The Infidel Next Door

Book excerpt: The Infidel Next Door is a saga of the undying spirit of a man while facing loss and betrayal in the name of religious persecution. It is set in the period before the seventh and last exodus of Hindus from Kashmir in 1989. When Aditya, a Hindu priest, is asked to go back to a temple in Kashmir where his ancestor was killed for refusing to convert to Islam, he decides he must go. Though the attacks - both on his family and on the temple - occurred three centuries ago, the wounds are yet to heal. When he arrives, he discovers a mosque has been built next door where Anwar, the imam's son, is becoming a fanatic to escape memories of a humiliation. As seen through their eyes, the novel describes the anguish and terror when Anwar slowly begins to see his relationship to God as the only true one and gives in to the demand of his mentor to throw out hundreds of thousands of Hindus to create a Kashmir without infidels. A story so steeped in haunting imagery of a once beautiful land and its forgotten people, it brings to fore one of the deepest fear of our times that when a man gets caught up in a struggle over religious fundamentalism, does his conscience still remain a force to decide his ultimate choice? Book Reviews "The infidel next door weaves through Indian culture and perspectives as if in a delicate dance, each step precisely described and compellingly intriguing ......... One needn't be familiar with Indian society, Hindu or Muslim religions or even with regional Indian social and political forces in order to appreciate this compelling story which draws together disparate lives and cross purposes in an engrossing saga that is hard to put down and especially recommended for any westerner who would better understand the subtler nuances of the Indian society." Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review. .."..Effectively argues against radicalism in all religions ...... Readers will likely agree ....that memory is our only tool against the falsification of history ..... A moving, ... story about history, hatred and the never ending battle between tolerance and bigotry." Kirkus Book Review. "A deeply moving story about Human Rights and Human Condition." Professor James Lavelle, co-founder, Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma.