Tamas (Penguin Classics)

In a city in undivided Punjab, Nathu, a tanner, is bribed to kill a pig. When the animal’s carcass is discovered on the steps of the local mosque the next morning, simmering tensions explode into an orgy of bloodlust. As the carnage ensues, ordinary lives are dramatically upturned: The women of a Sikh village resolve to make the ultimate sacrifice when faced with imminent death at the hands of an advancing mob; an elderly couple undertakes a perilous journey when the one place they call home is no longer safe for them; and wracked with guilt, Nathu must come to terms with his unwitting role in instigating the violence. Yet, despite the darkness of the times, rare moments of unexpected friendship and love also surface.