One evening with Coffee and "A Tale of Two Cities"

I hope, starting from my post “Love your LOVEs”, my writing has given strong indications of my introspection to rejuvenate my interests. The very first interest I found is writing as I have started writing, second 2 Gs and the third one I have found is Literature. I remember when I passed my 8th standard and entered in high school ( (back at my native place, high school is considered as the start of career struggle) and was reading one of “Super commando Dhruva Comics book”. My father saw me reading comic book and said “Anuj!! Now you have grown up, so stop reading comic books and jump onto literature.”....... He gave me a book written by one famous Hindi novelist “Shivani”. I don’t exactly remember the book name (perhaps it was ‘Rathya’). Afterwards I read many Hindi novels by Shivani and by some other writers. Thanks papa to develop a love for the books in me.
Yesterday I was alone and was wandering in a shopping mall, busy with window shopping. I had nothing much to do when I passed outside “CROSSWORD”. I went inside and started looking for a book to pass my half hour. Still I had to decide which book I should opt. This was the time I again started thinking which topic or field intrudes me most. Answer was history that too Indian History. I found the book “A Tale of Two Cities”. Basically “A Tale of Two Cities” is a book published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It depicts the plight of the French proletariat under the brutal oppression of the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution. In the original book the two cities are London and Paris. But the book I had in my hands is written by very famous Indian eminent Kuldeep Nayar and a Pakistani writer Asif Noorani.Here analogy has been done and two cities are represented by India and Pakistan. Both the writer tells their stories of migration between India and Pakistan. The only difference in their stories is, Kuldeep’s migration was forced one and to migrate was a hobson’s choice whereas that of Asif’s was volunteer and was inspired by better business opportunities. I will talk about more about this week later when I finish this book.

Initially, I was apprehensive about this book. Being from saffron family I have always put writers like Kuldeep Nayar, Romila Thapar, in neglected category as in my view they lack respect for ancient Indian History and Heroes that in turn infers proud on our own roots. But later on I started reading the book. Sitting in CROSSWORD, having book in hands, coffee and muffin on table is really a lovely time pass. With every sip of coffee and with every line about scenes in Sialkot in 1947, I started hallucinating an imaginary Sialkot around me. When I finished my time there (I had to as it was closing time for them), I recalled about COFFEE HOUSE in Lucknow where in past all the intellectual of the city used to discuss literature and Shero-shayri.

At the end of day I found something more which really intrudes me, gives me a nice feeling when I think back and inspires me to carry on what I am doing.