The Swing Now Available on Amazon Kindle
Isha Merchant
THE SWING
“We have to leave.”
1947.
It was considered one of the most memorable years in Indian history. The year of freedom.
But every coin has two sides. While the country celebrated, cries for mercy floated across a newly created border. A free country was now being split into two.
Padma Bajaj is an unapologetic, headstrong and progressive woman and an advocate for education, especially for girls. Ever since she got married as a young girl, however, she has been searching for a place to call home.
But when her family knows of the Partition of India and Pakistan, they know that they have to leave, as each day passes with a struggle to remain safe.
Padma has to migrate from Pakistan to the new nation – Hindustan, leaving behind everything her family had built. But is it really possible to make it across safely when the countries are in turmoil?
Is it possible to piece life back together again?
Historical Fiction
The Swing: A Story of Hope and Survival During India’s Partition
“Were they not living in Sindh, a part of Hindustan?”
1947 is heralded as the year of freedom in India. Every year, we celebrate exuberantly on the 15th of August, remembering that day as one where India became an independent country.
But somehow, few remember the tragedy that loomed in the background.
Unity clashed with discordant riots. The region, Sindh, brimming with life and culture, was lost to the horrific violence that ensued in the Partition of India and Pakistan.
Padma Bajaj has lived her life on her own terms, in Rohri, Pakistan. Ever since she was a little girl, she fought societal conventions to find a place called home, and adorn it with a secret, cherished dream- a traditional Sindhi swing known as a peengho. Common in affluent Sindhi households, she longs for one and as her family’s economic situations improve, the dream may become a reality.
But the arrival of the Indo-Pakistan partition sets very strange terms before her- she cannot live in Pakistan while being a Hindu. The new borders drawn between India and Pakistan indicate that she’s on the wrong side.
Conflicted, Padma and her family are presented with the heart-wrenching decision- sacrificing their home for their lives.
Will hope be enough to bring them to the new nation safely?
Will they ever find home again?
Pet Fiction
D.D.A: 20 Shih Tzus from China
Pet Fiction
D.D.A: The Revenge
Sandy, the dog, and Tooty, the cat, have become very close since their row in our first adventure, bringing the Domestic Dog Agency and Cute Cat Agency closer. But it now seems that there will be lots of obstacles in their path of friendship. So, join me, and uncover clues in this amazing and unforgettable journey. It’s an adventure to remember!
Isha Merchant
Isha Merchant lives in Bangalore with her family (which includes two furry members). When not participating in the real world, you’ll find her tucked away in the corner with a book (and sometimes a pen.) She’s occasionally dragged into reality to play a game of tennis, enjoy a Kathak class, or normal school problems, before floating back into the fascinating world of books. She loves history and historical fiction, seeing them as a medium to revisit lost times.
Events
Happy to announce the book launch of “The Swing” on July 9th at Bangalore International Centre.
Supported by “Sindhi Cultural Foundation”
Chief Guest “Mr. Chiranjiv Singh, I.A.S.
Former ambassador of India to UNESCO in Paris
Recipient 2005 Rajyotsava Award Karnataka and a partition survivor
RSVP: dr.jaya.bajaj [at] gmail [dot] com
