THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2010
Mrs.M. Bakshi
D.O.B: 1938
Place of Birth: Rawalpindi, now Pakistan
Education: St.Thomas School, Delhi, where I won lot of honours in sports
Indraprastha College, Delhi
Family Life and Early Years:
We had a beautiful house in the cantonment area. We lived in a joint family. I had 7 siblings and I was the 6th youngest. My father was in the construction business. As soon as you entered the gate, there were buffaloes tied there for milk. Ahead was our personal tonga (carriage) and horse for taking us to school. We also had 2 cars. Then one entered the huge courtyard where we would play gulli-danda, chhicho, a makeshift high jump, gamp and gitta. We had a very relaxed life and no stress, unlike today. We used get up very early and then go to the Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) every morning. Only then could we have our breakfast. The whole family would be involved in everything. There was so much togetherness then. Everything was far more innocent.
Partition:
We heard of stories of people being killed in our native village Matuar. One of my maternal aunts jumped into the village well to save her honour from the mob. We heard that 40 girls had jumped in that same well. The well was covered with wooden planks as the last rites could not be conducted. We were so young but we were taught self defense with a real full sized. sword. My father was called "Darji" and mother "Biji". I clearly remember Darji saying" Main twanu sikha ditta ae gatka khedna, par kise waqt, bade sade loki aagaye, te tussi apne aap nu bache nai sakhde, te main twanu sabha nu shoot kardawanga- Is waqt twade kollon mafi mangda wa" ( I have taught you to defend yourselves with a sword, but if a mob comes and you are unable to defend yourselves, I will have to shoot all of you- my daughters and my wife- for which I in advance ask for your forgiveness)
That summer we moved to a 3 room house in Karol Bagh, Delhi a huge refugee area. It was very very hot. There was no fan and all of us were in one room. We did not think of complaining, we instead learned to play cards. We were badly off financially and my brother had to go on a cycle to get rations- a big change from our life in Rawalpindi. It was much later that we finally moved to a bigger home in Delhi..
My grandparents were left behind in Pakistan and when they finally reached Delhi with the "Baba Sahib" (The Guru Granth Sahib- the Sikh Holy Book) we felt our family was complete. My father’s sisters husband was missing for many months. Much later when he came back, passing through many refugee camps, there was much elation. We had gone through much financial hardship but could face it as we were there as a family together. I would love to go back and visit our old house. I tried this year to go to Pakistan, but my visa got rejected.
Independence:
We were first very disturbed as we had many Muslim friends, although there was a sense of happiness of having achieved Independence from British Rule. My older sister only wore khadi, she was a great fan of Gandhiji.
I got married at 21 years and became a widow at 27. I gave my husband to my country. He was a pilot in the Indian Air force and died in the 1965 war with Pakistan. My son was 4 and my daughter 1 year old.
Message for young Indians:
Be good citizens. Sometimes you have to forgo something so that you can adhere to your values. These days there is too much peer pressure. We were born with faith in God and that is what got me through difficult times.
This interview was conducted at Ms. Bakshi’s home in Delhi
Mrs.M. Bakshi
D.O.B: 1938
Place of Birth: Rawalpindi, now Pakistan
Education: St.Thomas School, Delhi, where I won lot of honours in sports
Indraprastha College, Delhi
Family Life and Early Years:
We had a beautiful house in the cantonment area. We lived in a joint family. I had 7 siblings and I was the 6th youngest. My father was in the construction business. As soon as you entered the gate, there were buffaloes tied there for milk. Ahead was our personal tonga (carriage) and horse for taking us to school. We also had 2 cars. Then one entered the huge courtyard where we would play gulli-danda, chhicho, a makeshift high jump, gamp and gitta. We had a very relaxed life and no stress, unlike today. We used get up very early and then go to the Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) every morning. Only then could we have our breakfast. The whole family would be involved in everything. There was so much togetherness then. Everything was far more innocent.
Partition:
We heard of stories of people being killed in our native village Matuar. One of my maternal aunts jumped into the village well to save her honour from the mob. We heard that 40 girls had jumped in that same well. The well was covered with wooden planks as the last rites could not be conducted. We were so young but we were taught self defense with a real full sized. sword. My father was called "Darji" and mother "Biji". I clearly remember Darji saying" Main twanu sikha ditta ae gatka khedna, par kise waqt, bade sade loki aagaye, te tussi apne aap nu bache nai sakhde, te main twanu sabha nu shoot kardawanga- Is waqt twade kollon mafi mangda wa" ( I have taught you to defend yourselves with a sword, but if a mob comes and you are unable to defend yourselves, I will have to shoot all of you- my daughters and my wife- for which I in advance ask for your forgiveness)
That summer we moved to a 3 room house in Karol Bagh, Delhi a huge refugee area. It was very very hot. There was no fan and all of us were in one room. We did not think of complaining, we instead learned to play cards. We were badly off financially and my brother had to go on a cycle to get rations- a big change from our life in Rawalpindi. It was much later that we finally moved to a bigger home in Delhi..
My grandparents were left behind in Pakistan and when they finally reached Delhi with the "Baba Sahib" (The Guru Granth Sahib- the Sikh Holy Book) we felt our family was complete. My father’s sisters husband was missing for many months. Much later when he came back, passing through many refugee camps, there was much elation. We had gone through much financial hardship but could face it as we were there as a family together. I would love to go back and visit our old house. I tried this year to go to Pakistan, but my visa got rejected.
Independence:
We were first very disturbed as we had many Muslim friends, although there was a sense of happiness of having achieved Independence from British Rule. My older sister only wore khadi, she was a great fan of Gandhiji.
I got married at 21 years and became a widow at 27. I gave my husband to my country. He was a pilot in the Indian Air force and died in the 1965 war with Pakistan. My son was 4 and my daughter 1 year old.
Message for young Indians:
Be good citizens. Sometimes you have to forgo something so that you can adhere to your values. These days there is too much peer pressure. We were born with faith in God and that is what got me through difficult times.
This interview was conducted at Ms. Bakshi’s home in Delhi
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