Touching read - Train to Pakistan

That is how I feel about the book "Train to Pakistan". Had heard about it for long without ever getting my hands on it, until a moment of foolish indiscretion from my friend presented me with the opportunity.

And ran through the whole book with say four hours and did enjoy it. Although one would miss the panache, flair and elegance in the writing (I certainly did!), still its a book with a lot of imagination, and truth in it. Can think of it as a painting of the real scenario during those Independence days.

The characters have also been depicted well, most notable are the magistrate Hukum Chand and the budmash Juggu, Juggut Singh. Hukum Chand's tender love for Haseena Begum matured as the plot progresses while Juggu is portrayed as the saviour of a great disaster. The blissful insouciance of Juggu is evident when he talks with some-Iqbal-some at the Chundunnager police station. How coolly he talks about committing and indulging in the world's greatest sport, his views on the European Community is too narrow and limited only to his own view. The communal harmony in the village of Mano Majra is warm but so are the adverse circumstances.

For me the best piece in the prose is the following, not sure about the original source whoever may the possibilities be including the author,

Not forever does the bulbul sing
In balmy shades of bowers,
Not forever lasts the spring
Nor ever blossom flowers,
Not forever reigneth joy,
Sets the Sun on days of bliss,
Friendships not forever last,
They know not life, who know not this.

Enjoy the truth in this rather than crib at the superficial pessimistic theme of this writing.

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