For the past three days, my eyes have swollen along with a constant gulp in throat, tear stains on cheeks and a heavy heart and numb mind! 'Tamas' is not just a story of events put together, its hearts bleeding on paper... One cannot witness such hatred and extreme violence amidst a community that once lived like petals in a flower, distinct yet together!

How can i use words like 'beautifully written' when it is someone's anguish laid bare? The only thought that goes through me is...

...Humne kya khoya, kya paaya?

Read a Hindi book after more than a decade. I had huge expectations from book, but I only has passable feeling. After reading Manto and Amrita Pritam about partition, how they rippled my heart chords, this was a low impact. Most touching scene was that of a young 15 year old Hindu boy, trying to 'make his bones' and be brave during riots started walking with his target, an old Muslim itra seller. The old Muslim man, unaware of boy's intentions, comforts him that he will look out for him that he reaches home safe. He is unable to believe even after he has been knifed by the boy. Other than the emotional factor, book is an accurate account of circumstances of the period, inspired by author's own witnessing of riots in Bhiwandi. ( )

Bhisham Sahni, in this fine novel, recreates the time in India just before the partition. I expecially liked his ability to portray different points of view, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and the British, through his characters as they become involved in the events of the novel. You get a particularly good feel for the relationship between the British administrators and the Indians as well as the tensions between the religious factions. I've read several books about India and this was one of the best. ( )