Our Moon Has Blood Clots: The Exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits Paperback – January 1, 2017

This book is primarily about the experiences of Rahul Pandita and his family, who are Kashmiri Pandits and victims of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir in 1990. It does a good job of acquainting the readers with a bit of history of Kashmir (about the political history and the great works that were produced in Kashmir in ancient times, like the "Rajatarangini" by Kalhana and so on). With a primary focus on discussing the author's experiences during the 1990 exodus, the author also narrates in ample details the atrocities and difficulties that have been faced by Pandits in Kashmir thoughout history. The salient feature that stands out in this book is the personalized nature of the narrations which allows the readers to connect more with the events and ideas that are discussed. It's a must read for people who are interested in Kashmir and are not aware of the plight of Kashmiri Pandits who have resided in the valley for millennia.

It was a difficult read and I had to take several breaks to let it sink in, the amount of pain people had gone through in Kashmir. I was in Srinagar in 1987, less than a year old and I have heard several recollections from my mother on how difficult life had been in the Air Force campus with dad always away in duty for months. We could not switch on lights in the rooms and had to keep the windows covered with thick blankets. I heard from mother similar instances of waiting for trucks of rotten vegetables and then for days there won't be anything. But after reading the memoirs here I know that what we were going through inside the defence campus was nothing in comparison. I am going to read this book to my parents when I visit them next.

It's an eye-opening account from the author's own harrowing experience. Questions how is it a majority muslim populated state can play victimhood of being oppressed by the Indian government. When in reality its minority Hindu population were the ones who were subjected to genocide and forced to flee by the majority. Their homes and lands were taken over by the so-called peaceful majority! Especially when these all too fashionable victim-card-playing ploys across the globe by the jihadis in places like Kashmir, Palestine, and even in the suburbs of Europe. Great storytelling by the author and a must-read book for those wanting to know the flip side of the coin.

A very moving narrative of the dislocation, loss and trauma suffered by the Kashmiri pandits, in their forced exodus from their homeland. The author has powerfully described the brutality of 1989--1990, which saw a pogrom of atrocities launched by extremists to drive out the minority pandit community.Several narratives were so poignant I had to literally stop reading, to drink some water and clear the large lump in my throat. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to get a complete perspective of the Kashmir issue. Most media commentaries tend to highlight only the Indo--Pak tensions over Kashmir, or the alleged human rights violations of the Indian state's response to the violent separatist strife.The horrible sins committed against the Pandit minority by the terrorists and the criminal elements of the majority community, have long been conveniently brushed under the carpet. That is a tragedy which this book seeks to redress. As George Santayana's immortal quote goes 'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it'. Kudos to the author, for having the courage to rise above his deep pain, to pen this compelling memoir.One prays that this cycle of communal strife ends one day soon, and all of us can live in amity together. But the first step towards that, is to shed sham political correctness and to acknowledge wrongs, whoever committed them. A selective amnesia helps no one ultimately.

Reviewing any historical book is not possible with limited knowledge of the events. So I will only react to the narrative in the book.Author appears to have presented a first hand account of their personal experience and that's one of the most important perspective about this issue.There are so many questions and layers that are unanswered and the book has no pretensions about covering all angles. It's solely about the pain of an exiled community and the injustice , apathy of Indian state.The writing is accessible. I imagine a pandit or Kashmir might really appreciate all the details of story...but for an outsider and /or unbiased reader the writing is insipid and fails to transport into shoes of the author. It tries , but fails . That is largely due to the prosaic writing. That has nothing to do with the content itself which is saddening, heart breaking reality. Reads a lot like authors personal diary.All in all , essential story that needs to be out there but an incomplete view of the issue.

This has to be one of the finest insights into one of the most under-reported tragedies of modern times. The writer has managed to bring in a very humane angle to the narration. Despite experience this saga, he's managed to achieve an almost impossible task of remaining non-judgmental about the events. Ethnic cleansing anywhere is deplorable but the Indian media and intellectuals have a lot of soul searching to do in terms of the under-reporting and missing any sort of outrage for this systematic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley. I choked up many times imagining the kind of trauma the effected must've gone through.There are very few books or documentaries of this tragedy available -even after almost a quarter of a century - and Rahul Pandita deserves all the kudos for surviving through those times and writing a fabulous book. A must read for everyone lest we let this happen with any community. Hopefully the displaced find their peace and the government manages to rehabilitate them soon.

Evocative and vivid with an almost mind numbing imagery, Rahul Pandita weaves a harrowing tale of love, loss and what it means to be a refugee in your own country. The narration is free flowing and one invariably connects with Pandita's melancholic tale of a lost home - the home which had twenty two rooms and that which was built on the back of his father's provident fund money. Just the mere thought of someone forced to leave such a home and then struggle incessantly in refugee camps, leaving in crammed spaces and constantly being on the move like a nomad, simultaneously dealing with the trauma of the tragedy that he and his family must have endured, sends shivers down my spine."In the heart's wild space lies the space of wilderness.What won't one lose, what home one won't give forever."Agha Shahid Ali, Call me Ishmael Tonight.

First hand and other people’s experience will give you a true sense of what it meant to the Kashmir pandits who had to leave their home, families, temples to save themselves from violence and brutality and even then, for some, it wasn’t enough.

The author was a 14 year old kid when his family had to leave their house because of increasing terrorist activities in Kashmir. The book is his experience and the stories of survivors whom the author himself has interviewed.

One of the best book I have read recently. The author has narrated events happening in Kashmir without adding much personal opinion.I really liked the line: “General, I have lost my home, not my humanity”

A most heart wrenching story told so matter of factly, it pierces your soul like a knife in the heart. A people raped, brutalised, killed by jihad and abandoned by their own, is the shame Indian republic cannot hide and a sin it’s civilisation cannot wash away. It was Kashmir yesterday, it would be you tomorrow. READ this book before humanity in you withers away.