Mapping Divided Legacies: Unravelling Memory, Identity, and Body Politics in Select Partition Literature

The Partition of India in 1947, which coincided with the end of British colonial rule, stands as a pivotal moment in South Asian history. This cataclysmic event in South Asian history is marked by widespread violence, displacement, and trauma. This article explores Geetanjali Shree’s novel Tomb of Sand and Shauna Singh Baldwin’s What the Body Remembers, within the broader context of Partition literature and feminist discourse. Both novels offer a nuanced and multi-layered portrayal of gender dynamics in the aftermath of Partition, foregrounding the agency and resilience of their female protagonists. The narrative techniques employed—characterised by metafictional elements, nonlinear structure and vivid characterisations—provide fertile ground for an exploration of the complexities of memory, identity, and trauma. This article examines how these authors navigate the intersection of gender, nationhood and memory, paying particular attention to the ways in which women’s bodies become sites of contestation and resistance in the aftermath of communal violence. By juxtaposing these texts, it aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complexities of gender, memory, and power dynamics in the context of historical trauma.