Understanding the Trauma: Treatment of the Theme of Partition in Manju Kapur’s “Difficult Daughters”

It is rare and uncommon to come across the theme of partition in recently published works of Indian Writing in English. The reason could be the remoteness of this painful and poignant experience in the sense of time and memory too. In this regard, Manju Kapur proves to be a remarkable exception as she, as a writer, in her very first venture itself, enlivens and reawakens that bygone era of political upheavals and social stigmas. The reading of Difficult Daughters leaves the reader in no doubt as to why the work bagged the winners’ trophy for Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for the Best First Book. The writer has been aptly eulogized to have succeeded in portraying effectively and efficiently the plight of women and the harmony among different communities; she has also effectively depicted the reservations developing in the minds of people due to the highly unstable and uncontrollable political scenario. She deftly presents the city of Lahore of the time; a contemporary
prestigious education hub for the youth and the city of Amritsar that is no different from the present dusty town that it is today. She realistically portrays the economic issues faced by the traders due to impending partition, the emerging tension and distrust amongst the people. The book once more transports us to the era of uncertainty and unrest of the bygone times.