UNPARTITIONED TIME: A DAUGHTER’S STORY

Jindo Malavika Rajkotia’s father arrives in India as the Partition riots erupt. He is given a patch of barren land in small-town Karnal to clear cultivate and resume life as landlord and patriarch. But stripped of his history and facing an uncertain future in a land with an unfamiliar language he transforms profoundly. Around this generous funny loving and growingly despondent figure Rajkotia weaves an intricate narrative of her family’s past and present exploring themes of longing and belonging privilege and the loss of it and reflecting on the resilience of a people denied autonomy. Through her raw lyrical prose she guides readers through the struggles of a sprawling clan—uncles aunts siblings cousins and revered heroes— striving for recognition identity and security. Rajkotia fearlessly confronts her milieu whether navigating the radical Khalistan movement the tensions between the Sikh faith and Hindu nationalism or the pervasive cynicism of Indian politics. Her vivid meditative finely-detailed portraits of a rich family life are filled with moments of tears laughter and music and a diverse array of characters who are immensely relatable. Ultimately this brave and moving book is about the enduring quest for meaning and fulfilment that transcends cultural boundaries.