Soumitra Banerji’s Liminal Tides is a deeply moving fictional account of India’s Partition, capturing the pivotal years from 1942 to 1947. While it primarily focuses on the Partition of India, its relevance to the current turmoil in Bangladesh is striking. The recent collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government in August this year, and the political unrest in Pakistan since 2022, make Banerji’s themes of migration, border conflicts and communal strife all the more resonant in today’s geopolitical landscape.
At the core of Liminal Tides are the intertwined lives of three families—the Bandhopadhyays, Rawats and Khannas—originating from various regions of undivided India. Banerji expertly weaves their stories together, highlighting the enormous human cost of Partition. What distinguishes this novel from other works on the subject is its emphasis on ordinary people’s personal and emotional experiences rather than focusing solely on political machinations.
The characters, drawn from real-life experiences, reflect the stories of millions forced to flee their homes, abandon their possessions and start over in unfamiliar lands. Banerji writes, “The Khannas, and so many from their displaced society, were virtually threatened out of their businesses, homes and comfort to drift into the uncertainty of a new country..
. a place foreign to them, having to start from scratch with no support but of the divine. And the divine, both for the Khannas and Rawats were the Bandhopadhyays.
.. and, thus, was formed the great club of settlers who would continue to support each other to grow themselves.
.. and grow the new nation to a status of respect and affluence.
” The novel portrays the grim realities of the time—mob violence, forced migration and communal riots are described in unflinching detail. However, Banerji’s skill lies in humanising these events, enabling readers to understand history and empathise with those who lived through it. The characters in Liminal Tides are not mere victims of historical forces; they are survivors who forge new identities in the aftermath of Partition.
Banerji poignantly captures this resilience with lines such as “And we travel an immense distance...
rugged terrain...
a different clan...
with a completely different definition of happiness and life...
” A significant theme Banerji explores is the concept of liminality. The title Liminal Tides refers to the spaces people inhabited during and after Partition—both literal and metaphorical. For many, the Partition meant being caught between two worlds—between India and Pakistan, between their past lives and the uncertain future they were forced to navigate.
Banerji uses liminality as a lens to examine the psychological dislocation his characters experience, as they are left in a state of flux, unsure of where they belong or what lies ahead. In addition to the physical upheaval, Banerji draws attention to the cultural and social fragmentation that Partition caused. The three families in the novel come from different parts of India—Meerut, Gwalior, and Sialkot—each representing a unique cultural identity.
Yet, despite their distinct backgrounds, they all share the everyday experience of displacement and the need to rebuild their lives in unfamiliar places. This theme of cultural fragmentation is woven throughout the novel, as Banerji explores how Partition not only divided the land but also fractured the social fabric of the nation. Banerji’s storytelling is intimate and personal, focusing on his characters’ emotional and psychological experiences.
This approach makes the novel accessible to a broad audience, including younger readers who may not have a direct connection to the events of 1947. By blending elements of drama, romance, and resilience, Banerji ensures that the story of Partition remains both emotionally engaging and historically relevant. However, the novel’s sheer number of characters and settings may overwhelm some readers, and a more structured narrative could have enhanced the book’s flow and readability.
The relevance of Liminal Tides extends far beyond its historical setting. Banerji’s exploration of migration and displacement finds unsettling parallels in contemporary South Asia. The recent incidents at the India-Bangladesh border, where a teenage girl was killed while allegedly attempting to cross into India, underscore the persistence of these issues.
Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict in Kashmir—disputed by both India and Pakistan since 1947—continues to claim lives, with tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers, and militants dying since the late 1980s. Ultimately, Liminal Tides is a powerful reminder that the lessons of Partition remain relevant, and the scars of that period have yet to heal completely. For those who come from Partition-affected families or have grown up hearing stories of the trauma from their elders, this novel resonates deeply, emphasising the profound, lasting impact of those events on generations to come.
Banerji’s work is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and a call to remember the stories of those whose lives were forever altered by the drawing of borders in the Indian subcontinent..
