Pali by Bhisham Sahni
In Pali, Bhisham Sahni vividly portrays the violence and chaos that followed the partition of India in 1947,
shedding light on the immense trauma faced by those affected. The text exposes the deep emotional and
physical suffering caused by the upheaval, highlighting the forced migration, communal violence, and family
separations that became common occurrences. Partition was not just a political or geographical divide; it was a
rupture that disfigured the very fabric of individual lives, religions, and cultures. The partitioning of India left
people stranded in hostile environments, where their identities, cultures, and religions were questioned,
forcing them to adapt in ways that were painful, traumatic, and often life-changing.
Sahni’s Pali focuses on the harrowing journey of a child named Pali, who becomes the embodiment of the
trauma that partition inflicted upon its victims. Pali, a young boy, is separated from his parents during the
chaos of partition. In his eyes, we see the confusion and disorientation that marked the lives of countless
children like him, who were forcibly displaced and thrust into unfamiliar circumstances. The text poignantly
reveals that Pali was kidnapped during the mass exodus and his life was turned upside down as he was torn
away from everything he had known. This forced separation from his family is emblematic of the separation
that partition caused between families, communities, and even nations.
The narrative reflects the confusion and pain of those who lived through partition, illustrating how people were
often overwhelmed by the events unfolding around them. As the novel reflects, “All of them had their own
worries to contend with. They were all shouting and crying. Hers was not the only family being driven from its
home” (p. 57). Partition caused a fragmentation of societies where individuals had to endure unimaginable
challenges just to survive. While some found themselves forced to migrate to new nations, others like Pali
became lost in the tumult, unable to locate their families amid the chaos.
Pali’s trauma becomes more profound as he faces an internal conflict between his former life and his new
existence. Kidnapped and relocated to an entirely different country and religious setting, Pali is forced to
confront the loss of his identity. He is compelled to abandon his previous religious practices and assimilate into
a completely different culture and faith. This shift causes Pali significant emotional distress, as he struggles to
reconcile his past with his present. The anguish he feels is best illustrated when his father, Manohar Lal,
expresses his despair at not being able to find his son: “The child must be somewhere here” (p. 58). These
words reflect the helplessness of parents who were torn away from their children, as well as the broader sense
of fragmentation and confusion that marked the partition experience.
The emotional turmoil of individuals like Pali highlights the existential crisis faced by countless people caught in
the whirlwind of partition. They were displaced not just physically but also mentally, torn between conflicting
identities, histories, and communities. As Dhungana (2009) states, “The body is compelled to get its space or
existence through the acceleration of the time or world. Context determines, language crystallizes its meaning
because it is the product of the social discourse” (p. 16). In Pali’s case, this fragmented existence is
characterized by his struggle to preserve his original identity while also being forced into a new one. His body is
physically displaced, but his spirit and memories remain tethered to his lost home and family.
Pali’s confusion is heightened by the dual identities he must assume, both as a child of his past and as someone
thrust into a new world that demands his conformity. This trauma reflects the larger issues of identity crisis
faced by those who lived through partition, as they were forced to navigate a complex terrain of religion,
culture, and national belonging. Pali’s inner conflict becomes a poignant reflection of the broader chaos that
partition brought upon the people. The emotional strain Pali experiences serves as a microcosm of the larger
societal trauma, where individuals were forced to grapple with a new identity while trying to hold onto their
past.
The partition also led to violent and dehumanizing treatment of those who were perceived as outsiders. The
people who found themselves on the “wrong” side of the border often faced persecution, with the most
vulnerable being abducted, raped, tortured, or killed. Pali, like many others, was subjected to these horrific
realities. The violence of the partition is highlighted through the image of the maulvi, a religious leader, holding
a thick lathi in his hand, symbolizing the coercion that some religious leaders used to forcibly convert people to
their religion (p. 61). This act of forced conversion was part of a larger effort to erase identities and impose new
ones, leading to profound psychological and cultural scars.
The legacy of partition violence continued to haunt individuals for years. The brutality and inhumanity of the
time were so severe that, as Pandey (2001) notes, “One is to declare such violence non-narratable: the ‘limit
case’ of history as it has been described in the instance of the Holocaust” (p. 45). The horrific events of
partition were so severe and so deeply ingrained in the collective memory that they became almost impossible
to narrate in any coherent way. Partition, for many, was an experience that could not be fully captured by
words, as its effects were too vast and its violence too profound.
Sahni’s Pali also explores the emotional desolation that many people felt during partition. The people were so
absorbed in their own suffering that they often could not comprehend the larger consequences of the
partition. As the text describes, “Fate had thrown a black curtain across their eyes, and they could discern no
ray of hope through it” (p. 59). The hopelessness and despair that gripped people in the aftermath of partition
were profound, and the trauma they experienced often felt inescapable. Many could not see beyond their
immediate survival, and as a result, the emotional and psychological wounds of partition lingered long after the
violence had ceased.
Ambedkar (1940) emphasized that as long as the Hindus and Muslims viewed each other as threats, they could
not unite for the common good of the nation: “So long as the Hindus and Muslims regard each other as a
menace, their attention will be engrossed in preparation for meeting the menace” (p. 237). This religious
intolerance, which was rooted in historical tensions, fueled the violence and hatred that marred the partition.
The emotional detachment and dehumanization that followed were a direct result of the religious bigotry that
divided communities.
The novel Pali highlights these emotional and psychological wounds, illustrating how people who lived through
partition were haunted by their experiences. The narrative of Pali, along with other contemporary works such
as Pinjar by Amrita Pritam and Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh, portrays the harrowing consequences of
the partition. These stories provide a realistic depiction of the trauma and dislocation that people faced as they
were forced to leave their homes and embark on uncertain journeys.
Prasad (1946) provides a critical perspective on the condition of the people during partition, noting how
religion became a source of division: “Religion became the matter of separation which creates religious bigotry
and the same religion became the part of human massacre” (p. 22). The political and religious dogmatism that
fueled partition created a context in which people were pitted against one another, often resulting in violence,
persecution, and death. Religion, instead of being a source of solace, became a tool for division, leading to
mass violence and human suffering.
Through Pali’s experiences, Sahni’s Pali provides a powerful portrayal of the psychological and emotional
trauma caused by partition. The story serves as a poignant reminder of the personal toll that political and
religious divisions can take on individuals, and the lasting scars left by such tragedies.
