Representation of Sikh Sensibility in Train to Pakistan: A Critical Analysis

Sikhs occupy a substantial space in the country's
national consciousness despite comprising a
relatively small demographic in the Indian
population. Understanding the dynamics of
representation requires acknowledging the
global power imbalances that influence how
majorities and minorities, genders and races are
depicted. The critical inquiry generally moves
beyond a passive acceptance of existing
representations and engages with the context in
which the texts emerge. This context, in the case
of literary portrayals of Sikhs, is marked by a
distinct lack of sustained critical scholarship in
English. The analytical deficiency underscores
the urgency of addressing the widespread
absence of Sikh voices in literary representation.
Too often, Sikh characters are relegated to the
margins, portrayed as lacking subjectivity,
serving as silent or negligible presences.
Alternatively, they are depicted through
reductive stereotypes – either as comic figures
whose portrayal reflects negatively on the entire
community or as hypermasculine 'warrior-saints'
characterized by violence, unthinking rigidity,
and stereotypical notions of masculinity. With
this context in mind, the present paper seeks to
analyze the representation of Sikh characters in
Khushwant Singh's Train to Pakistan, a Partition
novel written by a Sikh author. The aim is to
explore the nuances and complexities inherent in
portraying this community in the literary
landscape. It delves into Khushwant Singh's
novel and its construction of Sikh identity,
sensibility, and the concept of the Sikh martyr.
The analysis explores how these constructs
emerge alongside the portrayal of gender and
religious identities in the pre-partition context of
Punjab.