There is already enough literature available to tell you the realities, horror and historical facts of 1947 partition. But Udaas Naslen will tell you how the idea of a separate state took birth, how the word “freedom” had taken its shape in the mind of the common people of British-India and how before that Hindu, Muslims and others were living together in post colonial era, how was their daily life, having no thought of getting a separate land.
This book has the power to change your perspective on pre-partition situation , it will tell you the supremecy of British rule, luxury and dominance of feudal system, the struggling lives of farmers and labourers, the major population of undivided india, who rose to let their voice heard. They were desperate for their rights. but the question remains, did those people accomplish what they were set out to achieve?
Well we can find the answer in the book. Coming towards the end, Abdullah Hussain has mentioned a line by poet ‘T.S.Eliot. Which goes
‘𝑾𝒊𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉;
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏
𝑮𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒗𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒔.”
Meaning ‘𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟‘
The story also focuses on how a man’s life is dominated by different worries and ultimately put him in despair regarding his past and future over which he has no control. And sometimes he contains his false delight of present.
