The Night Diary

Kazi packs everything from the kitchen cupboards. Papa is behaving strangely. He is extra attentive to Amil and Nisha, playing several games of chess with Amil and reading stories from the Mahabharata storybook: “His voice sounded different, higher, sadder. He read slowly and didn’t stop when he was supposed to at the periods” (64). It is the first time Nisha remembers Papa reading to her and Amil. Amil says Papa is lonely, prompting a revelation for Nisha: Papa misses the times he had with Mama, and Nisha misses the time she never got to have. Amil says Papa is a terrible reader, and both he and Nisha agree Papa needs to practice. They giggle, and Nisha hopes Papa will read to them again.

Kazi teaches Nisha how to make samosas and tells her Papa is having a party. Nisha is confused; they are “supposed to be scared and sad now” (68). Papa says the reason for the party is that he wants to see their friends and family; it had been too long. Papa says they’re leaving soon, and even though many are staying, he believes it is unsafe. Amil asks Papa what has caused the fighting, and instead of explaining the politics behind the partition, Papa tells Nisha and Amil the story of his courtship with their mother. Papa explains how their families had opposed the marriage because Mama was Muslim and he is Hindu. That is why they moved far away from their families to Mirpur Khas.

Nisha learns her grandparents are dead, but that she has an aunt and an uncle she’s never met. Papa tells the children not to speak of their mother; that it would be dangerous in the current climate. Nisha worries what will become of Kazi because “he’s the only one who looks at [her] with happy, loving eyes. No one looks at [her] that way, not even Papa [..] [Papa’s] eyes are always looking back inside his head at his own thoughts” (75).

Nisha lies awake waiting for her thoughts to turn off. After she’s finished writing in her diary “the part of her that can’t fall asleep, the part that’s staring at the cracks on the ceiling, wondering and worrying, is emptied in the diary for the night” (77), only to fill back up the next day.

Nisha helps Kazi prepare food for the party, and Dadi does not protest. Amil sweeps the floors and washes the windows, and Papa straightens the furniture, dusts, tastes all the food to make sure it is properly seasoned. He even lights candles and incense.

Nisha stares at herself in the mirror and for the first time, sees her mother in her face and in her smile. She wears her best salwar kameez and applies kohl to her eyes to make them look more like Mama’s.

Many people attend the party, “tumbl[ing] in with wide smiles, wearing their best clothes, arms full of flowers and sweets, rose perfume floating in the air” (79). The aunties shower Nisha with wet kisses, and the children gather outside, the boys playing cricket, and the girls weaving necklaces out of weeds. When Nisha goes inside for snacks, she sees Papa laughing with the other men and wonders why they have to leave if everyone gets along so well.

The women speak of flowers growing in their gardens, marriages, and births, but not about the partition. Late in the evening, after much celebrating, Nisha tells her cousin Malli that she’ll miss her, but Malli doesn’t know Nisha is leaving or about new India, and she is upset. Nisha regrets saying anything and becomes silent. Malli presses Nisha for more information so Sabeen explains. Malli cries and runs inside to her mother, prompting people to begin leaving. Many people whisper to Nisha to be safe and strong as they leave, and Nisha wonders if it is the last time she’ll see them. Nisha tells Amil she ruined the party. Amil, having felt the sadness of the part from the beginning, says, “It was already ruined” (85).

The next day, everyone returns to their routine. Nisha and Amil help around the house and spend time outside reading and drawing. Nisha reads Papa’s medical books; she can tell Papa likes it. Nisha thinks Papa hopes she might become a doctor, but she does not like blood or the inside of bodies. She thinks if she understands how every part of the body works, particularly the heart and brain, she might understand what is happening to India.

India is independent from British rule, and Pakistan is born. Nisha does not understand what it means to be free, because even though Britain has ruled over India for 200 years, she does not feel British.

Mirpur Khas becomes part of Pakistan, which is for the Muslims. Everyone else will move to India and Muslims in India will move to Pakistan. Papa tells Nisha and Amil that the partition, the splitting of India into two countries, “was a group decision between Lord Mountbatten for the British, Jinnah for the Muslims, and Nehru for everyone else” (90).

Nisha does not want to be without Kazi, nor does she want to move away. Nisha wonders if there is a Muslim girl somewhere in India feeling as she does. Nisha also wonders if their mother was alive, would Nisha and Amil have to leave her because she was Muslim.

Nisha sees in Papa’s newspaper that both sides, India and Pakistan, are celebrating. She does not celebrate but laments leaving. Nisha and Amil pack the one bag they are allowed, leaving most everything they own behind. The only items Nisha takes are her diary, Mama’s jewelry pouch, and dirt from the garden “so [she’ll] always have a bit of the ground [Mama] walked on, a piece of [her] India” (93). The next day, the family will journey by train to their new home in Jodhpur.

Papa confirms Kazi will not join them. Nisha wants Kazi to pretend he is Hindu, but Kazi says it is complicated and too dangerous. The house is mostly packed, and Nisha watches Kazi prepare her favorite meal. She still cannot speak, so she bangs on the counter to get Kazi’s attention. Nisha murmurs that Kazi must come and begins to cry. Kazi says he’s been crying too, and that “people think they are defending themselves, standing up for their people, but it’s all out of fear” (94). Kazi gives Nisha his mortar and pestle, which she reluctantly accepts. She wraps it in a shawl and hides it in her bag to take with her.

Dinner is filled with tearful goodbyes. Afterward, Nisha follows Amil to the garden and tells him that by leaving their home, they’re leaving behind Mama too. Nisha says, “Because [Mama] was here in this house. But our new home. She won’t be there” (97). Amil tells Nisha Mama isn’t at their old home “no matter what stupid stories [she’s] made up in her head” (97). Amil leaves and Nisha cries, feeling lonely. Amil returns quickly, offering Nisha a handkerchief and sitting next to her. He is uncharacteristically still as they watch the sunset over their garden.

The next morning, while packing, Nisha looks for Amil’s drawings but does not see them. Nisha spots a wrapped package containing one of Mama’s paintings and feels happy that something of Mama will be going with them. The family plans to take a carriage to the train early so no one will see them; Papa had heard about violence against fleeing Hindus. Papa tells the children their uncles have made it to the other side and are securing a home for them in Jodhpur. He also tells them they are lucky, some people will have no homes.

Nisha keeps her bag close so no one discovers the mortar and pestle. Amil brings the Mahabharata book and only a few scraps of paper and pencils. He resents having to leave his art. Papa tells him he’s almost a man and to stop throwing fits. Amil carries all of his drawings into the kitchen, and asks Kazi to burn them. Kazi refuses, and Amil says, “I’m almost a man,” (103) repeating what Papa told him, and burns the drawings himself. Nisha and Kazi watch, Nisha cries, and Amil says, “They will burn here, so I might as well be here when they do” (103).

Just as the family is leaving, someone brings news of violence occurring on the trains. The men tell Papa to stay, that the violence will subside, but Papa feels they must leave immediately. Amil asks about the “terrible things” happening, and Papa says people are dying. Papa plans to leave at sunrise and travel the 100 miles, on foot, to Rashid Uncle’s home, which is about halfway to Jodhpur.

The riots are getting closer, so the family stays in Kazi’s cottage to give the impression they’ve left. Nisha wonders if Rashid Uncle is Mama’s brother and wants Amil to press Papa for answers. Amil pushes back, knowing questions will only get him in trouble.