Hyderabad, Feb. 9 -- History is often viewed from a very linear perspective when it comes to events that will, in all likelihood, be talked about for generations to come. Be it the partition of India and Pakistan or the 1857 war of independence, very few narratives have moved away from the obvious themes like violence. Hence, this is where an infusion of storytelling provides a fresh perspective.

Oral historian and celebrated partition author Aanchal Malhotra, whose book "The Book of Everlasting Things" is a retelling of Partition, touches upon the subject through the tale of two lovers (Sameer and Fridaus) who find their innocent love torn asunder due to India and Pakistan splitting in 1947. Aanchal, in fact, uses the sense of smell to ...