No Woman's Land: Women from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh Write on the Partition India

by Ritu Menon

Here, for the first time, are Ismat Chughati, Sara Suleri, Anis Kidwai, Phulrenu Guha, Meghna Guhathakurta, Shehla Shibli, Manikuntala Sen, Kamlaben Patel and many others, speaking and writing about communalism and literature; what they learnt from refugees; and what Partition means to them more than 50 years later. An unusual mix of memoirs, interviews, reminiscences and reflective essays, this anthology is the first attempt to present women's perspective on the Partition of India, based on the experience of three countries.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Pakistan, India

202 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few books on women in Partition to include voices of women from present day Pakistan and Bangladesh.

[Dhwani Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so difficult to read at times. That's why I don't read non-fiction because it hurt hurt hurt. Thank God, there was no graphically violent scene. I loved that this has as many stories about East frontier as that of West. I have never read about Direct Action Day before. Women lost so much during Partition, existing in a woman's body with head held high was protest. Women moved on and made a place for themselves. Educated themselves, ended up being principals of girl's schools, learning sewing, participated in job market. This book is important to read because it doesn't exaggerate, it tells you what happened as it is with no prettiness. Partition was cruel. Around 1,00,000 women were abducted, raped and converted. There were 5000 people in every camp with meagre amount of food, money and space. There were 40 people taking shelter in one room to save themselves while riots were going on. There were women who gave up their whole life in service and the women who told the refugees' stories. These women made this book.

[Rhea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so painful to read sometimes that I had to actually stop and take a break - but oh my, this book was actually amazing. It really humanized the Partition for me. As a History student, I've spent months studying the Partition, and the things that led up to it. But when you read it through the perspective of someone living in there at the time, there is so much more to consider. It's not just lives that are lost - it's a brother's life. A sister's life. And even in the midst of so much that was happening, people's lives still went on! Weddings, and births, and working jobs and making friends - it really put things in a new light for me.

I'm so glad I read this book.

[HadiDee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rare collection of women's non-fiction writing about Partition. As with any anthology, the articles are mixed: a couple I skimmed, one confused me, and one will haunt me forever.