There was an unusual hustle and bustle at home for a very valid reason and

that was Dadima. Every single member of the house was in a higher spirit
because of her eminent presence especially children. Daadima was always
been an ultimate motivator, a spiritual inspirer and more keenly a just lady. At
all times she had something interesting to share, and that something was a
lesson to be learned for life. She was always smiling, calm and moderate.
It was the 2nd week of August. All of the kids were sitting and laying side by side
to Dadima, When Farah wished to hear something interesting from Dadima.
There aroused distinct voices. Saba wanted to listen some fairytale whereas on
boys side Afaq and Saad found this a typical girlish saga and asked for
something else. Meanwhile Bilal, who was elder among all, spoke up:
Bilal: Daadima, you have witnessed the era of when Pakistan was being
created. Tell us something about that?
Yaayy Yes yes, Daadima please tell us about this. We never knew this
before. (Children expressed with joy as it would really be something new,
different and interesting)
Daadima (chuckled): what you want to know my kids.
Saad: How old were you at the time of inception?
Dadima (while thinking): I was about 14 to 15 years old then. Actually on
those days birthdays were not celebrated so I even dont remember my date of
birth or year, she added.
Farah: So how did you feel when you came to know about the creation of a
separate homeland for Muslims?

DaadiMa: We were very excited to hear because on those days suppression was
at peak. All the rights of the Muslims were disrupted. On those days many
leaders were raising voices against the sub-continental dichotomy. Many
movements were functioning to preserve Muslim rights.
Saba: How were your feelings while leaving Pakistan?
DadiMa: It was a gloom and doom feeling. Amritsar, India was my basic
homeland. I was born there, I grew up there. My childhood friends and swing
was left over there. So, inwardly I was sad. I had been crying for many sleepless
nights. At that time I was told by my elders that for some time we will be
staying in Pakistan and then we will be coming back here. My father was an
agrarian, he had his lands there. It was our only source of livelihood. The
house where we had been living was our legal property, so letting those was
never been a second thought even.
Farah asked again: Did you have Hindu friends?
DadiMa laughed and said: A child has no religion. He is so raw and moldable,
so we were. I had many Sikh female friends from our neighborhood. We had
played a lot together especially swings, mangos, keekli and stapo were favorite
games. But when Sikhs started attacking Muslims, those also reserved
themselves and avoided to play with me.
Afaq: So how exactly you left for Pakistan? I mean how you knew that now you
were leaving for Pakistan?
DadiMa: It was the holy month of Ramazan. We heard the announcements on
loudspeakers and also on radios. I could not recall the exact wordings, however,
it was, Muslims! Congratulations, after burning the midnight oil and priceless

efforts, we are succeeded for a separate homeland. It is requested to all of you

to leave your houses and join the caravans (groups) leading to Pakistan.
Saba: Hence, you came to Pakistan?
Dadima: No, our arrival was not rosy at all. Sikhs appeared very crude at that
moment. They mixed poisonous liquor in the wells that caused deaths of many
migrants. They killed many innocent souls with dirk knives. They broke into
the trains coming to Pakistan and brutally slayed as many as Muslims,
additionally, they burnt the compartments of trains containing Muslims
passengers.
Oh! So merciless it would be.
May Allah curse them.
Were they mad?
So heartless people
But why they killed children and women? What they had to do with them.
Poisonous liquor? Gosh, how terrible.
(Children were repeating with anxious expressions)
Bilal: What happened then? How did you survive?
Dadima (expressed with grief): It was so awful situation. We were walking
onwards by foot. As we were progressing towards our destination, we saw many
carcasses of women, young girls and children. Then my father, for the sake of
my life, rolled me into the blanket and fixed on his shoulder. It was safer. (It
turned Dadima low-spirited and she hardly stopped herself of lamenting).

Bilal added a question: How about your mother? How she arrived?
Dadima: She was with her other sisters. They were skinned under hay and
then came to Pakistan though donkey-cart. There was an insufficient place on
the cart so my father took my responsibility.
Farah: How was the feeling when you stepped in Pakistan? What was your
prime feeling?
Dadima: It was a mixed feeling of win and loss. We incurred our native
homeland for a separate and peaceful homeland. Many people lost their beloved
ones on their way to a new country. They were grieved and distressed. Some
people also got separated from their relatives, like I met to my mother again
after two months of arrival.
Saad: What happened after you came to Pakistan? How you adjusted here?
Dadima: It ware hot summer days. Firstly, we all were registered and stayed in
tents. There was no point of return now. My father then claimed his legal
property to the Government and then we were allotted with a house and a shop
in Faisalabad that would have been under the possession of some Hindu
before. People were so supportive and friendly for each other. My father started
growing crops here due to his agrarian background, so financially we started
moving forward. Meanwhile, my father fixed my marriage to one of his newly
become friends son. His family was noble and your grandfather was a literate.
He then started teaching in a nearby government school and earned livelihood.
Saba: How do you feel now? What you think of this new state land now?
Dadima: Allah has set us free, while in India, it was a life of slavery. However, I
dont feel a very dramatic change (exhales breathe). People were fighting then,

so now they are equally fighting. Rights of labor class were exploited by the
landlords then, yet still exist. Corruption, blasphemy, favoritism and bribery
were common then and at its peak now. Politicians had vested their interests
then and now. People do not even bother the endeavors of their leaders and
sacrifices of lands and lives of their forefathers. Morality and patriotism is a
departed soul. But who cares? Todays generation cannot return even a blood
drop people shed for inception of Pakistan.
Children were quiet and overwhelmed. They were completely naive of
fragmented phase of her life.
Dadima broke the silence and said, Pakistan was attained after voluminous
sweats and carnages. It should be protected. Future of Pakistan belongs to you
now. You are the sailor of this sacred homeland. Hard work, determination and
goodwill will make this country blessed and prosperous. Promise me, you will?
Yes
Definitely
I am already up
In sha Allah
Children consented with dadima and slept with determination to fulfill their
promise.