The stories in Crossing Over depict the responses and emotions of ordinary people caught in the tragedy of Partition, when tolerance, respect, and compassion broke down. Written by some of the region`s finest authors—in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, and English—these works make us aware of the possible responses to ethnic, religious, and national divisiveness. Reading the literature of Partition is bound to arouse comparisons with situations in other parts of the world, where sectarian violence seems unstoppable and solutions intractable. Where will we find the wisdom to create a new future? Crossing Over suggests some answers—and the consequences if we fail.
Authors include Abul Basher, Samaresh Basu, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Urvashi Butalia, Gulzar, Rashid Haider, Intizar Husain, Kamleshwar, Saadat Hasan Manto, Khadija Mastur, Joginder Paul, Mohan Rakesh, Prafulla Roy, and Bhisham Sahni.
Period photographs from a Karachi family album illustrate the effects of
Partition on a Goan Catholic community.