Bapsi Sidhwa's Cracking India
The Traumatic Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947
Lenny, a young Parsee girl living in Lahore, witnesses first-hand the emotional turmoil and chaos caused by the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.
Set in Lahore, Cracking India presents the tale of Lenny, the daughter of a prominent Parsee family who spends her days wandering the streets with Ayah, her beloved nanny. A vision of beauty, Ayah is always surrounded by numerous suitors of all religions, such as Sikhs, Muslims, Christians and Hindus, and the observant Lenny absorbs every bit of their interactions. Presented from the young girl’s point of view, the story offers her candid interpretation of life in Lahore before, during and after the Partition.
The Harmony is Threatened
When there is talk of a possible partition in India and the creation of a Muslim state in Pakistan, the existing harmony between Ayah’s suitors disintegrates. The group of young men, who are an emblem of India’s multiculturalism, find themselves quarrelling like never before. The most vociferous of all, Ice-Candy-Man, gradually becomes morally bankrupt in the midst of the national uproar.
Parsees
The Parsees are a religious and ethnic minority and therefore remained neutral during the tumultuous events of the Partition. Being in a neutral position allows the young Lenny to be objective to others’ perspective and to easily get more insight on the different philosophies of people living in Lahore and in other surrounding localities.
Chaos During the Partition
Families are torn apart during the actual partition as many relatives are uprooted to the new Muslim nation state. Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus partake in barbaric feats to defend their people’s rights and to fight the looming threat of wrathful ethnic groups. The violence escalates rapidly after the partition with the rise of abductions, rapes and massacres. The frightful Lenny, wise beyond her years, feels deep within that she will never again relive the peace once felt prior to the Partition.
More Than Just a Novel
Without a doubt, Cracking India provides more than a compelling story but it also illustrates the pains of a nation during a decisive time in India and Pakistan’s history. Moreover, Sidhwa balances humour and tragedy to reveal Lenny’s bright spirit. The author depicts the horror of the Partition with heart-breaking accuracy as she relies on some of her own childhood experiences during these troubled times.
Deepa Mehta’s Adaptation of Cracking India
The remarkable film adaptation of Cracking India, Earth, was directed by the Indian director Deepa Mehta. The film encapsulates every emotion in the narrative, as well as to portray vivid images of the turmoil and mayhem of India and Pakistan’s partition. The motion picture was nominated for the 72nd Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2000.
About the Author
Bapsi Sidhwa was raised in Lahore and is said to be one of Pakistan’s best novelists. Her other works include The Bride, An American Brat, The Crow Eaters and Water: A Novel.
Sidhwa, Bapsi. Cracking India. Minneapolis: Milkweed Editions, 1991. ISBN 1-57131-048-7
