Partition of India and Beyond

On August 14, 1947 and on Pakistan’s Independence day, Tilak Raj Bhasin (popularly known as “Papa ji” and 33 years old) lit two candles and donated 101 rupees to the Muslim League Secretary in Campbellpur (now in Pakistan). It is located 80 kilometers west of Rawalpindi (also Islamabad) and 11 kilometers from the historical and legendry Indus River. He wanted to stay in his birth place, his beloved Campbellpur. He believed that the regime may change, but the citizens would not have to migrate because of their religious beliefs, especially people with the same language and culture, living together for hundreds of years. However, he was soon to be proven wrong with the events that followed.

The partition of British India into West and East Pakistan, and India, would be an historic event in the history of the world and especially in South Asia. It was a “partition of peoples” with the same culture and history based on religion and secularism. It affected the people primarily in the provinces of Punjab in the North, and West Bengal in the East.

Over 15 million people were uprooted and moved across the border in search of safety and security due to a religious divide. In 1947, the population of British India was estimated to be around 350 million people comprised of 72% Hindus, 25% Muslims and the balance being other minorities. According to various estimates, over a million people lost their lives due to riots based on the religious divide. Pakistan leaders chose to form Islamic states consisting of West and East Pakistan, while India chose to form a secular republic with a Hindu majority. On August 15, 1947, an independence ceremony was held at the Red fort in Delhi with the hoisting of a symbolic Tri-colour Indian flag.

In Early 1947, it was becoming inevitable that there would be a partition of India, but the actual border was not established. It was also known that areas with a majority of Muslim population would become part of Pakistan. Mardan, Attock and surrounding areas were comprised of 70% Muslim population.

Rai Bahadur Nanak Chand (Rai Bahadur), Papa ji’s uncle who treated him as his younger brother, was a well-known lawyer and was well connected in Mardan. He had the foresight to wind up and move to India well before the Independence day. Through contacts, he had arranged a large bungalow in Dheradun City in the northern hilly area of Independent India. This bungalow belonged to a dentist, and was available temporarily as he had regularly shifted to the Shimla hills for the summer months. In March 1947, Rai Bahadur moved with family to Dheradun.

In May 1947, Niranjan Dass, Papaji’s father and also known as Bau ji, and family joined his younger brother Rai Bahadur in Dheradun and to return to Mardan, when the situation stabilized. Papaji’s grandmother, Amir Devi (Be”ji), asked her son to take Pabi ji and her children also for safety reasons. She would also assist her mother-in-law , Sita Wanti (who was five months pregnant with her 10th child, Kamal, who was later born in July 1947). Unfortunately, Kamal was the first to die among her siblings in 1992. Raj Kaushalaya (29) (popularly known as our beloved Pabi ji) joined the group with her three children; daughter Usha (7), and sons Ashok (4) and Adarsh (1). Papa ji agreed to his family traveling without him. He also envisioned that after law and order was restored, he would bring his family back to Campbellpur.

On August 14th, Papa ji believing that he would continue to live in Campbellpur, was celebrating Pakistan’s Independence day. But for Pabi ji, the Independence Day of India was another day of increasing worry about her husband’s safety and her and her children daily survival. She, along with her three children, later moved to Delhi and temporarily lived in a one room in Mori Gate near Nicholson Road in old Delhi.

Papa ji would recall his elders up to tenth generation who had settled in the Attock District starting in early 1800’s. Name of the City was changed to Campbellpur by the Commander-in-Chief of British forces, Sir Colin Campbell, who built the city. Name, subsequently was changed back to Attock in 1978.

Papa ji lived in the ancestral home with his grandparents and loved Campbellpur for his family roots and its desirable climate. His mother Murgai Devi had died, when he was three years old. While his rest of his father’s family lived in Mardan 70 Kilometers away, Be’ji and other uncles and aunts living in Campbellpur raised him. He had fond memories of his experience as a child helping his grandmother with both male and female (rural) chores at home such as taking care of their cow. His school years were happy and full of outdoor activities. He also spent some of his summer holidays with his father and a large family of siblings from his second mother in Mardan. He graduated from high school with Honors. His father wanted him to join the family business in Mardan and follow the long-term family tradition of being businessmen. Papa ji, however, wanted to study further and become a lawyer like his uncle Rai Bahadur. He continued with his quest for more education, however in the end, he had to abandon it in the final year of a degree course due to family circumstances.

Papa ji and Pabi ji were married in 1936 at the ages of 21 and 17, respectively. Pabi ji came from a well-to-do Sethi family. Her father, Lala Dhera Shah Sethi, and mother, Laxmi Devi, raised 6 children, three sons and three daughters.

Papa ji, being the eldest son, was called Papa ji by his siblings (four brothers and six sisters) and over 30 first cousins. His wife would then be called Pabi ji (brother’s wife). Their own children addressed the same and the whole clan followed suit.

From 1937 to 1942, Papa ji and the family struggled, while he worked many jobs in Peshawar to provide for his family. He worked as an electric meter reader and later was promoted as an electric store clerk. He also worked as a bank clerk for over a year. During that period, Usha was born in 1940.

In December 1942, he resigned from his job in Peshawar as his father requested him to run a wholesale cloth business in Campbellpur, as a branch of his main business in Mardan. Papa ji would travel to Bombay, Surat and Indore for purchasing trips. By end of 1944, this business was closed due to price controls. To generate income, Papa ji joined one of his cousins and started their own independent wholesale and retail clothing business, which lasted for over a year, which had to close due to a short supply of goods during the 2nd world war. During his business career, he became secretary of the Mercantile Association and a Manager of the Hindu High School. He developed a number of contacts. As a result, when Laxmi Commercial Bank wanted to open a branch, they approached him for his recommendation for a manager. He offered his services as a Manager. The Bank branch was opened in January 1946. With the looming partition in 1947, he had to wind up the bank branch after 18 months. Papa ji, in an effort to revive his job as a bank manager, wrote to Habib Bank in Karachi offering them previous bank premises and to open a branch in Campbellpur. Unfortunately, he was advised by Habib Bank, that they will be hiring only Muslim staff, if they did open a branch in Campbellpur.

Religious strife was increasing every day. From the stories of atrocities, it was becoming clear that majority Muslims in Pakistan had decided to get rid of Hindus and Sikhs. Killing and raping of women was the way to promote fear, and force migration of these communities. Similar atrocities were used in Eastern Punjab to force Muslims out of majority Sikh and Hindus areas.

Thousands of Hindus and Sikhs from surrounding area started to migrate to Cambellpur on way to India for safety. It was then the Head quarter of the Attock district and was under continual curfews, thereby the city was relatively calm. Refugees were collected in Campbellpur and then shifted to the Wah camp 25 miles away from there. This camp was originally established for Italian prisoners during the 2nd World war.

For safety reasons, Papa ji’s uncle, Gian Chand ( middle brother to Bauji and Rai Bahadur) and family had shifted from Mardan to Cambellpur to the house next to his ancestral house. Gian Chand’s other two brothers with their families were already in India, Papa ji was left to take care of his uncle, Gian chand and his family, grandmother. Amir Devi and grandfather, Gurdas Mal. Papa ji was offered by a friend an opportunity for a single seat on a refugee airlift and join his family already in Delhi, but he refused as he felt responsible for his uncle’s family and grandparents, who were still waiting to migrate.

Law and order situation was deteriorating in Cambellpur and there was fear of riots any day. On September 26th, 1947, the Muslim league secretary gave a pass and four constables to escort his group of migrants to the Wah Camp. Each person was allowed one trunk (still kept in NFC house in New Delhi), one bedding and some cooking utensils. Each person was searched many times for weapons. Papa ji still managed to smuggle a spring knife which still kept in NFC house in New Delhi. Wah camp had over 60,000 refugees. Each person would receive ration of flour, wood, potatoes and mustard oil for cooking. There were a few water taps available for drinking and cooking. The camp was being guarded by Gurkha soldiers (well known for their bravery) of the Indian army. Camp was full of stories of refugees of suicides, killing of refugees, abduction and forced marriages of young girls.

Prior to leaving, Papa ji had also pleaded with his grandfather, Gurdas Mal, to join them, but he refused as he wanted to stay in Campbellpur. Papa ji warned him that he will be killed and there would be no body to cremate him. He was offended and declined to move. Papa ji then asked his friend Sadiq, a senior police officer, to safely transfer his grandfather in his absence. Later on as houses were vacated in Campbellpur, Gurdas Mal shifted to a Sikh temple, along with other refugees. He travelled through the Wah camp to Ambala, Punjab, in India. After wandering for a few months, a Samaritan located his family in Delhi and he was reunited.

After 20 days, Phapaji’s group left Wah railway station with 800 other refugees. The train had Gurkha soldiers as guards on each bogey, and each compartment was locked from outside. The train would not stop at any station during the day light hours, however it would stop at night time just outside platform to take water. Refugees had to request water from the soldiers. This was done to avoid the train being attacked by local mobs resulting in mass killing. Three days later the train reached Kasur railway station about 5 miles from Ferozpur City on the border. The Muslim driver refused to drive the railway engine to the Pakistan/India border as he was afraid of being killed by the Sikh mobs. After 4 hours a Hindu engine driver was brought to take the train further to India. At Firozpur station, Papa ji narrates that one could see a number of dead bodies being burnt. The revengeful Sikh mob checked each bogey for any Muslim travelers.

After staying the night on the platform, his group left for Ludhiana in Punjab. Upon arrival, they were informed that they could have houses to Iive in, in the Mohalla Taj Gunj, which was being vacated by Muslims. There were 200,000 Muslim refugees waiting at the station for travel to Pakistan. Papa ji and Gian Chand selected two houses and these were allotted to them by local D.C’s office. In addition, basic rations were available to refugees. But there was no administrative jobs in Ludhiana and his family of four was already in Delhi, he wanted to join his family. Entry to Delhi had been stopped to curtail arrival of large number of refugees, He and his group attempted four times to travel to Delhi, but they were returned.

Papa ji discovered that one could travel by a goods train to Delhi, if one could be found. After one month in Ludhiana he led his group on a goods train to Delhi, where women and children were in the closed bogey of a goods train and men had to travel on the roof. Due to rain, he arrived in Delhi with double pneumonia and was looked after by a maternal uncle.

Papa ji recalls while he provided leadership, his successful migration and others in the group was possible due to generous funding by his uncle Gian Chand, who had sold his family gold for 30,000 rupees.

Rai Bahadur, his uncle in Delhi was then working as a Deputy Custodian in the Ministry of Refugees of Government of India. He advised him of a job opening as an inspector in the Custodian department and advised him to apply for the job right away. The interviewing officer Mr. Lobo Prabhu, was aware of his relationship with Rai Bahadur. He discouraged Papa ji, telling him that this job would be well below his skill level. Papa ji explained his dire situation of no money or assets to settle and support his family. In November 1947, he started his job as an inspector with the Custodian department at Rupees 120 per month. He used to travel in Delhi by bicycle to gather information on empty properties left by Muslims and declare them evacuee property. These properties were then allotted to incoming refugees.

Rai Bahadur also informed Papa ji that he had earlier vacated the Kashmiri Gate flat as he was moving to his Bungalow at Flag Staff Road. If he wanted this flat he had to move the next day as there were many other refugees would grab it. Papaji moved quickly to occupy this 2000 sq. ft. flat on the first floor in Kashmiri gate. At that time rent of this flat was 40 rupees a month. Papa ji would have his eldest son, Ashok, who was 4 years old with high temperature, laid down rapped in a blanket in the front entrance to the apartment to show that it was now occupied. Dr. Avinash Nayyar (Grandfather of Kunal Nayyar, now famous Hollywood sitcom actor), a dentist and a neighbor, was very generous and a helping man. He provided water and electricity temporarily until Papaji could get his permanent connections. He borrowed 2,500 rupees from her aunt to establish his family in the new residence and what would be their home for next 30 years in Delhi. Dr. Nayyar became his best friend and a second father to his children.

With a job and a spacious apartment, the Bhasin family was able to settle down quickly in Kashmiri Gate, which used to be the commercial area of old Delhi before New Delhi was established in 1932. The flat was previously used as a dance hall during British rule.

Usha and Ashok were admitted as day students to nearby Christian boarding schools, while his wife and his Ba’ ji stayed home with their youngest son, Adarsh. Pabiji’s parents and their family also lived in the apartment for six months after their migration from West Pakistan before moving to their house near Novelty cinema.

Taken January 1, 1948

Papa ji progressed in his job to higher positions. However, he wanted to be in business for himself, where he had ancestral family business experience in the wholesale cloth trading. He was able to get an allotment of a shop in Chandni Chowk, Katra Nawab through his contacts in the Custodian department. In April 1950, he finally achieved his objective of opening his own wholesale textile business with his cousin, with borrowed capital and established contacts with suppliers in Surat, Indore and Bombay. This business basically would put his family on the path of prosperity for over a decade.

Deepak, the youngest son, was born on November 1950 on Diwali festival day to bring great joy to the Bhasin family in their new abode in Independent India.

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NOTES:

In October 1999, Ashok visited Karachi and Islamabad for an oil and gas conference. He took this opportunity to visit Campbellpur, where the city had grown to 200,000 from mere 20,000 in 1947. He saw the house, where he and Papa ji were born. He met neighbors and inquired about various friends Papa ji had, but they were no longer alive. The people he met were very hospitable, and he and local inhabitants shared their stories of partition.

Compiled by Ashok Bhasin based on various conversations with Papa ji with input from and editing by many family members.

Developed and Written over last 2 years, where this chapter was supposed to be a key and transformational chapter covering Papaji and Pabiji’s life.

Hopefully, it will be a start of a blog, where all members of extended family and friends (young and old) who wish to share their experiences with Papaji and other family members immediate and distant.

A supplement is being also issued and work is underway to develop a digitized ancestry record of Bhasin and related clans.

September 2017

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