Salman Rushdie, one of the world's most famous living authors and a frequent commentator on religious conflict in South Asia, weighed in on the upcoming Ayodhya verdict, scheduled to be announced tomorrow. "I hope the judgement is a sensible rather than a mystical one," he is reported as saying.
Other posters have gone into more detail about the debate over the site in the city of Ayodhya, which both Muslims and Hindus deem as sacred. In 1992, a mob of Hindu militants destroyed the Babri Masjid mosque which had occupied the land since the 16th century. The verdict on this debate is likely to unleash simmering tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India, a phenomenon which Rushdie has documented in literature throughout his career.
By the way, if you want a really good introduction to the history of politics in pre- and post- partition India, I strongly suggest reading Rushdie's Midnight's Children. It is a very dense novel but is also a beautiful portrayal of religious and political strife in India during the mid-twentieth century.
I agree Amanda, Midnight's Children is a great read. I also really liked A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, its a look into life in Bombay in the 70s from a variety of perspectives.
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