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BORN SLAVE
By

Prof. DR. M. ASLAMKHAN

There comes a moment or event or incidence in everybody's life, which shapes it or sets a
path for it to tread upon in future. There may be more than one such land-mark. The 14 th day
of August, now the independence-day of our country, always reminds me the 15 th August of
1947. It was Friday, when 400 million slaves of the Indian subcontinent got their freedom
from the British. Everybody - Hindus and Muslims, and of course Sikhs and Christians, as
well as Harigans (untouchables) – all were happy. Festive celebrations were the order of the
day. Though the curfew and killing spree of people to exterminate persons of other faith was
not observed on that-day, but apprehension and mistrust was in the air.

PRE-INDEPENDENCE HOLOCAUST:
After the announcement of date of independence and partition of the British India into Bharat
and Pakistan, including the division of the Punjab and Bengal, planned religio-cultural
cleansing was initiated in the East Punjab, which was going to become a part of Bharat.
From the killing of isolated person, massacre of families, villages and cities was taking place.
The disturbances, arson, slaughtering of men, women and children started almost
simultaneously in all cities of the independent Bharat. In retaliation disturbances also started
in the West Punjab, after the cornered Muslim of Amritsar, East Punjab sent a gift of hina
and bangles to the men of Lahore, West Punjab. Of course the men of Lahore did not like to
be treated like ladies wearing hina and bangles. They came into action.

During the pre-independence five or six months millions of men women and children were
slaughtered, and even more were made homeless. Refugees moved from Bharat to Pakistan
and vice versa. It is said that the holocaust of 1947 was the biggest, which the world has
witnessed so far. However, as a result of freedom the British India was divided into Pakistan
and Bharat. The division was made on the basis of two dominant religio-cultural
communities, - Hindus and Muslims, - which are poles apart in their religious philosophy and
social life. For example, Hinduism, largely undefinable, with multitude of gods and
goddesses, treated "cow" as "Gao Mata" (cow mother), while Islam, a monotheistic religion,
preaches about The God of Prophet Abraham, The God of Prophet Moses, The God of
Prophet Jesus, and allowed Muslims to slaughter cow for food. This non-reconcilable religio-

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cultural difference between the circa 300 million Hindus and 100 million Muslim inhabitants of
the British India, at that time, was a matter of strife between the two communities. Almost
every year there were Hindu-Muslim clashes and riots over the slaughter of "Gau mata"; and
of course the British Rulers exploited this situation to their advantage. It suited best to the
British policy of "divide and rule". Another major cause of strife was social interaction, love
affair, and civil marriage of a Muslim with a Hindu girl and vice versa.

As one can visualize, for the Hindu majority there was no threat from the Muslim minority
community. But it was their hatred for Muslim, whom they portrayed as intruder in " Bharat-
Varsha" (the land of Bharat, a legendary hero), and ruled on them for more than a 1000
years. It was their intolerance for Non-Hindus during the British Raj, which forced the
Muslims of the British India to demand and opt for a separate home-land through division of
the British India, into Muslim-majority and Hindu-majority areas.

HATRED AND INTOLERANCE:

I see raised eyebrows on the word "intolerance" for Hindus. I know it is generally propagated
that "Hindus are the most tolerant people in the world", in contrast to Muslims, who have
been branded as "intolerant". Nevertheless this false notion and impression has been
created by the subjective and organized propaganda of Hindus, who, sensing the advantage
of alienation with the British-Masters, took and followed their instructions without any
question. Because of this policy Hindus got many advantages, particularly in getting jobs in
the British Government Service. Being economically better off, due to their dominance in
business and trade, they also could pursue higher education. That provided them a very
strong lever for advancement. With that superiority coupled with their inborn intolerance,
Hindus expressed their bias against Muslims. The example of which is cited below.

In the University of the Punjab, second oldest in the subcontinent, after Calcutta University,
over 80 percent faculty and other staff was Hindu. That too was in a province where the
majority population was Muslim. One of Zoology Teacher, Professor Abubakr, after
independence, narrated that when he applied to get admission to do Master's in Zoology, the
Hindu Head of the Department, discouraged him. The Professor told him bluntly that instead
of science he should study Arabic and become a clergy for a carefree life because for
Muslims science is difficult to pursue. However, he could not deny him admission because of
his good grades than most of the Hindu candidates. He was the only Muslim in a class of
ten. Professor Abubakr, after independence, did his Ph.D. from Harvard and known as
Father of Palaeontology in Pakistan. Because of their advancement in education Hindus

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dominated in social and cultural life. British-Masters also preferred and promoted Hindus, for
their apparently docile and submissive attitude towards them. However, to get the true
picture, one needs to do an objective analysis of historical, religious and cultural aspects of
the people in the Subcontinent.

HISTORICO-GEOGRAPHICAL SCENARIO:
To start with, one can say that Hindus are also intruders in the Subcontinent. They constitute
an altered culture and religion of Aryans, who entered the Indus Valley circa 1,800 - 1,500
years BC and their migratory waves from West continued up to 500 years BC. The
discussion, at this point, about the identity of Aryans, as to who were they, which was their
homeland in Central Asia or Eastern Europe, what were the reasons for their migration, etc.,
is immaterial. Lot of research has already been done on these and other related points. Be
as it may, but they intruded (invaded) the valley of the mighty River Sindhu (Indus), which
generally constitute the modern day Pakistan. Indus Valley was a very fertile region then, as
it is now, where evolved a great civilization, parallel with, if not more advance than the
Egyptian and Mesopotamian Civilizations. Perhaps the floods around 2,500 years BC were
responsible for the destruction of their city, known now as Moen-jo-Daro (literally Mound-of-
Dead). Moen-jo-Daro, one of the great cities of the Indus Civilization, with baked-brick-
houses, buildings and streets, running water through the houses for "central cooling",
excellent public hygiene system - in many ways better than the "modern" facilities, store
houses and godowns for wheat grains, which was "exported" to Middle Eastern countries. It
must have taken millenia to attain that stage of advancement, as was seen in Moen-jo-Daro;
and we may conclude that the Indus Civilization did not begin 4,500 years ago, but declined
at that period. We have evidence at hand to show that habitation and civilization elsewhere
in Pakistan, particularly in Cholistan, preceded the so-called "Indus Valley culture". The
culture and habitation in Cholistan, along the dry bed of Hakra, a tributary of Indus, dates
back to 6,000 years, labeled by Archaeologists as "Hakra Civilization", after the now dry river
bed running through the desert.

DESTRUCTION BY THE ARYANS

Very little evidence is at hand to build a picture of population and culture between 2,500 to
1,500 BC. Nevertheless, the evidence of flourishing communities is provided by thousands of
unexplored "mounds" and even more of partly unearthed archaeological sites in Pakistan.
Evidently the Aryans must have destroyed and annihilated the "Aborigines", which they boast
proudly. We may question at this point as to, who were those "Aborigines"? Unfortunately
negligible anthropological research has been done on them in Pakistan.

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However, one point emerges after going through the holy Aryan's literature, the "Vedas", that
they annihilated, conquered and subdued the Aborigines, killing their kings, destroying their
forts, and made these "godless" people their slaves, for which they praised and thanked their
god Indra,: Let us read their confessional prayer:

"Maghavan (Indra) with his puissannce struck down Ahi, rent Rauhina to death
and slaughtered Vyansa".
"Armed with his bolt and trusting in his prowess he wandered
shattering the forts of Dasas".
"Cast thy dart, knowing, Thunderer, at the Daysu: increase the Arya's might
and glory, Indra".
"Thunderer, drawing nigh to slay the Dasyus, hath given himself
the name of Son for glory".
"The Hero, watching like a thief in ambush, goes parting
the possessions of the godless".
"Well didst thou do that hero deed, O Indra, in walking
with thy bolt the slumbering Ahi".
"In thee, delighted, Dames divine rejoiced them, the flying maruts
and all gods were joyful".
"As thou hast smitten Sushna, Pipru, Vritra and kuyava
and Sambara's forts, O Indra".
"This prayer of ours may Varuna grant and Mitra and Aditi,
and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven".

The Aryans, after killing the Aborigines kings, Ahi, Vyansa, Rauhina, Sushna, Pipru, Vritra,
kuyava, Sambara, etc., making the population their slaves and taking possession of the land
and water became the lawful (or unlawful) master of the Sindhu Valley. They liked this land
immensely, sang many praises about it, and named it "Sapta Sindhvas" (the land of Seven
Rivers). Yes, the land of seven rivers, consisting of the Indus, the five rivers (Jhelum,
Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Beas) of the Punjab, (Punjab is a modern Persian word meaning
five-waters) and the "Sarasvati". This 7 th river was the holiest of all the holy rivers of the
Aryans, according to their holy Book "Rig-Veda". Scientists have traced the course of
Sarasvati and its tributaries. It has been established that once upon a time, before the
invasions of the Aryans, River Jamna, along with other tributaries of Sarasvati, originating
from the Western-Himalayas, was running southwest through the land now known as

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Cholistan. After irrigating the then fertile and living land of "Cholistan", the Sarasvati was
emptying itself into the River Sindh, at a place near the modern city of Khanpur
(archaeologically very old and rich). As is known, the Himalayas are young mountains.
Geological disturbances are taking place in them. One such disturbance forced the Sarasvati
to change its course from southwest to straight south, directly to the sea in the area of Run of
Cutch. Later disturbances in the Himalayas changed the course further from south to
southeast. Thus the main tributaries of Sarasvati abandoned the Indus water system and
joined the Gangectic water system, as we see it today.

FORCED MOVEMENT OF THE ARYANS

The decreasing amount of water in the Sarasvati forced the people to move towards east in
the Cholistan area. Numerous archaeological remains along the now dry bed of Sarasvati
are witness of the past glory of the then fertile and living land. (Original name of Cholistan
Area is not traceable). The gradual disintegration due to paucity of water and movement of
people has been shown, with archaeological evidence, by Sir Aurel stein, the famous
explorer. Sarasvati is still surviving by a small river named "sarsoti", and the river which is
still bringing some water in the old course of the 7 th River, is known as Ghaggar in Rajputana
area of India, and Hakra in Bahawalpur area of Pakistan. Water in Ghaggar / Hakra is
absorbed in the dry and thirsty soil as it reaches Rajputana area, observable even now.

The Aryans have depicted this event in a very heartbreaking way. On the initiation of " Kala
Juga" (Bad time), the Vedic hymns narrate, the people settled on the banks of Sarasvati,
have started doing all evil things (cheating, stealing cows, burning crops, murdering men,
raping women, wayfaring travelers, etc.). The bad acts increased so much that "Sarasvati
Mata" felt ashamed of the deeds of her sons, and could not bear them any more; and she
requested "Dharti Mata" (Mother Earth) to open her bosom so that she may hide her face.
"Dharti Mata" reminded her of the beginning of "Kala Juga", but could not persuade her to
bear with it and finally acceded to her request. "Sarasvati Mata" then hid her face in the
bosom of Dharti Mata. So it was then, about 3,000 years ago, and so we see it today.
Because of her vanishing, the whole fertile area has become dry and arid, and slowly turned
into a desert, as we see it today. The latter chroniclers have labeled the once living land as
"Marusthali" (dead land).

Aryans, due to decreasing amount of water, forced to move eastward, for more water, and
finally occupied the Gangetic planes. They did not go south, as they were advised not to take
"Dakshina-Patha", i.e., the road on their right hand side. Keep in mind that the Aryans were

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moving from west to east trans Indus, and the area lying on their right hand side was the
high plateau of South India (known as Dhakhana or Daccan). The highland might have
posed topographical problems for invasion, or the Aborigines of Daccan could not be
conquered. (Professor Eickstedt has done extensive research on the races of India in the
early part of 20th century). Be as it may, the Aryans, following the advice shunned the
"Dhakshina-Patha", moved straight and invaded east as far as possible.

BRAHMANA, KSHATRIYA, AND VAISHYA:

After this historico-geographical scenario, let us glance at the cultural interaction of the
conquerors and the conquered. The invading Aryans were well-organized people. There
were three distinct communities in their social structure: The religiously dominating priests -
the Brahmana, the warriors and ruling class - the Kshatriya, and the working artisan class -
the Vaishya. These three classes are generally known as "caste". The Vaishyas were
further divided into subcastes according to their profession, e.g., carpenter, weaver, potter,
butcher, etc. This social organizational hierarchy was working for the best advantage of
Brahmana, who as religious men and protector of religious scriptures, dominated even the
ruling Kshahtriya. No body from king to Vaishya could do anything, in public or private life,
without seeking advice, obtaining blessings and Mahurata (the auspicious time segment -
month, day and hour, in a 30 "hour" day) from Brahmana priest. The Brahmana Pandit, after
consulting the scriptures and making astrological calculations according to the movements of
stars, would draw the Mahurata to initiate or do a thing, e.g., invasion of a neighbouring
country, proceeding on a journey, getting married, writing a book, or even to do burglary. The
Mahurata could be advanced or retarded on recalculations as per request and depended, as
one can visualize, on the expected Dakhshina, i.e., charity. The Dakhshina or Dan was
generally a bull to be given in the name of god Indra, as we read in Veda:

"To him the truly strong, whose deeds are many, to him the strong bull
let us pour the Soma".

Over the period the Bull was synonymiesed with "Dan" (literally right or right hand), the word
also used for charity. (Pleas keep in mind that charity was to be handed over with the right
hand only, from the right hand side of the donor, to the Brahmin, who would receive the Dan
Dhakshina in his right hand and keep it to his right hand side). Thus Brahmin were
controlling the ultimate power in the name of Deva (god), so much so, that in the name of
Deva, the Maha Pundit (the great priest) use to bestow the title of Deva Putra (son of god) to

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the king, if he felt pleased with him. (Of course after consulting the scriptures and stars, and
expected Dan Dakhshina)

The reigning Kshatriya Raja (king) and his kinsmen, generals and soldiers, were the master
of land, for whom land tiller Vaishya were working. Of the 3 rd caste Vaishya, there were many
professional groups, who were distinguished from each other by carrying a common sub-
caste name. As a matter of fact they were isolated from each other genetically, as marriage
could take place only within an isonym group. The truth of which, I suppose, was (and is) to
keep the professional know-how within the group. Be as it may, but this socio-religious
division of work could have been evolved over a long period of time, in accordance with the
necessity of the circumstances of their environment.

SOCIO-CULTURAL DISCORDANCE:
Going back to the invasion time of the Aryans, it is envisaged that after massacre, and
subduing the Aborigines, and settling in the Sapta Sindhvas, they must have experienced
some sort of concordant and discordant relationship with the local population. Perhaps it was
only discordance in all spheres of social, cultural and religious affairs. To start with let us look
at the social relationship. The local populace, which was quite different to look at: Short
statured, dark skinned, black haired, prominent cheek bones and with broad nose, compared
to taller, fair skinned, blond haired Aryans with long and thin nose. These different looking
people may have been attractive to the Aryan youth, in particular, resulting in legitimate and
illegitimate children of the Aryans men and women with the Aborigines. Lo! they were
different too. None of the children looked like the Aryans, even those who were sired by the
Aryans. Concept of the Aristotalian paternal lineage simply did not work. All the children
looked more like the Aborigines people, even those who were not dark skinned. Broad nose
and black hair, along with other anthropological characteristics of Aborigines were dominant
in all the "hybrid" children.

UNTOUCHABLE SHUDRA:
Those hybrid children of social interaction between the two races must have perturbed the
Aryans. They must have considered the after effects of inter-race, legal or illegal, sexual
relation. As a result of their communal thinking they must have come naturally to the logical
conclusion that if this practice was allowed to continue, then after a few generations, the
Aryans race will lose its identity altogether. (Keep in mind that the principles of heredity came
to light some 3350 years latter, in 1859, as a result of the experiments by Gregor Mendel.
Prior to that, the erroneous concept of heredity through male only, as propounded by the

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great philosopher Aristotle, was in vogue). The ruling Aryans, following the advice of the
priestly Brahmana, pronounced the Aborigines as "Shudra", a caste of servile people of low
birth. Thus matrimonial relation with them could not be established. However, this decree of
making the Aborigines as Shudar may not have proved very effective, as it prohibited only
the marriage, but not the extra marital relation. Keep In view that as conquerors, the Aryans
made and kept the Aborigines as their Dasyus or slave. To stop the practice of making any
physical contact, the Shudra were pronounced as "untouchable". In other words, touching or
touched by a Shudra will make a person unclean, and such a defiled person becomes liable
for excommunication from his / her caste, unless he or she be cleaned through ablution. For
that the blessings of Brahmana Pandit were required and Dan Dakhshina was mandatory.
As if that was not enough, a deterrent law of fine and punishment was also enforced.
According to which an Aryan male was to pay certain amount of money as fine, if found
molesting an Aborigines girl, but the Aborigines boy's offence was punishable by death, even
if the Aborigines youth was seduced by an Aryan female. This discriminatory legal treatment
is what we see in 300 - 200 BC old version of "Arth Shastra".

TOUCHABLE DEVA DASI:

It is interesting to note that in spite of the untouchable label we see Aborigines girls in temple
as "Deva Dasi" (slave of god). Sexual contact with them was not prohibited. How and why
these girls ended in temple as Deva Dasi, one may question?
"Were these the unwanted girl-child of extra marital relation with slave women"?
"Were the Deva Dasi purchased from impoverished families to serve in temple"?
"Were these girls given as "Kanya Dan" (girl charity) to Brahmana for his services"?
"Why was this institution of temple prostitution started"?
"Was there a paucity of women in the Aryan population, and these Deva Dasi were
kept in temples for unmarried men"?
"Were these Aborigines girls really so attractive and irresistible that in order to
possess them, they made them religiously touchable in the guise of doing service
to god"?
Be as it may, but through this institution of Deva Dasi, the maximum benefit accrued to
Brahmana, as care taker of temple and its property.

ARIAN CULTURE AND NATURALISTIC RELIGION

Aryans were nomadic. There last stronghold before invasion of the Indus Valley was Iran, a
name derived from Aryans. The term "Aryan" meaning "the noble one", is derived from
Sanskrit, which developed from the Indo-Germanic languages spoken by the Aryans.

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Sanskrit has many cognates with European languages. Aryans are also credited to have first
domesticated cattle and tamed the horse, as narrated in the Rig Veda:

"He found the cattle, and he found the horses, he found the plants, the forest
and the waters".

Horse appeared prominently in the religious sacrifice of Aryans. Because of their nomadism,
no religious structure has been found or identified. However, they had a well-founded
polytheistic religion, more or less similar to that of other European and Central Asian
communities. Quite a bit of research is available to show similarities of Aryan deities with
those of the Greco-Roman pantheon, e.g., god Varuna with Uranus, and god Dyaus with
Greek Zeus and the Roman Jupiter. However, there are considerable difficulties to ascertain
the "original" religion of the Aryans before they invaded the Indus Valley, as the Vedic
literature seems to have been composed after their settling in the new territory of Sapta
Sindhvas. Nevertheless, their gods seem to have been personification of various natural
forces, such as the sun, the moon, the fire, the thunder, and the fertility of soil. The chief
manner of worship of the Aryan gods was sacrifice offered to them on open alter. The
sacrificial offerings range from animals to dairy products. A special libation was the juice of
"Soma", a sacred plant sent to earth by the war and thunder god Indra, mentioned above.
The plant has not been identified so far, but it is presumed that it may be a hallucination
causing plant. (It is very tempting to identify the Soma plant with Bhang plant, the
hallucination causing juice of which is a religious drink during the Hindu festival of Holi, and
is an acceptable social drink in the subcontinent).

Of sacrificial objects, human beings (male only) were also offered. Even today we hear
occasionally of human sacrifice in India. It may be of interest to know that outcaste people in
India, who were not allowed to live in villages and who had to stay in jungles, use to mutilate
their male children by breaking their arm or leg so that they could not be sacrificed. One sees
such men / boys begging in the subcontinent. But the most elaborate and perhaps the most
expensive system of sacrifice found in any religion, has been devised by the Aryans. It was
the horse sacrifice, which could be done by the ruling Raja only. It was a sacrifice in atoning
a great sin or in obtaining great religious power. Horse sacrifice was also a religious mean of
aggression for a ruler who wished to expand his territory. The Raja who intended to perform
the horse sacrifice, would set loose a young chosen stallion to roam in his domain for one
year. The attendants of the Raja would follow the horse wherever he would go. If the horse
covered any territory of neighbouring rulers, the Raja had the religious right to claim and / or

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annex it (peacefully or through invasion). It is also conceivable that the retinue of the Raja
may divert the horse in a certain direction, intended by the Raja for annexation.
Nevertheless, after the return of the horse, a large number of other animals were sacrificed
to gods. The sacred horse was strangled and the wives of the Raja participated in the fertility
rites with the body of the horse. After the fertility ritual, the carcass of the horse was ritually
butchered and eaten by the Raja and his family. (The latest horse sacrifice was performed in
18th century by an Indian Raja).

GODLESS ANIMALISTIC RELIGION OF THE ABORIGINES

In contrast to the "Naturalistic" religion of the Aryans, the Aborigines were following an
"Animalistic" religion. Their polytheistic deities were personified as animals, e.g., Shree Naga
Devata (snake Cobra god), Shree Ganesha (Elephant god), goddess of Pestilence, etc.
Thus for the Aborigines all the forces, which have power to kill and beyond their control, were
taken and worshiped as god and goddesses. The Aryans branded these people as
"godless".

ADOPTED RELIGIOUS CONCORDANCE AND BIRTH OF BRAHMINISM

To win over the conquered people, the Brahmana adopted all the animalistic deities of
Aborigines as their own, so much so that we see god Krishna, who was not white but black.
The legend goes that the Aryan god Krishna annoyed the Naga Devata, who killed him with
his poison. However, on beseech for pardon by the community elders. Naga Devata restored
god Krishna to life, after sucking his poison, but he left some of the poison in the body, which
turned him "blue", so that he may remember his folly. After adaptation of all the animalistic
deities of the "godless Aborigines and merging them into Aryan culture, the new modified
religion became Brahminism". Be as it may, but after attaining religious concordance, and
even treating the Aborigines as "untouchable", the Brahmana kept their dominant influence
on both the communities - the conqueror and the conquered.

ECONOMIC DILEMMA AND THE HOLINESS OF COW:

As is well known, Cow is not an animal of the Oriental fauna, but of Palaearctic. The Aryans
are credited to domesticate it. Cow was an important element of Aryan economy - an animal
that was used to pull their chariots, ploughing their fields and providing them with meat, milk
and butter. Aryan must have realised very early that cow has to be protected otherwise they
will run short of the supply of bulls and cows. Thus laws were enacted and enforced. -
injuring a "cow" became punishable with money and killing a "cow" with death penalty. Bulls
were not included in this enactment, as the Aryans were great meat eaters, and bulls were

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specially prepared for supply of meat. (We may recall the gift of 10,000 sheep and 1,000 well
prepared and fat bulls by the Raja of Taxilla (in Pakistan) to Alexander the Great in 326 BC).
Bulls were also given as Dan Dakhshina to Brahmana, who ate them also. The exception
was the uncastrated bull with a gold or silver or iron ring in his nose, which was donated to
the temple to sire community cows. (Such donated bulls were a common sight before
partition in Lahore, and in the Indian cities even today). Nobody touched them even if they
start picking and eating vegetables on a shop. Thus protecting cows, the agricultural
economy and food security was ensured. The population of cows increased, particularly in
the drier and arid areas, and there was no danger of its extinction from the subcontinent. It is
envisaged that every household must have been keeping at least one cow and two bulls for
supply of dairy products, ploughing of fields and pulling a cart. Cow dung, besides fuel, was
also used (as even today) to clean and purify kitchen. The urine of cow was (and even now)
is a medicinal and religious drink in India. Thus culture and religion of the area (Sapta
Sindhva) became Sindhu. (Sindhu is also a caste in the Punjab and Sindh provinces of
Pakistan). With the passage of time, Sindhu became Hindu, and Sapta Sindhva became
Hindustan. A new culture evolved in the North-Western part of the subcontinent. The
nomadic Aryans adopted themselves to a settled life, but as master over the untouchables
Aborigines.

THE CODE OF MANU

Over the period, even new invaders, (from ca 500 BC to 700 AD), who entered the Sapta
Sindhva from Central Asia or Middle East, liked the new culture with liberal religious and
social liberties, and became part of the prevailing caste system. However, around 300 BC or
latter we find a "traditional" literature, known as "The Code of Manu". It is based on Varuna,
a modified Aryan system of division of society, in which the four castes have been depicted
as divinely ordained. We read the following about the origin of four castes in the Code of
Manu:

"For the growth of the worlds, (Brahman) created Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas
and Shudras from his face, arms, thighs and feet respectively."

It also elaborated the professions of the four castes. For the Shudra it states:

"The Lord (Brahman) created only one profession for the Shudra:
service without envy of the above three castes".

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Thus all the new invaders were forced to fall under one caste or the other, resulting into the
creation and evolution of myriad of sub-castes as we see today
.
MUSLIM INFLUENCES IN HINDUSTAN
The arrival of Muslims conquerors in the 8 th century created new religious and cultural
discordance. Though they were few in numbers but their own monotheistic belief, and above
all non-discriminative equality without caste differentiation must have attracted the caste-
ridden society of Hindus. The result was that not only the low-caste but also the upper-caste
Hindus were converted to Islam. We may recall that the 1/4th of the 400 million British Indians
were Muslim, almost 90 percent (or even more) were converted. However, the relations
between Hindus and Muslims have always been touchy. Hindu society treated the 100
million Muslims as untouchable, though most of them, before conversion, were not
untouchable. These untouchable people right from their arrival were labeled as "Malicha",
because they were killing and eating cows, their "Gau Mata". But nothing could have been
done against them, because the "Malichs" were the Ruler of the subcontinent. It was for the
first time that the entire Indian subcontinent became one empire under the Muslim Emperors.
The old Aryan law of protection of cow and slaughter of bull only, could not be enforced, and
perhaps was not necessary, as population of cows was flourishing.

Brahmana, however, were unhappy with the situation, not because of "cow" but because of
their own identity, nay their existence, was in jeopardy. They could not have forgotten the ill
effects of Buddhism, which engulfed Hinduism, and deprived them of all their power, position
and wealth, as Brahmana had no place in the new religion, Buddhism. Brahmana became so
poor that they were eating dead animals and carrion for survival, and per necessity worked
as house servants, particularly as cooks. Brahmana are still employed as cooks in Hindu
households, but they have devised for them the honourific title of "Maharaj" - great lord). So
they invoked the Code of Manu which forbid killing of Milch-cow and pronounced the cow as
"holy". With the cow, bull also became holy. Thus the holiness of cows and bulls became a
constant source of Hindu-Muslim strife, particularly during the British regime.

The holiness of cow always reminds me of a staunch Indian Hindu fellow student in
Germany, whom I found enjoying beef-steak in the University Mensa. Thinking that perhaps
he made a mistake in selecting the menu, I informed him about the identity of meat, but
without lifting his eyes off the beef-steak, he simply replied, "Deutsche Kuhe sind nicht
Heilig" (German cows are not holy).

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BRANDED AS UNTOUCHABLE:
After this brief historico-geographic and religio-cultural scenario of India (a name derived
from "Indo", the corruption of Hindu), I relate an incidence, which forced me to think that
Hindus and Muslims are two banks of a river, which can never meet. That in spite of
closeness, and friendship there is an imperceptible wall of difference, which keeps us apart;
That we are two nations, because of our religio-cultural affinities. I was the Second Monitor
of 7th class in Government High School, Muzaffarnagar. Muslim boys could get the second
position only, irrespective of their top grades, because of their minority, (generally only 15 to
20 percent in each class). During recess from 1 to 2 pm., all boys were served with roasted
grams, and class Monitor use to distribute them. One day the Hindu Monitor was absent, and
myself, second in command, who was performing the duties of Monitor in the class room
from the morning, brought the bucket full of hot grams. But when I started to distribute, the
first Hindu Boy (Hindu boys use to stand first in the queue) refused to take them. He was my
friend. We were the right-wingers in school hockey team. Thinking he was joking. I winked at
him laughing and assured him that he would get an extra spoon of grams after the queue
was finished.
"No, I don’t want any. They are no good. You have touched them", he shouted.
Half understanding of what he was trying to accuse me, I calmly tried to convince him that I
have not touched the grams, and that I am using the spoon as per standard practice.
"Yes, you have not touched them with your hand but your touching the spoon is as
bad as touching the grams itself" He shouted again.
Other Hindu boys also moved their heads in declination. Hearing the loud interchange of
words, the teacher incharge came forward, and seeing the situation, asked me sternly, as to
why have I brought the bucket? On my reply that I am the Second Monitor, he simply said in
the same stern tone that I should know that I am not supposed to touch them, and ---cutting
his remarks he asked the Hindu boy to bring another bucket for distribution. I distributed the
grams to Muslim class fellows and we had a feast of cold grams.

The news of the incidence spread in the School like a wild fire. Most of the students in
queues of other classes witnessed it themselves. We discussed the matter among ourselves.
Nobody liked the practical demonstration of "touchability without actually touching". We
became convinced that Hindus treat us as Achoot (untouchable). We were angry but didn't
know what to do, when a 5th class boy, named Zahid Zaidi, questioned our acceptance of
grams from the hands of Hindus, and declared that if they don't take from our hands why
should we take from theirs? Everybody cheered up with the idea and without realizing the
consequence of the action we decided that from tomorrow we would not take grams from the

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hands of Hindu Monitor. Next day the Muslim boys of all the classes refused to take grams
from the Hindu Monitor. The teacher incharge, with his stern face, warned us that if we don’t
take then we would not be served, and that we would have to go hungry. The Second Master
failed to pursue us, and finally we ended in the assembly to face the Head master. He gave
a long lecture on unity and Hindu-Muslim harmony, and warned that he would not tolerate
any indiscipline. Finally, taking the cane he ordered the boys to come forward, who were
responsible for the mischief. And spontaneously without hesitation, the lean and frail
diminutive Zahid Zaidi, stepped forward and stretched his hand to receive humiliative public
canning. The Headmaster was taken aback to see young Zahid Zaidi. Putting the cane back
on the table he inquired in disbelief whether or not he really was the culprit, and why such a
decision has been taken, when other Muslim boys have not complained about the practice of
distribution of grams by Hindu Monitor, or about the dispensing of drinking water by
Maharaj? Calmly young Zahid Zaidi affirmed that we would not take grams from Hindu
Monitor and that previously we did not know that our Hindu friends would not take even
untouched grams from our hands. The perplexed Headmaster delivered another sermon on
Hindu-Muslim harmony in the school. But seeing us adamant, he ordered that from tomorrow
Muslim boys would get grams from the Muslim Monitor, and as it is not possible to make
separate arrangement to day, so we may get the grams as usual from the Hindu monitor.
After the Assembly we went to the playground, hungry. For that week the atmosphere in the
school was tense. Hindu boys and even our Hindu friends did not mix with us well. During
hockey game my friend, Sharma, apologized and said that he did not think me as Achoot,
but he could not accept eatable from me in public. I nodded my head smilingly. I do not know
whether or not it was a genuine apology or out of fear to save his shin bone of not becoming
the target of my hockey stick. My friend Balbir Singh, a good singer, a hockey player and a
lone Sikh in the school, latter told me that he would have taken grams from my hand. The
diminutive Zahid Zaidi was nicknamed "Bahadur " (Brave) Zaidi, and many students have
forgotten his real name. My father, a Railway Police Officer, moved to Saharanpur.

HATRED OF A MILLENIUM
Now, I am sure, it must have become clear, why the word "intolerant" was used for Hindus.
For Hindus it may be an expression of hatred for Muslims, which was accumulating in their
heart for their past subjugation for a millenium, under Muslim rulers. Under the British rulers
Hindus expressed their hatred and showed discrimination against Muslim at all level and by
all means. In fact Hindus are intolerant of all, who are not Hindus. See, for example, what
they are doing with Indian Christian community now; and note, what they have done with
Buddhism? Brahmana wiped off Buddhism from India, which is the single positive

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contribution of the Indian subcontinent to the world culture. It was the intolerance of Hindus,
which led the Muslims to think that Hindus and Muslims are two different Nations, who
cannot live together and they raised the slogan:
"Bat ke rhega Hindustan, Ban ke rhega Pakistan
(India shall be divided, Pakistan will be created).

FRIDAY, THE 15TH AUGUST, 1947

The first day of independence was on Friday, in the holy month of Ramadhan, when Muslim
were fasting but the city was vibrating with the sound of Bande Matram, a religious song of
Hindus, which is also the National Anthem of Bharat. Special congregations were held in
schools and colleges, where Muslim students had to sing Bande Matram. However, on that
festive day a tense atmosphere also prevailed. Even the Jamia Mosque of Saharanpur, on
that Friday was not full. News of massacre of Muslim families in the East Punjab, were
pouring in. After the last district of the East Punjab, Ambala, was "cleaned up" of Malichs,
arson and killing of Muslims also started in the adjacent district of Saharanpur, a
predominant Muslim City. Nevertheless, Muslims were ready tit for tat, but nothing very
serious has happened on that first day of freedom. Muslim also took part in all the festivities,
but the attitude of Hindus was changed from equality to superiority. They openly taunted
those Muslims who were members or supporters of the "All India Muslim League". I still
remember the words of a Neta (leader) who proudly proclaimed that
"Those who were chanting "Bat ke rhega Hindustan, Ban ke rhega Pakistan,
have no place in Bharat. They should go to their Pakistan"
His words were vibrating in my ears when I was roaming in the evening to see the lights and
decoration in the City. The heart was itching for:
"My Pakistan, My Pakistan"
During the roaming, I reached Kotwali (Main Police Station), which was decorated with oil
lamps, producing the atmosphere of Diwali, the Hindu Festival. Kotwali was an open house,
and keen to see its inside, I entered in it just to hear the lamentations of a lone prisoner. That
independence-day prisoner, was crying and saying
"I am innocent, I am Innocent; I have not picked any pocket, please Kotwal Sahib
Bahadur, Allah ke waste (for God sake) let me go, make me free"
This melodramatic situation made my heart sink to my knees. My mood became gloomy. I
took steps back towards home with a heavy heart and mind full of questions. Is this the day
for which we were yearning? It is the freedom for which we thrown the Angrez Bahadur
(Brave English) out of India? Is it…? Is it…? Or we are in a big Kotwali to be governed by

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those, who were governed by us, who were fearful of us, who would not take even dry hot
grams from our hands…? Do I have to sing Bande Matram every morning in the College…?

FLIGHT TO FREEDOM
On my request to go to Pakistan, my father looked at me calmly and simply asked
"Are you sure"?
"Yes please", was my simple reply.
My father did not reply. A couple of days latter we left for Deoband. He sorted some property
matter. Leaving my mother, younger sister and brother at home, we came back. I went to my
college, where the attendance was thin. The city was in the grip of insecurity. Extremist
Hindus were still rampant. Cases of molestation, abduction, stabbing and murder were going
on. One day my father confided in me that the behaviour of his colleagues has been
changed. Not only mistrust for Muslim officers was evident but preference for Hindu officers
were shown openly. And of course, the House of Khan Sahib Haji Qaseem was marked as
Muslim Leaguer, vis a vis those Muslims who were pro All India Congress or Jamiat-e-Ulma-
e-Hind. Silently we started preparation for the migration.

Instead of attending my College regularly, mostly I was to stay at home and fiddled with radio
to listen to Radio Pakistan. Hours of waiting were stretching into days, and days into weeks,
when one lucky afternoon my father came home and announced, "let's go". In an instant,
saying Khuda Hafiz to my grandmother and blessed with her prayers, we were off to the
railway station, which was just 5 minutes away from our home. On the platform there was a
special train of army personnel who were coming from Burma and Far East on their way to
Pakistan. My father, in his police uniform, saluted an officer, perhaps a Colonel and asked for
his permission to embark. He looked at us with scrutinizing eyes, nodded in affirmative and
moved away in the other direction. People in the compartment helped us in, greeted and
inquired about our welfare, as if they knew us from ages. It was a 16-seater compartment
with a dozen Jawans, (army soldiers) and perhaps twice as many men, women and children,
not to mention assorted luggage. We were packed like sardines - nay, even sardines would
have felt pity on us. I was thinking myself luckier than the accused pick-pocketer in the
Kotwali. I was on my flight to freedom.

THROUGH THE UNKNOWN TERRAIN

Although I had traveled quite a bit to three cardinal points of campus from Deoband, but had
no opportunity to visit places west of Saharanpur. The geography books had made me keen
to visit the beautiful Punjab and the land of valiant Pathans, who defied the powerful British

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forces to maintain their freedom. I was just day dreaming to have one of my wishes fulfilled,
when after a long wait the train was allowed to leave Saharanpur station. It was not running
but creeping as a precaution for sabotage to rail-track for the up country trains. Jawans were
sitting in one corner while we hitchhiker to freedom in the other. Women with children were
huddled in the centrer. Some children were lying under the seats. Young men were
respectful to older, who were given seats while they sat on the luggage. A valetudinarian
grand old man with white beard and frail body was the centre of attraction for every body.

As we were entering the East Punjab, we were becoming more apprehensive of the lurking
enemy and danger. However, without any incidence, we reached Ambala. As the train
stopped, a Jawan stepped out and took position on the platform; the other took position on
the other side. It was Asr (afternoon prayer) time. A few people started offering their prayers
on their seats, after doing Tayammum (ablution without water). Our compartment was just
opposite the goods office under the overhead bridge, and everybody was looking at us.
Women folks, young and old, covered their faces (for the first time) from the gaze of the
people on the platform. I was looking out to see the station of Ambala, though all railway
stations, except for the name-plates, look alike. There I saw an amusing incident on which I
wanted to laugh with full capacity of my lungs but I restrained. On the deserted overhead
bridge I noticed an Aborigines woman walking, who suddenly sat down lifting her long
ghagra (skirt). The phsiological call of body must have been immensely urgent. When the
urine started dripping down through the wooden planks of the bridge, a man shouted "rain",
and the other lifted a bucket and placed it under the "rain" to save the gunny bags full with
pulses. Perhaps they were the owners of the merchandise. The "rain' stopped as abruptly as
it started, but both the men kept on looking upwards; perhaps expecting for more "rain" or
wondering over the post-monsoon shower, which are always short and unpredictable.

JOURNEY THROUGH FORCES OF DARKNESS

After a long delay, the Guard, in his white uniform and black hat, blew his whistle and started
waving the green flag as an indication to the passengers that the train is ready to leave.
There was hardly any passenger on the platform to embark, except the Jawans on the doors
who stepped in after unloading their weapons. However, the rifle of our Jawan fired a shot
while he was unloading it. The people in the goods office became alert, and talked among
themselves, which I could not understand. Now when I recall that shot, I am not sure whether
or not it was accidental or a warning for the people of East Punjab to keep their hands off
that train, as earlier a refugee train reached Pakistan, only with mutilated bodies of men
women and children. The train moved slowly, and darkness of the moonless night slowly

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engulfed us all. No light was allowed in the train also. The incharge of Jawans in our
compartment ordered us to pull all the shutters of windows. We had heard the stories of how
the special refugees trains have been stopped on the bridges on the River Sutlej, after
Ludhiana, and of River Beas after Jullundur; and how the Balidan (Human sacrifice) of young
male Malichs (untouchable Muslims) has been offered to those rivers; and how the young
women were driven off like a flock of sheep after stripping them off their clothes; and how the
unwanted old men and women were butchered; and how the children bellies were ripped
before their parents; and how the women were….

Thus whenever the train stopped, our heart must have been thumped, but now after half a
century latter I cannot recall my physiological anxiety state, though it must have been
tremendous stress, particularly when in the stillness of the night we heard the loading of
guns of our Jawans. We were already directed that whenever train stops, we should bow
down as low as possible below the window level. Nevertheless, now when I am narrating
about that fateful night journey I am feeling that my heart wants to come out of the prison of
rib cage. Generally that anxiety vanished as soon as we heard the sound of talks of railway
officials, though in a strange language, as none of us could understand a word of Punjabi,
but it was a soothing song for our thumping heart and tense nerves.

The train stoppages were short, but one halt was long. The strange sound of interaction of
people was also much louder and noisy. We were not sure where we were or what was
happening The Jawans were ready to cope with any situation. We were all huddled together
at the floor level waiting for an expected attack and war cry. The moments were becoming
tenser. But suddenly whistle of an approaching engine and rattling of wheels cleared the
tense atmosphere and made us guess that we were at Ludhiana Junction, as indeed we
were. The grand old man said Alhamdolillah (Thanks God). We all felt relieved. Somebody
asked about the time. The grand old man pulled out his pocket watch, tied with a silver chain,
lifted its cover, looked at the luminous hands and numbers and announced "quarter past
ten". After putting the watch back in his pocket he started offering his " Esha" (night) prayer.
Others followed suit. Children lying under the seats wanted food. Elders also thought of food.
Women opened their bags and pieces of Pratha (fried buttered chapati) were given to
children. Jawans passed out biscuits to children also. My father, hearing that I am not
hungry, insisted that I must eat something. I told him that I have grams and dry fruit in my
pockets, which I will take when hungry but he gave me a chapati and some pakora (deep
fried spiced carbohydrate balls), which he purchased at Saharanpur railway station. I could
not say "no". That super time appeared as a very close family get-together atmosphere, with

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about four dozen souls in a "room" meant for only sixteen. The darkness in the overcrowded
compartment was abetted by the light of a pocket flashlight, a thoughtful courtesy of the
grand old man. He appeared as the Great-Grand-Father of everybody, and he certainly
treated us all as his own. He announced that Alhamdolillah he has enough food and
distributed Pratha to every one, including the Jawans. Cold Pratha, perhaps prepared 24-
hours or more earlier, was tasty. Perhaps the valetudinarian great old man, worried about
our health and welfare as he was about his, wanted to do a "service a day" (he may have
been a Boy Scout during the last century). Perhaps he may have been thinking that it may
be his "last super". That could have been ours too, but I discarded that notion from my mind
and glued my eyes to the chink in the window. The platform was deserted except for a few
officials moving hither thither.

THE BRIDGE ON RIVER SUTLEJ

After the super, the grand old man took out a long Tasbih (rosary) and with closed eyes
started to move its beads. Children huddled together under the seats were asleep. A woman
turning her face toward the partition of the compartment started breast-feeding her child.
Men appeared tired, perhaps after a long journey since morning but the Jawans were alert.
The flashlight was put off and the compartment plunged in the darkness once again. We
were waiting anxiously for the departure of the train. The whistle of the Guard followed by the
shrill whistle of the engine broke the stillness of the night and ended our waiting. The train
started to crawl. With the slow running of the train our anxiety also increased in reverse
proportion to the speed of our train. River Sutlej was about 10-15 miles (15-20 kilometer)
north of Ludhiana, in which direction our train was crawling. In our compartment, I could not
see the faces of my fellow traveler. Outside was also as dark as a moonless night could be.
The only sound was the typical rattling music of train running, which has been expressed
differently by children throughout the world. With my head resting on closed window I was
perhaps enjoying the music of train movement and perhaps singing with it, when I perceived
that the rhythm of music changed through slowing of the train. The continuous slowing
indicated that the train is going to stop. Perceiving the danger the Incharge of the Jawans
asked us to bow down. I went into Sajda (bowing to the ground). The compartment vibrated
with the loading of rifles. Suddenly the music of train movement changed as it entered the
steel structure of the bridge. It is a different movement of music, when a train running at full
speed on a bridge, and varies with the length and height of metal span. I knew it, as I know
now various movements of symphonies of Beethoven. But the train music on the bridge of
River Sutlej appeared out of tune, because of the slow tempo of the train. That reminded me
the old gramophone player when the movement of record slows down due to less winding of

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mechanical work. But at that moment somebody will always wind the mechanical work to run
the record at 72 revolutions per second. In case of non-winding, mechanical work stops, and
the needle scratches record. There on the bridge of River Sutlej nobody will come to wind
the mechanical work for proper speed but somebody may come to stop the movement
altogether, the thought came to my mind, but I could not discern further degradation in the
tempo of the train music. May be the train was running at a speed of 5 miles per hour, so I
thought. I had no idea about the length of the bridge, but in that moment of anxiety it seemed
to me unending. Our compartment was in the middle. As it crossed the bridge the music
changed, but not its tempo. So far so good, I thought, but the danger was not over. It took
some more agonizing moments when the long train cleared the bridge and the engine
started to pick speed. After some time, the same slow tempo of music was resumed by the
train. The Jawans uncocked their weapons and we were asked to be at ease.

I could not see what the grand old man was doing. Perhaps he was calmly turning the beads
of his Tasbih. I had no idea of the time: It must have been around midnight. I was not feeling
sleepy, though different snoring sounds suggested that some of the inmates of the crowded
compartment, oblivion of the danger, fell into a troubled slumber.

In the darkness of the night, within and without the compartment, the pupil of my eyes dilated
to their full capacity and adjusted to discern objects in darkness, though I wished I could
have the eyes of a cat or an owl to scan the night landscape of new territory. However,
through my window peephole I could see only the running telegraph poles, which added a
note of music as the train passed them. However, in my mind all the events of the past
appear to run backward too. The faces of my newly made friends in the College were
flashing and running backward. I felt sorry of not saying them Allah Hafiz (In the Custody of
God), but perhaps they were also fleeing for freedom, I thought and consoled my heart.

I must have been dreaming of hugging and congratulating my friends in the new land of
freedom, when the train stopped with a jolt. Every one became alert. The children started
crying and the Jawans reached for their weapons. There was lot of commotion outside.
Mothers pulled the children to their bosom. We were asked to keep quite and remain low,
away from the door. An onslaught with a war cry was expected any moment. The
atmosphere was very tense. With hands over my head, I was keeping it as low as possible.
The thumping of my heart was faster then the tickling of wristwatch on my wrist, the sound of
which was striking my ear like the hammer of a goldsmith. Tick, tick, tick sound of the watch

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mingled with the noise of unfamiliar words was piercing my nerves. The commotion was
static, and strangely its intensity was not increasing.
"Why the mob is not coming forward"?
"Why they are not attacking"?
"Are they less in number"?
"Are they afraid to attack a military special train"?
Questions like those were coming to my mind, when it flashed to me that perhaps we are on
the Jullundur railway station and the commotion is simply the noise of passengers? But at
this late hour of night, I questioned my self? No, it cannot be a mob of passengers! I was
going to discard the harmless passenger's hypothesis when the whistle of an approaching
train confirmed that we were waiting on a railway station. The down country train stopped on
the parallel track, hardly a meter or so away from us. Everybody felt at ease. I lifted my head
and peeped out through the chink in the window. It was a passenger train. There was no
light in it either. The overcrowded compartment was no different from ours. It was bringing
Sharnarthi (refugees) from Pakistan.

I passed this information to the compartment companions. Jawans did not allow us to open
the windows and I again glued my eyes to the peephole. It was a strange coincidence -
Sharnarthi on down track and Muhajir (refugees) on the up track. Both are people of the
subcontinent, but have different status even as refugees, because culturally they are
different. Their religion is also different. So is their dress and food, and language. And now
they are labeled as Sharnarthi and Muhajir. I was contemplating on these stray philosophical
thoughts after the alleviation of tension, which was created by the "presumed forced
stoppage" of our train and which was lingering in our minds, when I witnessed another funny
incidence, or so I thought! Although I could not understand the unfamiliar words coming out
of the mouths of Sharnarthi in the train opposite to us, but one word,
"Machis, Machis" (Match box, match box)
was alarming. Do they intend to torch our train? This silly notion was dismissed as quickly as
it came and was replaced by need of lighting a cigarette. Yes that must be it, I thought finally.
Machis, Machis, I heard again, and after some questions and answers, which I could not
understand because of unfamiliar sound of the words, somebody from the other end of the
compartment opposite us handed over matchbox to the person on our side. The man stroked
the matchstick and held the flickering light in front of his face. But there was no cigarette in
his mouth. The stick burned soon and then he stroked another, and another, and another, a
dozen or more time. He murmured something on the query from his fellow passenger and
handed over the matchbox to him, who performed the same act of burning stick after stick, till

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there was no stick left in the box. In the end he said something in an angry tone, perhaps he
sweared (or so I thought). It became clear to me that actually they wanted to know who are
travelling in the other train, but instead of seeing us, they were just exposing themselves.
Those were the faces of Sardars (members of Sikh community, who are religiously not
allowed to smoke). That amusing drama alleviated my mood and when I narrated the story to
my fellow companions, I heard chuckle in our dark compartment. I am sure the incidence
worked as a detensing elixir to the tired travelers to freedom.

The Sharnarthi train departed after some time, and we were left alone on the station. But not
alone - a larger crowd of passengers and a louder noise was there to greet us.
"This is strange", I thought.
The platform should have been without passengers after the departure of the train. But that
was a Sharnarthi train from which nobody could have disembarked?
"For which train they are gathering"?
"Frontier Mail - running from Peshawar to Delhi and beyond" I thought.
"Peshawar is in Pakistan and train schedules are disrupted, so that could not be so"!
These thoughts were coming to my mind, while I was watching the growing number of mob
on the far end of the railway station through my peephole. Suddenly we heard the war cry
coming from the engine side, which was subdued among rifle shots. Our Jawans took
positions and we all bowed to provide free space to Jawans for counter measure in case of
onslaught. However, a deep silence followed after the rifle shots. Tick, tick, tick. tick, my wrist
watch was counting the seconds, which appeared to me like hours. How much time had
elapsed, I could not recall. It was like lover's time, waiting for the heart's desire, when every
second appears like an hour. Complete silence indicated that the state of pandemonium has
disappeared. Nevertheless I could not confirm that through my peephole. We were just
sitting with our head between our knees and hands over our head. In that silence even the
tick tick of my wristwatch disappeared. In that tense moment the shrill blast of engine whistle
pierced our ears. The whistle sounded familiar, but I was not sure whether or not it is coming
from our engine.
"But there is no other train on the station" I reasoned.
At that moment the engine blasted a second whistle and our train started to move in
complete silence.

THE BRIDGE ON RIVER BEAS

It was after some time, when our train must have passed the outer signal and was running at
the usual full-slow speed, as per "order of the day" that the incharge of the Jawans asked us

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to sit at ease. It was a long Sajda, and my back not used to such drill, complained of it. That
drill reminded me of fellow boys who got punishment as Murgha (literally Cock, but bending
at right angle and holding the ears with hands). As I never experienced that in school days
so I had no idea of the agony of becoming Murgha then, now I felt pity for them. I stood up
and wanted to move my legs and arms to give them some circulation after remain sitting
since afternoon, but there was no room for that. After standing a while, I sat down again and
started looking through the peephole. The night was dark as usual and the telegraph poles
along the rail track were running backward adding a note of their own to the music of steam
engine and the rolling of iron wheels on the line. We were now passing through the territory
of Kapurthala, an independent State during British regime, which became notorious for
ethnic cleansing. But after the incidence at Jullundur railway station our anxiety had
vanished. However, the River Beas may still be thirsty after getting the Balidan of blood of
thousands of Malichs.
"Who knows"?
It is the same River Beas, which created terror in the hearts of fellow warriors of Alexander,
the Great, and they refused to cross it from its right bank to left. Poor Alexander had to return
back after 3 days of abstention from food and drink! We were approaching its left bank.
"Will the River Beas allow us to cross her without Balidan"? I asked myself.
"We will not Bharisht (unclean, not usable by a caste Hindu) her water, as we will not
be able to touch it. But perhaps our crossing will make it Bharisht, like the shadow of an
untouchable makes a Brahmana unclean, and he has to take a bath in holy Ganges water to
clean himself". I thought.
"We will also not going to cast our shadows, as it is a moonless night". I reasoned
myself.
But who can predict the mood of Aryan gods and goddesses, who are unpredictable and
ready to shed blood on the slightest provocation. Mother goddess Beas is no exception. If
she could send Alexander the Great, with all his retinue, back home, where do we stand"? I
contemplated.
"She may send us back home too. But our home is on the right-bank. She must
know. We have to cross her". I thought with determination, and started enjoying the darkness
of the night without and stillness within the compartment.

The train was running with the same slow tempo. Its speed and music was becoming
monotonic. I was fully alert, though just to move the muscles of my face, I was eating cold
roasted gram, only one at a time. It was a fun and a game to while away the time, which was
running even slowly than the speed of our special train. The distance between Jullundur and

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Amritsar, the last city of the East Punjab, is about 50 miles (80 kilometer). River Beas is
flowing northwest, almost midway between the two cities, passing through the State of
Kapurthala. I heard our Jawans taking in whisper with each other. I also heard some clanking
sound also and guessed that they are aware of danger and the expected onslaught, but do
not want to disturb men, women and children, who are lying like sacks of potatoes. I feel now
that they were sure that nothing is going to happen, so why warn the tired travelers. Both the
doors were locked, but could be opened from outside also. Tin trunks were staked against
the door, and nobody was allowed to sit or stand at the doors. So we were all set to face the
onslaught of lurking enemy. I again started peeping through the window chink. The telegraph
poles were running backward as usual, but now and then burning pyres were illuminating the
surrounding, making the parallel running road visible. Yes the road, which reminded me the
riddle -
"What goes from Kabul to Calcutta without moving"?
"Grand Trunk Road". Is the smart answer.
The GT Road, as it is generally called, was build in 16 th century by the Pathan General Sher
shah Suri, after he defeated the Mogul Emperor Humanyun. Normally a very busy Highway,
but appeared deserted, as not a single vehicle was observed plying on the road during the
night.

Occasionally a burning pyre, a sign of cremation of a Hindu, was observed by me while

travelling in train, but the number and size of these pyres was suggestive of an epidemic. But
the only epidemic was the mass slaughter of Muslim population in the area. These
slaughtered Muslims, instead of being buried in graves, were burned. However, there was no
Muslim left in the area to bury them, and of course religiously, Hindus would not Bharisht the
Dharti Mata with burial of a dead body, and that too of a Malich.

The train gradually started losing speed. I guessed we were approaching the bridge on River
Beas. So it turned out. The speed of the train was hardly 10 miles per hour, when we were
crossing the bridge. I was peeping, but could not discern any movement or hear any sound.
There was neither any light nor any burning pyre nearby. The scene consisted of total
darkness and quietness, which changed occasionally by emitting the burning gases from the
exhaust of the engine. The familiar sound of engine music "Chugh, Chugh, Chugh, Chugh"
appeared as quiet as the calmly running water of Beas below. People say it turned red with
the blood Balidan. But now, perhaps, goddess Beas was not thirsty anymore. Perhaps she
was also not hungry anymore after engulfing the bodies of hundred thousands of Malichs.
Perhaps she needed bodies to feed her crocodiles (I do not know whether or not crocodiles

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are living in Beas now. Fifty years ago there were crocodiles under the bridge of River Ravi
in Lahore, but we have done the "Crocodile cleansing" the same way as "Ethnic cleansing"
has been done in the East Punjab). However, Beas did not show any anger to us. After the
last boggy crossed the bridge, the train resumed the same old slow speed, as I could tell by
the tempo and rhythm of the Chugh Chugh.

BREATHING THE AIR OF FREEDOM

After crossing the last major hurdle, I thought that the danger of onslaught has gone, but not
quite. Amritsar, where initially before partition ethnic disturbances were started, was to come
next. But I did not give much importance to that fact. My mind simply refused to think any
further. I was sitting for more than 12 hours and travelling with extreme anxiety. So I rested
my head on the closed window and tried to think about the city of Lahore, my new College
and new friend. I was worried about conversing with them. My experience of the day in
understanding the words of the unfamiliar language was frustrating. Will my new friends be
able to understand me? This question was haunting me…..But when I met a student in my
new college he greeted me in Urdu - not the Urdu of Lucknow or Delhi, but Urdu of
Lahore…….

"Allah-o-Akbar, Allah-o-Akbar" (God is great). I heard people shouting. I turned my face.

There was light in my compartment. The windows were open. Cold air of September was
kissing our faces. The valetudinarian grand old man congratulated us that we are in
Pakistan. We are in Wagha, he informed and got down the train and offered thanks giving
prayer. It was after Fajr prayer (before sunrise) that the train left Wagha, but with the same
old speed, though I thought it was running faster. There was no need for me to peep through
the window chink. In spite of cold morning all the windows were open. The fright from the
faces of women folks was gone. For the first time I noticed that they were all pretty. The
children, who were huddled under the seats, were now standing and happily enjoying the
rising sun of "our Pakistan". The grand old man, with his eyes closed, was turning the beads
of his long Tasbih. Jawans, yes the Jawans, they appeared as alert as yesterday, but now
they were sitting smartly with their weapons between their knees, and grabbed with both
hands - the right below and left above. Their eyes were closed, but I am sure they were not
sleeping. How could they?

THE DESTINATION
Crawling in the last 14 miles (23 km) stretch from Wagha to Lahore, the train reached its final
destination at 6 o-clock in the morning. We disembarked, shook hands with each other and

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embraced the Jawans. On my request the grand old man told me his name as Sheikh Amin.
I promised to see him latter in Walton Camp, but without reply he simply smiled and patted
my back. (I could not locate him latter in the Camp). My father thanked the Colonel, who
wished us good luck. We took a cup of tea each and paid the "Anna" coin of the old British
India currency. A lean dog, smelling bread in my bag, came near, wagging his tail. I gave him
what he wanted. The dog gulped the bread and lied at my feet with thankful eyes. Perhaps
the dog could read the NOTICE in English on the door of the European waiting room - "
Dogs and Indians not allowed”. Thanks, I was Indian no more.

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