The Pilgrims - Paperback

by Muhammad Asif Nawaz (Author)

As a divorced Mehar returns to the Old City of Lahore after being away from the place for seven years, a series of events start to unravel. Feroze finds inexplicable relief in his father's death and tries to make up for lost time. Bina is haunted by the ghosts of the past as an estranged relationship comes back after a decade. Aariz comes back to Pakistan after having left the place for good reason and is unsure about what awaits him.

As the stories of these people unfurl, influencing and affecting each other's, the strings of history and belonging swaddle around them. Deeply embedded in the local context, the lives of the characters embroil in a battle with the unseen. The old monuments of Lahore become a bitter reference point for Mehar. Aariz's mind plays him to unveil the secret of existence, drawing parallels from as far as the creation of man. The burden of a feudal legacy becomes brawny for Feroze, while Bina's unattainable love is connected to the history of the birth of her country. Friendships start to tumble, relationships are challenged by judgement.

The stories of four characters become a kaleidoscope of the region. The dispute of Kashmir, Babri Masjid riots, discourse on minority rights, Sufi ideals, the shadows of colonialism religious beliefs and folk legends, all conspire to design the journeys, the "pilgrimages", of the characters.