Khushwant Singh (1915–2014)

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. 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. During this time distrust, fear and hatred ran rampant, causing formerly peaceful neighbors to betray and even murder each other show more over religious and political differences. Singh used the tiny, remote village of Mano Majra, situated near the border of the newly created state of Pakistan to illustrate how quickly things could change. The author's famously agnostic views play a prominent part in his story, particularly represented by Iqbal, the "stranger in town," an educated "social worker" whose questionable religious /ethnic identity leads to his arrest following a murder in the town. There is also an understated "love story" between Jugga, a Sikh petty criminal, and the daughter of the local Imam, which figures in. Singh's feelings about organized religion are stated thusly -

"India is constipated with a lot of humbug. Take religion. For the Hindu, it means little besides caste and cow-protection. For the Muslim, circumcision and kosher meat. For the Sikh, long hair and hatred of the Muslim."

And he has more to say - about Christians, ethics, philosophy ("muddleheadedness"), Yoga, reincarnation, etc. But you get the idea. There are generous helpings of sly humor and sarcasm here too in its portrayals of minor officials and religious clerics. But what takes center stage by story's end is the wholesale butchery and horror of this awful conflict, with its trains full of bodies going both ways across the border in those early days of the partition.I

TRAIN TO PAKISTAN is Singh's best known book, and was also successfully adapted to the screen. It is a powerful little novel, no question. Very highly recommended.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER show less

This will be one of the few times I complain that a book wasn't long enough. A breezy read, and Singh portrays an absolutely heartbreaking, gorgeous picture of small-village living India during the partition. It didn't quite go where I was expecting, or perhaps where I wanted it to. In the end, I was left wanting more; I wanted to learn more about the details of it, the major players that were responsible and a more sweeping epic. I've rarely read a historical fiction novel about a subject show more that only made me want to learn even more, so for that I give it 4 stars.

The final 30 pages completely ramp up everything; the tension, the dialogue, the hate and the horror. Some of the images depicted are so vile and terrifying yet Singh only uses these passages sparingly, and to great effect. Terrific ending, one of my favorite in recent memory. I'm really glad I was recommended this one by a good friend. show less

In the second volume of his history, Khushwant Singh takes us on a more complex journey. Following the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the conclusion of the Anglo-Sikh Wars, the Punjabis became ardent supporters of the British, siding with them during both the Great Uprising and the Anglo-Afghan Wars.
The Sikhs contributed most men to the British Army (from India) during the World Wars. However, the Sikhs began to oppose the British after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Sikh history from show more the early part of the twentieth century to the Partition is confused, with many Sikhs jockeying for power. The Sikhs were insecure about how the new Republic would treat them, considering their minority status.
Khushwant Singh clearly explains the difference between the Hindu perception of the Sikhs (as a branch of Hinduism) and the self-perception of the Sikhs (as a distinct people).
I detected some emotion when the author wrote about the post-Partition events, and detected two competing, intertwined strands. One, the shoddy way Indian politicians treated Punjabis, denying them their demands; and two, the self-serving behavior of Punjabi/Sikh politicians.
The book ends with Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the events leading to her killing. His explanations are clear.
What lies next for Punjab? No one knows.
This book is excellent and is a superb companion to the first volume. show less

The first volume of Khushwant Singh’s history of the Sikhs begins in the dim and distant past, giving you a flavor of the region’s politics and insight into the early influences. Most people forget that, when the Afghans and Persians entered the sub-continent, they did so through the Punjab, which explains much of the impact of these regions on the language and culture of Punjabis.
From there on, he moved to the era of the Sikh gurus. I did not know that the word ‘Sikh’ is a show more derivative of ‘shishya,’ which means ‘student.’ Khushwant Singh’s text gently takes the reader through the transformation of the Sikh gurus and Punjabi culture from being peaceable to almost warlike, at the end of Guru Gobind Singh’s life.
I’ve read about Banda Singh before, but did not realize the impact he made on the Mughal Empire, and how his attacks struck what many believe to be a fatal blow to the Empire. Neither was I aware of the marauding attacks on the caravans of Nadir Shah and Ahmed Shah Abdali.
Khushwant Singh clearly explained the concept of the ‘misl,’ something many other writers could not explain clearly.
He then moved to a discussion on Sikh culture in the second half of the eighteenth century, and how Hindu influences sneaked into the culture, introducing discriminatory practices like casteism, which had been absent from Sikh culture.
The concluding part of the book ends with the rise and death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the man who unified Punjab and the misls.
After Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death, the British slowly began to make inroads into Punjab, as the fight for succession left the region unstable.
The text is clear, and the writing neutral. The book is accessible to anyone, and what makes it stand out is the unemotional yet precise tone. Khushwant Singh calls a spade a spade, without going into an emotional fit! show less