The Battle for Baramulla by Mallika Ravikumar – unforgettable historical fiction

The Battle for Baramulla is an emotional, haunting, and unforgettable historical fiction that lingers long after the last page.

Other Books I read in Songs of Freedom Series-

A Melody in Mysore

Rebellion in Ranchi 

The Letter to Lahore

Postcard from the Lushai Brigade

Synopsis

October 1947

Unwilling to join India or Pakistan, the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir wants his kingdom to remain independent. But then a wave of attacks from the northwest frontier, supported by Pakistan, ravages city after city . . .

As friends leave the town in panic, and fear grips every neighbourhood, it is a time of reckoning for Zooni, as for the other people of Baramulla—with whom should their loyalties lay?

A ragtag bunch of youngsters, including Zooni’s brave cousin Maqbool Sherwani, promise to protect Kashmir and its people—but Zooni isn’t sure how they can fight truckloads of tribesmen bearing grenades and guns. Zooni tries to find a safe space—but will it remain safe? And the dark secret she discovers makes the dangerous world even darker . . .

The Songs of Freedom series explores the lives of children across India during the struggle for independence.

Review

The Battle for Baramulla is another brilliant addition to The Songs of Freedom series, this time transporting us to the breathtaking valley of Kashmir—beautiful, yet forever scarred by unrest and war. The story opens in 1946, when Nehru visits Maharaja Hari Singh. Instead of discussing accession, the king throws him in jail, sparking heated conversations in the prosperous little town of Baramulla. Against this backdrop, we follow 12-year-old Zooni, who lives on a street where families of all religions once coexisted in harmony. But that harmony shatters with India’s independence.

Pakistan wants Kashmir. It fuels anti-monarchy sentiment and sends tribesmen to invade through multiple routes toward Srinagar. They march through mountain passes, leaving behind villages charred, people slaughtered, and rivers stained red. And Baramulla, lies directly in their path, becomes a ground zero for horror.

Neighbors who once stood side by side now find themselves divided—some loyal to the monarchy, some to India, others to Pakistan. Many families flee, sending children away to safety. Those who cannot leave hide in forests or rely on the kindness of brave neighbors.

The pages thrum with tension and sorrow, bringing history alive. You feel the dread of the valley as trust erodes. Some Muslims shelter Hindu neighbors, believing religion might protect them from Jinnah’s men, but nowhere is safe. Not even houses without Hindus, not even homes of the faithful. The tribesmen seek only loot, fire, and blood—anything to keep their guns blazing and swords wet.

I feared for Zooni, and for her Hindu friend, Chandra—heavily pregnant and unable to flee. When Chandra’s family turns to Zooni’s for help, the neighbors whisper of the danger, but soon the labor pains begin. Chandra is taken to the missionary hospital, and Zooni stays by her side, trusting the tribesmen would not dare harm a hospital run by Europeans. That hope proves tragically false.

No one was spared—not women, not children, not even patients in their hospital beds. The night Zooni and Chandra endured there is harrowing, the kind of horror that chills the soul. That they survived at all feels like a fragile miracle.

And then there is Maqbool Sherwani, Zooni’s cousin—the bravest of them all. His courage and sacrifice delayed the enemy long enough for the Indian Army to arrive and save Kashmir from total ruin.

This novel is a seamless blend of fact and fiction, humanity and horror. At its heart are bravery, resilience, and the unyielding spirit of community. The Urdu phrases, cultural details, and depictions of both Kashmiri Pandit and Muslim life add authenticity, grounding the story in lived truth.

The ending carries loss and grief but also a flicker of hope—a reminder that even in devastation, resilience survives.

Overall, The Battle for Baramulla is an emotional, haunting, and unforgettable historical fiction that lingers long after the last page.

Book Links

Goodreads | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

What do you think about this? Have you read any book in this series or plan to?
What is your favorite book set around India’s independence?

Just in case you missed,,,

• Slaying the Vampire Conqueror (Crowns of Nyaxia #2.5) by Carissa Broadbent – fantastic addition to the series
• The Battle for Baramulla by Mallika Ravikumar – unforgettable historical fiction
• #RereadReview : Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins – an incredible finale

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