THE TALE OF TWO COUNTRIES – PB

outside environment seemed to
have completely overshadowed his genes. He was getting more and more
anglicized with every passing year and almost felt embarrassed of being the
son of his parents. He felt that they were out of tune with life in Britain.’
When a young Gursevak Grewal first sees Sukhvinder Kaur in Lahore, it is love
at first sight for both of them. But then the country is brutally ripped
apart, forcing the young lovers to push their emotions back and begin an
arduous journey back to their country-India. Having survived the horrors of
Partition, the couple begins another journey-of blissful matrimony.
Supporting each other through the various ups and downs of life, they migrate
to England, start a business and see the birth of their only child, Gursukh,
in due course. Everything seems perfect, yet the couple makes one last
journey-this time, back to India. What makes them take this journey? Weaving
history with fiction, The Tale of Two Countries is a moving saga of a family
as well as a commentary on the lives of hundreds of Grewals who, lured by
life abroad, take the plunge, and have to deal with both the pressure to make
good in the alien land as well as the longing for the motherland left behind.
The Tale of Two Countries deftly mixes historical elements like India’s
Partition and racial strife in England with fiction. The author beautifully
describes the rural and urban ethos in India near about its Independence and
later of England. He has also highlighted the anxieties on the minds of
migrants as they take the plunge. The book also talks about the family life,
as it has evolved during the present times. Besides, it delicately deals with
the plight of a cancer-ridden wife, who begs for euthanasia and, strangely,
her husband supports her decision. An emotional roller coaster, The Tale of
Two Countries makes for a riveting read.