Train to Pakistan
by Khushwant Singh

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Mem-sahib Term Analysis

A term used by Indians to refer to a white, upper-class European woman, usually the wife of a colonial official.

Mem-sahib Quotes in Train to Pakistan

The Train to Pakistan quotes below are all either spoken by Mem-sahib or refer to Mem-sahib. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Partition of India and Religious Warfare Theme Icon
).

1. Dacoity Quotes

“They are a race of four-twenties,” he said vehemently. [Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code defines the offense of cheating.] “Do not believe what they say.” Once again he felt his venom had missed its mark. But the Big Lord’s daughter sitting cross-legged with her eyes shut for the benefit of press photographers, and the Big Lord himself—the handsome, Hindustani-speaking cousin of the King, who loved India like the missionaries—was always too much for Iqbal …. “They would not have spread their domain all over the world if they had been honest. That, however, is irrelevant,” added Iqbal. It was time to change the subject. “What is important is: what is going to happen now?”

Related Characters: Iqbal Singh (speaker), Imam Baksh, Banta Singh, Meet Singh
Page Number and Citation: 49
Explanation and Analysis:
As the four men continue their conversation in the temple about the decolonization of India, Meet Singh and Banta Singh talk about their admiration for British soldiers and offer anecdotes about Indians who have had good relationships with the British. They also mention the famous photo of Lord Mountbatten (the “Big Lord”) and his daughter at a prayer meeting with Gandhi to demonstrate that the British have respect for men of religion. The men’s praise of the British irritates Iqbal, who distinguishes between the British being nice individually and the injustice of their imperial rule over India and other lands. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui qui. Qui similique praesentium. Ex consequatur magnam. Aliquid iste enim. Sequi aut maxime. Adipisci voluptate et. Voluptas suscipit alias. In et eveniet. Eaque et repellendus. Dolore

2. Kalyug Quotes

It was not possible to keep Indians off the subject of sex for long. It obsessed their minds. It came out in their art, literature, and religion … One read it in the advertisements of quacks who proclaimed to possess remedies for barrenness and medicines to induce wombs to yield male children. One heard about it all the time … Conversation on any topic—politics, philosophy, sport—soon came down to sex, which everyone enjoyed with a lot of giggling and hand-slapping.

Related Characters: Iqbal Singh, Juggut Singh / Jugga, Lala Ram Lal, Nooran / Nooro
Page Number and Citation: 107
Explanation and Analysis:
Iqbal and Jugga are still talking in their shared cell. After Jugga says that he did not kill Ram Lal, Iqbal asks if Jugga was out of the village. Indeed, Jugga was outside of Mano Majra, despite the violation to his probation. He jokes that he was not murdering but that he “was being murdered.” The metaphor alludes to Jugga’s encounter with Nooran on the evening of the dacoity. Iqbal is annoyed by Jugga’s mention of his sexual encounter, though Jugga is offering an honest account of his whereabouts that evening. Iqbal regards the preoccupation with sex as another example, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit.

“The mem-sahibs are like houris from paradise—white and soft, like silk. All we have here are black buffaloes.”

Related Characters: Juggut Singh / Jugga (speaker), Iqbal Singh, Malli , Lala Ram Lal
Page Number and Citation: 107
Explanation and Analysis:
Jugga and Iqbal are sharing a cell together because Malli and his gang have been brought in for committing the robbery against Lala Ram Lal. While massaging Iqbal’s feet, the conversation between the men turns toward sex and Jugga curiously asks Iqbal if he has ever had sex with a European woman. Iqbal says that he has. The massaging of Iqbal’s feet, initially a tender gesture, takes on an eroticized dimension when Jugga begins to ask about Iqbal’s sexual experiences. By rubbing Iqbal’s feet and asking about his former European lovers, Jugga seems to be trying to have a vicarious Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque
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Mem-sahib Term Timeline in Train to Pakistan

The timeline below shows where the term Mem-sahib appears in Train to Pakistan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
2. Kalyug
Postcolonial Anxiety and National Identity Theme Icon
Gender and Masculinity Theme Icon
...not want to know more, but Jugga asks him if he has slept with many mem-sahibs. Iqbal is irritated by the question as well as with what he perceives as an... (full context)