In The Name of Religion
In the name of religion: massacre; death; partition.
The book is an impressive work of fiction. The author managed to present the story in a very unique way. I’ve read several stories on the pre and post independence era, but this book kept me hooked till the last word. The story will make you feel for those tormented souls. It will compel you to wonder of the intentions. And every reader is bound to empathize with the victims of partition. The chaos only degraded the name of religions.
The author etched each character very carefully. The impact of the two-nation theory on the common mass, on the country and on Shafiq and Rajan was thoughtfully sketched and penned. I was quite touched by this line-“ That was the day when India lost a Bhagat. That was the day when another Bhagat was born. And perhaps, many others too.”
This story presented a vivid picture of the various events that took place in the pre and post independence days. And how the lives of the common mass was effected ‘cause of it. Though the repercussions can be felt until this day, and people like Ramesh and Ismail still exist, the fight to eradicate such religious differences is still on. Deliberately provoked religious wars benefit none and this fact was well presented through a narrative that made me visualise the scenes and empathize with certain characters.
Shafiq’s heroism and patriotism was beautifully narrated. The author presented those numerous humane acts that were never written in history. Several lives were plunged into the abyss of religious hate. Yet, minor noble acts made a huge difference and saved many lives. The author presented several such instances and the story of Harnam is bound to wring the readers heart. The story is balanced with instances of cruel intensions and good deeds; noble thoughts.
The Ayodhya chapter was quite interesting. Glimpses of facts within the story will help the readers understand the untold tales. The entire story was well narrated, well composed and was quite intriguing. I found it easy to follow the sequence of events, and each character was introduced at the right time and each played their part rightly. Overall, a must read book. The dialogues were meaningful and the cover photo spoke for itself. Appreciate the efforts of the author Ankur Chaudhary for penning a story that will remain with me for long.
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