Question
Give an account of reminiscences of different people about partition.
Answer
Partition of India was a traumatic event that left deep scars on the memories of millions of people who lived through it. Here are some reminiscences of different people about partition:
- Saadat Hasan Manto, a renowned Urdu writer, wrote extensively about the horrors of partition in his stories. In his reminiscences, he described how he witnessed brutal violence and saw dead bodies lying on the streets during his journey from Bombay to Lahore.
- Khushwant Singh, another famous writer, recalled how he felt a sense of betrayal and disillusionment when he saw his Sikh friends and neighbors being killed by their Muslim counterparts. He also wrote about how he had to leave his ancestral home in Pakistan and start anew in India.
- Kuldip Nayar, a prominent journalist, remembered how he saw his own father being killed in front of his eyes during the partition violence. He also described the pain of leaving his childhood home in Pakistan and starting a new life in India.
- Amrita Pritam, a celebrated Punjabi poet, wrote about her personal experiences of partition in her famous novel “Ajj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu” (Today I Invoke Waris Shah). She described the pain and suffering of women who were raped and abducted during the violence.
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, recalled the difficulties faced by the newly formed government in dealing with the massive influx of refugees from Pakistan. He also wrote about the efforts made by the government to provide relief and rehabilitation to the refugees.
- Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, wrote in his autobiography “The Discovery of India” about the emotional trauma of partition and the challenges faced by the government in maintaining peace and stability in the aftermath.
