Emergency, Capture, and Sterilization

Midnight's Children

This flow traces how state power dismantles the magicians’ community, captures Saleem, and targets the Midnight’s Children.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Indira’s Legal Crisis Indira’s Legal Crisis from "Midnight's Children". A Government Under Threat Verdict The Allahabad High Court finds Indira Gandhi guilty of campaign malpractice.

Indira’s Legal Crisis from "Midnight's Children". A Government Under Threat Verdict The Allahabad High Court finds Indira Gandhi guilty of campaign malpractice.

A Government Under Threat Verdict The Allahabad High Court finds Indira Gandhi guilty of campaign malpractice. Response The political crisis develops into the declaration of Emergency and a suspension of civil liberties.

Emergency Birth Emergency Birth from "Midnight's Children". A Child at the New Midnight Birth Parvati gives birth to Aadam as India enters the Emergency.

Emergency Birth from "Midnight's Children". A Child at the New Midnight Birth Parvati gives birth to Aadam as India enters the Emergency.

A Child at the New Midnight Birth Parvati gives birth to Aadam as India enters the Emergency. Symbolism A new child is born into a period in which the state increasingly claims authority over private lives.

The Ghetto Is Raided The Ghetto Is Raided from "Midnight's Children". Evacuation and Arrest Assault Officials and Sanjay Youth arrive with bulldozers and sterilization equipment at the magicians’ settlement.

The Ghetto Is Raided from "Midnight's Children". Evacuation and Arrest Assault Officials and Sanjay Youth arrive with bulldozers and sterilization equipment at the magicians’ settlement.

Evacuation and Arrest Assault Officials and Sanjay Youth arrive with bulldozers and sterilization equipment at the magicians’ settlement. Capture Troops break the community’s resistance; Shiva seizes Saleem amid the destruction.

The Children Are Identified The Children Are Identified from "Midnight's Children". Confession Under Pressure Interrogation Saleem is questioned in the Widows’ Hostel and gives names and descriptions of the Midnight’s Children.

The Children Are Identified from "Midnight's Children". Confession Under Pressure Interrogation Saleem is questioned in the Widows’ Hostel and gives names and descriptions of the Midnight’s Children.

Confession Under Pressure Interrogation Saleem is questioned in the Widows’ Hostel and gives names and descriptions of the Midnight’s Children. Betrayal His revelations help the government locate a scattered generation he once tried to unite.

Sperectomy Sperectomy from "Midnight's Children". Hope Is Cut Out Operations The children undergo irreversible sterilization and lose their remaining magical abilities.

Sperectomy from "Midnight's Children". Hope Is Cut Out Operations The children undergo irreversible sterilization and lose their remaining magical abilities.

Hope Is Cut Out Operations The children undergo irreversible sterilization and lose their remaining magical abilities. Political Meaning The Widow’s campaign suppresses not merely reproduction but the imagined alternatives represented by the children.

June 12, 1975

June 25, 1975

1976

January 1977