The Night Diary

by Veera Hiranandani

ROTI: A general term for flatbread cooked in a pan or oven and is interchangeable with chapati.

SAMOSA: A small triangular-shaped fried pastry filled with spiced vegetables or meat.

SARI: A garment worn by women made of decorative fabric that is wrapped in a special way around the body.

SIKH: A follower of Sikhism, which originated in the Punjab region of India in the fifteenth century based on the teachings of Guru Nanak. The majority of Sikhs live in Punjab, India, but reside all over the world. There are over twenty-six million Sikhs in the world today.

TABLA: A pair of hand drums where one drum is larger than the other. It is commonly used in Indian classical music.

To my gem of a writing group, the extremely talented Sheela Chari, Sayantani Das Gupta, and Heather Tomlinson, who have been cheering me on since the very first word. To my dear friends Sarah and Adel Hinawi whose valuable perspective helped me shape this novel. To my generous and loving mother, Anita Hiranandani, who always makes me feel like I can do anything I’ve ever wanted to do even when I don’t. To my sister, Shana Hiranandani, who’s able to bring me back from the edge when life and writing spills over. Thanks also to her wife, Netania Shapiro, for being a trusted reader and friend.

To my husband, David Beinstein, a talented writer and forever loving supporter, whose willingness to read draft after draft and man the ship when I’m on a deadline never goes away, even when I don’t shower. Also to my beautiful children, Hannah and Eli, who inspire me to work hard because I see them work so hard every single day.

Last, but so not least, I must thank my father, Hiro Hiranandani, whose personal experiences inspired me to write about Partition and whose love, resilience, and rock solid presence in my life has given me so much. Thanks also to his willingness to share his stories and have many conversations, random e-mails, and spontaneous texts about the accuracy of Nisha’s world. It was truly the backbone of this book. I also want to acknowledge my father’s parents, my grandparents, Rewachand and Motilbai; his sisters, my aunts, Padma and Drupadi; and his brothers, my uncles, Naru, Gul, Vishnu, and Lachman; and the millions of lives which were painfully altered forever from the Partition of India in 1947.

Hiranandani family recipe for Sindhi Sai Bhaji This recipe was passed down to me from my aunts. Sai Bhaji actually means green vegetables, so if you don’t like spinach, you can substitute other greens. It’s common to the area of Sindh, Pakistan, where my father was born. 1 box of frozen chopped spinach (10 oz.) thawed 1 onion, chopped 1 bunch of fresh dill, washed and chopped 1-inch cube of ginger root, peeled and grated 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced 5 green chilies, chopped (Serrano peppers are good. Use less if you want less heat.) 3 large tablespoons of rinsed chana dal (dried yellow split chickpeas) 2 chopped tomatoes or ¼ cup of tomato sauce 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups of water 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and green chilies in pot with oil until softened. Then add the rest of the ingredients except for the lemon juice. Cook on low to medium heat until channa dal is soft, about 45 minutes. Then add lemon juice and cook for ten more minutes. After cooking, mash with a potato masher to blend ingredients. Salt to taste and serve warm as a side dish. Enjoy!