At the stroke of midnight on 14 August 1947, India, Britain's prized 'jewel in the crown', gained its independence. However, the euphoria of independence was overshadowed by unprecedented inter-communal violence between Hindus and Muslims in the aftermath of Partition. In the birth throes of two sovereign states, the mass migration of people across the new borders left millions dead, and an estimated 15 million as refugees.
Here, the writers explore the experiences of the Partition diaspora through the histories of their families, who were eyewitnesses of the division of the region. These narratives, of two families that hail from opposite sides of the Subcontinent – Punjab in the west, and Sylhet (today in north-eastern Bangladesh) in the east – also highlight the diverse post-Partition destinies awaiting the displaced. Their experiences remind us of the heroic efforts of ordinary men and women struggling to survive those dark days.
From Punjab to Malaya: Neeta's family history
My father, Sham Singh, was one among many innocents whose lives were forever changed upon India's 'freedom at midnight'. He was a lecturer at Atchison Chief's College in Lahore when his peaceful life, ensconced in academia, was rudely shattered. Partition left psychological scars that lasted throughout his life. It was only on very rare occasions that my parents would relate their Partition story to me and my siblings. Their most vivid memory was of sleepless nights, of fear caused by the distant sounds of inter-communal rioting, and of fires burning in the city. Trapped in Lahore, my father's immediate concerns were for the safety of his family, and to leave for India. Fortunately, one of his students was the son of the Raja of Mandi, at that time a princely state in Himachal Pradesh. When the Raja sent an armoured escort to evacuate the young prince from Lahore, the latter insisted on taking my parents and baby brother with him. My parents stayed under the Raja's protection in one of the numerous quarters on his sprawling palace grounds for almost 5 months until some semblance of peace was restored.