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Footprints on Zero Line
The Partition of 1947 has influenced the works of an entire generation of writers, and continues to do so. Gulzar witnessed the horrors of Partition first-hand and it is a theme that he has gone back to again and again in his writings. Footprints on Zero Line brings together a collection of his finest writings - fiction, non-fiction and poems - on the subject. What sets this collection apart from other writings on Partition is that Gulzar's unerring eye does not stop at the events of 1947 but looks at how it continues to affect our lives to this day. Wonderfully rendered in English by well-known author and translator Rakhshanda Jalil, this collection marks seventy years of India's Independence. Footprints on Zero Line is not only a brilliant collection on a cataclysmic event in the history of our nation by one of our finest contemporary writers, it is also a timely reminder that those who forget the errors of the past are doomed to repeat them.
206 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2017
32 people are currently reading
378 people want to read
About the author
गुलज़ार
130 books412 followersग़ुलज़ार नाम से प्रसिद्ध सम्पूर्ण सिंह कालरा (जन्म-१८ अगस्त १९३६)[1] हिन्दी फिल्मों के एक प्रसिद्ध गीतकार हैं। इसके अतिरिक्त वे एक कवि, पटकथा लेखक, फ़िल्म निर्देशक तथा नाटककार हैं। उनकी रचनाए मुख्यतः हिन्दी, उर्दू तथा पंजाबी में हैं, परन्तु ब्रज भाषा, खङी बोली, मारवाड़ी और हरियाणवी में भी इन्होने रचनाये की। गुलजार को वर्ष २००२ में सहित्य अकादमी पुरस्कार और वर्ष २००४ में भारत सरकार द्वारा दिया जाने वाला तीसरे सर्वोच्च नागरिक सम्मान पद्म भूषण से भी सम्मानित किया जा चुका है। वर्ष २००९ में डैनी बॉयल निर्देशित फिल्म स्लम्डाग मिलियनेयर में उनके द्वारा लिखे गीत जय हो के लिये उन्हे सर्वश्रेष्ठ गीत का ऑस्कर पुरस्कार पुरस्कार मिल चुका है। इसी गीत के लिये उन्हे ग्रैमी पुरस्कार से भी सम्मानित किया जा चुका है।
गुलज़ार का जन्म भारत के झेलम जिला पंजाब के दीना गाँव में, जो अब पाकिस्तान में है, १८ अगस्त १९३६ को हुआ था। गुलज़ार अपने पिता की दूसरी पत्नी की इकलौती संतान हैं। उनकी माँ उन्हें बचपन में ही छोङ कर चल बसीं। माँ के आँचल की छाँव और पिता का दुलार भी नहीं मिला। वह नौ भाई-बहन में चौथे नंबर पर थे। बंट्वारे के बाद उनका परिवार अमृतसर (पंजाब, भारत) आकर बस गया, वहीं गुलज़ार साहब मुंबई चले गये। वर्ली के एक गेरेज में वे बतौर मेकेनिक काम करने लगे और खाली समय में कवितायें लिखने लगे। फ़िल्म इंडस्ट्री में उन्होंने बिमल राय, हृषिकेश मुख़र्जी और हेमंत कुमार के सहायक के तौर पर काम शुरू किया। बिमल राय की फ़िल्म बंदनी के लिए गुलज़ार ने अपना पहला गीत लिखा। गुलज़ार त्रिवेणी छ्न्द के सृजक हैं।
गुलजार द्वारा लिखे गए पुस्तकों की सूची-
चौरस रात (लघु कथाएँ, 1962)
जानम (कविता संग्रह, 1963)
एक बूँद चाँद (कविताएँ, 1972)
रावी पार (कथा संग्रह, 1997)
रात, चाँद और मैं (2002)
रात पश्मीने की
खराशें (2003)
Sampooran Singh Kalra (Punjabi: ਸਮਪੂਰਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਕਾਲਰਾ, Hindi: संपूरण सिंह कालरा, Urdu: سمپورن سنگھ کالرا) known popularly by his pen name Gulzar (Punjabi: ਗੁਲਜ਼ਾਰ, Hindi: गुलज़ार, Urdu: گُلزار ), is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. He primarily writes in Hindi-Urdu and has also written in Punjabi and several dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Haryanvi and Marwari.
Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2004 for his contribution to the arts and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002. He has won a number of National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards. In 2009, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Jai Ho" in the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). On 31 January 2010, the same song won him a Grammy Award in the category of Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
Gulzar's poetry is partly published in three compilations: Pukhraj, Raat Pashminey Ki and Pandrah Paanch Pachattar. His short stories are published in Raavi-paar (also known as Dustkhat in Pakistan) and Dhuan).
गुलज़ार का जन्म भारत के झेलम जिला पंजाब के दीना गाँव में, जो अब पाकिस्तान में है, १८ अगस्त १९३६ को हुआ था। गुलज़ार अपने पिता की दूसरी पत्नी की इकलौती संतान हैं। उनकी माँ उन्हें बचपन में ही छोङ कर चल बसीं। माँ के आँचल की छाँव और पिता का दुलार भी नहीं मिला। वह नौ भाई-बहन में चौथे नंबर पर थे। बंट्वारे के बाद उनका परिवार अमृतसर (पंजाब, भारत) आकर बस गया, वहीं गुलज़ार साहब मुंबई चले गये। वर्ली के एक गेरेज में वे बतौर मेकेनिक काम करने लगे और खाली समय में कवितायें लिखने लगे। फ़िल्म इंडस्ट्री में उन्होंने बिमल राय, हृषिकेश मुख़र्जी और हेमंत कुमार के सहायक के तौर पर काम शुरू किया। बिमल राय की फ़िल्म बंदनी के लिए गुलज़ार ने अपना पहला गीत लिखा। गुलज़ार त्रिवेणी छ्न्द के सृजक हैं।
गुलजार द्वारा लिखे गए पुस्तकों की सूची-
चौरस रात (लघु कथाएँ, 1962)
जानम (कविता संग्रह, 1963)
एक बूँद चाँद (कविताएँ, 1972)
रावी पार (कथा संग्रह, 1997)
रात, चाँद और मैं (2002)
रात पश्मीने की
खराशें (2003)
Sampooran Singh Kalra (Punjabi: ਸਮਪੂਰਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਕਾਲਰਾ, Hindi: संपूरण सिंह कालरा, Urdu: سمپورن سنگھ کالرا) known popularly by his pen name Gulzar (Punjabi: ਗੁਲਜ਼ਾਰ, Hindi: गुलज़ार, Urdu: گُلزار ), is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. He primarily writes in Hindi-Urdu and has also written in Punjabi and several dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Haryanvi and Marwari.
Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2004 for his contribution to the arts and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002. He has won a number of National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards. In 2009, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Jai Ho" in the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). On 31 January 2010, the same song won him a Grammy Award in the category of Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.
Gulzar's poetry is partly published in three compilations: Pukhraj, Raat Pashminey Ki and Pandrah Paanch Pachattar. His short stories are published in Raavi-paar (also known as Dustkhat in Pakistan) and Dhuan).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 26, 2022
The book is flawless!
It opens up beautifully with poems of partition of India and Pakistan.
The poet fondly talks about the place Dina where he grew up; the childhood days and his childhood memories put in simple yet amazing lines.
What I felt from reading the poems:
*It really hits those who were involved, childhood gets ruined, lives go haphazard for no fault of theirs
*It still feels real when the poet talks about the difficulties every person faced during those times : thoughts of being a refugee, a lost child in the midst of it all, the losses, the sickness and the deaths
*The killings and those who see it with their own eyes...this remain with them forever
*26th January and Lahore. Do we need to celebrate this day or lament when the day comes?
*The Toba Tek Singh's Bishan poem - loved it! Just seeing the word 'Manto' was so damn enough!
*The choas of partition times and the dead silence of the corpses well inked👍
*The issue of belongingness that has been lost forever; the importance given to visas to go to one's birthplace after the partition... The pain of being one who doesn't belong there anymore. Love the writing style!
***I loved each and every poem👍
Then comes the tales as the later part of the book.
The stories too carry similar themes as the poems do.
This book is such an eye opener to the events that occurred during the times of partition.
Made me really emotional in the end.
It opens up beautifully with poems of partition of India and Pakistan.
The poet fondly talks about the place Dina where he grew up; the childhood days and his childhood memories put in simple yet amazing lines.
What I felt from reading the poems:
*It really hits those who were involved, childhood gets ruined, lives go haphazard for no fault of theirs
*It still feels real when the poet talks about the difficulties every person faced during those times : thoughts of being a refugee, a lost child in the midst of it all, the losses, the sickness and the deaths
*The killings and those who see it with their own eyes...this remain with them forever
*26th January and Lahore. Do we need to celebrate this day or lament when the day comes?
*The Toba Tek Singh's Bishan poem - loved it! Just seeing the word 'Manto' was so damn enough!
*The choas of partition times and the dead silence of the corpses well inked👍
*The issue of belongingness that has been lost forever; the importance given to visas to go to one's birthplace after the partition... The pain of being one who doesn't belong there anymore. Love the writing style!
***I loved each and every poem👍
Then comes the tales as the later part of the book.
The stories too carry similar themes as the poems do.
This book is such an eye opener to the events that occurred during the times of partition.
Made me really emotional in the end.
April 8, 2018
The usual, unethical practice of the publishers - publishing poems and stories of great writers in different combinations and under new title to make easy money. The quality of the works and books deserve 5 stars without doubt, but the swindling nature behind such publishing deserves a minus 5!
July 10, 2022
Ghazal
Some shadows are visible in the distance still
But neither time returns, nor they.
The autumn leaves that had fallen off the tree Where have they gone swirling in the waters?
Let's spread durries and beat the dhol again Adorned with mehendi let someone sing lyrical tappas.
Let's fly kites from every rooftop
Try out our skills across a common sky.
Let's play kabaddi on the border
And hold on to those who cross the Zero Line.
The book is a collection of poems and stories written by Gulzar during his illustrious years as a short story author and a poet, translated by Rakshanda Jalil.
Some stories and poems are heartbreaking, some were ho hum. But overall, a heartbreaking book.
No matter how many times I read Raavi Paar (Crossing the Raavi), it will always make me emotional.
In Gulzaar's own words -
I have witnessed the Partition. I have experienced the Partition. Standing on Zero Line I am still watching the trail of Partition. Seventy years have passed. Time has not been able to blow off the footprints. I don't know how long it will take for them to sink into history and be the past.
Some shadows are visible in the distance still
But neither time returns, nor they.
The autumn leaves that had fallen off the tree Where have they gone swirling in the waters?
Let's spread durries and beat the dhol again Adorned with mehendi let someone sing lyrical tappas.
Let's fly kites from every rooftop
Try out our skills across a common sky.
Let's play kabaddi on the border
And hold on to those who cross the Zero Line.
The book is a collection of poems and stories written by Gulzar during his illustrious years as a short story author and a poet, translated by Rakshanda Jalil.
Some stories and poems are heartbreaking, some were ho hum. But overall, a heartbreaking book.
No matter how many times I read Raavi Paar (Crossing the Raavi), it will always make me emotional.
In Gulzaar's own words -
I have witnessed the Partition. I have experienced the Partition. Standing on Zero Line I am still watching the trail of Partition. Seventy years have passed. Time has not been able to blow off the footprints. I don't know how long it will take for them to sink into history and be the past.
July 14, 2022
سانس لینا بھی کیسی عادت ہے
جئے جانا بھی کیا روایت ہے
کوئی آہٹ نہیں بدن میں کہیں
کوئی سایہ نہیں ہے آنکھوں میں
پاؤں بے حس ہیں چلتے جاتے ہیں
اک سفر ہے جو بہتا رہتا ہے
کتنے برسوں سے کتنی صدیوں سے
جئے جاتے ہیں جئے جاتے ہیں
عادتیں بھی عجیب ہوتی ہیں...
جئے جانا بھی کیا روایت ہے
کوئی آہٹ نہیں بدن میں کہیں
کوئی سایہ نہیں ہے آنکھوں میں
پاؤں بے حس ہیں چلتے جاتے ہیں
اک سفر ہے جو بہتا رہتا ہے
کتنے برسوں سے کتنی صدیوں سے
جئے جاتے ہیں جئے جاتے ہیں
عادتیں بھی عجیب ہوتی ہیں...
May 11, 2019
Awesome collection of poems and stories. One thing that I always admire about Gulzar is his Imagery. If it were in Hindi, I would have given it 5 stars, English can't do full justice to his wordings. Still, the translator's effort is praiseworthy.
February 21, 2022
Partition evokes mixed feelings for people of this subcontinent. Gulzar sahab has tried to convey the emotions behind this historical event which shaped the destiny of this subcontinent. Probably english couldnt do the justice it deserved but yet it's a great read for sure.
June 7, 2020
This anthology contains 19 poems and 13 short stories, all by Gulzar saheb, all revolving around that grotesque human tragedy of Indian partition, translated into English by Rakshanda Jalil. This includes his best known and admired poems Toba Tek Singh, Bhameri, and the short story The Jamun Tree. What delighted me when I received my copy is that the poems are available in two languages: the original Hindi accompanies the translated English version.
The historical event that fractured the Indian subcontinent also fractured life and livelihood, memories, homes, identities and belongingness for millions on both sides of the border. Much artistic endeavour has gone into capturing the human cost of this political catastrophe. However, very few come close to making the impact that lingers long after you have read Gulzar saheb’s rendering of it.
POEMS
Deceptively plain in choice of words and syntax, yet striking in their imagery and insight. That has been my impression of all of Gulzar saheb’s poetry. That is actually a major reason of why I wholeheartedly love his writing. He makes it accessible for all. This collection is no different. Several times, I had to close the book and sit in silence, taking in the enormity of what I had just read and the beauty of how simply it was said. Like this one –
“It is still my motherland but it isn’t my country anymore
To go there, I have to visit many offices of the two governments
Get my face stamped and provide proof of my dreams.”
Or this one –
“Sometimes it so happens
That smoke from that house casts shadows on my wall
And then it seems
As though both houses are on fire!"
These latter lines are extracted from a poem titled ‘Neighbour’ which is my favourite of this anthology. It uses the light-shadow imagery to prompt you into rethinking India-Pakistan relationship.
STORIES
13 short stories, each from a different perspective, each on a uniquely enormous impact of a pencil line being drawn on a sheet of paper they called India’s map by a man who knew nothing about the subcontinent or its people. The stories let you fly across time and watch, at close quarters, life unfolding and unsettling. They make you feel someone’s longing for their childhood home. They invoke horror at human capacity for violence. They knot your guts as what fear can induce people to do. And they also make you laugh at the absurdity of it all. These stories take us as close as we, people decades apart from that historical moment, can get to understanding the human experience of it all. And they also make us conscious of how our present is still shaped by these experiences of the past.
Each of the 13 stories is vivid and poignant. The one that stood out for me was the very first story titled ‘Crossing the Ravi’. At its center is a couple travelling in a train to India with their two newborn babies. By the time I finished the story, my thoughts froze, not just me. I had to close the book and I couldn’t read further for the rest of the day. I think this one will stay with me for a really long time.
This is why fiction, to me, is important. It helps me attempt to understand the world, understand its people, their lives and suffering, pain and joy. It shows me the world beyond population figures and newspaper headlines. This book did all of that. I recommend it to everyone interested in Indian history, in general, or Indian partition, in particular. The segment of translated poems can also be of interest to students of translation.
Enjoy the ride.
The historical event that fractured the Indian subcontinent also fractured life and livelihood, memories, homes, identities and belongingness for millions on both sides of the border. Much artistic endeavour has gone into capturing the human cost of this political catastrophe. However, very few come close to making the impact that lingers long after you have read Gulzar saheb’s rendering of it.
POEMS
Deceptively plain in choice of words and syntax, yet striking in their imagery and insight. That has been my impression of all of Gulzar saheb’s poetry. That is actually a major reason of why I wholeheartedly love his writing. He makes it accessible for all. This collection is no different. Several times, I had to close the book and sit in silence, taking in the enormity of what I had just read and the beauty of how simply it was said. Like this one –
“It is still my motherland but it isn’t my country anymore
To go there, I have to visit many offices of the two governments
Get my face stamped and provide proof of my dreams.”
Or this one –
“Sometimes it so happens
That smoke from that house casts shadows on my wall
And then it seems
As though both houses are on fire!"
These latter lines are extracted from a poem titled ‘Neighbour’ which is my favourite of this anthology. It uses the light-shadow imagery to prompt you into rethinking India-Pakistan relationship.
STORIES
13 short stories, each from a different perspective, each on a uniquely enormous impact of a pencil line being drawn on a sheet of paper they called India’s map by a man who knew nothing about the subcontinent or its people. The stories let you fly across time and watch, at close quarters, life unfolding and unsettling. They make you feel someone’s longing for their childhood home. They invoke horror at human capacity for violence. They knot your guts as what fear can induce people to do. And they also make you laugh at the absurdity of it all. These stories take us as close as we, people decades apart from that historical moment, can get to understanding the human experience of it all. And they also make us conscious of how our present is still shaped by these experiences of the past.
Each of the 13 stories is vivid and poignant. The one that stood out for me was the very first story titled ‘Crossing the Ravi’. At its center is a couple travelling in a train to India with their two newborn babies. By the time I finished the story, my thoughts froze, not just me. I had to close the book and I couldn’t read further for the rest of the day. I think this one will stay with me for a really long time.
This is why fiction, to me, is important. It helps me attempt to understand the world, understand its people, their lives and suffering, pain and joy. It shows me the world beyond population figures and newspaper headlines. This book did all of that. I recommend it to everyone interested in Indian history, in general, or Indian partition, in particular. The segment of translated poems can also be of interest to students of translation.
Enjoy the ride.
September 27, 2020
“Eyes closed, I often cross the border. Eyes don’t need a visa, Dreams have no borders” - Gulzar
November 11, 2022
Beautiful collection of short stories and essays
May 1, 2018
Intense, soul stirring prose and poetry which makes one feel that it is our perception of identity and existence that is fragmented and influenced by a bunch of leaders with preposterous self motivated ideas who think a set of lines can divide and settle it all. Unfortunately the people of our countries are victims of them. Gulzar's words echoes an unsettling feeling of 'I can never be home again' which is one of the most disturbing things one can go through, and he strikes it subtly yet hard.
April 5, 2025
This book remembered my days in Jammu where my college campus was near to Sialkot-Suchetgarh (BoP Octroi -IndoPak Border). I had heard so many stories from my friends, stories of partition. It has also made me remember 'Train To Pakistan ' book. I loved every poems and the humane aspects of them.
September 27, 2018
Never felt as if Dina was Gulzar Sahab's village, instead it felt like my own village. His writings always have great depths yet are very simple and relatable. Try reading the poems in poetic manner, much more fun that way!
December 7, 2017
Having witnessed the horrors of Partition first hand, Gulzar Sahab's writings in here have that raw, alluring appeal. The imageries are evocative, instantaneously transporting one to that era.
I have, honestly, fallen in love with Dina. Dina, his childhood abode, is seen in several poems. He vividly paints a picture of Dina, the alleys where a young schoolboy used to roam, the fight of rams, the time when Abbu addressed him as Punni, the madrasa, his feelings encapsulated.
Partition has been a theme of writings for so long, be it the historical or the political inferences. But this right here touches the chords of humanity. The stories of those ordinary people, their tryst with destiny.
I am quoting some of my favourite lines here,
It has taken me seventy years
To return to Dina and touch the dhayya
How much I have run in the wasteland of Time
How long I have played hide-and-seek!
Eyes don’t need a visa
Dreams don’t have a border
There's a small difference, though, if only you understand
You are there, and I belong there
Long are the sagas of borders
The words of brother hurt
They speak with bullets now.
The living had been cremated
And the dead had been buried.
I have, honestly, fallen in love with Dina. Dina, his childhood abode, is seen in several poems. He vividly paints a picture of Dina, the alleys where a young schoolboy used to roam, the fight of rams, the time when Abbu addressed him as Punni, the madrasa, his feelings encapsulated.
Partition has been a theme of writings for so long, be it the historical or the political inferences. But this right here touches the chords of humanity. The stories of those ordinary people, their tryst with destiny.
I am quoting some of my favourite lines here,
It has taken me seventy years
To return to Dina and touch the dhayya
How much I have run in the wasteland of Time
How long I have played hide-and-seek!
Eyes don’t need a visa
Dreams don’t have a border
There's a small difference, though, if only you understand
You are there, and I belong there
Long are the sagas of borders
The words of brother hurt
They speak with bullets now.
The living had been cremated
And the dead had been buried.
January 13, 2018
Simple and heart rending stories. The stories bring out the pains of each character. Was it the leaders that created this suffering and pain or is the demon inside all of us waiting to be unleashed?
April 18, 2020
I have just finished reading “Footprints on Zero Line: Writings on the Partition”, and I feel that my day was truly well-spent.
This book is a collection of poems (in English and Hindi) and short stories by eminent Indian literary and cultural personality, Gulzar, better known as “Gulzar Sahab”. These poems and tales have been translated from Urdu by reputed writer, critic and literary historian, Rakhshanda Jalil. The book includes an extract from a dialogue between Gulzar and Joginder Paul, a veteran Urdu writer of stature (this piece comes under the heading: A Dialogue: Gulzar and Joginder Paul on Partition and their Fiction) and the translator’s and author’s notes, as well.
The beautiful poems, which depict the anguish of being uprooted from one's motherland, perhaps, sound even more beautiful in the original language, Urdu, but the stories are so captivating that the language seems immaterial; however, the translator’s perception and choice of words, expressions, syntax and the quality of being succinct, have surely done justice to the original versions.
The Tales
Gulzar’s stories are replete with well-remembered images and sentiments which are bound to evoke nostalgia in many senior citizens residing in the divided portions of the sub-continent. With the nostalgia, there will come a wistfulness and simple, yet profound questions: “why couldn’t things remain as they were?” “what inhuman force alters the nature of humans for the worse?” “why do friends turn into enemies - without any valid reason for enmity?”
Through the poignant narration, we can see the writer’s emotions locked in conflict: he feels homesick for the land where he was born and loyal towards the country that provided him a second home. His having lived the partition and having seen many harrowing scenes, equipped with the acumen and the firm understanding that such divisions harbour only resentment and hostility - and bode no good to the citizens.
The best part about the book is that these sensitive pieces of writing give us an insight into people’s actions and their reactions. They are meant to be reminders of the unwelcome consequences of religious and racial dissension: “the Hindu had become more Hindu and the Mussalman more Mussalman”. The after-effects of the partition (something which, if truth be told, only the British seemed to have benefited from), are being felt acutely, even today. In fact, the division, instead of helping people to appreciate one another and to value unity, has succeeded in stoking more mistrust and hatred. The stories are edged with keen observations and leave us pondering over related issues in today’s troubled world.
Gulzar visited Dina, in Pakistan, seventy years after leaving it; albeit, he had made several trips there in his memories and dreams. He dedicates the book to Dina, his birthplace. The finely-crafted portrayals of people, places and incidents of his visits (real and imagined) allow us to accompany him on these visits.
The Poems
The first poem, “Zero Line”, ends thus:
I am back at the zero line
My shadow whispers from behind me,
“When you give up this body
Come back to your home
Your birthplace, your motherland”.
In “Bhameri”, the touching fleeing scene is described graphically, etching vivid pictures in our minds. In “Karachi”, the closing lines are:
In this our two countries
So much is common among the common people.
This presents an undeniable truth in stark simplicity.
In “Compatriots”, the last stanza laments:
You love your country, I know
I love it too, believe me,
There’s a small difference, though, if only you
Understand
You ARE there, and I BELONG there.
Gulzar pens the following moving lines, moving us to tears:
Eyes don’t need a visa
Dreams have no borders.
The Dialogue
We get a glimpse of Gulzar’s psyche, so to speak. He tells Joginder Paul about how the horrors of the grisly, gruesome sights he had witnessed had rendered him incapable of even crying. His recurring nightmares had made him fearful of sleep. But then, gradually, writing seemed to bring a measure of relief, a release from the torment: “That fear settled in me. I think writing it out helped. The purging happened slowly, and not in a gush. I took my time and did not write about it all at once”. He also says that working in the refugee camps as a young boy helped him “I saw incidents that slowly seeped into my creative expression and became stories later”.
A touching revelation of Gulzar’s thoughts is that, like many others, he, too, had naively believed as a child that the creation of Pakistan would not have any drastic or lasting impact: “We’ll go back to our homes as soon as the confusion subsides”. From the excerpt, we learn that both writers were convinced that communal prejudices did not split Hindus and Muslims apart; it was the “struggle/greed for power that led to communal disharmony”.
The interesting, enlightening discourse continues —- for readers to mull over, to relish. Last, but certainly not least, is the translator, Rakhshanda Jalil’s, “Notes” that comes as a special treat.
This book is a collection of poems (in English and Hindi) and short stories by eminent Indian literary and cultural personality, Gulzar, better known as “Gulzar Sahab”. These poems and tales have been translated from Urdu by reputed writer, critic and literary historian, Rakhshanda Jalil. The book includes an extract from a dialogue between Gulzar and Joginder Paul, a veteran Urdu writer of stature (this piece comes under the heading: A Dialogue: Gulzar and Joginder Paul on Partition and their Fiction) and the translator’s and author’s notes, as well.
The beautiful poems, which depict the anguish of being uprooted from one's motherland, perhaps, sound even more beautiful in the original language, Urdu, but the stories are so captivating that the language seems immaterial; however, the translator’s perception and choice of words, expressions, syntax and the quality of being succinct, have surely done justice to the original versions.
The Tales
Gulzar’s stories are replete with well-remembered images and sentiments which are bound to evoke nostalgia in many senior citizens residing in the divided portions of the sub-continent. With the nostalgia, there will come a wistfulness and simple, yet profound questions: “why couldn’t things remain as they were?” “what inhuman force alters the nature of humans for the worse?” “why do friends turn into enemies - without any valid reason for enmity?”
Through the poignant narration, we can see the writer’s emotions locked in conflict: he feels homesick for the land where he was born and loyal towards the country that provided him a second home. His having lived the partition and having seen many harrowing scenes, equipped with the acumen and the firm understanding that such divisions harbour only resentment and hostility - and bode no good to the citizens.
The best part about the book is that these sensitive pieces of writing give us an insight into people’s actions and their reactions. They are meant to be reminders of the unwelcome consequences of religious and racial dissension: “the Hindu had become more Hindu and the Mussalman more Mussalman”. The after-effects of the partition (something which, if truth be told, only the British seemed to have benefited from), are being felt acutely, even today. In fact, the division, instead of helping people to appreciate one another and to value unity, has succeeded in stoking more mistrust and hatred. The stories are edged with keen observations and leave us pondering over related issues in today’s troubled world.
Gulzar visited Dina, in Pakistan, seventy years after leaving it; albeit, he had made several trips there in his memories and dreams. He dedicates the book to Dina, his birthplace. The finely-crafted portrayals of people, places and incidents of his visits (real and imagined) allow us to accompany him on these visits.
The Poems
The first poem, “Zero Line”, ends thus:
I am back at the zero line
My shadow whispers from behind me,
“When you give up this body
Come back to your home
Your birthplace, your motherland”.
In “Bhameri”, the touching fleeing scene is described graphically, etching vivid pictures in our minds. In “Karachi”, the closing lines are:
In this our two countries
So much is common among the common people.
This presents an undeniable truth in stark simplicity.
In “Compatriots”, the last stanza laments:
You love your country, I know
I love it too, believe me,
There’s a small difference, though, if only you
Understand
You ARE there, and I BELONG there.
Gulzar pens the following moving lines, moving us to tears:
Eyes don’t need a visa
Dreams have no borders.
The Dialogue
We get a glimpse of Gulzar’s psyche, so to speak. He tells Joginder Paul about how the horrors of the grisly, gruesome sights he had witnessed had rendered him incapable of even crying. His recurring nightmares had made him fearful of sleep. But then, gradually, writing seemed to bring a measure of relief, a release from the torment: “That fear settled in me. I think writing it out helped. The purging happened slowly, and not in a gush. I took my time and did not write about it all at once”. He also says that working in the refugee camps as a young boy helped him “I saw incidents that slowly seeped into my creative expression and became stories later”.
A touching revelation of Gulzar’s thoughts is that, like many others, he, too, had naively believed as a child that the creation of Pakistan would not have any drastic or lasting impact: “We’ll go back to our homes as soon as the confusion subsides”. From the excerpt, we learn that both writers were convinced that communal prejudices did not split Hindus and Muslims apart; it was the “struggle/greed for power that led to communal disharmony”.
The interesting, enlightening discourse continues —- for readers to mull over, to relish. Last, but certainly not least, is the translator, Rakhshanda Jalil’s, “Notes” that comes as a special treat.
May 22, 2022
"My reaction remained buried within me for a very long time. I said I didn't even cry, but I wonder, should I have just wept, cried it all out?"
This is Gulzar recalling the experiences he had during the 1947 Partition as a 13-year-old boy in Dina (now in Pakistan). Partition has left deep-rooted scars that many bore or still bear with a silent voice. However, after years he realized that writing helped him to express the emotions that went numb after seeing the heinous incidents. One of his books, 'Footprints on Zero Line: Writings on Partition', remarkably translated into English by Rakshanda Jalil, an Indian author and translator, is based on the theme of partition, featuring both fiction and non-fiction writings.
Since I never analyzed a poem on my own, I was hesitant to go with this book. But Partition Literature course in my final semester pushed me further. And, to my relief, as I began reading it, I realized that Gulzar shares his emotions with eloquence, and I could easily visualize the images woven into his words.
His poems such as 'Dina', and 'Zero Line' reminisce some childhood memories and longing to return to his birthplace whereas 'Silence at the Border' illustrates the eerie feeling at the border which mostly listens to firings and shelling.
The book also includes short stories written in lucid language. He talks about the sufferings the media depicts and also those that we seldom discuss. Whenever we hear '1947 Partition', we wonder about all the tension between the Hindus and the Muslims. But Gulzar brushes aside this distinction and imparts that in the end, we are humans, fragile to hate and ignorant towards love.
Gulzar reveals nothing about the political chaos behind the partition while presenting the consequences of the act. His works unveil how the soldiers on the border and the civilians were the ultimate victims in the communal battles. Some survived, and some were set free.
P.S. The quote mentioned in the beginning is a conversation between Gulzar and Joginder Paul, an Urdu writer. You can find them sharing their experiences with each other at the end of this book.
This is Gulzar recalling the experiences he had during the 1947 Partition as a 13-year-old boy in Dina (now in Pakistan). Partition has left deep-rooted scars that many bore or still bear with a silent voice. However, after years he realized that writing helped him to express the emotions that went numb after seeing the heinous incidents. One of his books, 'Footprints on Zero Line: Writings on Partition', remarkably translated into English by Rakshanda Jalil, an Indian author and translator, is based on the theme of partition, featuring both fiction and non-fiction writings.
Since I never analyzed a poem on my own, I was hesitant to go with this book. But Partition Literature course in my final semester pushed me further. And, to my relief, as I began reading it, I realized that Gulzar shares his emotions with eloquence, and I could easily visualize the images woven into his words.
His poems such as 'Dina', and 'Zero Line' reminisce some childhood memories and longing to return to his birthplace whereas 'Silence at the Border' illustrates the eerie feeling at the border which mostly listens to firings and shelling.
The book also includes short stories written in lucid language. He talks about the sufferings the media depicts and also those that we seldom discuss. Whenever we hear '1947 Partition', we wonder about all the tension between the Hindus and the Muslims. But Gulzar brushes aside this distinction and imparts that in the end, we are humans, fragile to hate and ignorant towards love.
Gulzar reveals nothing about the political chaos behind the partition while presenting the consequences of the act. His works unveil how the soldiers on the border and the civilians were the ultimate victims in the communal battles. Some survived, and some were set free.
P.S. The quote mentioned in the beginning is a conversation between Gulzar and Joginder Paul, an Urdu writer. You can find them sharing their experiences with each other at the end of this book.
August 8, 2022
𝙞𝙛-𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜-𝙖-𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧-𝙖𝙣𝙙-𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜-𝙖-𝙘𝙪𝙩-𝙤𝙣-𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧-𝙤𝙬𝙣-𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 had a face, then this book is that face.
19 poems and 13 stories later I was sitting there with this book in my hand and a heavy heart and maybe a few tears in my eyes. None of my family had to move and change their nations, so I have never really had the chance to witness the stories of partition in person, except this one time S (my friend) was telling me about her family. I had a little sense of what had happened and what was the havoc about within people. And the havoc that was there can never be felt in the same way as the people who had to move out of their homes, leave some of their family 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙣-𝙧𝙖𝙖𝙩.
This book has such stories. It has stories of how partition had people migrate, how soldiers are at the border, how when the line was created - actually made a line on our hearts and how heartwrenching letting go of your home, where you have spent years is. It has stories that will make your mind go crazy, one moment you are smiling, and at the other you are numb. I don't even know if numb is the best word to describe what I felt while reading this book. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. Some of it will make you say maybe partition was the right thing to do, and some of it will make you puke, such horrid things, things we humans are capable of will make you stunned.
In the end, this book had my heart in my mouth most of the time, I was in constant shock and surprise ( surprise, maybe not entirely) but this book made me quiet for some time. It got me thinking if I do know partition. And more importantly, do I know what people had to go through?
19 poems and 13 stories later I was sitting there with this book in my hand and a heavy heart and maybe a few tears in my eyes. None of my family had to move and change their nations, so I have never really had the chance to witness the stories of partition in person, except this one time S (my friend) was telling me about her family. I had a little sense of what had happened and what was the havoc about within people. And the havoc that was there can never be felt in the same way as the people who had to move out of their homes, leave some of their family 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙣-𝙧𝙖𝙖𝙩.
This book has such stories. It has stories of how partition had people migrate, how soldiers are at the border, how when the line was created - actually made a line on our hearts and how heartwrenching letting go of your home, where you have spent years is. It has stories that will make your mind go crazy, one moment you are smiling, and at the other you are numb. I don't even know if numb is the best word to describe what I felt while reading this book. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. Some of it will make you say maybe partition was the right thing to do, and some of it will make you puke, such horrid things, things we humans are capable of will make you stunned.
In the end, this book had my heart in my mouth most of the time, I was in constant shock and surprise ( surprise, maybe not entirely) but this book made me quiet for some time. It got me thinking if I do know partition. And more importantly, do I know what people had to go through?
November 1, 2024
Book Name- Footprints on Zero Line
Author- Gulzar
Genre- Contemporary fiction/ Writings on partition
Pages- 216
.
सूख गये हैं फूल किताबों में
यार ‘फ़राज़’ भी बिछड़ गये,
अब शायद मिले वो ख़्वाबों में! 🍁
It is one of the best books written by Gulzar Sahab. The book contains many poems, tales, insights, interviews, etc. The translation by @rakhshandajalil is beautiful. The poems in the book are written in Hindi and is translated in English as well. The other tales and insights all are written in English. So don’t consider it as a Hindi translation book. Gulzar Sahab has poured a lifetime of experiences, memories, dreams and desires in the grinder; the outcome is a fine dust of memories that settles over this collection like sepia-tinted particles shining with wistfulness and hope. He has shown us where the possibilities of healing and redemption might lie with the ordinary people themselves. It really hits those who were involved, childhood gets ruined, lives go haphazard for no fault of them. The thoughts of being a refugee, a lost child in the midst of it all, the losses, the sickness and the deaths. The killings and those who see it with their own eyes will remain with them forever. The choas of partition times and the dead silence of the corpses are well inked. The stories too carries similar themes likewise the poems. This book is such an eye opener to the events that occurred during the times of partition which will make you feel as if you were there and all these things happened in front of you. This book will make you feel sad and your heart will be heavy after completing the whole book. One of the best books related to partition.
Review- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author- Gulzar
Genre- Contemporary fiction/ Writings on partition
Pages- 216
.
सूख गये हैं फूल किताबों में
यार ‘फ़राज़’ भी बिछड़ गये,
अब शायद मिले वो ख़्वाबों में! 🍁
It is one of the best books written by Gulzar Sahab. The book contains many poems, tales, insights, interviews, etc. The translation by @rakhshandajalil is beautiful. The poems in the book are written in Hindi and is translated in English as well. The other tales and insights all are written in English. So don’t consider it as a Hindi translation book. Gulzar Sahab has poured a lifetime of experiences, memories, dreams and desires in the grinder; the outcome is a fine dust of memories that settles over this collection like sepia-tinted particles shining with wistfulness and hope. He has shown us where the possibilities of healing and redemption might lie with the ordinary people themselves. It really hits those who were involved, childhood gets ruined, lives go haphazard for no fault of them. The thoughts of being a refugee, a lost child in the midst of it all, the losses, the sickness and the deaths. The killings and those who see it with their own eyes will remain with them forever. The choas of partition times and the dead silence of the corpses are well inked. The stories too carries similar themes likewise the poems. This book is such an eye opener to the events that occurred during the times of partition which will make you feel as if you were there and all these things happened in front of you. This book will make you feel sad and your heart will be heavy after completing the whole book. One of the best books related to partition.
Review- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 13, 2018
This book is basically a gift to me by a dearest friend Almost one year ago. It remain in my wardrobe but i never tried to read. Last weekend i pick another book of gulzar named as Green poems which remind of this book..
His writings always have great depths yet are very simple and relatable. This book divided mainly in two parts poems and tales.
Some poems are really terrible to fetch anxiety about past but immensely beautiful.
The part of tales is really painful. This book is not so big to take a week but the emotions came after reading a single tale make reader stop and think what happend at the time if Indo-Pakistan partition. How painful life span were faced by ancestors. How could they survive in the tenure if roits.
The roits,firing,rapes,murder tale fill reader's heart with screams and pain. In one tale gulzar talk about Kashmir it is really hard to explain the situation of people there in IOK as well as how strict passage to go through to enter and leave the IOK. Particularly for females.
These tales might be fully fiction or partially real but these are heart wrenching. This book disturb reader from core of heart and mind.
Each tale was more deeper than the other. The bone chilling tales of bloodshed and wartime are enough to put reader in tears.
Highly recommended to all adults who can understand pain is. What should it be and in heavens we Indians and Pakistanis are living now. But all due to these people or many like them who sacrifice all of their life's blessings and necessities. Do compare please and stay in gratitude.
His writings always have great depths yet are very simple and relatable. This book divided mainly in two parts poems and tales.
Some poems are really terrible to fetch anxiety about past but immensely beautiful.
The part of tales is really painful. This book is not so big to take a week but the emotions came after reading a single tale make reader stop and think what happend at the time if Indo-Pakistan partition. How painful life span were faced by ancestors. How could they survive in the tenure if roits.
The roits,firing,rapes,murder tale fill reader's heart with screams and pain. In one tale gulzar talk about Kashmir it is really hard to explain the situation of people there in IOK as well as how strict passage to go through to enter and leave the IOK. Particularly for females.
These tales might be fully fiction or partially real but these are heart wrenching. This book disturb reader from core of heart and mind.
Each tale was more deeper than the other. The bone chilling tales of bloodshed and wartime are enough to put reader in tears.
Highly recommended to all adults who can understand pain is. What should it be and in heavens we Indians and Pakistanis are living now. But all due to these people or many like them who sacrifice all of their life's blessings and necessities. Do compare please and stay in gratitude.
September 27, 2018
Despite being born 12 years after the event, Partition for me remains a trigger that evokes feelings of tragedy, loss and nostalgia. Being cut off from the roots, with grandparents and ancestral home across the border & limited access to both, has left a gaping hole and a pain in the very soul that even time itself has not managed to heal.
All this pain, tragedy & pathos is brought to the fore by this wonderful collection of Gulzar's writings that includes poetry and prose: short stories as well as personal events and thoughts. These have been faithfully and beautifully translated by Rakhshanda Jalil, who has managed to bring forth the unique emotions of 'hasrat' and 'yaas' that are so much a part of subcontinent writings. However, without taking away any credit from the translator, I still want to read the original....& in the Urdu script!
Although the poetry section has included the Hindi version in the requisite text, I wish an Urdu version had also been included to make it accessible to countless readers on the this side of the border who are just as affected by the Partition!
Maybe this is one of the books that should have an audio version in the original language, preferably by Gulzar himself..... now wouldn't that be a keeper!!
All this pain, tragedy & pathos is brought to the fore by this wonderful collection of Gulzar's writings that includes poetry and prose: short stories as well as personal events and thoughts. These have been faithfully and beautifully translated by Rakhshanda Jalil, who has managed to bring forth the unique emotions of 'hasrat' and 'yaas' that are so much a part of subcontinent writings. However, without taking away any credit from the translator, I still want to read the original....& in the Urdu script!
Although the poetry section has included the Hindi version in the requisite text, I wish an Urdu version had also been included to make it accessible to countless readers on the this side of the border who are just as affected by the Partition!
Maybe this is one of the books that should have an audio version in the original language, preferably by Gulzar himself..... now wouldn't that be a keeper!!
November 7, 2022
"Why is everything so still at the border?
I am scared of this frozen silence."
Just wow. I have read a few writings on the Partition by now but this one gave me chills so many times. This book is dedicated to Dina, his birthplace in Pakistan. The book begins with some poems which are beautifully written - I could only read the one's translated in English but they were also terrific.
The book continues with various tales which were mostly painful to read. Many books about India or Pakistan are usually written from the perspective of one of the sides. However this book is not written to favor a side and that is what made the storyline unique and powerful. It shows the view of actual people going through this rather than an abstract view or that of the politicians who insisted on this awful mistake. It shows the harsh realities that these people were forced to endure just because some high-up and foreign politicians decided that Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, who had been living together in peace for centuries, all of a sudden couldn't because their religions couldn't coexist in harmony.
"Dreams have no borders."
I am scared of this frozen silence."
Just wow. I have read a few writings on the Partition by now but this one gave me chills so many times. This book is dedicated to Dina, his birthplace in Pakistan. The book begins with some poems which are beautifully written - I could only read the one's translated in English but they were also terrific.
The book continues with various tales which were mostly painful to read. Many books about India or Pakistan are usually written from the perspective of one of the sides. However this book is not written to favor a side and that is what made the storyline unique and powerful. It shows the view of actual people going through this rather than an abstract view or that of the politicians who insisted on this awful mistake. It shows the harsh realities that these people were forced to endure just because some high-up and foreign politicians decided that Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, who had been living together in peace for centuries, all of a sudden couldn't because their religions couldn't coexist in harmony.
"Dreams have no borders."
August 12, 2023
The heartbreaking period of Indian history known as the Partition is the subject of Gulzar's masterpiece collection of poems and short stories, Footprints on Zero Line. Through the stories and poems in this book, Gulzar recalls his formative years in Dina with nostalgia.
Footprints on Zero Line is an emotional and depressing journey back to the time when countries were formed from lands. Each poem by Gulzar reflects the author's feelings and attachments. While in his story, Gulzar shares anecdotes about death, his relationship with his mother, and her belief in the holy man's grave.
Readers experience tension, sacrifice, mourning, and grief on every page, causing us to revisit the terrifying moments that occurred outside of recorded history.
If you want to read partition literature, you absolutely must read Footprints on Zero Line because it is so delicate, moving, and beautifully translated.
Footprints on Zero Line is an emotional and depressing journey back to the time when countries were formed from lands. Each poem by Gulzar reflects the author's feelings and attachments. While in his story, Gulzar shares anecdotes about death, his relationship with his mother, and her belief in the holy man's grave.
Readers experience tension, sacrifice, mourning, and grief on every page, causing us to revisit the terrifying moments that occurred outside of recorded history.
If you want to read partition literature, you absolutely must read Footprints on Zero Line because it is so delicate, moving, and beautifully translated.
August 11, 2018
"Footprints on Zero Line - Writings on the Partition" by Gulzar. As the title suggests, this book has writings on Partition, the horror and displacement woes and Gulzar's personal feelings during that period. The book is divided into 2 sections, Poems (19 poems) and Tales (13 tales).
--
Did I like this book? Absolutely loved it. Partition is a very difficult topic to write on as it's very hard to find the right words to be able to leave an impact on the readers who've not experienced it. Gulzar does it beautifully. There's a dialogue at the end of the book between Gulzar and Joginder Paul that throws more light on what they had seen then. My favourite poem from the lot is "Agar aisa bhi ho sakta".
P.s - It has the poems in Hindi and they've also given the English translation alongside.
If you're looking for books on Partition or good poetry books, give this one a shot.
--
Did I like this book? Absolutely loved it. Partition is a very difficult topic to write on as it's very hard to find the right words to be able to leave an impact on the readers who've not experienced it. Gulzar does it beautifully. There's a dialogue at the end of the book between Gulzar and Joginder Paul that throws more light on what they had seen then. My favourite poem from the lot is "Agar aisa bhi ho sakta".
P.s - It has the poems in Hindi and they've also given the English translation alongside.
If you're looking for books on Partition or good poetry books, give this one a shot.
March 15, 2018
There are certain books that leave an everlasting impact on your mind, 'Footprints on Zero Line' is definitely one of those books.
The first part of the book comprises of a collection of poems on the recollection of Gulzar of his hometown, Dina that he left behind in Pakistan and his longing and the memories of the place he once called home. Hindi and English versions of each poem are present. At times I found the poems too profound but mostly I believe the impact somewhat wore out because the translation failed to do justice to the original poem.
The second part comprises of short stories based on the events of partition and how they impacted the life of those involved. Each story was more profound than the other. The bone chilling tales of bloodshed and wartime are enough to put you through tears or atleast tug the strings of your heart.
Highly recommended.
The first part of the book comprises of a collection of poems on the recollection of Gulzar of his hometown, Dina that he left behind in Pakistan and his longing and the memories of the place he once called home. Hindi and English versions of each poem are present. At times I found the poems too profound but mostly I believe the impact somewhat wore out because the translation failed to do justice to the original poem.
The second part comprises of short stories based on the events of partition and how they impacted the life of those involved. Each story was more profound than the other. The bone chilling tales of bloodshed and wartime are enough to put you through tears or atleast tug the strings of your heart.
Highly recommended.
August 28, 2019
You can't fault a wordsmith like Gulzar. So I wont go there. What exciting is how truthfully the translation has been handed. It's one of those books you want to pick when you want to be overwhelmed with someone's ability to stitch together simple thoughts in the most poignant dialogues. It's painful at times, ecstatic at others, gleeful at an instance and grim at other.
A strange nostalgic musing, the collection (of poems and prose) serenades you and pushes ahead with vivid imagination of an eidetic memory.
A strange nostalgic musing, the collection (of poems and prose) serenades you and pushes ahead with vivid imagination of an eidetic memory.
July 28, 2021
An Exceptional set of poems and a handful of short stories compiled together to make this book. The poems by Gulzar are exquisite as they often are. Short stories a well, if looked at from a literary perspective, are breathtaking and dark as the days were after partition. While reading them from a historical and sociological perspective, they seem rather childish as someone naive who doesn't have a nuanced understanding of the sociological and political turmoil and the state of affairs at the ground level.
March 14, 2020
Footprints on zero line..
A collection of poems and stories about Indo - Pak partition and how the lifes of common people were affected by it... And forced to hate despite the brotherhood that remains..Cant stop wondering how the people who were once together as a single nation divided over years in the name of religion? politics? cricket ? All credits to the wonderful politicians to flame the fire over years and keep it burning for the reasons we didint even know in the first place...a
A collection of poems and stories about Indo - Pak partition and how the lifes of common people were affected by it... And forced to hate despite the brotherhood that remains..Cant stop wondering how the people who were once together as a single nation divided over years in the name of religion? politics? cricket ? All credits to the wonderful politicians to flame the fire over years and keep it burning for the reasons we didint even know in the first place...a
July 20, 2021
It is an absolute masterpiece written by the legend himself on Partition which he witnessed firsthand in 1947 as a 13yr old boy.
Heartrending stories and poems on the ordinary and innocent folks who lost their lives amid the madness around them. Experience the emotional pain seep right into you through the words and verse of Gulzaar Saab.
And Rakshanda has done a fabulous job of translating his work into English.
Heartrending stories and poems on the ordinary and innocent folks who lost their lives amid the madness around them. Experience the emotional pain seep right into you through the words and verse of Gulzaar Saab.
And Rakshanda has done a fabulous job of translating his work into English.
January 1, 2018
A book which you will revisit at numerable times just to feel the warmth of Gulzar's writing again and again!
The poems and tales will give you a hint of what a man of his age, who has seen the partition closely, must feel after so many years of the incident.
A must read for all Gulzar fans and for those who like this genre.
The poems and tales will give you a hint of what a man of his age, who has seen the partition closely, must feel after so many years of the incident.
A must read for all Gulzar fans and for those who like this genre.
December 13, 2017
Politics begets war, and a never-ending cycle of hatred and revenge. But it is the common man who suffers the consequences. Gulzar's Footprints on the Zero Line is an anthology of trues stories from the Partition and beyond. Simply told, each one touches the heart, even as the futility of it all stares you in the face. Of what use is the animosity and aggression?
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