Curfewed night by Basharat Peer.

"Curfewed night" by Basharat Peer. This book is published by RHI in 2009 and has 256 pages. This is author's debut novel.              

The cover says that this book is an account of life, love and war in Kashmir by a Kashmiri journalist. Basharat has written an account of life in Kashmir from his childhood to his adulthood.

Author talks about the relatives, neighbours, acquiatances and friends but has hardly anything on love and nothing to say on his love life.

Author tells us about the life in Kashmir before the rise of terrorism, the general sympathy towards Pakistan, fun part of childhood. Then he tells us how the life transformed irrevocably after the rise of terrorism, how atmosphere became conducive for anti India sentiments, how identity card became extension of body and check posts and barricades part of daily life under the scrutiny of Indian army. He also tells us about the Geelani case, Delhi university professor accused of aiding Parliament attack, tried and later acquitted. 

He also talks about army excesses, oppression, torture, rape, disappeared persons and half widows. He rues the state of neglect and disrepair of infrastructure and is saddened to look at dying monuments. He also tells us how Kashmiri's were historically oppressed by various rulers. There is a brief mention of Ikhawani counter insurgents, Kashmiri's who kill the terrorists. This was new information to me. In short he laments destruction of the fabric of society. 

However author has chosen to only make a passing reference to one important fall out of this situation. The eviction of Kashmiri Pundits from their homeland. It was the largest exodus in Indian history that turned it's citizens into refugees in their own country. Appropriation of their assets by those who evicted them, killings, rapes and other atrocities. Plight of those Kashmiris who had to live a life of refugees in their own country. He talks about targeting of one community by army but remains mostly silent about targeting of another community by terrorists. In short the other side of this coin is largely missing.

The book is written more like a report or an account rather than a novel. Although it won the crossword book award for nonfiction and though it contains important information and stories, I felt that it fell short in literary content. 

Appreciably author's tone is neither angry nor bitter. He appears to be wistful and sad at the lost way of life. He misses the old life. 

Epilogue of this book is probably the best part in this book. It gives an all encompassing view of the author where he gets philosophical.  

Read for a change.