The NPR Politics Podcast Road To Partition
Dec 23, 2022
Joining the discussion are insightful individuals from the 1947 Partition Archive, who share powerful personal narratives about one of the most traumatic periods in South Asian history. They delve into the chaos and displacement faced by millions as India and Pakistan divided. The podcast highlights the emotional scars left by Partition, recounts the critical roles of figures like Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and examines how historical tensions continue to resonate in contemporary society. Personal stories and poetry enrich the narrative, bringing a poignant perspective to this complex history.
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Nano's Story
- Asma Khalid shares family stories about Partition, where her grandmother, Nano, was forced to leave India at eight years old.
- Nano's nostalgia for her birthplace and the home they abandoned is a recurring theme.
Returning to Roots
- In 2015, Khalid's sister, Mariam, located Nano's childhood home in India, a place no one in their family had revisited since Partition.
- The current resident, Johnny Virk, warmly welcomed them, showcasing documents with the family name and taking them to ancestral sites.
British Influence & Religious Identity
- Jinnah, Pakistan's first leader, and Nehru, India's first leader, had similar upbringings, both anglicized lawyers with little initial emphasis on religion.
- The British Raj's emphasis on religious categorization in India politicized religious identities, contributing to later tensions.
