Communal Violence and Indian Novels: A Historical Survey
Abstract
How could literature, which bears close ties to life, avoid getting its shirtfront wet when life was drenched in
blood?
-Communal Violence and Literature, Ismat Chugtai
Lead In:
Literature makes a better sense in given socio-political background; context that is a reason and a locale for the
very production of the text. In the context of political categories like ‘communalism’ and ‘violence’, it is but
perennial to historicize them within the frame of literature. It would enable us to make better sense of the very
roots and routes to the problem of communal violence in general and its representation in Indian novels in
particular. It is difficult to say whether the representation of ‘communalism’ in literature started as an ‘ism’!
However, there has always been a dialogue between communal riots and literature from colonial era to the present
day. The paper is divided into three parts: I) Communal violence and Literature: The Colonial Character, II)
Communal Violence and Indian Novel: Partition Colour and III) Communal Violence and Indian Novels: Post
1970 Change.
Downloads
References
Das, Sisir Kumar. A History of Indian Literature: Vol 1 & 2. Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi 1995. Print.
Naik, M.K. A History of Indian Writing in English. Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 1982. Print.
Iyengar, Srinivasa, K. R. Indian Writing in English. Sterling Publishers Private Ltd. 2010. Print. New
Delhi.
Pritam, Amrita. Pinjar. Tara Press, New Delhi, 1956. Print.
Singh, Khushwant. Train to Pakistan. Pamela Books, New Delhi, 1998. Print.
Malgaonkar Manohar. A Bend in the Ganges. Viking Adult, New Delhi, 1964. Print.
Nahal Chaman. Azadi. New Delhi: Arnold Heinmann, 1975. Print.
Rushdie, Salman. Midnight’s Children. Random House, Noida, 1981. Print.
Ghosh Amitav. The Shadow Lines.Penguin Books, New Delhi, 1988. Print.
Hyder, Qurratulain. Aag Ka Dariya-The River of Fire. New Directions Publications Cooperation, New
Delhi, 1959. Print
Raza, Rahi Masoom. Aadha Gaon-A Village Divided. Radhakrishan Prakashan, New Delhi, 1966. Print.
Sidhwa, Bapsi. Ice-Candy Man. Penguin Books Ltd, New Delhi, 1988. Print.
Sahani, Bhishm. Tamas. Penguin, New Delhi, 1971. Print.
Rai, Vibhuti Narayan. Curfew in the City. Roli Books, New Delhi, 1988. Print.
Nasreen, Taslima. Lajja. Penguin,New Delhi, 1993. Print.
Tharoor, Shashi. Riot: A Novel. Penguin,New Delhi, 2001. Print.
Kamleshwar. Kitney Pakistan. Rajpal,New Delhi, 2004. Print.
Joshi, Boni D. History and Narrative Techniques in the Novels of Khushwant Singh. Diss. Saurashtra University, 2010.
