AZADI -A PARTITION NOVEL

AZADI

                                Chaman Nahal

Chaman Nahal’s “Azadi’ is a moving and heart breaking story of the seven west Punjabi   families, who were deeply affected by the partition. The novel is divided into three parts they are 1)lull 2)The storm 3)The aftermath. In the second part there is heart--rending graphic description of riots and annihilation of Hindu families in Sialkot

Lala Kanshiram, a central character, an epitome of humanity, had respect for the British , as they  had brought peace to the war torn land and made a nation. But his faith in the Angrez Raj diminished when he heard the announcement of the British to quit the country after partitioning it. We understand his displeasure with the British when Lala made angry remarks about the irresponsibility of the British that the British never thought of them while  partitioning the country and they betrayed the minorities sanctioning division. The word “refugee” was new to Lala, he didn’t understand it and said to  himself “I was born here ,this is  my home –how  can I be a  refugee in my home”.

 Nahal aptly titled the novel. Azadi is an ironic title( freedom)The freedom which threw  them on the road, made homeless, forced to leave the motherland and there was  not a  family that  had not suffered in riots.Some  lost  loved ones, some women were abducted and raped. Did they want freedom at the cost of the lakhs of deaths? author questions the so-called leaders of the nation, through the central character Lala, and accuses them for not  taking into  consideration of  the lives of  the minorities in Pakistan. Lala  was deeply  anguished when he was asked by an enquiring officer in Amritsar  that what the  purpose of  going to  Delhi was .To quote Lala’s  unpleasant remarks “I am going there to  have a meal  with Nehru to celebrate  Azadi”.

This is a wonderful book, which put the terrible  history and agony of the people  before  the future generations to learn the  lessons from the past.