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A Village Divided
Rahi masoom rezas honest and controversial novel unfolds during the latter years of the raj and the first decade of independence and portrays the rival halves of a zamindar family, their loves, fights and litigations it attacks the creation of pakistan and explores the abolition of the zamindari system and its impact at the village level this is a semi-autobiographical work set in the authors village of gangauli, in ghazipur district on the fringes of avadh
232 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2008
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July 5, 2020
"A Village Divided" explores the village of the author's forefathers, Gangauli, before, during, and after the India-Pakistan partition. With an extraordinarily large and ever-shifting cast of characters, the book explores drastic changes to ancient systems, class warfare, the increasingly artificial divide between friends and families made by the circumstances of the time, love affairs, gender roles, and the connections made with the earth of your forefathers.
Each chapter of the novel usually takes place during Moharram, a period of mourning for the Muslim martyr Husain Ali, the Prophet Muhammed's grandson who lost his life in a battle. For those unfamiliar with Indian and/or Shia Muslim traditions, this book provides a great look into this "holiday" (I wouldn't actually call it that since it is technically mourning for ten days and is not a time for mirth).
The reader will be entrapped in the conspiracies, plots, joys, tragedies, and loneliness of the characters. As British India undergoes the trials of World War II and the Free India movement, the village of Gangauli tries to brave the changes that its fellow countrymen force it through.
I particularly enjoyed the connection (not necessarily love) that the author felt for the village of his grandparents. Despite not living there for most of the year, many characters feel the tug of Gangauli on their souls and they ache for Moharram to come around so that they may visit again. Despite the many changes Gangauli goes through in its physical form and in its residents, there are still some aspects of it that never change and keep it Gangauli, so to say.
As someone who's mostly read Western literature for most of his life, this book was initially a challenge due to its references to several cultural facets I was unfamiliar with. For those unfamiliar with Hindi literature, it probably is best to list the names of the characters encountered and trace their relationships to other characters. As families keep growing, so do the changes in dynamics between characters. It took me a few chapters to finally understand who's who and after that, I got really invested in their livelihoods.
More than an introduction to India in this time period, this book masterfully engages the reader with the personal troubles and goals of the residents of Gangauli to that point that you too will feel their victories and defeats.
Each chapter of the novel usually takes place during Moharram, a period of mourning for the Muslim martyr Husain Ali, the Prophet Muhammed's grandson who lost his life in a battle. For those unfamiliar with Indian and/or Shia Muslim traditions, this book provides a great look into this "holiday" (I wouldn't actually call it that since it is technically mourning for ten days and is not a time for mirth).
The reader will be entrapped in the conspiracies, plots, joys, tragedies, and loneliness of the characters. As British India undergoes the trials of World War II and the Free India movement, the village of Gangauli tries to brave the changes that its fellow countrymen force it through.
I particularly enjoyed the connection (not necessarily love) that the author felt for the village of his grandparents. Despite not living there for most of the year, many characters feel the tug of Gangauli on their souls and they ache for Moharram to come around so that they may visit again. Despite the many changes Gangauli goes through in its physical form and in its residents, there are still some aspects of it that never change and keep it Gangauli, so to say.
As someone who's mostly read Western literature for most of his life, this book was initially a challenge due to its references to several cultural facets I was unfamiliar with. For those unfamiliar with Hindi literature, it probably is best to list the names of the characters encountered and trace their relationships to other characters. As families keep growing, so do the changes in dynamics between characters. It took me a few chapters to finally understand who's who and after that, I got really invested in their livelihoods.
More than an introduction to India in this time period, this book masterfully engages the reader with the personal troubles and goals of the residents of Gangauli to that point that you too will feel their victories and defeats.
Displaying 1 of 1 review