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‘The job of a novel is to fill
SIDDARATHA GIGOO
AUTHOR
the gaps in history books’

SIDDARATHA GIGOO is one of the most ing in exile in London and an Indian continent. If that happens, future gen-
well-known names among the new crop Intelligence Operative — are caught in erations will be saved from ruin.
of writers from Kashmir. Author of well- a vortex of strange yet life-threatening
received books like Garden of Solitude situations wherein they get to explore In Mehr you have moved away from
and A Fistful of Earth and Other Stories some of love’s deepest mysteries. the issues of exile and loss you
and recipient of Commonwealth Prize The novel is also an attempt to under- tackled in The Garden of Solitude. It
2015 for Asia for his short story Umbrella stand the philosophy of love, and its tells a cross-border love story which
Man, Gigoo’s new novel Mehr explores politics. runs into conflict over Kashmir. Was
the theme of cross-border love amid it a conscious decision?
the backdrop of the lingering conflict On its face, the love story bears The novel Mehr is a sequel to The Garden
over Kashmir. In an interview, he tells some resemblance to that of Nihal of Solitude. Major K, whose full name—
riyaz wani that Mehr is his attempt to Ansari, the Indian national who Major Sridhar Kaul — is revealed to-
understand the philosophy of love, and was recently released by Pakistan wards the end is Sridhar of The Garden
its politics. after serving a six year long prison of Solitude. Mehr (the heroine) returns
sentence. He had reportedly gone to Karachi not knowing what she will
EDITED EXCERPTS FROM AN INTERVIEW • to Pakistan to meet his girlfriend
whom he had met online. There
You have said your novel Mehr have also been marriages between
is your attempt to understand the leading Kashmiri politicians and
depth of obsession in its many Pakistani women. Any inspiration
forms like love, patriotism and from them?
religion. But interestingly you have I started writing Mehr in 2013. There
chosen to explore these obsessions have been countless inspirations. Love
through the medium of a love story between the two countries — India
than that of a political drama where and Pakistan — seems unimaginable,
they are supposed to play out, more given the history, the political environ-
so in the context of current South ment, and the decades-long strife over
Asia. Kashmir. But love between two people
Love is an annoyingly difficult emo- living on the two sides of the border is
tion to understand. Every one of us inevitable. Such love might write the
struggles with it. What does love do future history of the two countries.
to humans? Does it lead to happiness Who knows what people are capable of
or sadness, fear or courage, despair or when they are in love?
hope, loss or gain, destruction or crea- Maybe there will be some men and
tion, freedom or imprisonment, unity women in India and Pakistan who
or division, permanence or imperma- will fall in love as if they have no oth-
nence? Why does love alter the course er choice, and as if love is their only
of people’s lives? Why does it change chance, their only hope. Maybe the two
their destinies? Is it borne of reason countries will then realise the futility
or of madness and obsession? What of all barriers and come to each other’s
then is love? What is its true nature? rescue.
What must one expect of it? Can it Maybe they will listen to the voices
ever be attained? How then must one in people’s hearts and not to history
love? that still bears scars of the partition.
In the novel, the two principal Maybe love’s triumph over hate will
characters — a Pakistan woman liv- unite the ordinary people of the sub-

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