PHERA

Details:

• ISBN: 9788177661804

• Edition: 5

• Publishing Year: August 1996

• Pages: 112

• Language: Marathi

• Category: Fiction

• Publisher: Mehta Publishing House

• Binding: Paperback

About the Book:

"Kalyani," translated from Bengali to Marathi by Mrunalini Gadkari, explores the profound emotions surrounding the partition of India and its aftermath. Born in undivided India, Kalyani experiences firsthand the pain and struggles of a nation torn apart by religious division.

India successfully drove out the British but paid a heavy price—the partition that divided the country, creating new borders and displacing millions. Kalyani reflects on the sorrowful question: why did the Hindus leave their own country, while Muslims were sent away forever? The land of India, once the common motherland for all, was now divided.

The novel delves deep into the impact of the 1971 war against Pakistan, a lesson in betrayal, loss, and the shifting identity of the land. Kalyani feels the weight of her heritage and the undeniable connection to her Bengali roots. As she returns to the soil of her motherland, she feels a deep attachment to the earth that gave birth to her. Her love for the land is so intense that she cannot love any other country the same way.

Through Kalyani’s journey, the novel questions the importance of language over religion and the significance of land and heritage in shaping one’s identity. Her journey is a powerful reflection on the complexity of belonging and the deep-seated love for one's native soil.