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Azadi
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First published January 1, 1975
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About the author
Chaman Nahal
20 books12 followersChaman Nahal commonly known as C Nahal, and Chaman Nahal Azadi, was an Indian born writer of English literature. He was widely considered one of the best exponents of Indian writing in English and is known for his work, Azadi, which is set on India's Independence and her partition. He is also known for his depiction of Mahatma Gandhi as a complex character with human failings.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 5, 2017
I picked it in a second hand book shop and got big time lucky :-)
The story begins with the place Sialkot (now in Pakistan) where Muslims are in majority and were living peacefully with Hindus and Sikhs before partition but it got affected in every which way overnight when Lord Mountbatten declared the creation of India and Pakistan. A mix of fear, hatred, and enmity suddenly peeped in the lives of the people and the city which is the backdrop of the entire story..
It is a simple, straight and candid novel about the realities of India's independence and partition. The words like sacrifice, struggle, non-violence became irrelevant at the time of this landmark historical event which turned grotesque and gruesome to say the last. The novel brings out certain historical realities which demand attention and makes one realise the enormity of this tragedy...
A must read to see and understand the impact of the senseless partition...
The story begins with the place Sialkot (now in Pakistan) where Muslims are in majority and were living peacefully with Hindus and Sikhs before partition but it got affected in every which way overnight when Lord Mountbatten declared the creation of India and Pakistan. A mix of fear, hatred, and enmity suddenly peeped in the lives of the people and the city which is the backdrop of the entire story..
It is a simple, straight and candid novel about the realities of India's independence and partition. The words like sacrifice, struggle, non-violence became irrelevant at the time of this landmark historical event which turned grotesque and gruesome to say the last. The novel brings out certain historical realities which demand attention and makes one realise the enormity of this tragedy...
A must read to see and understand the impact of the senseless partition...
January 10, 2021
Very graphic book if you ask me, i wasn't prepared. But it holds the truth, my grandma recalling of the partition was also somewhat similar.
February 10, 2024
As the title suggests the story is about azadi or freedom. More specifically it is about the strife-torn times in the history of the Indian sub-continent when Partition happened, and the Indian sub-continent was divided into two separate countries on religious lines with just one announcement on the radio. Tracing the lives of a few characters, the novel takes us through the build up to the Partition, the unprecedented violence and horrors that it unleashed upon innocent people and also its aftermath – the dislocation and the exile that millions of them had to face. The novel is also about the inability of the people to accept the Partition, to actually go through it and finally reach India, where they will now have to start a new life. It is about the loss and quest for their identity and home in a strange land. Divided into three parts the novel takes us through the historical, political circumstances that led up to the division of the two countries, the resultant riots and the aftermath marked by our beloved and utmost respected Mahatma Gandhi's death.
This novel shows the horrors of violence, the plight of refugees, the frenzy caused by religious and political aspirations, and both the bestial and humanitarian side of mankind. The author does not blame any religion for the chaos but he completely agrees that the partition was a wrong and hasty decision and holds the politicians and religious leaders responsible for the mayhem that followed in the wake of the division of the country.
The graphic portrayal of the pain, the chronicles of history, the political opinions, and the religious frenzy, make this novel one of the best additions to Partition Literature in India and I am so glad I got to read this.
Trigger warning- Very graphic details
This novel shows the horrors of violence, the plight of refugees, the frenzy caused by religious and political aspirations, and both the bestial and humanitarian side of mankind. The author does not blame any religion for the chaos but he completely agrees that the partition was a wrong and hasty decision and holds the politicians and religious leaders responsible for the mayhem that followed in the wake of the division of the country.
The graphic portrayal of the pain, the chronicles of history, the political opinions, and the religious frenzy, make this novel one of the best additions to Partition Literature in India and I am so glad I got to read this.
Trigger warning- Very graphic details
April 12, 2015
India's independence didn't come easy. It didn't come free either. The "two nation theory" saw its dawn and India was partitioned. She bled. Bled profusely. Wasn't that expected when you chop off a person's both hands? Hundreds of thousands perished in the genocide that ensued the partition. History might consider it as mere statistics or collateral damage, but individuals who suffered and survived to tell the tale provide a different perspective. The madness was so atrocious that almost 70 years later, we still hear its reverberations.
When the storm was over and the remains were plucked from the site of destruction, question could arise, "Was it worth it?"
Chaman Nahal's Azadi recounts the horrors of partition through those days in the lives of several individuals in a bordering state of newly formed Pakistan and their long walk from the land the born in, into an unfamiliar world supposed to be their own.
The book is not exactly a literary achievement. Neither it provokes thoughts to treat the time differently. It just narrates the horrific massacres and provides, probably a little biased, interpretations of the moods and motives of those time. The stories of love, lust and friendship ended very disappointingly, to say the least. However, the simple language makes the book very readable. Characters were sketched very realistically making the tragedies befalling on the likable ones very poignant.
Tragic times. Tragic story.
When the storm was over and the remains were plucked from the site of destruction, question could arise, "Was it worth it?"
Chaman Nahal's Azadi recounts the horrors of partition through those days in the lives of several individuals in a bordering state of newly formed Pakistan and their long walk from the land the born in, into an unfamiliar world supposed to be their own.
The book is not exactly a literary achievement. Neither it provokes thoughts to treat the time differently. It just narrates the horrific massacres and provides, probably a little biased, interpretations of the moods and motives of those time. The stories of love, lust and friendship ended very disappointingly, to say the least. However, the simple language makes the book very readable. Characters were sketched very realistically making the tragedies befalling on the likable ones very poignant.
Tragic times. Tragic story.
September 18, 2023
Azadi. Freedom. In the Indian context, the word has deep, indelible connotations of communal hatred and violence of unprecedented measure. Political rivalry mutilated a peaceful nation and the subsequent partition left millions dead and displaced in its wake.
‘Azadi’, a historical fiction novel that won its author Chaman Nahal the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977, recounts the physically and emotionally tormenting journey of Hindu families from Sialkot in Punjab, Pakistan to Delhi, India in the aftermath of partition.
Forced to leave their homes, the families settle into refugee camps. In addition to land and livelihoods, they also lose their identity when they embark on a perilous journey towards an uncertain future. Death and destruction loom on the horizon, love is found and lost and families are torn apart.
The grief emanating from Nahal’s words envelopes you in an embrace that is comforting and suffocating at once. With his meticulous writing, he has captured the real horrors of partition, the harmony and humanity that died and the acrimony that continues to live on.
The narrative is poignant despite its swift pace and emotionally stirring without being overly dramatic. With characters that come alive and vivid imagery, this book is a passionate portrayal of one of the most defining and devastating moments in Indian history.
‘Azadi’, a historical fiction novel that won its author Chaman Nahal the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977, recounts the physically and emotionally tormenting journey of Hindu families from Sialkot in Punjab, Pakistan to Delhi, India in the aftermath of partition.
Forced to leave their homes, the families settle into refugee camps. In addition to land and livelihoods, they also lose their identity when they embark on a perilous journey towards an uncertain future. Death and destruction loom on the horizon, love is found and lost and families are torn apart.
The grief emanating from Nahal’s words envelopes you in an embrace that is comforting and suffocating at once. With his meticulous writing, he has captured the real horrors of partition, the harmony and humanity that died and the acrimony that continues to live on.
The narrative is poignant despite its swift pace and emotionally stirring without being overly dramatic. With characters that come alive and vivid imagery, this book is a passionate portrayal of one of the most defining and devastating moments in Indian history.
December 6, 2023
2.8/5
this book had so much potential that was ruined by the author's self insertion and personal event narration, its almost painful to read through this thing. not only is the plot thrown off completely by unnecessary smut (I can't believe it either), all the characters with an exception of the main character are developed terribly. theres also mindless insertion of some characters, like Suraj Prakash (fuck you Suraj) and many more. the worst parts of the book might just be the ones where we see things from Arun's point of view; nearly every chapter that this boy is central in leaves me with an aneurysm. reading this is a modern torture method and I applaud Delhi University for having this abomination as one of its prescribed texts in an English elective course about Indian fiction. But seriously, theres a lot on indian fiction and I would NOT want this to be its front. thank you for listening to my rant.
this book had so much potential that was ruined by the author's self insertion and personal event narration, its almost painful to read through this thing. not only is the plot thrown off completely by unnecessary smut (I can't believe it either), all the characters with an exception of the main character are developed terribly. theres also mindless insertion of some characters, like Suraj Prakash (fuck you Suraj) and many more. the worst parts of the book might just be the ones where we see things from Arun's point of view; nearly every chapter that this boy is central in leaves me with an aneurysm. reading this is a modern torture method and I applaud Delhi University for having this abomination as one of its prescribed texts in an English elective course about Indian fiction. But seriously, theres a lot on indian fiction and I would NOT want this to be its front. thank you for listening to my rant.
December 6, 2019
*3.75 stars.
"Look at the swear words they have in Hindi. Dusht, moorakh, papi, atyachari....You call those swear words? So soft, so weak, so impotent! And what is a language if you cannot have a manly explosion in it to your satisfaction?" (22).
"...and her face looked like the centre of an old, weary cobweb" (67).
"And suddenly, in a flash, the rare sensation of seeing through the humbug of existence flooded him once again, and he saw before him clearly the bare, basic meaning of living, shorn of trimmings and embellishments" (270).
"She looked crestfallen, confirmed as she was in her knowledge that the piece of charcoal she had been trying to pass off as a jewel all these years was nothing but a piece of coal" (272). *Regarding her husband.
"He positively did not want to go to a refugee camp. Four months of that had shrunk his heart" (350).
"Look at the swear words they have in Hindi. Dusht, moorakh, papi, atyachari....You call those swear words? So soft, so weak, so impotent! And what is a language if you cannot have a manly explosion in it to your satisfaction?" (22).
"...and her face looked like the centre of an old, weary cobweb" (67).
"And suddenly, in a flash, the rare sensation of seeing through the humbug of existence flooded him once again, and he saw before him clearly the bare, basic meaning of living, shorn of trimmings and embellishments" (270).
"She looked crestfallen, confirmed as she was in her knowledge that the piece of charcoal she had been trying to pass off as a jewel all these years was nothing but a piece of coal" (272). *Regarding her husband.
"He positively did not want to go to a refugee camp. Four months of that had shrunk his heart" (350).
August 3, 2018
S.Ach
Feb 22, 2014
S.Ach rated it liked it
Shelves: india, indian-author, ind-pak-partition
India's independence didn't come easy. It didn't come free either. The "two nation theory" saw its dawn and India was partitioned. She bled. Bled profusely. Wasn't that expected when you chop off a person's both hands? Hundreds of thousands perished in the genocide that ensued the partition. History might consider it as mere statistics or collateral damage, but individuals who suffered and survived to tell the tale provide a different perspective.
January 13, 2024
Found this at a bookstore in India and was pleasantly surprised. There isn’t a huge plot but there are some parts of the book that describe Partition so well and especially how it affected the average person. And in the end how it was a failure of the government and the descriptions of people’s lives being intricately linked until the divide and conquer approach took over. If you can find it would recommend!
January 7, 2019
Review to be up
January 14, 2024
The book is so emotional and beautifully written. It talks about the relation between India and Pakistan and moreover, on the effect of the partition on the residents of the area. Loved it!
February 2, 2024
The horrors of the partition described in a way that will give you nightmares lol
Read
December 13, 2024An important documentary on partition... A worthy novel
November 2, 2025
History of partition: 5/5
Characters: -1000000/5
The author clearly never met a single woman in his life.
Characters: -1000000/5
The author clearly never met a single woman in his life.
Read
June 17, 2024Read for class.
This book comes across as confused more than anything else. It's prone to frequent tangents that often don't add anything of value to the story and downright jarring shifts in narrative tone. I'm sure the author is witty, I didn't need him to prove that to me by writing in a humorous tone right after a dark scene. Certain writing style choices really took me out of the story.
I can still see why this might be an important book when it comes to partition literature. At times I was surprised by the intensity of the atrocities the author chose to portray, I wasn't expecting that given the tone of the book in the beginning. There are a few scenes that I really loved and which might have moved me even more if not for the writing. Unfortunately, besides Lala Kanshi Ram, most of the characters fell flat for me and so I felt too detached from the story to appreciate the horrors described; it felt more like reading a textbook account of the events.
The descriptions of women in this book is a whole other can of worms. Despite having such a large cast of character and so many of them women, very few of them have any form of agency and then too in brief glimmers. Regardless of this lack of any relevancy to the plot, every female character's beauty or lack thereof is described in detailed tangents after which they promptly fade into the background, never to be discussed again except when the author wants to tell us about some tragedy that befell them.
For a story that had so much potential and which genuinely made me feel at some points, the execution was lacking. The themes of the book still make for a very good discussion, I'm just disappointed it wasn't written in a way that I could really connect with.
This book comes across as confused more than anything else. It's prone to frequent tangents that often don't add anything of value to the story and downright jarring shifts in narrative tone. I'm sure the author is witty, I didn't need him to prove that to me by writing in a humorous tone right after a dark scene. Certain writing style choices really took me out of the story.
I can still see why this might be an important book when it comes to partition literature. At times I was surprised by the intensity of the atrocities the author chose to portray, I wasn't expecting that given the tone of the book in the beginning. There are a few scenes that I really loved and which might have moved me even more if not for the writing. Unfortunately, besides Lala Kanshi Ram, most of the characters fell flat for me and so I felt too detached from the story to appreciate the horrors described; it felt more like reading a textbook account of the events.
The descriptions of women in this book is a whole other can of worms. Despite having such a large cast of character and so many of them women, very few of them have any form of agency and then too in brief glimmers. Regardless of this lack of any relevancy to the plot, every female character's beauty or lack thereof is described in detailed tangents after which they promptly fade into the background, never to be discussed again except when the author wants to tell us about some tragedy that befell them.
For a story that had so much potential and which genuinely made me feel at some points, the execution was lacking. The themes of the book still make for a very good discussion, I'm just disappointed it wasn't written in a way that I could really connect with.
August 19, 2010
Here is India, Colourful, Penetratingly amusing and agonisingly beautiful, yet there is a past history very painful for those who lived through this period.
“A painstaking and painful documentation.”
This novel will take its place as one of the rare tragic narratives in Indian history. A sweeping shattering saga of the colossal tragedy and disruption that accompanied the partition and independence in the Indian subcontinent.
I lent this book to a senior member of my family, who read with emotions and memories which he told me, that he relived through this book. With my consent he has marked some pages with points for me to note, when I read this book.
This is a book very well worth reading.
“A painstaking and painful documentation.”
This novel will take its place as one of the rare tragic narratives in Indian history. A sweeping shattering saga of the colossal tragedy and disruption that accompanied the partition and independence in the Indian subcontinent.
I lent this book to a senior member of my family, who read with emotions and memories which he told me, that he relived through this book. With my consent he has marked some pages with points for me to note, when I read this book.
This is a book very well worth reading.
August 3, 2016
A li'l flawed in the writing but historically quite riveting. The perspectives chosen by the author are very different from what I have read/seen (in movies and documentaries) earlier. First person narratives have a different impact. The horrors are not immediately understood but slowly seeps into the psyche as you follow the characters, eventually leading to understanding disastrous impacts on the human spirit, that rarely are overcome or forgotten.
January 7, 2017
One of best novels written on partition bringing out the best and worst of humanity from that troubling event that affected millions on both side of border between India & Pakistan.
May 9, 2021
A great novel of the Partition, this made a deep impression on me. Not very well known, but STRONGLY recommended.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews