Why I Wrote Agnitandav of 1948 | Ajay Date

Why I wrote Agnitandav

Every book begins with a question. Mine was simple but heavy: What happens when stories of pain are silenced for too long?

Growing up, I had heard fragments about the caste-driven violence of 1948. They were whispers, half-told tales, often avoided because they carried discomfort and shame. Over time, I realized that these silences weren’t just about the past — they shaped how we understood ourselves today. And that realization became the seed for Agnitandav of 1948.

A Personal Connection

This book is not just history to me; it is memory. It is about people who lost homes, dignity, and sometimes their lives, and about others who stood up with compassion, risking everything to save neighbours across caste lines. Their stories mattered then — and they matter even more now, when caste and identity politics once again dominate headlines.

The Danger of Forgetting

Why write about 1948 today? Because forgetting is dangerous. When memory fades, narratives get twisted. Young people grow up believing sanitized versions of history, or worse, no version at all. And when that happens, the mistakes of the past find ways of repeating themselves.

I wrote this book because silence is not neutral. Silence protects the powerful and erases the suffering of the vulnerable. Writing Agnitandav of 1948 was my way of breaking that silence.

Responsibility, Not Blame

This book is not about pointing fingers. It is about asking deeper questions: How does a society allow caste hatred to burn so fiercely? How do neighbours turn against neighbours — and how do some rise above hatred to act with extraordinary humanity?

I wanted to write with responsibility, not blame. The people in my book are not villains or saints — they are human, caught in the fire of history. And through them, we can see both the worst and the best of what we are capable of.

What I Hope Readers Take Away

I hope readers don’t just see this as a story of 1948. It is also a mirror for today’s India. Caste may wear new clothes, politics may change slogans, but the roots of division remain familiar.

Yet, so does compassion. Agnitandav of 1948 is not just about violence; it is also about resilience, courage, and kindness. If even one reader comes away asking, “How can we heal divides instead of deepening them?” — then the book has done its work.

Closing Thought

 I wrote Agnitandav of 1948 because history should not be buried. Our elders may have hesitated to tell these stories, but it is our responsibility to bring them to light. Only then can we honour both the suffering and the compassion of those who lived through those times.