"That looks like a nasty wound, Khan Sahib", said the fellow passenger, seeing his bandaged forearm.
"Its better now", he answered cautiously, a drop of sweat coming down his forehead.
Within some hours he was off the train at Karachi and onto the ship to independent India, away from his homeland.
He hurriedly removed the itching bandage to reveal his tattooed name - Lachhmi Narayan it read.
A Happy Independence Day to all of you. Celebrating the day of our freedom, we sometimes forget the pains associated with it. I recently saw the BBC Documentary The Day India Burned and the movie Train to Pakistan, both portraying the horrors of partition.
The pain I just mentioned is not just the physical one felt by those who travelled miles through days and nights and even got killed mercilessly at the hands of the anti-social elements, but it is also the emotional pain of leaving one's homeland, parting from the loved ones and the fear of the difficult times to come.
Here, I have tried to relive the journey made by my paternal grandfather, Late Shri. L.N. Grover from his homeland (in present Pakistan) to India upon the partition. He was lucky that he survived this journey due to the small trick he played and thanks to that I am in the world today. (Update: And as IP corrects me in the comments section, thanks to that I am in India today, rather than Pakistan.)
I dedicate this 66-Fiction (rather non-fiction; inspired from 55 Fiction, on the occasion of my 66th post) to all those who were not lucky enough and perished making this journey of their lifetime. My mother's both grandfathers were two of them. The paternal one died saving the honour of his daughter-in-law(my maternal grandmother). Also, my mother's maternal aunt and her daughter jumped into a river to save their honour.
P.S. I can't help but write 55 Fictions, cinquains and now 66 Fiction these days because of the lack of time, thanks to the upcoming examinations.
Image Coutesy:
http://ribbonrail.com (original)
Hey Vipul
ReplyDeleteThis story is really touching.
Even my both sets of grand parents made the SAME TRIP but from EAST PAKISTAN.
You wrote:
""""He was lucky that he survived this journey due to the small trick he played and thanks to that I am in the world today.""""
Thanks to that you are in INDIA TODAY.....just like me.
Its so sad to see how we are taking our freedom for granted these days.
Anyways,66-word fiction is good innovation.
Cheers man and Happy Independence Day!!!
If possible check out my recent post.
so sentimental..
ReplyDeleteur grandpa is one witty guy n so r u.. happy independence day..
@IP.. Het thnx buddy for showing d empathy. Yup, the story mst hav been d same on the west nd d east.
ReplyDeleteIts true man, we have strtd taking this freedom 4 grantd. Though here I only touchd upon the immediate cost of freedom, thr wer many who wilfully sacrificed their lives to attain this freedom.
@Vishnu.. lol. yup he was 4 sure. He left us for his final journey to the heavens, some years back nd this is a story he used to narrate to us vry fondly.
Miss u dadu!
This is really touching. We need to relate these stories to each other to remind us of our wonderful heritage and the sacrifices of our elders in making us what we are.
ReplyDeleteoh wow...dis is excellent man...u truly share d spirit of independence!!!
ReplyDeleteThe best 55-Fiction I have read till date. Err, I guess I should make it the best 66 Fiction instead!
ReplyDeleteYour grandfather's heroics must have paved way for a few more to arrive to their homeland.
My prayer's go to your aunt and her daughter, who sacrificed their lives for the country.
Jai Hind!
Hi Vipul,
ReplyDeletemy very first comment on your blog!
its a wonderful read yaar!!
"Within some hours he was off the train at Karachi and onto the ship to independent India"
careful etching of words!!
congrats on your Blog-a-ton initiative!!
That was a very beautiful expression!! Too poignant and liberating!!
ReplyDeleteAnd Jai Hind!! :)
@Avdi.. Its so true.. it was not an easy job 4 thm 2 leave bhind evrything they had nd strt off a new life at a new place. Their resilience made us what v r 2day!
ReplyDelete@Siddhesh.. Thnx man.. Lets cherish this independence:)
@Pawan.. lol.. yup d best(bcoz its d only) 66 Fiction u've read till now ;)
ReplyDeleteThnx 4 appreciating man nd also 4 showing empathy..
@Shilpa.. thnx 4 d nice adjectives:)
Jai Hind!
@Shruti.. Hi, welcum 2 my blog:)
ReplyDeleteI mst thnk u 4 appreciating tht line.. it was indeed challenging 2 put it all tht info in2 it 2 make d situation clear 2 d readers:)
Hope 2 read ur Blog-a-Ton post on 5th nxt mnth.
Keep refelcting:)
I consider it in the lies of 55 Fiction as it had all the required characteristics of a 55 fiction!
ReplyDeleteVipul,I have said this before also.You seem to be getting into the habbit of writing excellent posts.
ReplyDeleteHappy independence day
@pawan.. thnx buddy once again 4 appreciating nd calling it the best u've read till date.. it means a lot:)
ReplyDelete@chowlaji.. sumtimes u giv d best of complimnts in d simplest of language.. thnq so mch 4 alwez reflecting with me:)
u back frm singapore right?
That was a toyching story! To get independent was very painful. We should always remember it! Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteHey pra, I believe thts ur frst cmmnt on my blog.. so welcome 2 my blog, first of all:)
ReplyDeleteThnks 4 reflecting ur thoughts. Keep returning:)
hey Vipul,
ReplyDeletemind checking my blog?!
It was very heart warming piece... still people don't learn from history like Punjab, Bengal too faced the dreaded "partition" and I have heard so many horror stories from the descendants...its really one of the biggest human tragedies ....
ReplyDeleteNice and touching 55-non fiction. I m impressed. More 55-fictions are not bad. I dont hav to spend more time to read ;-)
ReplyDelete@shruti.. i've already been thr:)
ReplyDeleteany way will rtrn 2 leave my reflections there:)
@dhiman..its true man.. IP talkd about bengal tragedies in d frst cmmnt.
partition was painful, not only in d sense tht country got torn (bcoz tht ws inevitable) bt in d sense tht thr were so many causalities, a thing tht cud b avertd only if Britishers hd actd more responsibly while leaving India nd not hurried up d process of partition nd independence.
@Bharathi.. I know it vry well tht u r luving it:)
ReplyDeletend yeah um so sorry hav not rtrnd 2 ur post 2 carry on a detailed discussion. d thing is tht i agree with most of d things u said, so nxt time plz write sumthing with which i dont agree.. i hv 2 increase my coments count ;)
Wounds of past .... Touching !
ReplyDeleteYup indeed.. bt thn these r jst momentary emotions which jus pass by wn d day is ovr.. lets hop v cn hold on 2 thm 4 making a safer future!
ReplyDeleteI thought of writing a post on 'What is love'. probably you may have something to object on that :-)
ReplyDeletelol.. lets c :)
ReplyDeleteVery touching, indeed!
ReplyDeleteIts difficult to overcome these traumas and heal the wounds... even after the passage of 62 years...
the fiction is one of the best I have read !
ReplyDeleteI can relate well... seen my granddad live in a village @ Bangladesh border... they came to India with a two year old baby (my dad). its tough letting go of a place you have lived for years and grown up.
@Roshmi n Mou.. Hey thnx a lot for appreciating d post!
ReplyDeleteOfcourse it tuf.. sum times wn i hear my frnds talking about their paternal home town or village(nd once evn visitd a frnds village), evn i yearn 2 go back 2 mine.. Bt sumhow our roots have been severed nd um jus a city guy with no roots in d country side!
Quite an interesting way of telling a painful story.
ReplyDeleteHey thnx pramathesh.. keep reflecting!
ReplyDeleteWow... you said so much more in such short a space!
ReplyDeleteI've just found a new addiction in the form of 55-word fiction... and I'm rather enjoying it.
I like what you write...so blogrolling you!
Keep writing
~Sanz
http://sanz360.wordpress.com/