BOOK REVIEW : FROM QUETTA TO DELHI

Author : Reena Nanda
Genre : Historical Fiction

                             

                " Ek palak me sab kuch fana ho gaya
                 Is khoobsurat zindagi ka ek hissa tabah ho gaya
                  Nayi zindagi kaha lejayegi?
                  Kaha hoga hamara basera?
                  Kya gul dikhayegi ye zindagi? "


                       It's a story based on true life events of what the author's family faced before and after partition of India(ofcourse there might be some parts which are a work of fiction). The story mainly revolves around the author's mother, Shakunt. Through Shakunt's life we get to know about the major events that happened during that time.
                       I must say the beginning of the book was very good, I was quite intrigued but slowly the pace of the novel dropped and it picked up again towards the end. This book more than anything talks about Punjabis and is full of common words used by them with ofcourse the English translation mentioned, this is what I most liked about the book, the use of Punjabi language and Punjabi folk songs.
                       The author has described the dressing sense of all the clans that used to exist at that time which I found quite interesting. She even goes on to mention how and what the Punjabis are now is a mixture of Eastern and Western Punjabis (the generation of Partition). I really like how the author keeps comparing the instances which she mentions in the book with how they would be perceived today.
                      The partition, not only physically but also mentally disturbed people but since at that time not many mental problems were known, nobody understood what was happening. Even after losing everything, the author tells that her mother never said anything bad about her homeland(now Pakistan), she always heard only good things and urges everyone that we should remember partition as friendships and bonds made and not as a genocide. We need to learn from it not make it happen again.
                     I always say this after I read any book based on partition or wars that anything extreme(specially war) is never the answer. It hurts more people physically and mentally than anyone can imagine.


My Verdict- 3/5


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