Cart Full of Husk

By NK Sondhi

NK Sondhi interviewed both Muslims and Hindus whose families experienced the Partition of India in 1947.

The toll on the people of India when forced to flee to the newly formed countries created chaos which lead to the unthinkable behaviour of many people. Families were changed forever.

In this novel Sondhi weaves the tales together to create the experience of the family of Doctor Dayal Chand over four generations.
It is not a tale you will soon forget.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WoolysWagon ePublishing
• Release date: Nov 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370559084

NK Sondhi

NK Sondhi was born one year after the Partition of India. His rich parents lost everything in the holocaust created by Partition and lived the miserable life of poor people. NK’s father died when he was eight years old and he grew up doing petty jobs to earn money to complete his schooling. He was able to complete Night College by working as a salesman at a shop in Qutab Minar. It was here that he developed his interest in historical monuments and began working as a tourist guide. For ten years he worked as a Translator with Government of India. Here he wrote his first article about historical monuments which was published by the Cultural Department of the Government of India in 1972. He also completed his Post Graduation through Distance Education. Later he joined a Bank where he worked as a manager for thirty years. After retirement NK started teaching banking courses and wrote “Management of Banking and Insurance” for graduate/post graduate students. With a passion for literature from a young age, NK found his desire to write ignited and he started writing poems inspired by the behavior of students. Seeing the irrational attitude and insurrectional habits of some children he wrote a book “Save Your Children” to help guide parents with nipping bad habits in the bud and elevating the character of their wards. When later he joined a Senior Citizen’s Club he began to hear the sordid stories of atrocities faced by many club members. Many of them were victims of circumstances created by the Partition of India. NK decided to collect more information and bring to light the holocaust of partition and this novel was conceptualized. While most people interviewed were co-operative, some elderly people controlled the expression of their emotions while in the presence of their family members. Many young people born well after partition spoke to NK of the stories they heard from their parents. Writing this book brought me both sadness and joy. Interviewing people who had lost palatial houses in the country when forced to move and facing their anger and continued disillusionment was difficult. Some others who were ordinary or common people before partition and then earned name, fame and wealth lifted his hopes and spirit. NK is presently engaged in writing books on different subjects. He remains very fond of literature and Art. NK would love to hear from you. You can contact him here: [e-mail]

Book preview

Historical Background of Partition

In August 1947, England granted independence to British Ruled India nearly two hundred years after they took power. One of the largest most ethnically diverse nations of the world was divided into two-India and Pakistan.

In 1946 India was generally at peace. On the surface Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs were living in a tenuous harmony. People of the various religions lived side by side showing neighbourly respect toward one another if not actually participating as part of their intimate circles.

Hindus were the majority in British ruled India. Muslims lived in the NW and NE regions and Sikhs lived predominately in the Punjab area, one of the richest and most diverse provinces. Lahore was its ancient capitol and one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the country, a centre for education and fashion. It was very liberal, very tolerant and very progressive. There was a saying that a person that had not seen Lahore had yet to be born.

India was the centrepiece of Britain's empire, a source of wealth and power. For decades India had struggled to release themselves from British rule but the military had been strong enough to put down these uprisings. However, in 1946 English forces had been severely depleted by World War II and the country was in a bad state financially from the expense. The British forces present in India in 1946 knew they would be the last. Britain began preparing for giving India rule over itself.

The task of determining the nature of India’s rule over itself began. The Indian National Congress, represented by Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Ghandi, demanded a single state where all lived side by side but Muslims feared living under a Hindu majority. Although these people of various religions maintained cordial relations, ancient prejudices ran deep even in the most progressive families. Customs, such as Muslims drinking from different water fountains and being excluded from Hindu kitchens of their neighbours perpetuated a division between them. Muslims also found many of the countries resources such as education and jobs difficult to access. Because of this domination of the Hindu majority the proposition of separate countries became popular among the Muslim community and the Muslim representative, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, championed their desire for a separate country for Muslims.

In February 1947 Britain announced India’s independence and that they would leave by June 1948. They appointed Lord Mountbatten as Viceroy to India to negotiate a settlement for India's independence. Despite Mountbatten's down to earth and personable approach, during the long negotiations communities began to break down as did the harmony between once mostly peaceful neighbours. Political leaders seeking their own gain incited Indians of all religions, leading them to believe their religion and communities were in danger. People who were once friends turned on each other refusing to have anything to do with one another. The distrust that had been kept beneath the surface for the sake of harmony in communities now rose to the surface.

A once peaceful land where Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus lived together in relative peace despite their different religious beliefs and customs erupted in chaos. The first violent uprising happened in Calcutta. In three days of rioting nearly five thousand people were killed. After the Great Calcutta Killings, word spread and the hope of a United India began to vanish.

In the Punjab, Sikh armies were formed and trained in the villages. Although there was British military reinforcements in the cities, there were not enough to control activities in the outlying villages. Muslim communities began patrolling their areas for protection. Then out of fear of Sikh attack they decided to strike first. The Sikh village was outnumbered by the invading Muslims. Fearing their women would be taken, converted and raped they killed them to retain honour of the village. Similar scenes happened throughout the Punjab region between March and April 1947.

With violence escalating there was an increased urgency for a resolution regarding India's future. Even though the announcement of India’s independence was made in February 1947 and rumours of separate countries being created for Hindus and Muslims circulated, the decision to split India in two wasn’t announced until June 3rd, 1947. Partition. The following day Mountbatten announced the British would be leaving in August 1947, not in June 1948 as previously stated. With only three months to manage the partition, the pace was furious. With just over a month until partition, no division of India had been decided. The information available was that for the most part areas with majority Muslim would be given to Pakistan and those with a Hindu majority to India. There were two areas that were to be split-Punjab and Bengal. This lack of specific information fuelled the steadily increasing violence.

A barrister from London, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, known for his rational thinking was sent to India to negotiate the division. Taking into account the available resources and residency of Muslims and Hindus, decisions were made on where the line of Partition would be drawn.

Thirty days prior to partition nearly all British troops were sent home. With the partition date looming, radical factions felt it was now or never to try to make something happen. In the city of Lahore in Punjab the uncertainty of where the line would be drawn loomed. Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus began to clear their neighbourhood of anyone not of their community.

The knowledge that lines would be drawn based on the population of Hindus or Muslims in the areas led to the thought that areas would be safe from being split if minority numbers were driven from them. Little did they know that the man drawing the line had little knowledge of what was happening at the time in India. He was deciding based on figures and facts already collected.

Out of fear the city of Lahore would be given to Pakistan, wealthy Hindus left. The uninhabited areas were looted and burned by Muslim mobs. The most progressive city in India lay in ruin.

The line was drawn. Mountbatten decided to keep it secret until after independence was officially granted so he/Britain would not be held responsible for any violence created by the announcement. Independence of India and the creation of Pakistan were celebrated in two separate events. It was not until after the ceremonies on August 14 that the boundary line was released.

The mass movement of people wanting to be on the correct side of the boundary began. The urgency was such that many took nothing with them, their fear for their lives was so great. People were forced out of villages they had lived in for generations, villages were trashed and burned. Fifteen million people now rushed to be on the right side of the new border, nearly one million died in the process.

A mass of humanity moved along without food or water. People that had lived alongside one another for centuries turned on one another in one of the worst communal massacres of the Twentieth Century. The grip of madness, sociologically known as group hysteria was manifested when the following phenomena took hold:

·                    Deindividuation: a phenomenon that occurs when individuals of a group become less aware of their values.

·                    Diffusion of responsibility: the tendency for group members to feel diminished responsibility for their actions when surrounded by others who are behaving in a similar manner.

In the following month nearly fifteen million people made the journey from one side to the other. For some this was an immediate response. For others it took more than a line drawn on paper to make the decision to leave the home of their ancestry.

What follows is a story written from a compilation of personal accounts of Partition, the memories and lasting effect it had on the people. Many people did not want their names made public in association with the telling of their stories. Many hesitated to even give their real names to NK Sondhi, the interviewer, so marked were they by what they had experienced and still endure to this day.

NK was compelled to tell their story so he has taken real life accounts from numerous victims of Partition and crafted them into this fictional, based on fact, story.

All names have been changed. Any name or resemblance to people living or dead is coincidental. The story is from the perspective of one family, though events have been combined from various accounts of those interviewed.

NK does not attempt to give his personal view on the events but to simply tell the stories of Partition as perceived by those who lived them.

WoolysWagon ePublishing

DEDICATION

I wish to dedicate my first fiction book to my wife.

It would have not been possible for me to complete this book without the unconditional support of my wife Smt. Veena who provided all sorts of help in writing this book.

I also wish to dedicate this book to all the people who granted me their time to impart to me their families’ struggles and recollections brought about by the Partition of India.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am obliged to Vikaramjit Singh Rooprai an IT professional for photographing historical monuments. He is managing India’s largest Heritage Photography Club called Delhi Heritage Photography club on his website. I am also thankful to Mr. Varun Shiv Kapur and Mr. Mayank Susten Soofi for their photographs.

PRELUDE

The Book is written about historical events of the Partition of India in 1947. The instant ramifications of the sudden division of a country are the untold atrocities and suffering of millions of people who were uprooted from their birthplace. Much has already been written and many research papers have been published based on the official records. The unwritten record of intentional massacre, looting, robbery, and abduction is yet to be told. This is my effort to express the personal agony suffered by the people, presented in the story of a family that was forcibly displaced to bear what they could never have imagined. The problems depicted by different characters of the story pertain to problems of a number of families. These experiences, told to me through interviews with Partition survivors, have been combined into one story based on the after-effects of Partition.

The current generation was not born when the country was divided. They have not experienced the heat of the boiling pot their parents or grandparents were put into, but they are still feeling the burning scars from stories told to them by the people who survived the holocaust and faced the searing heat of the flames of the division of the country.

Partition forced the migration of millions of people from both sides and created an atmosphere of circumstances where people forgot all moral values, all human values, all ethics, love, respect and culture. They were faced with only one thing–how to survive. This happened because they were made helpless to help themselves. They lost their roots…forever. There are the typically sad, pathetic and sordid stories full of human atrocities which have been published again and again. But no record, publication or research work has presented how these people managed to start living again on foreign soil.

My story provides an account of the struggle of the family members to sustain their day to day existence. Even after a long period of sixty-five years the after effects of partition has changed the behaviour, attitude and cultural aspects of life where human values have been degraded and a materialistic approach has taken place. Mutual relations once full of love have now become items of exhibition to be displayed on social occasions without any respect for family members.

All those who left their country at the time of partition were uprooted from their soil. They faced their roots being made dry and their branches being scraped and peeled slowly, slowly by the hands of people who felt pleasure to see the blood oozing out of the wounds of their peeled skins. Those who did not choose to shift to one or the other newly created countries immediately after partition were victims of atrocities generated due to Partition and even today in order to rectify the mistake committed by their parents they are still running, risking their life both in Pakistan as well as in India.

The family in this story lives in the historical village of Delhi Mehrauli which has hundreds of historical monuments, the history of which is available in many books. Away from the historical facts, a different description of all these monuments has been included in this book based on legend.

N.K.SONDHI

CHAPTER ONE

The Village Basal, a beautiful and famous village of Tahsil Jand, District Cambellpur (now Attock) has a climate that is hot in summer and cold in winter with rain to support a thriving agriculture. Although agriculture was the main source for providing a living, a great number of people served in Government departments. Located on the main road and with a railway station the village was an important link between Cambellpur, Chakwal, Kohat and Rawalpindi. The importance of the village can be judged by the fact that an emergency runway for the British Air Force was located very near to this village and used by them in World War II.

Railway Station Basal

There are two very famous shrines of saints, Hazrat Pir Nanga & Baba Mian Feroz, and both were centres of all social activities of the village. At any important festival whether Muslim or Hindu, the villagers from both communities used to gather near the shrine of Baba Mian Feroz to celebrate the festival with the blessings of Baba Sahib.

Dayal Chand was the youngest member of his family. Today a celebration was being held. Dayal Chand had completed his medical studies and had become a doctor. His accomplishment was being celebrated by all of the villagers. Dayal was the first person who had become a doctor in his village. Everyone was congratulating Mr. Lyakat Ram, the grandfather, and Mr. Karam Chand, Dayal’s father.

Karam Chand was one of the wealthier persons of the village and well known for his social work. No member belonging to the doctor’s family had ever thought of coveting any share of the family property or income. Their service was to the village and their community. Whatever was decided by the head of the family was accepted by every member without question. While Dr. Dayal Chand was eager to join Government service, his father, being very involved with the social conditions of his fellow neighbours, was thinking otherwise. It was his dream to provide medical facilities to his village free or at nominal cost. He desired his son Dayal to forgo any Government Service and start his own practice as a doctor. He also advised him to take care of poor people and not to charge people who were not able to pay. Being a very rich and benevolent person, Shri Karam Chand encouraged his son to serve the society in the manner in which he had performed. His son complied.

The people of the village were also very eager that the new doctor would stay in the village which needed medical services badly. It was decided in the village panchayat (local government assembly) to help the new doctor find a suitable place to open his clinic and also help him in any manner that may be required to retain his services in the village. A portion of a very spacious building located on the Mithai Chowk, also known as the Basal Chowk, was selected by the people keeping in view that this chowk (town square or major intersection) was an important transportation link for the nearby villages too. There were about ten to fifteen villages within the radius of three to four miles which would greatly benefit from the new Dr. Dayal Chand’s services.

It was the good fortune of his forefathers that allowed the new doctor to provide service to his village and the distribution of medicines free of cost to everyone coming to his clinic. This good will made the doctor so lenient that every patient coming to him was considered as if he was poor and he never charged a penny.

It was a small village. Most of the people living in the village made a living through agriculture, trade, small business or from being artisans. Since the climate of the area was humid but rain was not certain, the farming was a bit difficult with the main crops being wheat and peanuts. Because of this difficulty, most people of this area preferred to join Government service.

The population of the village included people of almost all religions; however Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs were of a greater concentration in comparison to other communities. The majority of the population was Muslim, however. Being small in area everyone in the village knew each other. Some were close relations and others were simply known by their names or activities. The atmosphere was peaceful. In spite of different religions they enjoyed cordial relations and everyone was ever ready to help each other in times of need. The family of the doctor was known to all for they were big landlords, having very good income from agriculture and other properties. Their family was a trader of different commodities as well, which were supplied in nearby commercial hubs. They lived in a palatial house, so big that when a ceremony was held for the family of any villager; a portion of the house was made available for that purpose. The house was equipped with all types of amenities and a number of servants were deployed to look after the household and business activities.

Dr. Dayal Chand had hardly started his practice and already a number of patients were coming to his clinic. He had done his internship at Lahore Medical College and used to seek the guidance of his senior doctors in the treatment of any difficult cases he encountered. People from nearby localities like Thata, Dumel, Jand and Pindigeb, Dhok Ratti-Ban, Fazi ki Dhok, Garhi, and Mari among others started coming to his clinic. One evening Mohamed Ali, the husband of Nafisa (a domestic servant at the Doctor’s family residence) came rushing to his clinic. He requested the doctor to accompany him to his house immediately as his wife was seriously ill and was not able even to talk. Before he decided to visit his home, the doctor asked him some simple questions to ascertain the problem.

Doctor: When did the pain start?

Mohamad Ali: I do not know. Since she returned from her duty at your residence she has not been feeling well.

Doctor: When did she come back?

Mohamad Ali: I do not know. But when I came back to my home after my duty was finished I found her lying on the bed screaming with pain.

Doctor: Where was your mother? Why did she not inform me while she was within the house?

Mohamad Ali: I do not know. My mother always tries to find fault with Nafisa, who has failed to conceive a child for our family even after a marriage of two years.

Doctor: It is not common for a woman to take so long to conceive. It may be your fault also. Anyway, let us go and check on the condition of Nafisa.

It became apparent to Dr. Chand that Mohamad’s mother wanted him to marry again and bring a new wife, as Nafisa has not been able to give birth to a child.

Any doctor treating every patient free of cost could hardly refuse to visit the house of his own maid in dire need of medical help. Dr. Chand readied to visit his maid’s home. He took his bag of medicines and immediately accompanied Mr. Mohamad. After an initial examination, it was diagnosed to be simply a matter of gastric trouble that was aggravated mainly due to the negligence of her mother in law.

The doctor asked Nafisa, What you have eaten today?

Nafisa, being a Muslim lady, kept her face behind the burka and replied in a quiet tone that she had eaten the left out food at the Dr.’s residence which included a bowl of rice and some vegetable curry.

Who asked you to eat that left over food?

The mother of the doctor.

And why did you obey her orders?

She is your mother and that way my mother also and therefore I should obey her orders.

This is nothing serious. You have taken stale food that has created excessive gas that your body could not absorb and you felt it was more serious because of the pain caused from the gas.

Dr. Dayal Chand left instructions for Mrs. Nafisa to rest and only return to work the following day if her condition had improved. He returned home and after putting away his medical bag, went in search of his mother.

When he located her, Dayal asked his mother, Mrs. Maheshi, why she gave stale food to Mrs. Nafisa to eat.

Why should I give her such food? It was she who asked me whether she can use the food lying in the kitchen and I permitted her. The kitchen was full of fresh food also; I do not know why she selected the stale food only.

The doctor went inside the kitchen which was big enough to provide sitting space for about ten people at a time to sit and eat the fresh food made every day. After gently questioning other servants, he discovered that on the day of the incident Nafisa was asked to cook some non-veg (food containing meat or fish) for the expected guests which she had done and then informed the mother. The guests came, enjoyed the food and went away after a meeting with the father and grandfather of the doctor. The food that was cooked for the guests was consumed and finished. Bowls filled with some other cooked food were lying in the kitchen and kept aside and were perhaps not meant for consumption but this was the food eaten by Nafisa. Her illness had followed.

Mohamad Ali, the husband of the domestic servant of the doctor’s family, was so happy with the behaviour of the doctor that it prompted him to offer money to Dr. Dayal Chand for treating the illness of his wife Nafisa. Mohamad Ali was a man of self respect and really wanted to pay the doctor for attending to the emergency medical needs of his wife. He asked Dr. Dayal Chand for the amount of the fee to be paid. Dr. Dayal Chand informed him that he did not charge anything himself. He said he should speak to his father, Shri Karam Chand, who would establish any charge for the people working as domestic help for their family.

Mohamad Ali went to Shri Karam Chand’s room to ask for the fees to be paid for attending to his wife by his son Dr. Dayal Chand. Shri Karam Chand smiled and advised him to come very near to him so that the amount of fees could be told to him in his ear. Mohammad Ali followed the orders of his master and came very near to him. When he was near, Shri Karam Chand gave him a slap on his face and slapped him twice on his back then said that the fees had been recovered from him.

Mohamad Ali did not understand what had happened. He started howling and asked his master what wrong was done by him for which he had been beaten and slapped. The wife of Shri Karam Chand, Smt. Maheshi was watching the whole drama. She came forward and consoled Mohamed Ali and explained that his wife served them whole heartedly and was treated by her as her own daughter. In that way Dr. Dayal Chand was like a brother to her. How could a brother ask for a fee from his own sister? You dared asking for the fee and therefore were beaten by the doctor’s father. The doctor intentionally directed you to meet with his father for payment of a fee because he never wanted to charge any fee.

~~~

The people were very happy to have the doctor in their own village. Previously, even for a small medical problem they had to go to Kohat. Now they had immediate access near home for any medical treatment. The residents of nearby villages were also happy to be getting medical aid free or for very little cost.

One day a person came rushing on bicycle to the clinic. He was a passer-by when he had seen a truck accident near Rain Nala and a young boy was seriously injured. If no medical help was provided immediately he would likely die. The doctor immediately left for the scene of the accident. By the time he arrived, the father and other family members of the injured person had also reached the spot.

The boy was seriously injured and was bleeding. In a hurry, the doctor had not brought his medical kit with him which was badly required now. He advised them to bring the boy to his house so that he may attend to him properly. But the father of the boy wanted to take him to his own house. He therefore requested the doctor to bring his medical instruments to his residence. He asked his driver to take the doctor to his clinic and come back with all the medicines and instruments. Doctor Chand agreed and immediately left for his clinic.

The young boy was unconscious from excessive bleeding. The doctor immediately started his treatment upon his return. First the bleeding was stopped by bandage and plasters. Then they waited for the boy to regain consciousness, but it was taking time. If the boy did not regain consciousness soon it might become more serious. It was therefore necessary that the boy be kept under medical observation. The doctor decided to stay with the patient during the night and requested the father of the boy to send a message to his family members.

Early in the morning the boy regained consciousness and was feeling better. After examining him Dr. Chand expressed satisfaction over his recovery progress and decided to return home. Before leaving he prescribed certain medicines and gave some instructions to his family members. He also assured them he would visit again tomorrow.

The father of the boy was much obliged and expressed his gratification in polite words for saving the life of his beloved son. He offered him some money as a fee but the doctor declined to accept the money. The purpose for his practice as a doctor in the village was to serve society and not earn money. Doctor Chand requested them to instead help the poor people who were financially in need.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Ali, husband of Nafisa, went to Dargah (tomb of a saint) and paid his tributes for the long life of the doctor’s family. A Muslim was praying for the long life of a Hindu doctor only because he had never learned the strict chapter of his religion. Every person born on the earth was equally important to him irrespective of their caste, religion or economic status.

~~~

The undivided India was a place where people were thoughtful and considerate of the well being of each other–let it be by physical help, financial help or social help. Their religion took a back seat coming to the front only on the occasions of religious ceremonies and no more than that. Even these ceremonies were shared by all irrespective of their religion.

Social help was arranged by the entire community of a particular area irrespective of their different faiths to help the aged, disabled, isolated or otherwise needy people of their areas. It was a duty bound act of each family to confirm the well being of their neighbours. Every person, whether poor or rich, had its own inherent importance in the society and everyone had a role to play for good of the society. Life was viewed as a gift of God by all. It is not possible that there is any society where all people are good and there is no one with ulterior motives. People engaged in malicious, wicked and nasty activities are an integral part of any society. There were those types there too, but they were negligible in number and their presence was written off. Otherwise most people had cordial relations.

In the village of Basal life was very simple. Nearly everyone was faced with the burden of having the bare needs for survival but still able to enjoy the joys of life. They were least concerned about the value of education and literacy was at a minimum level. Everyone was focused on his own work. Being uneducated, they were many times courted by the aspiring political leaders and made victim of foul promises used by them to gain favour.

It is human nature for every one to wish for material gains to come quickly and easily. This natural instinct of the people of the country was stimulated by the political leaders of both sides. Under the political fervour at the time of the division of India all these simple living people were swept away in a wave of belief as if they were going to be kings of the newly created nations. The best way to put the nation on fire and achieve their personal political aspirations was to use religion. Throughout history religious difference has been used to pit people against one another. The political leaders used religion as the main reason for the division of India and in the end it was decided that the Muslim dominated areas were to be given to Pakistan and the Hindu dominated areas were to be known as India.

The day of Partition arrived and the country was divided into two parts. Overnight each community became enemies of each other forgetting all relations, friendships, obligations, status and community ties. The village Basal had fallen within the border of the newly created Pakistan. Incited by their Muslim leaders the Muslim community in the village began to commit atrocities against their Hindu neighbours. Each Hindu family was being identified, picked up and butchered like animals. Their houses were being forcibly taken, their belongings were being looted and even their young ladies were being treated like commodities. Any efforts to protest brought death to resisting people. Every last community bond and social custom was forgotten. The newly empowered people became thirsty for the blood of those of a different religion regardless of what relationships had been shared in the past. In this village where previously everyone came to the aid of the needy, chaos reigned.

CHAPTER TWO

The name of the new country of Pakistan had been drawn from the word Pak from the Quran, the Holy Book of Muslims which means pious, unblemished and pure. But in this new country called Pakistan the people belonging to the Muslim community (so called Pak Community) started killing their very near and dear co-habitants, taking their belongings. These were the same people that until yesterday were ever ready to help them. The impact of the opium of religion forced into their minds by their political leaders was so intense that they had not bothered even to hear the call of their inner conscience.

The girl that only a day before that had been treated like a daughter or a sister by them was now a commodity of enjoyment for them. These people were willing to grab this booty even on the altar of her parents who some time back had helped them to bring up their own daughters or sisters. Such a situation had been created that it became difficult for any person to resist the temptation of becoming rich overnight. People who before were known as the caretakers of society sold their inner conscience and became victims of this vicious frame of mind.

When your own friends and neighbours and the most trustworthy people in the community turn into your enemy and are prepared to kill you just to become the owner of your wealth, you would certainly be compelled to try your level best to leave everything behind and run away. That was exactly what happened. Every Hindu family living in Basal village now dominated by a Muslim population started running away, leaving everything behind just to save their lives.

It is conceivable that a man would abandon his property and his wealth to save his life. In the community of human beings it is more difficult to imagine that a man would choose to save his life by running away from his own family, leaving behind his children. Yet this was in fact the position many Hindus who found themselves in the newly formed Pakistan were made to do…save their own lives by leaving behind their young daughters, sisters and even in some cases their young wives. These women and girls were captured by previously trusted members of the village for their personal enjoyment, and treated worse than slaves. They were paraded naked among the Muslim community, the teats on their breasts were cut by sharp weapons and those lucky enough to live through the ordeal were made slaves for the remainder of their lives. The decision was made on some occasions that death was more honourable for the female family members than being at the mercy of the degradation and inhuman treatment of invading groups. With no visible means of saving them, and the thought of their mistreatment too much to bear, women and children were sometimes killed by the male family members. Often the men also had no means of escape and were murdered by the out of control mobs.

The partition of India left both India and Pakistan devastated. The process of partition had claimed many lives in the riots. Many others were raped and looted. Women, especially, were used as instruments of power by the Hindus and the Muslims. Ghost trains full of the severed breasts of women would arrive in each of the newly-born countries from across the borders.

It was early January 1947 when Mohamad Ali, the employee of the doctor’s family, who on his return from Dargah to pray for Doctor Chand’s family for saving his wife saw some Muslim people gathered near there who were talking about the partition of the country. The gathering was arranged by the people of the Muslim League, a political wing of the Muslim community. Mohamad Ali went to hear the views of the local leaders of the Muslim League. The gist of their speeches was to convey a message among Muslim people that Hindus and Sikhs were kafirs (unbelievers) and that they did not have any right to live on this land and must leave this place as it belonged to Muslim people only. They also advocated and provoked the masses to forcibly evacuate these Hindus and Sikhs, if need be they should be killed and their property looted.

Mohamad Ali became nervous on hearing the speeches. He came rushing back to the house of Dr. Dayal Chand and informed them about what he heard in the public meeting of the Muslim League. Nobody believed him. How could they? Mr. Karam Chand was a well known and respectful person of the area. He knew most of the people of this area to be humble, polite and co-operative. Why would they be angry with Hindus and Sikhs?

He went out into the community to find out about Mohamad’s claims and met with Mr. Aziz Khan, a local leader of the Muslim League. This person was a blind follower of the Muslim League and it was sure that he would let Mr. Karam Chand know the true situation and reason for such a stance against Hindus and Sikhs. Mr. Aziz was sitting on a chair made of cane and was surrounded by a number of people including some Hindus and Sikhs. The general conversation among this small gathering was about the political situation of the country. The news coming from the big cities was so alarming that it created fear among non-Muslim people. Mr. Aziz assured them that all non-Muslim persons were protected as they were in minority and as such it becomes the duty of people in majority to protect them. His assurance was taken with a pinch of salt by Hindus and Sikhs, but there was no other alternative except to believe him.

Mr. Karam Chand came back to his home with a heavy heart. He was serious and was thinking about the people of the area. After his son started practice as a doctor in the area they had become even better known not only in Basal village but in many nearby villages where people had been coming for their treatment to the clinic of Dr. Dayal.

Repeatedly in January they received news from different villages in the district Campbellpur where individual Hindus or Sikhs were killed by notorious gangs of Muslims. Even in Basal two Hindus and one Sikh were killed at the railway station. In the nearby village of Jand a person going to market was stopped and asked to provide his identity to confirm whether he was Hindu or Muslim. When found Hindu he was murdered in the market in the presence of everyone including a police constable. Such incidents were reported from other places as well. One day a mob of Muslims pelted stones on the shops of Hindus including the Clinic of Dr. Dayal. The matter was becoming more serious day by day.

Hindus and Sikhs from the village decided to meet the leaders of the Muslim League again to confirm their safety. When they were approached and sensing fear among them, the leaders of Muslim League and Clergies took an oath on the Holy Quran assuring they would protect all minority communities of the area. This oath taken by League leaders and clergy provided a sense of solace among the villagers.

Normally when a Hindu took an oath on the Holy Book of Geeta or Sikhs did the same on the Holy Book of Guru Granth Sahib they would prefer to die rather than to disobey such an oath. As such most of them were convinced by the oath taken by the Muslim Leaders on their Holy Book of Quran. But it was a mistake on their part. The Muslim leaders, mullahs, and the clergy did not keep the oath using the reasoning that their Holy Quran said Kill the kafirs (non-believers) and in the eyes of all Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs were kafirs. Eliminating the kafirs was justified and taking the oath was a momentary lie to fool the kafirs so that they would not be able to save themselves by escaping across the border.

The people continued to hope for some amicable settlement among the political leaders. All eyes were on the ongoing developments regarding the matter between Mr. Jinha of the Muslim League and Mr. Gandhi and the Congress Party. Nothing happened and a fear paralyzed Hindus and Sikhs. They were losing faith in the people who until yesterday were their well wishers and who now appeared to have turned into their blood sucking foes. Their fear would be justified because at the beginning of March 1947 a complete lawlessness prevailed in the entire District of Cambellpur. In every village mobs of Muslims with the Muslim League Flag flying and with beating drums were roaming about on the serious mission of eliminating kafirs. A large number of Hindus, Sikhs and their women and children were killed. There appeared to be no Government or administration intervention or protection. Muslim police were actually seen helping in the assaults on Hindus and Sikhs.

The manifesto of the Muslim League appeared to include all such dastardly acts such as the raping of women, forcible religious conversions, and the torturing of men and women freely in the presence of everyone. In fact it had become a common occurrence of killing any Hindu or Sikh anywhere, whether on the road, in market, on a bus, train, bicycle, on tanga or on foot.

As the days passed more and more news of incidents of the abduction of Hindus and Sikhs were coming from every corner. Private houses and the religious buildings like temples and gurdwaras were not spared. The plan was to eliminate all kafirs and this was carried out even by hired Muslim assassins. There appeared an agreement between the Muslim League, Muslim officials-including the Muslim police, and general Muslim population on the large scale massacre of Hindus and Sikhs with the sole motive of looting their property, abducting womenfolk and killing the men. The Muslim League was said to have even established their own private army.

The village of Basal and its neighbourhood was no exception. Hindu and Sikh communities in this area were also being targeted. Systematically, they were being identified and listed to be murdered. Groups of willing Muslims and hired assassins carried out the task of killing as per the lists prepared. The sword of death lurked above the head of every Hindu and Sikh in the village. Any moment the call of death might come and engulf all of them in its deadly trap created by people known and trusted by them. Everyone was on guard in an attempt to save his own life and searched for a way to escape.

The family of Dr. Dayal was also feeling the heat of the volcanic winds of the uprising blowing into their house. They were preparing to gather some money and valuables and run away in the darkness of the night. Suddenly Dr. Dayal came running home and informed his father about a mob coming towards their house beating drums and armed with deadly weapons.

Without wasting any more time all the family members immediately left their house without taking anything in kind or cash and went to hide themselves in the corral used by the local people to keep horses and animals. It was a very large covered compound where animals were kept during the night. It contained a large field of grass and a well for drawing water for the animals.

There was a big area where animal food and husk was stored for feeding the animals. The family members of the doctor entered this complex and saw some people feeding their animals. It was an alarming situation for them. Outside this complex the beating of drums could be heard and inside Muslim people tended their animals. They could not decide whether to stay inside or to go outside. Finding no solution they decided to hide themselves in the mounds of husk. But while doing so one of the persons present in the complex saw them and started to come to see who had come there.

It was good fortune for them that the person was Mohamad Ali, the husband of Nafisa, their domestic servant who had been grooming his horse. He used to play tent pegging (a sport of striking ground targets from horseback) and was fond of horses. Because of his hobby of tent pegging he was well built with a sportsman’s physique. He happened to see the family of Dr. Dayal Chand lying on the ground of the corral hiding and realized that their situation was serious. He immediately went to them and asked about their well being. The mother of Dr. Dayal Chand became so scared on seeing a Muslim man before her that she immediately fainted from the fear.

Mr. Mohamed Ali had not forgotten the slap from the father of Dr. Dayal Chand which was given to him out his earnest love of humanity when his wife was declared to be the daughter of their family. He immediately made a decision to save the lives of Dr. Chand’s family even at the cost of his own.

He was about to go home after finishing his job of horse carting which he did part time after his duty at the residence of Dr. Dayal. As he was not able to help them directly in the presence of other Muslims, he simply helped them slip into the store room so that they were able to hide behind bags full of animal food or larger heaps of husk. He assured them he would come back to help. He waited until all others were leaving the complex and left with the others going out so that no Muslim could doubt that he had left the corral.

Out of curiosity he went towards the house of Dr. Dayal Chand to see why this family had left their house and sought refuge in the corral. He was already suspicious that it was because of the activities of Muslim League people and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the full force of the fanatic people attacking the house of Dr. Dayal Chand, looking for him and his family members. Had they not run away from the house they would have been slaughtered.

Late in the night he came back with his large cart. He requested all of them to climb upon the cart and lay down on its floor. Unmindful of anything they found logical or not about his request, they obeyed his orders. When the entire family lay on his cart he filled it to its brim with husk available in the store and ensured that no human could be seen hidden under the huge layers of husk. He was not sure where to go or where to keep this family safe. He knew very well that if there was any doubt of his integrity by the people of the Muslim League that he would be discovered and killed for helping a Hindu family.

He was considering where to go…to the Basal Railway Station, to the Railway Station Basal Sharif, to the bus stand, to the River Soan or towards River Indus? To the Sher Shah Suri Road (The Grant Trunk Road) to Islamabad? How should he go? Through Pindigeb, Jand, Gangwal, Fatehjang or Kohat Road or to Attock City? He was utterly confused and finding it hard to decide properly as to what should be done to save this family from the holocaust of the next mad mob. If someone came and saw him what would happen? The thought made him restless but he started his journey without knowing a specific destination. Perhaps it should be Attock road towards Islamabad? Under the weight of fear and uncertainty he moved his cart at the