanttoleaveIndiaandmove toPakistanastheyaremuslimsandthus,theybelongthere.However,despiteconstant persuasionbyherfamilymembers,Ammarefusestopackupherbelongingsandsetofffor anotherland.Andcontinuestouseanalogiesofsaplings,statingthathowwillshebeableto provideasafesoilfornewsaplingstogrow,whichissymbolismofthegenerationsandhowthey willbeabletocopewiththelackofconnectiontoPakistan.Ismatcontinuestohinttowardsthe generationaltransferofthisgrief,howchildrenofimmigrantswillbybirthbefromthenewland buttheirrootswillbeacrosstheborder.

Evokingheremotionalconnectiontowhereshewasborn,sheisconvincedthatsheshouldnot leavewithherfamilymembers.Usingdialoguessuchas:

“Jaahan paley barhey, wohi apna watan nahi hua to kya ho ga jahan 4 din ko bas jaon28?’

“Isn'ttheplacewhereIhavebeenbornandraisedmyhomeorthelandIwillinhabitforamere4 days?”

Thisdialogueremindsusofthelayman'sperceptionofPartition,onewithouttheboundsof politicsorreligion.Forthereader,itsAmma,herhomeandherchildren.Herfamilyhasclose tieswithotherhinduneighborsandthestartofthestoryfocusesonhowclosethetwofamilies are,somuchsothatwhenthetheirchildrenfightwitheachothertheirparentsarenotinvolved becauseitissaidthatsincethesetwoarebrotherstheyshouldresolvetheirissueontheirown. ButaftertalksonIndependencespark,Amma’sgrandsonreturnshomeafterbeatinghis‘hindu’ brotherupandisactuallypraised.Dialogueslikesuchallowthereadertounderstandthe hostilitythatisabouttostartbetweenthetwofamiliesonthebasisofreligion. WhilereadingyouarerootingforhertounderstandandmovetoPakistanwithherchildren, becauseyouunderstandhowthetableswillsoonturnbutatthesametimeIsmatwantsyouto empathizewithAmmaandunderstandherpointofview.Throughtragicdialogueslike:

“Watan na hoa, paer ki jooti ho gayi, zara tang kiya aur utar ker phenk dia”

“ Thisismycountry(nation),notashoe,thatifitbothersmeI’lljustthrowthisoneout”

Onefindsthemselvesintearswhilereadingthisline,asyouunderstandhowdifficultitwouldbe toturnyourbackonyourcountryandwithindaysacceptalandinitsplace,alandthatyouhave noconnectionto,alandwhosetraditionsyouareunawareofandalandthatdoesnotshareyour history.Throughherwords,Ismatmakessurethatthethemeoflossandseparationofa homelandarecaptured.Thisloss,thatonecarrieswiththemallthewaytotheirnewhome,and thentransfersittotheirchildrenandsoon.ThatistheunresolvedgriefthatButlerandDas

addresstounderstandthecollectivetraumasofPartition.Bothofthemarguethatthegrieflives asanexternalbeing,theincommunicableloss,whichco-existswithyouridentity.Throughoutthe story,Ismatchoosestousetheword“Watan”insteadof“Mulk”,highlightingthefactthatit'snot thecountryshe’sreferringtoaboutlosing,butit'sthenationandinturntheidentity.It'sthat feelingofbelongingthateverycitizenhasintheirhomeland,howcanyouforgetthatfeeling?It willalwayscomefromtheplaceyouhaveyourrootsin.ThesearethethemesIwantedtofocus onwhenchoosingthisspecifictopic,becauseI,attheageof24,bornandbredinLahore,Istill feelthatIhavealesserconnectiontothiscitythanmyfriendswhohavevillagesorfamily homesnearby.It'stheaspectoftracingyourlineageaswellasyourfamilyhistorytoonespecific placeorhouseforme,thatresidesallthewayacrosstheborderinAligarh.IknowthatIbelong inLahore,andthiscountryiswhatisbestforme,muslimslikemecouldnothavesurvivedin IndiabutatthesametimeIdonotfeelcompletelyconnectedtothiscity.Andnow,learning aboutMelancholiaIunderstandthatit'sthatunresolvedgriefthatIhaveinheritedthatcoexists withmyidentity.Onethatyouhaveinheritedfromyourgrandparentswho,likeAmma, experiencedthisloss.TheidentitythatAmmaandherchildrenwerebornwithbutnowhaveto suppressinorderto replace itwithanewone.

IhaveneverbeentoIndia,butIdoremembermysistertellingmethatwhenshelandedinDelhi, forsomereasonshewasoverwhelmedandstartedtocry.Tillthisday,shesaysthatitwasa feelingofbelongingorjustknowingthatthisiswhereyourancestorscomefrom.Ibelievethatit wastheunresolvedgriefthatnowco-existswithheridentity.AsButlerandDasargueitcomes outinvariousformsandthosetearswerepartofthat.

Chapter3

Thetermnostalgiawascoinedin1688bytheSwissmedicalstudentJohannesHofer (1688/1934).Thewordcomesfromtwosounds:nostos(returntothenativeland)andalgos (pain).Therefore,nostalgiaasoriginallyconceivedmeansthepaincausedbythedesiretoreturn toone’snativeland.Howeverthetrickythingaboutnostalgiaisthatwhereithasthepowerto inspirepeopletobecometheirbestselves,itcanalsotriggerthemtobecometheirdarkestand worstselves.Whilenationalnostalgiacanelicitmorepositivefeelingstowardsingroupsitcan alsoleadtonegativeattitudesaboutoutgroupssuchasantiimmigrantfeelings.Ibelievethatmy senseofbelonginghasbeentaintedbythesomewhat Nostalgiaisuniversallyregardedasanemotion,especiallyoneoflonging.Itentails rememberingorreminiscingaboutfondmemoriesfromthepast.

Referringbacktomyresearchgap,thestatehasnotyetlookedattheaftermathofPartition throughthislens.Theseparationfromone'shomelandandthelossofone'spreviousidentity

ThroughthisdissertationIwantedtocriticallyanalyzethesethemeswhichiswhyIchosethe above-mentionedstoriesthroughtheirsymbolismandcharactersexploringthesettingofIndia andPakistanafterPartition.ThepointIwantedtomakewasthatitisnotantinationaltomiss yourpreviousself,thehomelandthatoncewasyouridentity.

Whoisacitizen?Acitizenisanindividualwhonotonlyhastherighttoacity,butalsofeelsthat attachment,thatownership,thatfamiliaritywiththecity.Citizenisanindividualwhofeelslike theybelong.Weliveinaworld,wherehumanrightsorthelackof,areconstantlyunder scrutiny.Therightstoprivacy,therightofproperty,therighttoreligion,butwiththis dissertation,Iwantedtoexploreanothernotion,thatbeing,therighttothecity-thesenseof belonging.

Withrelevancetothisargument,theindividual,theimmigrant,isaresidentofthecity,whohas therighttoit,butinsteadofthatsenseofbelonging,theyfeelavoid.Anexplorationofthisvoid, ledmetoidentifythem,asindividualswholeftIndia,inastateofurgency,andturmoil,after havingspentanestablishedlifethere,whohadtoletgooftheirattachmentandconnectionwith thecity,andstartanewinthesoilofPakistan.Theseindividualshavetherighttothecountry,to thecitytheylivein,butinsteadofbeingconnectedtoit,feeldisplaced.Theyleftapartof themselvesinIndia,thustheyarelefttoquestiontheirownidentity.

Ibelievethattheimmigrantandtheirchildren(likemyself)relievethisnotionofidentity throughmemories.Thememoriesofthatsenseofbelonging.Forthem(mygrandparents)home iswhattheyleftinIndia,andhereinthiscitythereisnospaceforthem.Theseindividuals, carryingwiththemtheweightofthepast,abovetheageof75,areexcludedfromthecity Excluded,becausetheyhavenomeanstorelivewhattheylongtorelive.Theydwellinthepast, yetthepastisunreachable.Theremnantsofthepastthatdoexistinthecityhavebeenrewritten. Theyrequireaconnectionwiththemselves,throughthepast,forasenseofbelonginginthe presentandinthefuture.

Theyrequireaspace,wheretheycanescape,wheretheyarenotisolated,astheycurrentlyare, socially,throughinfrastructureandmostimportantlythroughthatfeelingofavoid.Theyrequire aspaceinthebuilding,wheretheycan,withothersalsosearchingforthatfamiliarity,belong. Theyrequiretherighttothecity.Thefreedomtomakeandremakeourcitiesandthemselves.

Conclusion

Inconclusion,IwantedtotakethistopicforwardbecauseformostofmylifeIhaveseenmy grandparentsandotherswiththemtalkinabittersweetmannerwhenitcomestotheirlifepre Partition.NotduringPartitionasthatwasprimarilyfilledwithtraumaandbloodshed buttheir

adolescentyearsortheircollegelife.EspeciallywhenitcomestotraditionsIhaveseenthemlet goofcertainonesastheysaiditwasfromIndiaandsodonotbelonghere,inPakistan.Ibelieve thatthosesilences,andtheneedtoacceptthisidentitywithoutacknowledgingtheonebeforeis whatIhaveinherited-theunresolvedgrief.AsButaliasays,thestatefailedtoprovideaspace wherethepastwasaddressedandordiscussed.TheNationalHistoryMuseuminLahoreisan odetoPartition,butitonlyglorifiesthelifeafterPartitionandacknowledgesthetimeof Partition,thetraumaandviolenceenduredbythosewholefttheirhomes.Butitdoesnot, throughneitheritsdisplaysnortheinterviewsadded,talkaboutthelossofahomelandorthe previousidentitythattheimmigrantsshared.Ittakesforwardthenationalnarrativetowhitewash thepsychologicaltraumaandmelancholyandonlyfocusonthepartswherecitizensarehappyto behere,withtheirnewnationalidentity Thefalsereality,wherethroughthepowerfulyouare brainwashedtoacceptwhatisprovidedtoyouandsoyoumournthelossofhomelandandan identityunknowingly.ItwasthisspecificfeelingthatIcouldnotpinpointwhichledmetotake thisthesistopic.

Theabovementionedworkallconcludestothesametheme,thatthesewriterssome70years agowerearguingsimilarnarratives.PartitionwasmorethanjustPolitics,itwasthelossofa watan anditspeopleandtheidentitythattheyshared.

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