"Tamas"

A must read book for the guys who want to know about mob violence.
This book from Bhisham Sahni has been awarded Jnanpeeth award and it is really worth it. Though the original is in Hindi, I got hold of the English version.
The book starts off with seeds of Hindu muslim galata being sown by fundamentalists. A tanner is asked to kill a pig and teh dead pig ends up on the steps of the mosque. This triggers a blood bath among the 3 dominant castes of India, the Hindus, sikhs and the muslims. Added to this is the demand of an Independednt Pakistan.
But what is great in the book is the way the author has explained the different characters. It shows the Indian\Pakistani mentality. One would wonder - have we changed at all...the corruption was there then and is still there. What is mob psycology? Are friends really friends? Are eniemies really enemies? Many such things are explained well.
After finishing the book, I thought of a hypothetical scenario....and I did not get an answer.
I have a Tamil friend. I know him well since my college days. If there is a Kannadiga Vs Non-Kannadiga clash (like the Hindu muslim clash expalined in the book) and if I take part in the Kannadiga side and my friend is part of the Non-Kannadiga side. If we face each other with a scenario to hit (if not kill)..what will we do? Will the mob drive us crazy to do such a thing? Really such questions can be answered only when we are in that scenario.