Around sunset, a breeze blows in, carrying the smell of burning kerosene, wood, and charred flesh. It is set in 1947 when the partition of India was taking place and swarms of people – both Hindus and Muslims were migrating in large numbers. I began it on my own train ride to Pakistan. Khushwant Singh, (Punjabi: ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ, Hindi: खुशवंत सिंह) born on 2 February 1915 in Hadali, Undivided India, (now a part of Pakistan), was a prominent Indian novelist and journalist. Don't you think Iqbal should have also done something towards the climax? [Was it Iqbal who cut the rope at last or was it Jugga? Train to Pakistan is a classic story of human endurance and struggle through a mass movement. Train to Pakistan - Ebook written by Khushwant Singh. Imam Baksh says that freedom is for the educated. It is the summer of 1947. It depicts the myriads of human emotions which arise in troubled times and portrays how nothing is concrete. Murders, thefts, molestations, massacres, over just a short span of time are enough to send shivers down your spine. Early in the morning, a convoy of trucks bound for Pakistan arrives. Once again, Goodreads proves to be the perfect place to find books. Movie & TV guides. In just 200 pages, he has covered almost all the cultural aspects of the partition. Instead, he drinks whisky and goes to sleep. The setting is 1947 in an Indian village during Partition. it's sad and heart-breaking. It is a book about violence and war. TRAIN TO PAKISTAN, by Khushwant Singh, first published in 1956, is something of a classic in India, but I ran across it quite by accident. Jugga pulls out a small kirpan and slashes at the rope. A train from Pakistan arrives one morning, but no one gets off. Chand arranges for Jugga and Iqbal’s release and, in the official papers, writes Iqbal’s name as “Iqbal Singh,” explaining that no political party would send an educated Muslim to a Sikh village to preach peace. The subinspector then asks if anyone has seen Sultana and his gang. Published in 1956, Train to Pakistan is Khushwant Singh ’s third and most famous work. The story is as simple and common as possible – a small peaceful village, regular corrupt officials, ordinary ruffians and holy men. This, along with the belief that Iqbal is a Muslim Leaguer, would persuade the village’s Sikhs to send away their Muslims. Like. The novel introduces Bhai Meet Singh, who is fat, usually wears dirty underpants, the caretaker of … India has not changed much even after 70 years of independence when it comes to religion. The villagers are surprised by the implication of Iqbal; “an urban babu” has no reason to commit a dacoity. Even though it is a fictional work, I feel there can be no doubt of stories like this to be a reality. Start by marking “Train to Pakistan” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Chand instructs the officers to file Iqbal on the arrest warrant as “Mohammed Iqbal.” He then directs the subinspector to get the names of the dacoits out of Jugga and raises no objections to the subinspector’s suggestion of torture. The next morning, he is arrested. Train to Pakistan. They hear the train coming. (film) Train to Pakistan is a 1998 Indian Hindi film adapted from Khushwant Singh 's 1956 classic novel by the same name set in the Partition of India of 1947 and directed by Pamela Rooks. Our, "Sooo much more helpful than SparkNotes. The village will protect the Muslims’ belongings while they are gone. ©1956, 2018 Khushwant Singh (P)2018 Random House Audio. It was definitely Jugga. Independence Day for the new countries will be 14 and 15 August. The train is coming from the refugee camp, which means Mano Majra’s Muslims will be on it. Train to Pakistan is a book about the horrors of civil war and how a small peaceful village finally becomes a part of religious hate and communal violence. Banta Singh alerts the police to the plan. The despondent waited for death disguised as an old friend, a neighbor or a priest from the house of God. Probably one of the best works of fiction by Khushwant Singh and the Indo-Pak partition saga. That night, a group of Sikhs gathers at Banta Singh’s house. Teachers and parents! His critical as well as creative, writing fall into a pattern which emerges from and is imperceptibly linked with, the primary characteristics of his creative mind. This book completely makes it point, and that to quite loudly.The horrors of partition are depicted such that it will leave you with goosebumps. Then, a local money-lender is murdered, and suspicion falls upon Juggut Singh, the village gangster who is in love with a Muslim girl. This book, particularly this version with photographs from Margaret Bourke-White (a pioneer in photojournalism) was fantastic. The way the content is organized, “Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. He asks Meet Singh to say “Sat Sri Akal” to Iqbal his behalf when Iqbal wakes up. He tells Chand that forty or fifty Sikhs have entered town. Freedom got us our own government, our own flag, our own anthem, our own country, but for a commoner he lost his own house, his own people, his own identity. Ten constables also arrest Jugga, surrounding his house with rifles. The man who cut the rope is described to be a "big" man and Iqbal was anything but big. We were slaves of the English, now we will be slaves of the educated Indians—or the Pakistanis.”. But the British took no account of these towns, and so great violence erupted within them. One is a boy leader is in his teens who encourages the Sikh men to kill Muslims, baiting them by saying that their manliness depends on it. This remarkable novel is enough to reveal the horrors of the partition of Hindu Bharat and Muslim Pakistan. Share. Summary of Train to Pakistan. From the other end of the train, a young man steps out. Iqbal thinks that the police will free Jugga, but Jugga knows that the police do what they please. The rope snaps and falls with him. It is short but a powerful story about the Partition of India in 1947—an event I am sorry to say I had not known much about until coming on this field study to India. Reason took a back seat when men, driven by faith, wiped out entire villages. Mano Majra is a village that suddenly becomes part of a border between two countries. Singh's weekly column, "With Malice towards One and All", carried by several Indian newspapers, was among the most widely-read columns in the country. This is a story about greed, anger, helplessness, hatred, discrimination, betrayal, but in the end (without giving too much away), love conquers all! It brings the reader into the picture so vividly, its rather disturbing. When the train passes, everyone who is sitting on the roof will get swept off. Jugga snaps it with his teeth. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Train to Pakistan is the story of this isolated village that is plunged into the abyss of religious hate. Train to Pakistan is the story of this isolated village that is plunged into the abyss of religious hate. It brings the reader into the picture so vividly, its rather disturbing. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published [and Ends with a train too (In context of the book), Train to Pakistan is a book about the horrors of civil war and how a small peaceful village finally becomes a part of religious hate and communal violence. February 11th 1994 The Partition of 1947 has probably been one of the most horrific and traumatic events that Modern India has faced. Train To Pakistan is a beautiful book by Khushwant Singh. The old woman is annoyed to see Nooran, until Nooran mentions that she is two-months pregnant. Men stepped out with swords, shielding themselves with religious scriptures, slashing through the good and the bad. The beauty of a paperback novel is multidimensional. TRAIN TO PAKISTAN, by Khushwant Singh, first published in 1956, is something of a classic in India, but I ran across it quite by accident. The story is as simple and common as possible – a small peaceful village, regular corrupt officials, ordinary ruffians and holy men. The subinspector then goes to see Hukum Chand and tells him about the arrests. The lambardar suggests that the Muslims go to the refugee camp until things settle down. The man who cut the rope is described to be a "big" man and Iqbal was anything but big. Train to Pakistan Not Rated | 1h 51min | Drama , War | 6 November 1998 (USA) Seen from the eyes of Hukum Chand the District Magistrate it is an account of the turmoil faced by the inhabitants of village Mano Majra in Punjab on the Indo-Pak border during the … That evening, the villagers go to the gurdwara for evening prayers. In early September, the train schedule goes awry. The subinspector strongly suggests that the head constable go with the story of Iqbal being a Muslim Leaguer named “Mohammed Iqbal.”. Later, he has Iqbal stripped and sees that Iqbal is circumcised, a sign of being Muslim. The subinspector explains that they first went to a refugee camp; but tonight, they will go to Pakistan by train. to Train to Pakistan is in keeping with the theme of the novel ´ . Some know who Mahatma Gandhi is, but the subinspector doubts that anyone knows of Mohammed Ali Jinnah. There are so many tragic stories surrounding partition, thousands that will never be told because there is no one left to tell them. Khushwant Singh is India’s best-known writer and columnist. I'm glad I did, as it offers a quick and surprisingly entertaining - and educational - glimpse of the bloody civil war that erupted between the Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims in 1947 during the partition of a newly independent India. It also portrays that the test of ones character is only in tough times- via the contrast of the two lead characters of the novel. While the couple lays in the dark, they see the five robbers pass on their way to the river. The subinspector asks the head constable about Iqbal, recognizing him as the same man who got off the train with them the day before. Its a narrative of the gruesome events that burned northern India in 1947. A train from Pakistan arrives one morning, but no one gets off. It's major weakness is that, as a work of fiction, it is not representative of actual historical fact, and may give more insight into the mind of the author than into social or political realities. With pellucid prose bound to tug the strings of your heart, Khushwant Singh brings to life an India that had just gained Independence. Officers then ask the villagers for all of the wood and kerosene they can spare in exchange for money, and they oblige. The train goes over his body, toward Pakistan. Refresh and try again. It depicts the myriads of human emotions which arise in troubled times and portrays how nothing is concrete. Train to Pakistan is simple yet gripping and thought-provoking novel. 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