Memory of Beheram

By Farida J Manekshah

"The Quaid e Azam's spirit came to me. I told him that I'd done a very bad thing when I broke the Murti and that I had lost a son because of it." 'Memory of Beheram' is a family saga set in the years immediately following the British withdrawal from India in 1947 and the setting up of the new state of Pakistan. It was a time of unrest. When communities which had peacefully co-existed for centuries waged war against each other. But amongst the chaos and the population movements, it was also possible for fortunes to be made. Seen through eyes of Farida J Manekshah, the rich man's favourite daughter, Memory of Beheram tells the story of the jobbing photographer who bought a palace amongst that turmoil. With his wealth, Jehangir could take on anyone: even the Pakistan Government, which had requisitioned the ground floor of his palace to house foreign diplomats. But it all came tumbling down when Farida's elder brother, Beheram, was killed on Hawkesbay Beach and his body swept out to sea. It took a s?ance and a gunpoint confession to establish the truth of his murder. But Farida's life would never be the same. After Jehangir had won his battle with the Pakistan Government, he sold the palace and moved the family to London, where he had been stationed during the War. Farida found settling into London difficult because she was denied the liberties which her English schoolfriends took for granted. In desperation she entered into an abusive marriage in the belief that it would give her the freedom she craved. But the marriage was problematic from the start because of her husband's excessive drinking. With the alcohol came the violence - and eventually to her husband's impotence. Instead of enjoying freedom, Farida became trapped in a marriage which was as sexually unfulfilling as it was violent. It was then the same family from which she had sought escape which now rallied round to give her the courage to break free.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1539668142
• ISBN13: 9781539668145
• Release Date: November 2016
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 286 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.1" x 7.8"