Independence

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एकला चलो रे,… (Rabindranath Tagore)“A song by Tagore is playing, made popular by freedom fighters across the country. Gandhiji himself loves it. ‘एकला चोलों रे । If no one responds to your call, then walk alone.’ !”- From : Independence by Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniBook : IndependenceAuthor: Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniGenre : Fiction with a tinge of non-fiction!Price : Rs.699/-No. of Pages : 285ISBN : 978 - 93 - 5629 - 458 - 5Available in : HardbackLanguage : EnglishPublished by : HarperCollins Publishers 2022“Who is it that dares ask, ‘The drowning ones - are they Hindu or Muslim?’Say instead, they are humans, they are the children of my motherland.”Cover : So apt with the Kantha work (quilts), conch shell, fish (Bengal) … sailboats (sailing across) illustrating ‘partition’ - Loved the embossed work.Title : Independence : So appropriate : Independence of India and Pakistan from the British Rule, independence of culture- tradition, independence of personal choices, independence of views and values… and much more.The Story :Primarily: A story of three sisters - separated by a quirk of fate ! Each sister has a unique personality of her own! Each has a passionate dream.Deepa - The beautiful, the romantic one!Jaimini - The artistic one. Sings beautifully and helps her mother to make lovely Kantha-work Quilts! The ‘one’ means to earn their livelihood.Priya - The youngest takes after her father - a doctor with noble principles. The brainy one. A doctor with high aspirations!The partition separates them …The backdrop of the story:The story revolves around the province of Bengal, during 1947.India, during the Independence was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Bengal - The eastern part of Bengal became East Pakistan (now - Bangladesh) while the western part is India’s West Bengal today.The Partition: its violence, the agitation, the destruction of the country, of human values and principles of peace and harmony- all described so well with such zeal and ardour.Finally, the reunion!Comes with all its pathos, pain, pleasures! And the twist at the end gives the story an exuberant ending. The three sisters uniting again but at what a cost! What a loss!! *****The Content : The author has dealt with the burning-harsh topic of partition with an expertise. Not too much, not too little. How the lives of the general public was affected. Each house has a story to tell. This book tells the story of just one happy home that was ruined during the fight for our country’s Independence !Language:Caters to all levels of readers. Excellent!The Style of Writing :Simple, relatable, so lucid! Beautiful! The choice of words is superb. The descriptions read powerfully strong.The Flow :What a flow it has! Like a river, the story flows, and you glide along with it, you swim with the tide - the waters are sometimes smooth, calm, soothing at other times disturbed, destroying, troubled, turbulent, wrenching, wrecking - shocking- horrific …It makes the novel a very fast read. I loved it. Not a moment of boredom or procrastinating or playing around a situation. Once you start reading, you simply cannot put it down! Very engaging indeed.What I loved :The alliterations! They are so excitingly eye-catching! Brilliant! One wants to read them again and again!- Priya - ‘passionate with purpose’- (Priya has a dream) to ‘help the helpless’- Another man in this ‘gaggle of girls’ would be a help.- ‘Boring backwaters’ village.- The slaughter here is ‘deeply, differently, dreadful.’Excerpts :- Life was too short to waste on trivialities when one had a Goal.- When men go off to be heroes, do they even realise what it does to the women they leave behind?- She knows that the marital fate of younger sisters depends on the quality of the match made by the eldest.- The world is full of good people too …A salute to the Author 🫡 :Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has proved her mastery at narrating historical stories to arrest the readers interest immediately.The inclusion of Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul Geeti (songs written and composed by Kazi Nazrul Islam, the national poet of Bangladesh) lends powerful cultural essence to the story ! It lends the book such a unique flavour! We salute to her remarkable skill of capturing our hearts!A must read and a must have in your collection for generations to read and know the history of India! *****

Independence by Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniTitle :IndependenceAuthor :Chitra Banerjee DivakaruniPublisher :HarperCollinsPublication Date : November 30, 2022ISBN :978-0063142404Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s *Independence* is a breathtaking journey through the pre-independence era of India, a time coloured by the hues of hope and the shadows of communal strife. Published by HarperCollins in 2022, this novel is a testament to Divakaruni’s mastery of storytelling, previously showcased in works like The Palace of Illusions, Set against the backdrop of 1945 to 1947 in the town of Ranipur, which would later become part of West Bengal, Independence invites readers into a world where the personal and political are inextricably entwined, where the language is as gripping as a baby’s fist, and where the characters’ journeys echo the heartbeats of a nation on the brink of freedom. SummaryThe plot revolves around how the impending independence of India and the accompanying communal tensions transform the lives of a typical family. At the center of the narrative are three sisters—Jamini, Priya, and Deepa—each a universe unto herself. Their story is one of resilience amidst chaos, of love and jealousy, poverty and ambition. As they navigate the seismic shifts of their time, their individual struggles and triumphs paint a vivid portrait of a society in flux.AnalysisDivakaruni’s narrative is a festival of themes: love, career, sacrifice, patience, friendship, and the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood. The novel celebrates selfless service to the nation and explores relationships that defy religious boundaries, depicting an undying love that withstands the ravages of time and conflict. The bond between Somnath Kaka and Priya, his best friend’s daughter, is rendered with a tenderness that speaks volumes, while Priya’s unshakable love for Amit and the simmering jealousy between the sisters add layers of complexity.The author's writing style is smooth and accessible, making the narrative glide effortlessly from one page to the next. Characters evolve with a clarity that brings them to life, each imbued with distinct traits and profound meaning. However, the novel’s depiction of communal violence is problematic, as it often portrays Muslims in a negative light, revealing an implicit bias that could have been more thoughtfully addressed. EvaluationThe novel’s greatest strength lies in its ability to keep every page alive, allowing readers to feel every word and live each sentence. However, the representation of Muslims and the portrayal of communal tensions could benefit from a more nuanced approach. Additionally, the ending feels rushed, leaving readers craving more closure.Despite these issues, *Independence* is a beautifully written, evocative narrative that stands out within Divakaruni’s oeuvre. It is a poignant exploration of the sacrifices women make for their careers and the difficult choices they face, such as leaving behind the love of their lives for the sake of independence and self-fulfillment.In sum, Independence is a soft, touching novel that captures the spirit of a pivotal moment in history. It is a must-read for those who revel in stories of love, sacrifice, and the enduring strength of family ties. Though not without its flaws, it is a powerful and inspiring read that resonates long after the last page is turned. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars, with a minor deduction for the inherent bias and the slightly abrupt ending.

No other novel has made me feel so connected to the story of India's Independence. Divakaruni surely has not failed at being an excellent story teller. Amid and Priya will make us fall in love whilst sypsthising with what India faced during and after Independence.

Emotional read, well written with enough history woven into a real story.Throughly enjoyed and would recommend to anyone interested.

This one was a hard one. Lots of violence that is part of true partition I know but it is hard to read. It as usual beautifully written.

Took a bit of time to get into it but once I was, i was gripped by the story of these sisters, which was deeply personal for me.

The book is written from the three sisters point of view. The author weaves the three story lines together into a whole masterfully. Three sisters, who love each other but find their way in the world that is in turmoil, live their story from 1946 to 1954 during which the Indian continent is reaching for independence, while they are also.They each must follow their heart when that takes them away from each other and their mother. One a doctor, one a wife to a Muslim man, and one who wants nothing more than the love of the man who loves her doctor sister. In twists and turns they all get what they want but pay a price for it in some way.I enjoyed the intrigue, the bond between them, the reality of the time when India was declaring their independence from the colonializing British. (Spoiler alert, sort of.) Their devotion to one another demands in the end that two of the sisters risk their own lives to pull the other sister from danger to selfhood-independence.