During semester end at IIT, I picked fight with a senior. He was a Malang (didn’t care about world). I said – “money is everything”. He replied – “Didn’t you have it in Gujranwala? Why did you run away from there? And what’s the guaranty that you won’t run away from Amritsar 40 years later?” I was furious. I had no idea what he was saying.
Next week, I had a train to Amritsar in night. I was going home in semester break. The Malang came to see me off to station. “You got everything in life. But.. Ask your grandfather. Could money save his family?”
Train arrived. Malang returned. But I was stunned. What did he know about my grandfather that I didn’t? The train started moving.
I was home next day. Big beautiful house. Loving parents, but always under stress of business. I am going to meet Nanaji tomorrow, I told Mom. “What happened? Stay with us for some days. Will go together to meet Nanaji. He is ill”, she told.
I was in Jalandhar next day.
I : Nanaji, what happened in 1947?
Grandfather : Nothing, Puttar (son). What happened?
I : Where are your siblings currently?
G: I don’t have any. I was lone child of my parents.
I : How come? In your times, parents used to have 10-12 kids on an average. Why didn’t your parents have more?
G : Haha! They were great planners! Take rest now.
Next day, I was playing video game in my room. Nanaji came, sat besides me.
Grandfather : Playing Contra?
I : Yes.
G: Have you seen 7 colours of sun-rays ever?
I : No.
G : Let me show you, come to terrace.
We both went up. Beautiful sunshine. Sun was about to set.
G : Do you see the saffron?
I : Yes, whole sky is saffron!
G : There are 7 colours in this saffron. But they will be gone soon. There will be darkness all over.
I : That’s natural. It happens every evening.
G : Hmm. It happens once in centuries too. Do you know I have named 7 rays of sun as – Lajjo, Rajjo, Bhaggo, Paro, Gayo, Isho, and Urmi?
I : Why?
G : There was a Balwant Khatri in Gujranwala, a rich landlord. Big Haveli was among largest in Gujranwala. He had 7 daughters and a son from wife Prabhavati Devi.
Baldev (son) – 20
Lajwanti – 19
Rajwati – 17
Bhagvati – 16
Parvati – 15
Gayatri – 13
Ishvari – 11
Urmila – 9
Theirs was a beautiful family. A rich Punjabi Hindu Khatri family. They were looking for suitable grooms for Lajjo and Rajjo. However, something was not right in Punjab.
Barrister Jinnah had declared Direct Action Day for Pakistan. Hindu-Sikhs knew that Gandhi Ji’s ideals can’t be defeated by some miscreants. After all Hindu-Sikhs sang Avval Allah Noor upaayaa. Hindu-Sikhs used to sing Baba Bulleh Shah, Baba Farid’s poetry and visit Sufi Mazars. After all Gujranwala was full of Jatt, Gujjar and Rajput Muslims. How could they – the blood brothers – harm their own blood?
Soon, the news of massacre of hundreds of Hindu-Sikhs started coming from nearby places. Mobs chanting Allahu Akbar and Pakistan ka matlab kya La ilaah illillah were heard shouting – “no woman of Kafir will go to India, we will take them”.
It was morning of 18th Sep, 1947. A Sikh postman almost barged into the Haveli shouting – “Lala Ji, leave the place. They are coming for your daughters. Lajjo will be Salim’s. Sheikh Muhammad will take Rajwati. Bhagwati will go to…” Lala Balwant slapped him hard. What rubbish? Salim is Mukhtar Bhai’s son. Mukhtar Bhai is like our family.
“Mukhtar Bhai only is leading the mob, Lala Ji. All Hindu-Sikhs are fleeing to India. Will go in lots of 300-400 people in an hour. Get family to city Gurudwara fast”, the Sikh shouted and fled.
Lala Ji rushed to Prabhavati who was 7 months pregnant. She was in tears already. She overheard everything.
Prabhavati : We need to go, Lala Ji.
Balwant : We are going nowhere. Sardar is lying. Mukhtar Bhai can’t do that. Ideas of Gandhi Ji can’t be defeated.
Prabhavati : It’s not time to discuss ideas. We must go. I have asked daughters to pack jewellery and papers.
Balwant : But Mukhtar Bhai… I have to talk to him.
Prabhavati : He came last month when you were not home. He told Salim likes Lajjo and wanted to do Nikah with her. Lajjo told that Salim eve-teases her with his friends. She has stopped going out because of him.
Balwant : Why didn’t you tell this earlier? I could have talked to Mukhtar Bhai.
Prabhavati : You are too naive. He himself wanted to take Lajjo for Salim. Now he is coming to take her by force. Let’s leave.
City Gurudwara was full of Hindu-Sikhs. Men with swords and spears were guarding Gurudwara boundaries. Gujranwala, known for wrestlers, had Akhadas in many temples and Gurudwaras. Well built Hindu-Sikh men were deployed at the main entrance. Many were guarding the terrace. Many were sharpening swords on the stone near the well. Women, girls, and children were terrified. Mothers had pulled Infants/kids close to them.
Suddenly, a huge cry broke the silence. It came from the Badi Masjid from across the road. A mob of thousands was shouting slogans-
Pakistan ka matlab kya la ilah illillah (Pakistan means there is no god but Allah)
Hass ke litta vai Pakistan, khoon naal lavaange Hindustan (we took Pakistan with smile, will take India with blood)
Kaafron, kattna asi dikhaavange (Kafirs, see how we butcher you)
Kise mandir vich ghanti nahi vajjugi hun (no temple will remain, no bell will ring in temples)
Hindu di janaani bistar vich, te aadmi shamshaan vich (Hindu women belong to our bed, men to crematorium)
Prabhavati was sitting near window surrounded by 7 daughters. Her only son was guarding the main gate outside. Suddenly the mob from the mosque across had turned silent for some reason. In a minute, the screams of La ilah illillah started again. And this time, the volume kept going louder.
The mob with swords, daggers, spears and chains was approaching the Gurudwara. Prabhavati was first to witness from the window. She shouted – “They are coming” and held all her kids tightly in fear.
Gates of Gurudwara were locked from inside. All men took positions inside near walls and gates. All Hindu-Sikh men were asked to listen the announcement. Sukhdev Sharma, a wrestler and priest, stood up and said –
“They are coming for our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Their swords are for our necks. They will ask us to convert to their faith and surrender. I have decided. I won’t surrender. I won’t convert. Neither shall I allow them to touch our women.”
There was a pin drop silence for 3 seconds. And the Hindu-Sikhs roared
“Jo bole so nihaal sat Shri Akaal! Wahe Guru Ji da Khalsa waahe Guru Ji di fateh! No one will leave Dharma of our ancestors. Let them taste our swords”.
Mob had entered the Gurudwara. The first lot of 50-60 attackers was slaughtered in no time. People inside Gurudwara were prepared and in better position for small mob. There was hardly any casualty on this side. Hall of women & children was locked from inside.
The mob of hundreds chanting religious slogans stood at 50 meters distance from the Gurudwara for 30 minutes. They were waiting for something. Soon the reinforcement came. This time, they were in thousands. Hindu-Sikhs inside Gurudwara were hardly 400. Men were 50-60. Rest were old, women and children.
This had to be the final battle. The mob had displayed a Sikh woman they abducted from her home being dragged in front of everyone. Her clothes had been torn. She was being paraded naked while the men were cheering assaulting her sensitive organs. She fell unconscious. But many vultures from mob kept playing with her body. Finally, someone cut off her breasts and threw them towards Gurudwara.
Hindu-Sikhs of Gujranwala had heard about this barbarism in news. They were seeing it for first time. Suddenly, everyone started thinking about their women. What if our women fall in their hands after we die? This was the moment when even death was looking easy. Something else was scarier.
Mob had started breaking the gates.
Lajjo : Tusi katto bapuji, Main Musalmaanani nahi banugi (go ahead father, I won’t go to a Muslim)
Balwant : (crying, not able to speak)
Lajjo : Karo bapuji, te bhajjo jaldi etho (do it father, and run)
Balwant : (crying more, it was gut-wrenching) I can’t, my daughter. How can I?
Lajjo : If you don’t, they will cut my breas…(thak, the sword struck Lajjo’s neck)
Lajjo’s head rolled down the well. Balwant’s strike of sword was accurate. Her headless body was pushed down the well too. Now the mob could not touch her clothes. Nobody could cut her…. She was liberated.
It was Rajjo’s turn next.
Then Bhaggo’s.
Then Paro’s.
Then Gayo’s.
Then Isho’s.
and finally, Urmi’s.
The father would kiss forehead of each and take the head next.
Balwant liberated his seven daughters on 18th Sep 1947. The mobs chanting religious slogans were so close to the 7 sisters. But their father could manage to save them. What if the cost he paid was their lives? At least their breasts were intact. Their honour was intact. Their freedom was intact.
Even the remaining bodies were fed to the well because even the dead bodies of girls were not safe.
Gates of the Gurudwara had been broken. Swords of Hindu-Sikhs were chopping rioters left, right, and centre. Heavily outnumbered, the Hindu-Sikhs killed many times more. A great resistance was put up. The natives of Gujranwala showed for the last time that this land still belonged to Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa and Ram.
Balwant : Prabhavati, Lala Jagjeevan’s Tangas are waiting at the back gate of Gurudwara. He has just messaged me to escort as many women and children as we could. Take all women and children there. Baldev! You will go with mother.
Baldev : (silently nodded his head)
Prabhavati : But you? I wont go without you (was crying)
Balwant : You have to live. For the unborn. Baldev and you must reach India. I will come too.
Prabhavati : Why won’t you come with us?
Balwant : You are going with Baldev and the unborn. I will come in next lot. Lalaji and few men are taking you to station.
Balwant kissed her forehead, hugged Baldev and gently caressed the unborn. “Hurry up”.
Tanga of Prabhavati and Baldev had left for station.
Balwant had lost sanity. He was perhaps the only father to have killed seven of own children in order to protect them from something more gruesome. With trembling legs, he went to the well and shouted – “Two kids have their mother with them. 7 kids here must have their father. Jai Shri Krishna..”
Balwant had stabbed himself and jumped into the well. This man gave 7 Padminis to the society.
Nanaji’s tears couldn’t stop. Neither could mine.
I : How do you know all this?
Grandfather : Baldev was my friend in college.
I : Where is he now? I want to meet him.
Grandfather : He died.
I cried a lot that night. But suddenly, I recalled my senior’s words – “ask your grandfather, could money save his family?”.
I went straight to Nanaji’s personal room where his documents and belongings were kept. I slowly and quietly unlocked the locker.
There was a photograph of his teenage. With his parents sitting in middle while he stood at their backside. And there were seven smiling sisters. Like the seven rays of sun…
—————-
PS : We lost 28 family members in creation of Pakistan. My great grandfather, his brothers, sisters and their families were killed. All hailed from Gujranwala, Pakistan. All in the name of La ilah illillah – there is no god but Allah.
Protesters of Shaheen Bag, Delhi are no victims. I am the victim. There are millions more trapped in fanatic lands of Af-Pak-Ban who have been subject to worst religious persecution are the victims and need to be rescued.
We have moved on. But Pak-lovers in India haven’t. And now I believe unilateral moving on from history is dangerous. It can make culprits victims and vice versa. So no moving on from now on until all don’t move on.
Please keep my story in mind when you read my next article on why CAA-NRC is must for India and its survival.
Wrote this on insistence of my close friend, a scientist in US. This is his story. Have used some creative freedom to make it presentable to common people. Reality was way too disturbing.
About Author – Dr Vashi Sharma, studied at IITB, taught at IITK, Energy Science, Defence, Religions, Pakistan.
Twitter – @VashiMant
you are recording real history and the current CBSE educated/fooled generation does not know this history at all. but my suggestion is that please make videos. the left newspapers and blogs have muddied the waters so much that no one trusts the written word. the video is what generates the trust and hence creates the impact.
But hindus don’t want to face reality of did barbaric community
This is the story of ALL THE Hindus & Sikhs of the area. My family too has many such gruesome stories which were never told to us. I was not very “interested” in all that because never told ANYTHING. NO ONE spoke about this. All I heard was that people came & stayed at my Nanaji’s home on their way to India, fleeing from what had become Pakistan. My grand parents left Jammu soon to “save” their 2 daughters. The sons had already left because the had completed their education & sought employment in fields of their own choosing, & refused to join a very large family business. Not one of the 8 siblings including my Mom ever spoke about or mentioned their dadihal, the chachas, chachis, their children, or grandchildren… or what became of them. My own Mausi whose family fled from Gujranwala too never spoke of what they went through, although they spoke fondly about their home based soap making business. Now almost all are no longer alive. Te ones who are are only my generation, who are oblivious of all this, “protected” from the horror stories. But there is a deep sense of anger, pain, curiosity, that has never left m. And the more I here about all this, the greater is my anger that I did not ask questions… But who could I ask? Now in mu 7th decade of life, having lost ALL my grand parents by the time I was 6, I am one of the few, I guess, who has NO STORIES to tell when I sit with people who have so much to tell about their times with their families getting together during summer 7 winter vacations. I am one who barely ever saw my cousins… any of them. This kind of stories hit e hard & make me shed silent tears of anger & frustration & often fill me with a sense of failure. What a great narrative, how the Hindus have covered up their own wounds & treated the murderers of their families & friends with respect.
I have no words that are fit enough to describe the feeling. And the current situation seems to be leading to repeat of the events of 1947 & earlier… I wonder how many times will the brutal murderers keep repeating this & how many times will the REAL PEOPLE of this land keep running to save themselves & COVER UP.
No amount of words are even close enough to describe the pain and agony of the affected people and their families.
Ahinsa Parmo Dharma’ means ‘Non-violence is the ultimate Dharma’ — that’s only a part of a shlok from Bhagavat Gita quoted by Gandhiji.
Please try to understand half knowledge will ultimately lead to some form of agony and or misery.
Full shlok is as follows —
Ahinsa Parmo Dharma’
Dharma Hinsa Tathaiva Cha.
means,
‘Non-violence is the ultimate Dharma
So is violence done to protect or serve Dharma’.
I strongly urge to Every sincere citizen of our country Bharat, be it in whatever way you identify yourself as Hindu, Sikh, Indian, to read the scriptures of your desire and try to understand the true sense of their knowledge. And not just be judgemental, based on few dogs who does not have any other agenda then creating some kind of distress within the society. Those are baseless.
The question here is if every religion is teaching Peace and Harmony then why only Muslims are in the spree on converting others to their religion that too using Extreme force and Threat ??
Does someone really need to use extreme force and violence if they are really superior or they think so for that matter ??
Why are they keeping only women from other religion alive if they think their religion is beter or are more civilized in any sense ?? No brainer to understand what their mentality is about women in general.
My grand parents maternal and paternal had suffered same humiliation during creation of pakistan.
Similar story: https://youtu.be/2WQtUYv1_-s
Must watch.
Every suffering we patriotic Indians had only because gandhi and his principles. Still we all suffering because of him.
Good Afternoon sir,
You are very true and still we are carrying his image in our pockets and purses.
Blessings,
Uma
“Where choice is set between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence … I prefer to use arms in defense of honor rather than remain the vile witness of dishonor…”
― Mahatma Gandhi
This too is from Gandhi. Gandhi has been selectively quoted by vested interests
But since Gandhi has now become an icon for cowardice, unquestionable non-violence .. to save ourselves,our future generations it is better to let go of him from our discourses.
In 1948 …My husband’s grandfather never returned home to Srinager from his posting in Muzfarahbad (now POK) .was killed by Quabalis (gurela attackers).
The family learnt of this after many years of search .
Last rites could not be performed by 4 sons…
Dear Madam
Very much sad and painful reading this.
I pray, his soul rest in peace.
Regards
Uma
Very painful to read. May the refugees have the power to heal their wounds. Have heard similar stories from a Sardarji while I was staying in Ajmer.. Its too painful to even listen to such stories.
We couldn’t even imagine that Horror. Terror ,blood and helplessness…….uf
Very painful and touching, my sympathies, can not say anything more.
Very difficult to deal with this pain. Tears only compound my helplessness. Confused about my spiritual legacy and the perpetual inhuman onslaught. Why I am so tolerant of what is so crystal clear against all humanity especially the indianness. If I am so forgiving why I have to repeat the experience. It isn’t poison which came up on sagar manthan and was absorbed by Shivji, it is a genetic challenge. Only way is to eradicate it from its roots.
I belong 2 a bengali Hindus family who went thru d horrors of partition. Will our brethren never learn from what we went thru? Dark days r ahead. Especially d way W Bengal has proceeded towards being an Islamic State. Will no one save us this tym too?
Oh! My God I am in tears… I have share this as much as possible.. these creatures are capable of anything… Very terrifying..
Oh! My God I am n tears… I have share his a much as possible.. these creatures are capable of anything… Very terrifying..
The same happened in our Family.
Really a touching tale of reality, my sympathies
This is gut wrenching… Should go to masses.
This blog is wrong on so many levels. India-Pakistan war killed not just hindus but muslims too. No war ever fought, just kills people on one side. What happened with the author of this blog was grave and it shouldn’t happen with anyone.
You cant use your story to dismiss someone else’s pain and problems.
every one has freedom of wring, if you have story for pakistan please write.. we want to know how many are suffered?????. Brother, in Indian history we are always defensive, we never attack any one, and some time we suffered due to misunderstanding of “ahinsa” (non violence)
Good Evening Amita ji,
You are very true.
Blessings
Uma
Very naive understanding.We aren’t talking about the misery of one or another or the manner how a father beheaded his daughters to save their honour. We are torch lighting the annihilative and barbaric islam which only sheds blood destruction and oppression for kafirs. And when the mob mouths the cry “la illah ill alah” destruction and devastation of Hindus is preordained.
Good Evening,
Please don’t say ‘This blog is wrong on so many levels’, which means what was written by the respected author is wrong.
This is not a story but the fact and by exposing the fact, it doesn’t mean dismissing someone else’s pain and problems.
Then you are wrong to judge so. One alone can not cover all sides of the History.
If you have any such kind of a fact, please present project it.
Anyway I appreciate your sympathy expressed to the author for what all happened.
Regards and blessings.
Uma
https://ilmfeed.com/heartbreaking-stories-from-the-1947-india-pakistan-partition/
One of the many articles that tell stories of both Hindus and Muslums who were killed during partition.
Also I find the article wrong because wrong happened with author doesnt mean what is happening with other is not wrong.
Britishers could rule for 200 years because they divided us on the basis of religion. And now Congress and BJP are doing same.
You know what is wrong? creation of this cult of islam and the pathetic
followers who continued this cult, making it a religion for all the rapist and barbaric humans.
Have you ever thought, if this cult or religion never existed, what future could we hold?
Don’t throw away the theorem of infinite possibilities. I am talking about islam and its methods.
If the suffering on the other side was as brutal, how would one justify the statistics. The minorities in our neighboring countries have reduced to single digits where as the minorities (which cannot be called minorities any more) in India have flourished in numbers. Were non Hindus ever tortured and killed in the name of Ram or Krishna ? Why are Hindus suffering because they want the freedom of not choosing to convert to abrahamic religions. How I wish, if the ones defending the people of peaceful religion and seeing only their pain, went through any pain at all.
U must be an anti hindu right? Over qualified? Can sell your nations for papers right?
One request if the same can be translated into Hindi by Vashi himself so that it can reach to the masses.
Horrifying. As i am the witness. Never forget, never forgive.
This was the reality, gandhi and nehru were hypocrites, they never cared for hindus and history texts became fictious stories of commie historians. Once again CAA and NRC have brought open the real face of CON’gress, CONmunists, hollow intellectuals, pseudo secular parties and fundamentalist muslims.
How can a Nation forget its pain? Many Sikhs in western countries join hands with Pakistanis under the banner of Khalistan
Those who are joining hands with Pakistan have everything to lose and nothing to gain! The pseudo-secular Opposition parties of India are also committing “harakiri” by their ignorance of Islamist mentality!
The most pathetic situation of 1947 in Pak vividly narrated.Really I am trembling after reading.The CAA is must to protect our brothers and sisters all over the world
You are right! CAA, NCR and NPR are of utmost importance for India! But see how disgusting is the behavior of the pseudo-secular Opposition party crooks! The latest hypocrite to jump onto the anti-CAA bandwagon is Pavan Varma of JDU! What’s the use of the education of these stupid crooks?
Barbaric and blood freezing attrocities by newly formed Pak citizens, who were just a month ago friends,neighbours and like “family”! Could Gandhi save this? While he adopted principle of non violence against British, he could not prescribe the same to ppl who formed Pakistan!
Contrary to it, it again got repeated in Kashmir in 1989, but not learned any lessons from the massacre.
Now for this time atleast we are on the right path and taking the right decisions.
Bande Mataram!
Iam a Tamil far down below knowing nothing of this! My heart skipped a beat! Hindu faith says soul is immortal, lord Shiva bless Baldev’s soul. Why Hindu sikh unity is very important and thus illustrates this!
Hare Krishna, unbelievable incidents send tremors through the spine. Inhuman Islam Muslims need serious fix
Yeah kaliyug hai, na ram ji aur na hi krishanji hi ayenge, Ye log rakshas aur asur hai ,inhe khatm karney ke liye yagy ki ahuti par hum sabhi ko apna sarvasv balidaan karna hoga samaj ka kaam samaj hi karega, hum sabhi arya vedic sanatani hai aur humare paas Gita jaisa manual hai yeah rakshas bhi usi anussar yagya par bhasm jaldi hongey.
Goodness, it sent shivers all over me.
Goosebumps. What baldev did was right
On the name of secularism santanis are being sacrificed shame on such seculars . I always knew we cant trust any muslims . Gurunanak dev ji said it right if a mullah dip hua whole hand in oil with seeds , the number of seeds stuck to his hand if those many times he says I’m loyal and not lying don’t trust him.
Once again hats off to you Vashi Bhai for exposing Radical Islamic Jihadis. they are the worst creatures, they must be wiped out from this planet. I also want to show my gratitude towards agniveer that is fighting for the Hindu cause.
So sad this story will never appear in Congress ruled indian history. Now we need CAA and NRG. It is so pathetic that present Sikhs are opposing very vigorously. It looks like most oppressed ones are hating Modiji’s Government. What is wrong with them?
Can anyone give reasons?
Ordinary people like us should also spread awareness among the common people about the need for NRC and NPR which every country in the world has adopted in their own way! It’s only the unscrupulous Con Party which has failed the nation by ignoring such mass infiltrations! And now these Opposition politicians are trying to make political capital at the risk of the security of the country! Identify the scoundrels and caution the people!
It’s very tragic.
Oh God!
This is heart-rending!
How to put an end to tragedies horrible as these?
We can’t even say if our future would be safe n secure as long as this fanaticism continues.
Cried after a long time, I have two daughters and can feel the pain of a father who had to sacrifice 7 daughters just to keep their honour.. Hope it will be read by all.
Dear Vashi ,same slogans, scene, story was repeated in Kashmir on 19th January 1990 . We became rootless in our own bharatvarsh . This story will be repeated again and again till all hindus are not killed or converted . Unfortunately hindus are not ready to wake up.
#KashmirExodusDay
#KashmirGenocideDay
Madhu di are u also victim of kashmir ?
😢😢इसे ज्यादा लोगों तक पहुंचाने के लिए हिंदी में भी
“Nanaji’s tears couldn’t stop.
Neither could mine.”
So, couldn’t me. During reading, could visualise the trauma the families, faced.
P.S. I was once told that my father’s Fufaji (husband of father’s sister) was killed by the mob, when they were fleeing from Pakistan.
I m sorry….just sorry…
I only cry only when I watch Ramayana seeing the love of Siblings. Cried today reading. We must not commit the same mistake again to allow these barbarians to win
I can’t stop crying!!!
I usually don’t cry so easily. Last time it was when my mother passed away. Similar amount of tears rolled down my eyes after reading this story (even though I had read it before). Nothing has changed in their psychology and unfortunately we are still not ready to learn our lessons.
People (Hindu & Sikh) opposing CAA must visit a refugee camp in Delhi and see how unsafe their 13-14 years daughters are even in 20th century Pakistan. Every day close to 3 Hindu/Sikh girls are abducted, raped, married off and forcefully converted.
I believe after knowing all this, if someone opposes CAA then he/she is no different to barbaric fanatics living at other side of the border.
Agree! 😢
No more tears left, freedom is too precious, don’t take it for granted, there are many who don’t have it, support them, support CAA, and one lesson from this story – Don’t let culprits become victims – come what may.
Ppl read it and later forget it…. V can talk only in FB, wattsup and blogd but in real world we dont do anything… V r vulnerable… Mind it… Make ur bew generations aware, have atleast 2 kids