A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PARTITION IN BAPSI SIDHWA’S ICE-CANDY MAN AND KAMILA SHAMSIE’S A GOD IN EVERY STONE

Abstract

The article discusses contradictory portrayal of partition of the United India in Bapsi Sidhwa’s Ice-Candy Man and Kamila Shamsie’s A God in Every Stone. The analysis of these novels exposes the contradictory line of depiction with reference to the issue of the partition. Sidhwa (2015) narrates story of the novel through a Parsee character, Lenny, in order to look at the partition through perspective of a minority community. Before the partition, characters of different religious backgrounds maintained affinity and homogeneity. However, during the faith-based partition, the bond of affinity weakened and the characters once close friends turned out to be enemies who did not hesitate killing each other. The British colonizers indoctrinated faith-based identities in the Indians and developed differences among them. The article implies Frantz Fanon’s views about pitfalls of decolonization and views of Edward Said about colonial narratives. Contrary to this, Kamila Shamsie, though, highlights colonial ambition by including the theme of archaeology in the novel, however, she valorizes The British Empire by comparing it with the Ottoman Empire. She belittles the anti-colonial movements of Pashtun leaders, Bacha Khan and Haji Sahib of Turangzai. The anti-colonial struggle of the Khudai Khidmatgar is ridiculed for being non-violent. However, Haji Sahib of Turangzai is criticized for using violence against the British colonizers. The Pashtun cultural values are seen through the eyes of an Englishwoman, Viv. She devalues anti-colonial movements by considering social change more important than political change.

Key Words: Partition, Identity, British Raj, Pashtun, Khudai Khidmatgar.