The Incomplete Reunion

Jamila and Zehra. Their story goes something like this: two sisters were residing in Kolkata in the wake of the Partition. Jamila left behind her mother and sister because her husband, who belonged to other side of India opted to settle in Bahawalpur, which was in Pakistan. Despite raising their own families, the desire to meet their sibling remained alive on both sides of the border. Due to tensions between India and Pakistan they were never able to meet each other and unfortunately Jamila passed away in 1955.

I remember the stories told by my mother (granddaughter of Jamila) which she used to listen from her mother Vargina (who was 12 years old when partition took place and was very close to her Khala (aunt) Zehra). Vargina continued to write letters to her khala Zehra after her mother Jamila’s death with the desire to meet her khala someday. Vargina was planning to visit her grandmother and khala Zehra along with her husband and two daughters, she applied for visa and was unable to get one and unfortunately died in 1970 without being able to meet her nani and khala. The poor nani and khala could not do anything except for mourning on both deaths. I grew up, listening these stories from my mother but our family had no contact with them after my nani Vargina’s death. I remember as a young child I used to imagine one day I will find nani Zehra if I get a chance to visit India. This dream came true when I got a chance of training in India from SAARC forum. The address on which my nani used to write letters was lost after her death, my mother only remembers a line “13 Taltala.” My mother’s mamo who was 6 years old at the time of partition only remembers a mosque nearby and the outlook of the house. When I was leaving for India he requested me to try to find his Zehra Nani. The ray of hope in his eyes melted my heart and I got firm in my desire to find her. One of my Facebook friends Waseem Altaf introduced me to his friend Saswata Sanyal from Kolkata. I told Saswata je about the land marks that I heard from my nana mammon and “13 taltala”. He identified three houses and asked me when you will come to Kolkata I will take you there. He was not sure whether he identified the same place so he was waiting for me to come there. I crossed the border with a burning wish and prayer to find Zehra nani.

After completion of my 15 days training programme in Bhubaneswar India, I took a flight for Kolkata. Saswata ji was there to receive me at the airport. After more than 68 years the third generation crossed back into Kolkata. Immediately after reaching Kolkata Saswata ji took me to the place and luckily the first house we went was that of my Zehra nani. A man aged 55 came out of the house and look towards me with the eyes saying what do you want? I asked I am looking for a Lady Zehra w/o Abdul Majeed. He told that my mother’s name is Zehra but my father is not Abdul Majeed, his name is Hamid. I requested him please allow me to meet his mother I came from Pakistan to find someone. He replied we do not have any relative in Pakistan. He further told that his family is living this place from 100 years. I requested him again to please take me to your mother may be she can help me. Though he was reluctant yet he took us inside the house. An old lady was sitting on a chair I greet her and started conversation by saying that I came from Pakistan in search of my relatives, she disrupted my conversation by saying, “tum Vargina ki kiya lagti ho” I was surprised to hear my nani's name. It was an emotional moment for the divided families to reunite. Thanks to the peace process that such a reunion could ever materialize. But the persons with whom she could not reunite was her sister and niece and nephew.

These are the happy sides of the emerging peace process developing between India and Pakistan, thanks to the renewed people to people contact between the two countries. However, there are many families not so fortunate enough to see such reunions. The hostile India- Pakistan relation had kept them away from seeing each other and in the process many have passed away. Some could know the wellbeing of their relatives living across the border only through a common relative living in a third country but were unable to attend the wedding or funeral at their homes.

However, things are changing for better now. The second generation of the divided families now wants the borders to be softened enough so that they could freely meet their loved ones. They want India and Pakistan to get over their political differences and focus on people to people contact. People in both countries desire to have a peaceful and friendly relationship with each other.

There is no count as to how many of them live on the other side of the border. The migration from India to Pakistan has taken place from all over the country. The majority of the separated families however live in the Indo-Gangetic plains where there is the largest concentration of Muslim population in India. There would hardly be a family living in this region that may not have a relative in Pakistan. They hope and pray that the juggernaut of peace and friendship between India and Pakistan keeps moving till a lasting peace is established in the subcontinent.

Today, when borders around the world have become meaningless, these remain sacrosanct only in terms of India and Pakistan. I hope that changes soon!