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A Long Season of Ashes
In March 1990, sixteen-year-old Siddhartha Gigoo is forced to flee his home in Safa Kadal, Srinagar, Kashmir. The preceding days have been full of fear and horror for the Gigoos— having seen friends and neighbours killed outside their homes. They could be next if they don’ t leave. But they want to stay, even when faced with a looming threat to their lives. Siddhartha thinks his leaving is temporary and that he will be back home soon. Little does he know that his fate is sealed.
What follows is a long, dark time— a camp existence and a struggle for survival.
Thirty-four years on, Siddhartha chronicles the story of his flight from Kashmir and an entire youth spent in exile.
A meditation on the nature of memory, A Long Season of Ashes is a book about a boy’ s journey of self-discovery.
What follows is a long, dark time— a camp existence and a struggle for survival.
Thirty-four years on, Siddhartha chronicles the story of his flight from Kashmir and an entire youth spent in exile.
A meditation on the nature of memory, A Long Season of Ashes is a book about a boy’ s journey of self-discovery.
480 pages, Hardcover
Published May 1, 2024
About the author
Siddhartha Gigoo
12 books27 followersSiddhartha Gigoo is a Commonwealth Prize-winning author. In 2015, he won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize (Asia) for his short story, The Umbrella Man. He has written two books of poetry, three novels--The Garden of Solitude, Mehr: A Love Story, and The Lion of Kashmir--, an experimental fiction--Love in the Time of Quarantine--, and a book of short stories--A Fistful of Earth and Other Stories (longlisted for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award 2015). He has also co-edited two anthologies, namely A Long Dream of Home: The Persecution, Exodus and Exile of Kashmiri Pandits and Once We Had Everything: Literature in Exile. His short stories have been longlisted for Lorian Hemingway Short Story Prize, Royal Society of Literature's V.S. Pritchett Short Story Prize, and Seán O'Faoláin Short Story Prize.
Siddhartha's short films, The Last Day and Goodbye, Mayfly, have won several awards at international film festivals. His writings appear in various literary journals.
For more, visit:
https://www.siddharthagigoo.com
Siddhartha's short films, The Last Day and Goodbye, Mayfly, have won several awards at international film festivals. His writings appear in various literary journals.
For more, visit:
https://www.siddharthagigoo.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 21, 2024
To become strangers in your house, ostracized and ignored by one side, politicized and tricked by another. To become strangers in your house, staying alive a challenge on most days, all that you knew gone in moments. To become strangers in your house, as the house becomes a stranger to you, too.
What do you do?
To lose the sense of memory, belonging, home, identity, attachment, searching it for the rest of your lives. To lose the dreams you nurtured, the habits you created, the words you etched on the corner of your bedside table, the voices you imbibed in yourself, the trees you touched. To lose the friends you had, the relationships you formed, the time you invested. To lose dignity and your right to life over and over again.
What do you do?
To have displacement become a natural order of life. To have your present be more a part of your past than the present. To have survival as the only viable future goal. To have a life only existing in the crossroads of space and time. To have a home and not be able to call it your own.
What do you do?
To remain unheard, unread, unseen, unacknowledged. To remain a ploy, a bait, a political gimmick, a whataboutery argument for governments. To remain migrants all your life. To remain as a mere footnote in history. To remain citizens but not have the rights that come with it.
What do you do?
What can you do?
You remember. Weaving together the broken shards of memory.
You hope. With all the naivete and idealism you can muster.
You write. Everything you can remember. Everything.
Siddhartha Gigoo’s A Long Season of Ashes is a sincere, touching attempt at remembering, hoping, and writing about the killings and mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 (and beyond). It’s deeply personal, and as the most personal of stories tend to be, it’s deeply universal.
It’s a question. It’s an answer.
It looks at history. And, in the process, amidst all the loss and the betrayals, it becomes one.
What do you do?
To lose the sense of memory, belonging, home, identity, attachment, searching it for the rest of your lives. To lose the dreams you nurtured, the habits you created, the words you etched on the corner of your bedside table, the voices you imbibed in yourself, the trees you touched. To lose the friends you had, the relationships you formed, the time you invested. To lose dignity and your right to life over and over again.
What do you do?
To have displacement become a natural order of life. To have your present be more a part of your past than the present. To have survival as the only viable future goal. To have a life only existing in the crossroads of space and time. To have a home and not be able to call it your own.
What do you do?
To remain unheard, unread, unseen, unacknowledged. To remain a ploy, a bait, a political gimmick, a whataboutery argument for governments. To remain migrants all your life. To remain as a mere footnote in history. To remain citizens but not have the rights that come with it.
What do you do?
What can you do?
You remember. Weaving together the broken shards of memory.
You hope. With all the naivete and idealism you can muster.
You write. Everything you can remember. Everything.
Siddhartha Gigoo’s A Long Season of Ashes is a sincere, touching attempt at remembering, hoping, and writing about the killings and mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 (and beyond). It’s deeply personal, and as the most personal of stories tend to be, it’s deeply universal.
It’s a question. It’s an answer.
It looks at history. And, in the process, amidst all the loss and the betrayals, it becomes one.
February 9, 2024
Heaven and Hell is a matter of afterlife. What about the hell people are made to go through on Earth itself, delving into the earthly inferno of human's inhumanity? What Judgement day or Qayamat ki Raat or Chitragupta's register of deeds do they have to wait for? Which courtroom door do they knock to receive their due justice? Does it even exist?
This work of personal history has given voice to not just his experiences but of several others that might have remained voiceless. It invokes the empathy that was long due from us for every imaginable or unimaginable struggle and loss that Kashmiri Pandits were made to go through, before and after the exodus. In my opinion, this should not be left on the shelves like they were left in camps. It demands to be read and shared.
Detailed review at https://scroll.in/article/1065576/a-l...
This work of personal history has given voice to not just his experiences but of several others that might have remained voiceless. It invokes the empathy that was long due from us for every imaginable or unimaginable struggle and loss that Kashmiri Pandits were made to go through, before and after the exodus. In my opinion, this should not be left on the shelves like they were left in camps. It demands to be read and shared.
Detailed review at https://scroll.in/article/1065576/a-l...
March 15, 2024
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Amidst the haunting echoes of fear and horror in Safa Kadal, Srinagar, Kashmir, in March 1990, sixteen-year-old Siddhartha Gigoo is thrust into a world of unimaginable upheaval. Fleeing his home amidst the palpable threat of violence, Siddhartha and his family embark on a journey into the unknown, leaving behind the only life they have ever known. Little does Siddhartha realize that this departure is not just temporary; it marks the beginning of a protracted exile.
This book unfurls Siddhartha’s strong narrative, catching the pith of his departure from Kashmir and the ensuing many years went through exploring a time on earth in the shadow of removal. In this profoundly intelligent story, Siddhartha investigates the idea of memory, flexibility, and self-disclosure, uncovering the permanent engravings left by a long time of cinders. Gigoo submerges perusers in the agony, the yearning, and the getting-through association with the valley and its kin. This is a fundamental peruse, a great endeavor to get a handle on the aggregate history of the oppressed Kashmiri Pandit people group.
The book is an investigation into his over a significant period — a bizarre crash of memory, space, time, reality, and dream, as he portrays the occasions that occurred in their lives when we were in the camp. Did you watch The Kashmir Documents? Then, be prepared for this book, this book will destroy you, particularly the completion! It was hard for me to peruse every one of the pages. Wow, the consummation! Kindly read this book!
Amidst the haunting echoes of fear and horror in Safa Kadal, Srinagar, Kashmir, in March 1990, sixteen-year-old Siddhartha Gigoo is thrust into a world of unimaginable upheaval. Fleeing his home amidst the palpable threat of violence, Siddhartha and his family embark on a journey into the unknown, leaving behind the only life they have ever known. Little does Siddhartha realize that this departure is not just temporary; it marks the beginning of a protracted exile.
This book unfurls Siddhartha’s strong narrative, catching the pith of his departure from Kashmir and the ensuing many years went through exploring a time on earth in the shadow of removal. In this profoundly intelligent story, Siddhartha investigates the idea of memory, flexibility, and self-disclosure, uncovering the permanent engravings left by a long time of cinders. Gigoo submerges perusers in the agony, the yearning, and the getting-through association with the valley and its kin. This is a fundamental peruse, a great endeavor to get a handle on the aggregate history of the oppressed Kashmiri Pandit people group.
The book is an investigation into his over a significant period — a bizarre crash of memory, space, time, reality, and dream, as he portrays the occasions that occurred in their lives when we were in the camp. Did you watch The Kashmir Documents? Then, be prepared for this book, this book will destroy you, particularly the completion! It was hard for me to peruse every one of the pages. Wow, the consummation! Kindly read this book!
March 4, 2024
"Those who yearned to return to their homes in Kashmir are long dead. An entire generation was wiped out in the camps. What is left now is residue. The residue has begun to cast a long shadow on our personal histories.”
What is Kashmir? What is it about Kashmir that thousands of people have cried for, longed for, and despaired for? Siddhartha Gigoo takes us on a harrowing journey through the 1990 Kashmiri Pandit Exodus in his memoir. This narrative is a poignant exploration of loss, displacement, and tragedy, culminating in a glimmer of hope.
Siddhartha grapples with the questions of why an event so horrific came to be and why it continues to happen. The answers remain elusive, but the journey itself propels the narrative forward.
The story begins with Siddhartha's departure from Kashmir alongside his younger sister and thousands of other Kashmiri Pandits, all hoping for a swift return home. What ensues is a nightmarish odyssey—from being branded as infidels to feeling eternally displaced. The narrative vividly depicts the anguish of hungry and sick children, women abducted, parents separated, and the loss of prominent leaders like Neelkanth Ganjoo. These stark accounts draw readers deeper into the dark chapters of Kashmir's history.
The timeline oscillates between pre–1990 and post–1990, occasionally challenging comprehension, yet the accessible language compensates for any confusion. Diary entries and letters offer additional perspectives, transporting readers from the camps in Jammu to those in Udhampur, and from the snow-capped vistas of Gulmarg to the sweltering heat of Delhi. Siddhartha's journey of self-discovery intertwines with his family's heartfelt turmoil, engaging readers on multiple levels.
One poignant aspect is the story of the author's grandparents The associated helplessness as they grew older and the increasing yearning for home. The grandfather’s illness, his inability to remember everything, his helpless wife, and a growing sense of futility. The hope with which he always kept himself ready was to receive the one call that would take him back to the house where he had spent his entire life. Other instances where Gigoo would try to sneak into Kashmir just for one glimpse of it, and a shattered Babi, who lived for Kashmir, show us the desperation. Everything for the home, for the house they had lived in. As Bachelard states, "I should say: the house shelters daydreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace." Maybe it was the peace that they were searching for, or it was the wish to die in the arms of their homeland that kept them alive. "All she wanted was her Kashmir, which, for her, stood for eternal seasons, for love, for myth, for life."
As the narrative unfolds, it transcends the personal to become a reflection of the collective trauma endured by thousands of Kashmiri Pandits. Gigoo immerses readers in the pain, the longing, and the enduring connection to the valley and its people. This book lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned, reminding us of the importance of compassion, empathy, and understanding in a world marked by conflict and division.
What is Kashmir? "Kashmir is an issue of betrayal, blunder, falsehood, and mistrust. It is a confusing mixture of plebiscite, Pakistan, India, independence, and ambiguous ideas and theories."
What is Kashmir? What is it about Kashmir that thousands of people have cried for, longed for, and despaired for? Siddhartha Gigoo takes us on a harrowing journey through the 1990 Kashmiri Pandit Exodus in his memoir. This narrative is a poignant exploration of loss, displacement, and tragedy, culminating in a glimmer of hope.
Siddhartha grapples with the questions of why an event so horrific came to be and why it continues to happen. The answers remain elusive, but the journey itself propels the narrative forward.
The story begins with Siddhartha's departure from Kashmir alongside his younger sister and thousands of other Kashmiri Pandits, all hoping for a swift return home. What ensues is a nightmarish odyssey—from being branded as infidels to feeling eternally displaced. The narrative vividly depicts the anguish of hungry and sick children, women abducted, parents separated, and the loss of prominent leaders like Neelkanth Ganjoo. These stark accounts draw readers deeper into the dark chapters of Kashmir's history.
The timeline oscillates between pre–1990 and post–1990, occasionally challenging comprehension, yet the accessible language compensates for any confusion. Diary entries and letters offer additional perspectives, transporting readers from the camps in Jammu to those in Udhampur, and from the snow-capped vistas of Gulmarg to the sweltering heat of Delhi. Siddhartha's journey of self-discovery intertwines with his family's heartfelt turmoil, engaging readers on multiple levels.
One poignant aspect is the story of the author's grandparents The associated helplessness as they grew older and the increasing yearning for home. The grandfather’s illness, his inability to remember everything, his helpless wife, and a growing sense of futility. The hope with which he always kept himself ready was to receive the one call that would take him back to the house where he had spent his entire life. Other instances where Gigoo would try to sneak into Kashmir just for one glimpse of it, and a shattered Babi, who lived for Kashmir, show us the desperation. Everything for the home, for the house they had lived in. As Bachelard states, "I should say: the house shelters daydreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace." Maybe it was the peace that they were searching for, or it was the wish to die in the arms of their homeland that kept them alive. "All she wanted was her Kashmir, which, for her, stood for eternal seasons, for love, for myth, for life."
As the narrative unfolds, it transcends the personal to become a reflection of the collective trauma endured by thousands of Kashmiri Pandits. Gigoo immerses readers in the pain, the longing, and the enduring connection to the valley and its people. This book lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned, reminding us of the importance of compassion, empathy, and understanding in a world marked by conflict and division.
What is Kashmir? "Kashmir is an issue of betrayal, blunder, falsehood, and mistrust. It is a confusing mixture of plebiscite, Pakistan, India, independence, and ambiguous ideas and theories."
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March 14, 2024
This poignant memoir is the heart-wrenching story of the displacement of thousands of Kashmiri Pandits from their homes in the late 90s and the arduous journey they endured thereafter. While the plight of these displaced individuals was a familiar topic, the depth of their suffering truly hit me as I turned each page of this memoir.
The author vividly portrays the grim reality faced by his community, where the fate of so many was sealed on the day they were forced from their homes. The longing of the author's grandfather to return to his homeland, unfulfilled until his last breath, serves as a poignant reminder of the profound loss experienced by countless families.
Reading this book was an emotionally charged experience, with moments that brought tears to my eyes and scenes so vividly depicted that I had to pause to collect myself. The descriptions of the chaos, disorder, food and water shortage, and unsanitary living conditions faced by those living in camps were particularly gut-wrenching, highlighting the unimaginable hurdles and hardships endured by the displaced population.
The atrocities committed against the Kashmiri Pandits, especially the women, were even more heartbreaking. It's unfathomable to comprehend how individuals who once led comfortable lives had their world turned upside down in a matter of minutes.
Amidst the tragedy, the author beautifully captures the bonds formed with family members, friends, and fellow survivors, offering glimpses of hope amidst the despair. Written in the form of a diary interspersed with letters to family members, the memoir encapsulates a range of emotions - from desperation and sadness to fleeting moments of happiness found in simple pleasures like a home-cooked meal.
The stark contrast between life before displacement and the harsh reality of life in camps or on the run is powerfully depicted, serving as a stark reminder of the fragility of security and the resilience of the human spirit.
Furthermore, the inclusion of "The Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmir: A Historical Timeline" at the end of the book provides valuable context, tracing the history of the community from 1500 BCE to 2023. The meticulous notes section offers references for events mentioned throughout the memoir, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative.
In all, this book is not only a heart-rending memoir but also a testament to the suffering endured by the Kashmiri Pandit community and the author's journey to self-discovery. It serves as a crucial record in Indian history, shedding light on the targeted attacks against minorities and the enduring spirit of those who sur
The author vividly portrays the grim reality faced by his community, where the fate of so many was sealed on the day they were forced from their homes. The longing of the author's grandfather to return to his homeland, unfulfilled until his last breath, serves as a poignant reminder of the profound loss experienced by countless families.
Reading this book was an emotionally charged experience, with moments that brought tears to my eyes and scenes so vividly depicted that I had to pause to collect myself. The descriptions of the chaos, disorder, food and water shortage, and unsanitary living conditions faced by those living in camps were particularly gut-wrenching, highlighting the unimaginable hurdles and hardships endured by the displaced population.
The atrocities committed against the Kashmiri Pandits, especially the women, were even more heartbreaking. It's unfathomable to comprehend how individuals who once led comfortable lives had their world turned upside down in a matter of minutes.
Amidst the tragedy, the author beautifully captures the bonds formed with family members, friends, and fellow survivors, offering glimpses of hope amidst the despair. Written in the form of a diary interspersed with letters to family members, the memoir encapsulates a range of emotions - from desperation and sadness to fleeting moments of happiness found in simple pleasures like a home-cooked meal.
The stark contrast between life before displacement and the harsh reality of life in camps or on the run is powerfully depicted, serving as a stark reminder of the fragility of security and the resilience of the human spirit.
Furthermore, the inclusion of "The Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmir: A Historical Timeline" at the end of the book provides valuable context, tracing the history of the community from 1500 BCE to 2023. The meticulous notes section offers references for events mentioned throughout the memoir, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative.
In all, this book is not only a heart-rending memoir but also a testament to the suffering endured by the Kashmiri Pandit community and the author's journey to self-discovery. It serves as a crucial record in Indian history, shedding light on the targeted attacks against minorities and the enduring spirit of those who sur
March 30, 2024
"It's taken a day to turn us into refugees. At sunrise,we were home,even though the world outside was burning.
'MIGRANTS' says the locals,looking at us as though we are aliens.
Genre- Non Fiction/ Memoir
@penguinindia
Kashmiri Pandits and their exodus is something which the nation can never forget. The losses that Kashmiri Pandits have been forced to incur are unimaginable.
In this book Siddhartha Gigoo recalls how life in Kashmir, once was full of beauty and joy but when they were forced to flee, every single thing had come to an end.
In March 1990, 16 year old Siddhartha Gigoo is forced to flee his home in Kashmir. Siddhartha thinks his leaving is temporary and that he will be back home soon. Little does he know that his fate is sealed.
Siddhartha Gigoo begins by narrating their enforced ouster from Kashmir and forced to live in the camps. The author shares small small details of life in the camp and struggling for even for the basic necessities. He highlights what it is like to be a Kashmiri pandit in exile.... the pain of loosing one's identity and home....and to top it all what was more painful was that the nation turning a blind eye to it. In addition to this he narrates what happened in life after thereon till the present moment.
No matter how much news or articles you read on Kashmiri Pandits, but personal experience stories are always hard hitting. The book is 450 pages long and although i enjoy memoirs i found this one a bit slow paced and lost interest sometimes.
'MIGRANTS' says the locals,looking at us as though we are aliens.
Genre- Non Fiction/ Memoir
@penguinindia
Kashmiri Pandits and their exodus is something which the nation can never forget. The losses that Kashmiri Pandits have been forced to incur are unimaginable.
In this book Siddhartha Gigoo recalls how life in Kashmir, once was full of beauty and joy but when they were forced to flee, every single thing had come to an end.
In March 1990, 16 year old Siddhartha Gigoo is forced to flee his home in Kashmir. Siddhartha thinks his leaving is temporary and that he will be back home soon. Little does he know that his fate is sealed.
Siddhartha Gigoo begins by narrating their enforced ouster from Kashmir and forced to live in the camps. The author shares small small details of life in the camp and struggling for even for the basic necessities. He highlights what it is like to be a Kashmiri pandit in exile.... the pain of loosing one's identity and home....and to top it all what was more painful was that the nation turning a blind eye to it. In addition to this he narrates what happened in life after thereon till the present moment.
No matter how much news or articles you read on Kashmiri Pandits, but personal experience stories are always hard hitting. The book is 450 pages long and although i enjoy memoirs i found this one a bit slow paced and lost interest sometimes.
March 8, 2024
Commonwealth prize winning author Siddhartha Gigoo pens his memoir about the pain of a youth spent in exile, his struggle before leaving the home, his assumption that he is going only for a few days and will be back after some time.
The book begins in early 1990s and chronicles Gigoo and his family’s struggle with rising extremism and attacks on minorities in Kashmir. Gigoo recounts many incidents of aggression, harassment and cruelty. One of the incidents he mentions is particularly harrowing where two Kashmiri youths asks Gigoo about the time in his watch. Gigoo gives them the time set to Pakistan Standard Time. He writes- ‘We must follow everything we are told to follow. After all, we are to remain alive on their terms, not ours.’ Gigoo mentions that although the boys are from the same locality, they address him as ‘Panditji’ and not by his name.
After Gigoo leaves, he constantly think about going back. Little does he know that his fate is sealed.
What follows is a long, dark time—a ‘camp’ existence and a struggle for survival. Thirty-four years on, Siddhartha chronicles the story of his flight from Kashmir and an entire youth spent in exile.
These line stayed with me-
‘What are we going to do? What is going to happen to us? Where are we going to go? Can’t we just turn back? Can’t we just go back home? What if I close my eyes and open them again? Maybe this bad dream will end then. And when I wake up, I will be in my room, happy and about to go to bed.’
🖋️📖
The book begins in early 1990s and chronicles Gigoo and his family’s struggle with rising extremism and attacks on minorities in Kashmir. Gigoo recounts many incidents of aggression, harassment and cruelty. One of the incidents he mentions is particularly harrowing where two Kashmiri youths asks Gigoo about the time in his watch. Gigoo gives them the time set to Pakistan Standard Time. He writes- ‘We must follow everything we are told to follow. After all, we are to remain alive on their terms, not ours.’ Gigoo mentions that although the boys are from the same locality, they address him as ‘Panditji’ and not by his name.
After Gigoo leaves, he constantly think about going back. Little does he know that his fate is sealed.
What follows is a long, dark time—a ‘camp’ existence and a struggle for survival. Thirty-four years on, Siddhartha chronicles the story of his flight from Kashmir and an entire youth spent in exile.
These line stayed with me-
‘What are we going to do? What is going to happen to us? Where are we going to go? Can’t we just turn back? Can’t we just go back home? What if I close my eyes and open them again? Maybe this bad dream will end then. And when I wake up, I will be in my room, happy and about to go to bed.’
🖋️📖
October 19, 2024
"A Long Season of Ashes" is a grim tale of all those Kashmiri Pandits who were exiled in 1990, a tale which should have been told but kept hidden from the rest of the country.
Written as a Memoir this book touches all those emotions, struggles and demises which we weren't aware of. How they(Kashmiri Pandits) spent their prime years in the rehabilitation camps provided by the goverment just for the sake of keeping their mouth shut and how each of these poor souls dreaded those gruesome moments is described perfectly.
This book is not just a Memoir but also the detailed description of the events happened during the "exodus" we don't ever talk about.
Siddhartha Gigoo also talked about all the eigth exodus that have happened in Kashmir till the date and also about the nonchalant behavior of all the governments towards the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. Not only that but how they simply didn't take any steps to prevent these hideous deeds.
There is much to talk about this book but i would say that it's a must read for each one of us so that such kind of events should not occur again in future.
Written as a Memoir this book touches all those emotions, struggles and demises which we weren't aware of. How they(Kashmiri Pandits) spent their prime years in the rehabilitation camps provided by the goverment just for the sake of keeping their mouth shut and how each of these poor souls dreaded those gruesome moments is described perfectly.
This book is not just a Memoir but also the detailed description of the events happened during the "exodus" we don't ever talk about.
Siddhartha Gigoo also talked about all the eigth exodus that have happened in Kashmir till the date and also about the nonchalant behavior of all the governments towards the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. Not only that but how they simply didn't take any steps to prevent these hideous deeds.
There is much to talk about this book but i would say that it's a must read for each one of us so that such kind of events should not occur again in future.
April 23, 2024
Siddharth Gigoo wrote a narrative in this book detailing his life, struggles, happiness, native country, the reason they fled, and the never-ending search for belongings. The timeline alternates between years prior to and following 1990. This book transports readers to Udhampur from the Jammu camp.
Though I don't usually read non-fiction, I really enjoyed reading this. This book includes letters and log entries that provide more context. He did an excellent job portraying a very grave situation in Jammu. He uses a precise language. Undoubtedly, this book offers a stimulating examination of identity, bereavement, and the never-ending pursuit of possessions. The book is an engaging read because of his passionate storytelling style. It acts as an essential historical document in India, illuminating the persecution of minorities and the resilient nature of those who managed to survive. I truly recommend this book to you. Siddharth Gigoo deserves some appreciation.
Though I don't usually read non-fiction, I really enjoyed reading this. This book includes letters and log entries that provide more context. He did an excellent job portraying a very grave situation in Jammu. He uses a precise language. Undoubtedly, this book offers a stimulating examination of identity, bereavement, and the never-ending pursuit of possessions. The book is an engaging read because of his passionate storytelling style. It acts as an essential historical document in India, illuminating the persecution of minorities and the resilient nature of those who managed to survive. I truly recommend this book to you. Siddharth Gigoo deserves some appreciation.
February 20, 2024
In "A Long Season of Ashes," Siddhartha Gigoo paints a poignant picture of displacement, loss, and the enduring quest for identity. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous events in Kashmir in the early 1990s, the narrative follows sixteen-year-old Author as he is forced to flee his home amidst fear and violence.
Author's storytelling is both raw and evocative, capturing the harrowing experiences of the Gigoos and the wider Kashmiri community. Through vivid descriptions and heartfelt prose, he immerses the reader in the uncertainty and despair of exile, where every moment is fraught with danger and every decision carries weight.
At its core, "A Long Season of Ashes" is a meditation on memory and resilience. Author deftly explores the complexities of remembering and forgetting, highlighting how the past shapes our present and future. Through Siddhartha's journey, we witness the transformative power of memory, as he grapples with the trauma of his past while striving to carve out a new identity in exile.
The book also offers a stark portrayal of the human cost of conflict and displacement. As Siddhartha navigates the challenges of life in exile, from the harsh realities of refugee camps to the struggles of assimilation in a new environment, Author shines a light on the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Ultimately, "A Long Season of Ashes" is a testament to the power of storytelling as a means of healing and understanding. Author's narrative serves as a reminder of the importance of bearing witness to our shared history, and the need to confront the legacies of conflict and displacement with empathy and compassion.
All-in-all, "A Long Season of Ashes" is a deeply moving and thought-provoking exploration of loss, identity, and the enduring quest for belonging. Author's poignant prose and heartfelt storytelling make this book a compelling read that resonates long after the final page.
Author's storytelling is both raw and evocative, capturing the harrowing experiences of the Gigoos and the wider Kashmiri community. Through vivid descriptions and heartfelt prose, he immerses the reader in the uncertainty and despair of exile, where every moment is fraught with danger and every decision carries weight.
At its core, "A Long Season of Ashes" is a meditation on memory and resilience. Author deftly explores the complexities of remembering and forgetting, highlighting how the past shapes our present and future. Through Siddhartha's journey, we witness the transformative power of memory, as he grapples with the trauma of his past while striving to carve out a new identity in exile.
The book also offers a stark portrayal of the human cost of conflict and displacement. As Siddhartha navigates the challenges of life in exile, from the harsh realities of refugee camps to the struggles of assimilation in a new environment, Author shines a light on the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Ultimately, "A Long Season of Ashes" is a testament to the power of storytelling as a means of healing and understanding. Author's narrative serves as a reminder of the importance of bearing witness to our shared history, and the need to confront the legacies of conflict and displacement with empathy and compassion.
All-in-all, "A Long Season of Ashes" is a deeply moving and thought-provoking exploration of loss, identity, and the enduring quest for belonging. Author's poignant prose and heartfelt storytelling make this book a compelling read that resonates long after the final page.
March 24, 2024
Siddhartha Gigoo’s memoir is a heart wrenching account of the exodus that most of us heard or read about, but perhaps never knew the inside story. He takes us to the refugee camps in Jammu and Udhampur where the exiled Kashmiri Pandits lived for decades with their shattered dreams. The miserable conditions, the filth, the loss of dignity, the lack of solution and the neglect of the authorities, this real-life account makes us question the purpose of being human. Gigoo’s narrative is choppy, moving between then and now and somewhere in between. It comprises his journal entries, letters, memories, thoughts and emotional upheaval. The book traces the sociological, economical, and psychological impact of a displaced community, which loses its sense of belonging.
July 26, 2024
Important book! The world needs to know how life in the camps was. I've heard such stories from people who have been there; Snakes, Scorpions, Heatstroke, new diseases and a never ending longing for home and what not.
I found it a little too slow for a memoir and had to skip some sections. The letters written by the author to his father and some other people, that had more 'philosophy' than required and relevant. The dreams that the author mentions and the things go on in his head tend to mix with what he knows, hears and has gone through.
I found it a little too slow for a memoir and had to skip some sections. The letters written by the author to his father and some other people, that had more 'philosophy' than required and relevant. The dreams that the author mentions and the things go on in his head tend to mix with what he knows, hears and has gone through.
September 29, 2024
I was hoping this memoir would give me a good understanding of the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, does a poor job evoking any feelings
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