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Savage Harvest : Stories Of Partition
The season of sickles and scrapes had passed; this was the time of axes and spears ... it had been a strange harvest.’
A brave father prepares to sacrifice his son; a poet returns to his home across the border to find his books intact among strangers; a young man challenges the neighbourhood rogue to a horse-riding bet to rescue a captive girl; a middle-aged man outs a murderer from among his well-behaved guests at a social gathering; a wife’s faith destroys the hatred in her husband’s heart; and, when humanity is under threat, a dog lays down his life to protect his mistress. The stories in this powerful collection, by one of the most respected names in modern Punjabi literature, record epic moments of survival in the sea of violence that overwhelmed north India in 1947.
Translated by Navtej Sarna, these stories illustrate the truth that hate and violence have no religion, and that courage and compassion, too, are to be found among people of every faith. A harrowing record of the horrors of Partition, Savage Harvest is also a poignant tribute to the human spirit—to men and women who will wage their all in defence of humanity.
A poignant collection of stories by one of the greatest names of Punjabi literature. Starkly illustrates the pain and trauma experienced by both sides during Partition. Also describes instances of friendship and goodwill between Hindus and Muslims in the midst of all the violence.
A brave father prepares to sacrifice his son; a poet returns to his home across the border to find his books intact among strangers; a young man challenges the neighbourhood rogue to a horse-riding bet to rescue a captive girl; a middle-aged man outs a murderer from among his well-behaved guests at a social gathering; a wife’s faith destroys the hatred in her husband’s heart; and, when humanity is under threat, a dog lays down his life to protect his mistress. The stories in this powerful collection, by one of the most respected names in modern Punjabi literature, record epic moments of survival in the sea of violence that overwhelmed north India in 1947.
Translated by Navtej Sarna, these stories illustrate the truth that hate and violence have no religion, and that courage and compassion, too, are to be found among people of every faith. A harrowing record of the horrors of Partition, Savage Harvest is also a poignant tribute to the human spirit—to men and women who will wage their all in defence of humanity.
A poignant collection of stories by one of the greatest names of Punjabi literature. Starkly illustrates the pain and trauma experienced by both sides during Partition. Also describes instances of friendship and goodwill between Hindus and Muslims in the midst of all the violence.
264 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 4, 2017
Raw.
Power Pack.
Emotionally Charged.
1947,Partition of India,stand tall among the darkest period in humanity. Mohinder Singh ji has captured those time for us. The rawness in stories more than often bring tears. Some happy, some unhappy. Sometime it brings up the amazing spirit of human and other time some thing which makes one ashamed to call human, the so called super civilized creation . Agony and humanity are blended in well in this collection.
There is nothing new in these stories. All that you read or heard is there again. To torment you.And you need to read this.Why? You know why.
Will try to read the original version some day. But for now I am content with this translation and hence 4☆☆☆☆
Power Pack.
Emotionally Charged.
1947,Partition of India,stand tall among the darkest period in humanity. Mohinder Singh ji has captured those time for us. The rawness in stories more than often bring tears. Some happy, some unhappy. Sometime it brings up the amazing spirit of human and other time some thing which makes one ashamed to call human, the so called super civilized creation . Agony and humanity are blended in well in this collection.
There is nothing new in these stories. All that you read or heard is there again. To torment you.And you need to read this.Why? You know why.
Will try to read the original version some day. But for now I am content with this translation and hence 4☆☆☆☆
June 16, 2019
"The season of sickles and scrapes had passed; this was the time of axes and spears ... it had been a strange savage harvest."
Mohinder Singh Sarna writes stories centred around the partition Most of them are based in Punjab (both in Pakistan and India). The stories account for the madness of the partition and how normal, meek, god-fearing human beings turned into monsters that pillaged, plundered and decimated villages and raped women, widowing them and leaving children as orphans. But even among these horrors, there were sprouts of humanity. The author documents them in his stories. Many of the stories are based in post-partition Punjab and northern India. The scars of partition is a common thread that runs among all the stories. The stories have echoes of the authors own life (as in the story A New Taj Mahal where he return to his ancestral village)
The stories were written in Punjabi but have been translated by his son, Navtej Sarna. The translator has done a great job translating the stories, retaining their essence and voice. You can almost hear the characters speak in Punjabi in some of the stories. Many of the stories channel a voice like Saadat Hasan Manto who also wrote about the mindlessness of the Partition. The only difference is many of Manto's stories are based in pre/post-partition Bombay but Sarna's stories are based in North India and both East and West Punjab. A fantastic and beautiful read with a very apt, poetic title - "Savage Harvest".
Mohinder Singh Sarna writes stories centred around the partition Most of them are based in Punjab (both in Pakistan and India). The stories account for the madness of the partition and how normal, meek, god-fearing human beings turned into monsters that pillaged, plundered and decimated villages and raped women, widowing them and leaving children as orphans. But even among these horrors, there were sprouts of humanity. The author documents them in his stories. Many of the stories are based in post-partition Punjab and northern India. The scars of partition is a common thread that runs among all the stories. The stories have echoes of the authors own life (as in the story A New Taj Mahal where he return to his ancestral village)
The stories were written in Punjabi but have been translated by his son, Navtej Sarna. The translator has done a great job translating the stories, retaining their essence and voice. You can almost hear the characters speak in Punjabi in some of the stories. Many of the stories channel a voice like Saadat Hasan Manto who also wrote about the mindlessness of the Partition. The only difference is many of Manto's stories are based in pre/post-partition Bombay but Sarna's stories are based in North India and both East and West Punjab. A fantastic and beautiful read with a very apt, poetic title - "Savage Harvest".
March 13, 2020
4.5 rating. Captivating short stories on the horrors of partition and the evidence of one’s indomitable humanity in the midst of one of the greatest man made tragedies
February 20, 2014
Navtej Sarna (Author's son and the translator of the book from Punjabi to English) read the last and the shortest chapter to the book in JLF '14. He also recounted his personal tale of finding the writer of 2 letters in Poland where he sat with him in front of a bookshelf lined with books written by his father. When he ended, I saw a couple of people dabbing their moist eyes.
Partition evokes strong memories and feelings, on both sides of the border. To have lived through those days in Punjab and Bengal is unimaginable for my generation. All we can hope for, is that some of the lessons and that love that survived has trickled down into our souls.
The stories in this book are the tribute to those people who kept humanity alive when everyone around was bent on brandishing their religion. There are stories of the rich and the poor, of men and women, of children who grew up in the shadows of loss, of those who lost everything and those who gained love.
There are wailing mothers and there are rape survivors, there are some who continue to live with wounds through '65, '71, the nuclear tests... and then there's Moti - the dog for whom her old mistress wishes that may he be reborn as a dog again.
Partition evokes strong memories and feelings, on both sides of the border. To have lived through those days in Punjab and Bengal is unimaginable for my generation. All we can hope for, is that some of the lessons and that love that survived has trickled down into our souls.
The stories in this book are the tribute to those people who kept humanity alive when everyone around was bent on brandishing their religion. There are stories of the rich and the poor, of men and women, of children who grew up in the shadows of loss, of those who lost everything and those who gained love.
There are wailing mothers and there are rape survivors, there are some who continue to live with wounds through '65, '71, the nuclear tests... and then there's Moti - the dog for whom her old mistress wishes that may he be reborn as a dog again.
March 13, 2014
Excellent book. I worked with Nagrik Ekta Manch during the 1984 riots and this book brought those days back in all their gut wrenching sadness and horror. Beautifully told, the stories evoke the humanity and compassion that is inherent through tales of brutality and fear.
May 2, 2021
If you are a Punjabi, or a Bengali, you will understand the horrors of the Partition.
When I picked up Mohinder Singh Sarna's book, I was not sure of what to expect. I expected it to be full of stories of savagery, because this was the dominant mood of the day.
Yet, no. While there was some savagery, it is a book of human connections, of hope and faith in the human spirit.
He wrote lyrically, and with deep, true emotion. Only someone who writes with such honesty can elicit deep emotion in the reader.
This is a deeply emotional and satisfying book.
When I picked up Mohinder Singh Sarna's book, I was not sure of what to expect. I expected it to be full of stories of savagery, because this was the dominant mood of the day.
Yet, no. While there was some savagery, it is a book of human connections, of hope and faith in the human spirit.
He wrote lyrically, and with deep, true emotion. Only someone who writes with such honesty can elicit deep emotion in the reader.
This is a deeply emotional and satisfying book.
June 9, 2023
“Savage Harvest” is a collection of partition themed short stories translated from Punjabi to English. There is a wide range of stories to choose from. Some are traumatic, some hopeful but each one is poignant and moving.
It’s interesting that apart from the events of the partition, the stories also touch on later events shaped by it - the ‘71 war, the ‘84 riots, nuclear testing and more. I highly recommend it.
It’s interesting that apart from the events of the partition, the stories also touch on later events shaped by it - the ‘71 war, the ‘84 riots, nuclear testing and more. I highly recommend it.
January 19, 2022
Riveting set of stories from someone who saw the savagery first-hand during the partition of the subcontinent. The madness was driven in the name of religion but as the author very correctly put it. "barbarity has no religion". Most of the stories are about the bravery of those that attempted to prevent the rot, some of whom succeeded and some didn't but the effort itself was commendable.
Read
March 14, 2021Dedicated to the defenders of humanity, Savage Harvest by Mohinder Singh Sarna ji is such an important book. Here are some of my favourite stories from this collection:
A New Taj Mahal.
The Parade.
Gul Mohammad Third-Timer.
Basant The Fool.
That Third Thing.
A New Taj Mahal.
The Parade.
Gul Mohammad Third-Timer.
Basant The Fool.
That Third Thing.
Read
July 28, 2021Amazing read
A set of stories which keep alive the memories of partition and the stories of humanity in India as well
A set of stories which keep alive the memories of partition and the stories of humanity in India as well
September 3, 2021
Translation did this book in
The stories are heart-wrenching but I think their souls were killed with the translation. The translation is plain, word to word and sentence by sentence - as if no efforts were put in to translate such touching stories.
The stories are heart-wrenching but I think their souls were killed with the translation. The translation is plain, word to word and sentence by sentence - as if no efforts were put in to translate such touching stories.
Want to read
July 11, 2014I loved this book. I have been interested in New Guinea ever since fifth grade as I wrote a report on this island. Soon after that I remember when Michael Rockefeller disappeared. I have watched documentaries about New Guinea. This author does a great job presenting the evidence and a general overview of the political situation at the time as well. He also presents Michael Rockefeller's state of mind when this all happened in a fair and convincing way.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews