Women Identity and Partition of 1947: A General Study of the Partition Novels

Abstract

Partition literatures have focused on the identity of women and the exploitation. Partition has faced many acts of brutality and all the memories are preserved in literature in various tones and ways. The writers who have contributed to the issue of Partition in literature they are Khushwant Singh; Train to Pakistan, Chaman Nahal; Azadi, Attia Hosain's; Sunlight on a Broken Columns, Anita Desai, Clear of Day, Shauna Singh Baldwin's, What the Body Remembers, Manju Kapoor's, Difficult Daughters, Mumtaz Shah Nawab's, The Heart Divided, Meher Nigar Masroor's, Shadow of Time and Sophia Mustafa’s Broken Reed.Partition of Indian subcontinent in 1947 broke the communal harmony and bonds of friendship and brotherhood. It’s the time of violence and the communities like Hindu, Muslim and Sikh making hate of each other and fighting with each other. The atmosphere was so silent like a bitten snake. According to Urvashi Butalia the women's bodies became the defining identity of nation during Partition. Women who are highly valued in a national representation and a spirit of nation crushed bitterly and largely in the partition. It is in the words of Krishna Sobti, 'difficult to forget and dangerous to remember'. The women in Partition were abducted as Hindus and converted as Muslims.