'Naarey'

One of my favourite passages, it really defines the shift of ideology, slogans, motives, and resonates literally in our history time and again. The reason why I feel this extract is so effective in translating the ideas of revolution, upcoming unrest and a slow but massive change is the language and description employed by Hussain. His attempt at making us understand the atmosphere is largely focused on the mundane, people's conversations and the street environment at such a time. Notice words like 'Sahr' and 'Dheeli girift'. The use of the word 'Sahr' implies the newness and beginning of this movement. But at the same time this reference back and forth to historical 'Naarey' being replaced and becoming 'Baasi' is a hit at the frustration of it all. I feel after seeing partition and to witness the events in whole, in adult consciousness, of  another 'national' movement that essentially 'divides' would perhaps make someone as sarcastic and annoyed as Zakir. More so,  his critical eye to this situation is interesting. I particularly love how he says 'Taajub kia' and later 'Crush India, crush India'. The street culture, the loud rumors, slogans, 'Mehfils', 'Charcha'  and the questioning populous with their confusion over a 'Jung, jung, jung' is brilliantly portrayed in this passage.