When Memories Become Traumatic A Reading of Jamila...

The Partition of India and Pakistan is considered to be a singular moment in the history of South Asia and Britain. Partition had two fold purposes, one it granted independence to a supposedly Hindu India and secondly created a new nation called Pakistan which was predominantly populated by Muslims. The violence that it generated was not only unprecedented but even barbaric. The vengeance that ordinary Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs wrecked on each other distorted the political judgements. The real sorrow of the Partition was that it ended a long and communally shared history. The relationship between the three major communities of India worsened and which in return led to many heinous crimes. The moments of active malevolence and communal frenzy left an indelible mark on the minds of the people. These unforgettable moments were encapsulated in the form of Partition Literature. Memories of Partition though are often hurtful are well represented in art forms . As it has been argued that ar t better than any language can voice the unresolved burdens of the past . Literature as a form of art generally goes beyond the strictures of official history. Jason Francisco in his review article ‘In The Heat Of Fratricide , The Literature of India’s Partition Burning Freshly’ , says ,â€Å" literature truly evokes the suffering of the innocent, whose pain is