THE JEHLUM BOYS Writer: Prashant PN Pandita
The Jehlum Boys is a travelogue that tells the story of the loss of Paradise and its partial regain. The story centres around two Jhelum boys, Nishant and Muddasir. The story of two tender boys epitomized the tale of two nations-their dreams and realities, hopes and frustrations
The agony of partition still haunts the sufferers of Bengal and Punjab. But Prashant tells the sufferings of another kind of refugee in their own land. The first section depicts the land of childhood bliss— the blossoming of friendship amidst the smell of tulips and apples, the chirping of hill birds, and tank races and Regattas. The local ambience adds colour to the story.
The second and middle deal with broken dreams and crude reality. The blaring from the mosques on January 19, 1990, asking Hindus to leave Kashmir heralds the loss of paradise as a section of Kashmiris became refugees in their own lands. The two friends separated and languished in two different contexts, dreaming of reunion. The sufferings of Nishant and Muddasir epitomise the sufferings of two nations. Multitudes suffer for no fault of their own. A few greedy and unscrupulous individuals, catering to their self-interest, create suffering for many. The partition stories are always tales of tragic and helpless suffering. Prasahant chiselled his tools to touch the delicate chords of his readers’ hearts.
The autobiographical story by Prashant is a record of an arduous journey from Jhelum to jhelam crossing across some hazardous experience that makes the narrator worldy wise. The tale basically evolves round the relationship of Nishant and Mudassir. Centring round the relationship of two friends, the story narrates the ordeal of two Nations.
The story ends with a happy note, both Nishant and Muddasir learns a lot about life. Life chastises and matures. While Nishant goes to America, Muddasir takes training in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Nishant mellows in an alien land. The story ends where it begins. Shakespeare compared life to a living stage. Prashant attempts to tell a story full of sound and fury signifying many things. The novel is readable and absorbing. Language is lucid and capable of retaining the reader’s attention. Like Prashant, we cannot but ask ‘How wrong could both of us be?’
Review by Prof Arunabha Dasgupta Scholar and Professor in English Literature Ex Principal Burdwan University, West Bengal
