Remembering the History of Pre-partition and Post-Partition Violence in Husain’s Basti

Abstract

Husain’s Basti attempts to explore the traumatic experience and effect faced by uprooted people in post-partition period in Pakistan. The painful experience of Zakir is the real experience of all migrated people. Most of the Muslims’ desire of ideal state plays the vital role to establish a sovereign state Pakistan where they hoped to get pleasure, prosperity and happiness. But in post-partition period, they become unhappy and restless due to the continuous violence. That makes Husain and other fellow Muslims live in trauma and memory of lost harmony. Memory of the harmonious past develops their longing for the home which they have left after the partition of India. With the partition of India, they lose their peace, harmony and integration forever. They are unable to adjust culturally, economically and politically due to lack of harmony and cooperation in new land. They become homeless, landless, and foodless in their dream land. That’s why they remember the past harmony and peace, and curse at present. Neither have they achieved their earlier dreams, hope and opportunities, nor they have been able to maintain peace and harmony in Pakistan. Therefore, their life is full of trauma, angst and frustration. In such condition, they do nothing actively except lamenting for lost happiness through memory.