What happens to a family when a line is drawn through their homeland? How do the echoes of historical trauma ripple across decades, altering the lives of generations who never even witnessed the original fracture?
The Southasia Peace Action Network and Readers Without Border invite you to an interactive literary session with novelist Shilpi Suneja to discuss her sweeping debut novel, ‘House of Caravans.’
This virtual gathering offers an open space for readers, history enthusiasts, and peace advocates to come together, reflect on our shared regional history, and engage in a meaningful dialogue with the author.
Event details
- Date: Saturday, 30 May 2026
- Time: 10:30 am ET
About the book:
Spanning generations from British India in 1943 to post-millennium India in 2002, House of Caravans provides a masterfully told, moving portrayal of a family and a nation divided by the lasting consequences, familial secrets, and religious prejudices left behind by colonialism.
The narrative carefully unpacks how the fractures of the 1947 Partition didn’t just reshape political maps, they reshaped the internal landscape of human hearts, creating invisible borders that families have had to navigate for over half a century. Suneja’s work serves as a powerful reminder of how deeply our regional histories are intertwined, and why understanding that past is vital to building a collaborative future.
Shilpi Suneja is a brilliant new voice in contemporary Southasian literature. Born in India and now based in the United States, her writing captures the nuances of diaspora, memory, and the complex historical ties that bind the subcontinent. House of Caravans is the culmination of deep research and a profound commitment to capturing the human scale of historical upheaval.
Join the conversation
Whether you have already turned the final page of House of Caravans, have it waiting on your reading list, or are simply interested in the intersection of literature, history, and cross-border understanding, you are warmly welcome to join us. Pull up a chair, bring your questions, and be part of this regional literary exchange.
*Why do we write ‘Southasia’ as one word? Because our histories are intertwined, our futures interlinked, and our struggles deeply connected.
*Sapan uses ‘Southasia’ as one word to reflect our shared histories, geographies and cultures.
Sapan is a voluntary organisation. We connect Southasia and the diaspora, and work to build a narrative of regionalism, peace, and dialogue. Please donate tax-free to help us cover our costs.
Thank you!