AE MERE PYAARE JULLUNDUR, TUJH PE DIL QURBAN
Following are the golden memories Sheikh Muhammad Sarwar who left Jullundur at the age of ten for Pakistan and is presently settled in Chicago, USA.
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Father: Barkat Ali son of Rehmatullah, Basti Danishmandan, Jalandhar
Mother: Hussain Bibi, daughter of Badruddin of Basti Danishmandan ,Jullundur
I studied Middle School: Sanatan Dharam, Basti Nau, Jalandhar
Took admission for high school: Islamia high School, near Basti Mithu Sahib/Baba Khel. Could n0t study there due to pertition of India
My Father: Barkat Ali (age in 1947; about 38)
He worked in Sind province on a bridge project, as surveyor. He was a tracer also and could draw maps. He liked music, as I saw him attending music and qawalies and he had also a harmonium at home fitted in a folding stand. Other people from this basti, also worked on the Sind project (Sukkur barrage?). My father used to help people writing letters, applications, and did bookkeeping for a brick kiln – so he was called Munshi Barkat Ali.
At time of partition, he was working as manager at Bombay Brass Works Co., Adampur, Jalandhar; manufacturing charcoal heated Irons, silver utensils for kitchen, water nozzles, Nickel plating. He walked to and from his job. He used to go to Lahore (now in Pakistan) to get import export permits.
He used to bring some fruit for us on his return from work. Family used to have dinner together. After dinner almost all parent would come out of their houses and sit outside; doing some gupshup, watch children play for an hour before going to bed.
Father a very loving, care taker of family. Used to take us for eye; ear problems, to a hindu karyana storekeeper; Lala Lal Parshad? He took us to another hindu shopkeeper Ram Chand? Runnig karyana store; make syrups and arqs (evaporation from herbs boiling in a pot). He gave us Jawarish Kamuni (for throat) and syrup for stomachache; other things for such minor ailments.
My father used to prepare some medicines at home; like secretion from silver – (put silver in one clay bowl and cover it with another same size clay bowl – seal both of them with doughed flour) burn about ten pounds of firewood or other fuel like: paathi. The silver would melt into powder; blow up and stick inside the upper bowl. Scratch it; save it for use. He used to secrete oil from almonds (badam rogan) I used to help him with crushing, grinding almonds in a clay/stone large bowl (called koondi – chipped inside) with a thick wooden handle (called Dandah) – He used to spray warm water few drops after few minutes and kept grinding; finally oil will separate itself from the almonds paste. This almond oil was given us in warm milk. He always asked to take a copy of warm milk at bedtime to keep good sleep.
He made some other medicines and I don’t know what which? Published a small catalog/book named “Ramuz-i-Zindgi” – Uncle Ahmad Shah was helping him and I also helped in folding large sheets into catalog size. As much as a child could do. I remember, he gave name as Barkat Ali Sindhu as author of this book. Sindhu – he came back from the Sindh Bridge project and due to this project word “Sindh” was then a renowned word – he took benefit of this flying popularity.
My father used take children to Eid/Dusehra/Basakhi/Devali – organized in an open space between basti danishmandan and basti sheikh. These was commonly enjoyed by all sects of society. Sometime, during heavy rains, this open space was filled with knee high water.
He used to take me to Jalandhar city for text and exercise books; visit shrine of Imam Nasir. Once he took me to a movie ShahJehan (before partition). I was scared when horses were seen running-towards audience. Songs were, I believe, sung by Mohan Lal Sehgal.
Ours was a single storey house with a water well in it and a big NEEM tree. We had a swing fixed with it. There were two honey bee combs; one very large (bari makhi) hanging from a stem of neem and the other small (chhoti makhi) on a wall.
We kept a cow in house; as other people also had, some had buffaloes, for healthy milk, butter and lassi (butter milk). My phuphy/sister Zohra and myself helped mother to churn curds/yugard, take out butter and lassi – these were so much nourishing
Whenever we went to buy a cow from a closeby village (don’t know name) he took me with him. On way he used to recite this:
HASBUNALLAHU WA NEMAL WAKEEL, NEMAL MAULA WA NEMAN NASEER
Translation: "Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us); what an Excellent Maula (Patron, Lord) and what an Excellent Helper! “
He used to check how much milk we draw in the evening and how much in the morning. He preferred to see quantity of milk drawn in the evening; so that, if it was not drawn, quantity would be larger in the morning – giving misunderstanding about the total milk during one day.
Uncle (chacha) Ahmad Shah:
Education: High School or BA. I don’t know/remember where and what job he was doing. His wife was from Mohallah Qarar Khan, Jalandhar City.
Uncle Irshad: Don’t know education, or his skills. He joined army. Later, on the
request of his wife (from basti danishmandan) he was released from
army service. At that time, a fauji (service man) was paid Rs.17 per
month. It was a world war time, (the saying went around “Indian
sacrificial goat for Rs.17 only).
Uncle Habib: No education. Did masonry work. Moved to Bulland Shehr, then to
Ferozabad. He married there and had children. They visited us in Pakistan. Later he died there. God may keep him in peace.
My mother – Hussain Bibi:
Housewife – loving wife, mother; took good care of kitchen; clothing, all household. She used to prepare some energizing sweets of Alsi (flex), Dal Moong, etc. She stiched our dresses. She prepared breakfast and served to all of us in kitchen sitting of a mat.
By the time we come from school, lunch was ready. We used to take dinner all together
father, mother, children. After dinner we were given some fruit or sweet desert.
Brother of grandfather:
Fazal Din. Living in Lahore. Had his own good comfortable house and annexe. He was superviser for contruction of State Bank of Pakistan and perhaps that of GPO buildings.
He died couple of years after partition. Had no children. His wife Janet (jannat) went back to her parents.
The Bitter Painful Migration 1947
When we were in a camp (during migration) at Jalandhar Cantt. One evening; my father went out to fresh up for prayer; he never came back. He had all the savings/jewelry on him. My uncles /brothers of my mother/ ran around, announcements made by camp management; we there was no trace, our hopes did not die down even after partition. But he never showed up. May God keep him in peace Time healed our injury. Our maternal/paternal uncles/families supported us. My mother knew stitching which helped her earn for livelihood, support children education. She died in 1965. A great mother. God bless her, keep her in peace.
Maternal grandfather/mother:
Grandfather: Badruddin (living in basti danishmandan, in a mohallah opposite of so called dewan khana. He loved art and published a book called “Guldasta-i-Badr” giving flower art for pillow covers, shalwar, kameez, table cover etc. etc. He was a construction contractor and supervised also the art work of a small tomb in basti danishmandan – Mian Sahib ka mazaar which had two graves; one of the muslim saint and the other of a thief who climbed up to steal a golden moon from top of the tomb and became blind; released it; got eyesight back; gripped it again to take off; gone blind; finally left it there and got his eye sight; and became a deciple of the saint.
He had also a cow in the house.
Grand maternal mother: Bakhtawar. House-wife. Died in old age. Lived good life.
Their sons: Ishaq, Shafi, Imdad .
Ishaq – (did carpentry, engraving, iching, floral artwork) Was married
to a daughter of a relative family (who were living at Noor Mahal and had a house in basti danishmandan also). Her name was Hassan Bibi; she died later and uncle was married to another women and settled at Faisalabad.
Shafi – doing construction work; later became a contractor; was married to elder daughter of a relative; she died soon, and married the younger sister.
Imdad worked in a Factory, as pattern maker and later founded his own works Imdad Tanning Machinery at Baghbanpura, Lahore.
Their daughters : Hussain bibi (my mother); Irshad married to Yaqub in basti shaikh; Fazl bibi (Fazli) married to Iqbal in basti Shaikh.
Places, events and moments in my childhood memory
There were basties (12) and kote’s in Jalandhar. Name of our Basti was/is Danishmandan. There were other basties; like, Shaikh/Shaikh Darwesh, Guzan, Nau, Mithu Sahib, Baba Khel, and others I was not familiar with.
Basti Danishmandan
My family had been living in this wonderful basti composed of various communities. They had their own worshipping places. It was populated on both sides of a main bazaar about one mile in length running in curve; with a small moque near adda tonga (horse-driven carriages); on this location, there was postoffice and a four mill+ginning mill. In the middle of length of this bazaar was central mosque. Close by living were Feroze Khan, Mushtaq Khan, Ilyas Khan: and on the other end was another small mosque.
On the corner of our street; an off-shoot of main bazaar; was a fresh sweets shop run by Lala Badri. Little down the street, was a blacksmith (Sardar ji’s shop) doing cattle nailing; besides other works, they were living in a sub-street along side of his shop, rather this was a part of their house, I guess. Going further in that street, lived hindu community. If I remember correctly, I heard there lived Mr. Bedi, who worked in movies?. Further down the main street, there was a water well and a sub-street going into Kacchi abadi where reshmi/silky cloth was woven, they kept some insects fed on leaves of guava tree (I heard so). These insects produced something like thread wrapped around their bodies which was removed to weave. If we go farther in our street, in front was an open space, on right was a water pond and up there closeby was walled graveyard. Turning to left on our street at about 100 yards was our mohallah and our house was on the corner of this street. It had one window in main street and one door in the dented corner. There was an open space in this mohallah.
Believe there was an open space left in all busties/streets for any festivities, marriage parties, guests seating, cooking parties meals, qawalies, etc.
On this open lot Meals for parties were cooked in daigs (big size brass utensils) and served to the guests fresh. Perhaps there were no catering contractors. Old ones used to take charge of each daig and young ones standing in line from daig to the guests delivered meals hand to hand and as such, returning empty meal dishes to the daig-caretaker. This return trip of dishes/bowles was so swift that it looked like running a conveyor. Then this group of distributors and servers would take meal after serving all guests – I heard good meal was left and saved behind in daigs.
It was totally safe environment all around. I walked alone to my school; Sanatan Dharam in basti Nau (nayee basti) via basti Guzan. I walked alone to Basti Shaikh where headmaster (sorry, forgot his name) of our school lived and offered free help in math and English during summer vacation. Sorry, I forgot his name. Thanks to him and his family who let us share their vacation/leisure time.
Basti Nau (nayee basti)
This was property of Maharaja of Kapurthala, and was adjacent to Basti Guzan. Was under the administrative rules and regulations of the Maharaja. As I heard at that time; these two areas (Basti Nau and Basti Guzan) were like two different states. Any criminal or any other persons who would step over into Basti Nau for protection, could not be chased and arrested by the administration of Basti Guzan. One would go through proper permission from Maharaja’s administration.
I studied upto 8th grade in Sanatan Dharm school (Basti Nau), sponsored and funded by Tikka sahib? who was a retired judge? And had a chain of these schools (that I heard). At times, there were an announcements; classes was windup at such as such time and come in line at an entrance of a room where mitha’es (sweets) were baked fresh and distributed to students. Students would enter one by one; take sweets and exit from the other door. It used to happen two three times a year. As I heard to celebrate a birth or child in Tikka sahib’s family, etc.
Some students living in villages used to study urdu/hindi in their local village school and then come to this school to do their English 7th and 8th grade.
Along with good teaching practices; there used to be one 30 minutes period called “chup dharan” – Khamosh rehna. A teacher would come into the class room and sit Calm Quiet for 30 minutes. We were told this was to recover energy lost. Sounds good. Why not this is practiced now, when we definitely need it in this stressful time!
I remember students used to play drama and all students were invited to watch. There was physical exercise every day. Urdu was also taught and there was no compulsion to take hindi courses.
I remember a newsbreak spread in school – an airplane crashed near school on road from jalandhar city to basti sheikh darwesh. Student were there and was some parts spread in the fields (khet) and some seen on trees and the body stuck up in the tree (tana) the basic tree.
Basti Guzan
Don’t remember much of it, except that there was bakery in the main chowk/crossing (at the entrance of a bazaar) where my father used to buy “araroot” biscuits very nice, soft. This word “araroot” rested in my memory until I looked at its meanings, and found it’s a type of special flour for baking biscuits. This shop was on the right while going towards basti nau. Standing at same position, on my left, was another bazaar. There was another sweets shop; fresh sweets; jalebies (dark golden sweet swirlies); and the shopkeeper’s son (Yesh Pal?) was my classmate.
Basti Mithu Sahib
Couple of our relatives lived there; I guess one was a map-tracer, the other was Mohammad Islam (later worked as office superintendent in PWD office in Lahore) to whom elder sister of my father (Zainab) was married.
There were other families doing beef business. I think that was the only place/basti from where beef was supplied.
Basti Baba Khel
I think Islamia High School was located in this basti, where I took admission in ninth grade but soon we had to migrate to Pakistan. A bazaar from basti Guzan was leading to this Basti and Basti Mithu Sahib. But we the student from basti danishmandan walked through field – a short cut – to the school – in chilling winter, in scoching heat. Hoowever, my mother used to give a-carry-out for lunch – a thick sweet crispy biscuit like paratha which I used to eat it on my way to school, every morning; perhaps feeling hungry during walk. Took usual school tuck-shop stuff at lunch time.
MY EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Thal Development Authority, Pakistan
Pak Industrial & Trading Corporation, Pakistan
Guy F. Atkinson (Mangla Dam Contractors), Pakistan
IMPREGILO, Milan (Tarbela Dam Contractors), Pakistan
Tamimi-Fouad-Atkinson-Grove, Saudi Arabia
GE (USA) in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
Wordprocessing, USA
Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, USA
EDUCATION
BA
Diploma in Bookkeeping and Accountancy
Certificate in Commerce and Secretarial Practice
Diploma in Mercantile Law and Secretarial Practice
Business Management, University of California.
I owe many many thanks to my wife Sarfraz Anjum who encouraged and supported me to take up more and more education to enhance my skills.
On 20 January 2008, her time was up and God called her back. May God keep her in peace in her permanent abode. Aameen.
HOBBIES
Gain more knowledge and skills for job to support my family.
Badminton.
Playing with children for paper-craft and other experimental, educational exercises.
Planting vegetables and flowers.
WRONG IMPRESSION
I always put myself in other’s place to feel his/her sufferings/feelings. Likewise, wrongfully, I have always been under the impression that he/she must feel my feelings. Still as we must be patient; act for forgiveness, some times I react sharp hurting someone; perhaps he/she did not did that act intentionally. I am sorry for that and ask for forgiveness from he/she and forgiveness from the Almighty, Kind God.
GENERAL
Pardah/Haya
Observation of pardah/haya is mandatory for men and women.
WOMEN
Muslim women used to wear a one-piece burqa (usually made of white cloth) from head to leg-foot joint (takhna). A space about 2” wide and 5” long was cut and woven like mesh in burqa, below the forehead to see through by women.
Hindu women had saries wrapped around and a large part of it spread over the head to shoulder.
Sikh women had dupata/large scarf covering back, head and front of their bodies.
MEN in these communities had their own head covers; Muslims topi/head hat while or red roomi topi, hindus white cloth caps; sicks turbans/pagries.
Marriage parties
I will talk about muslim community. Bridegroom will ride a horse with a sub-bridegroom (called shawala) while guests will walk along – if bride’s house was far away; all will travel by tonga (horse-driven carriages).
All the gifts; jewelry; dresses; given by parents of both sides and friends were shown one by one from a conspicuous place so that all guest, who wish to, could see.
The music bands would travel with the baraat/marriage party all the if this was in the close vicinity. If it was far away; then the bridegroom’s will hire the band in the area of bride’s house; to lead them to her house.
Salami / a monetary gift was given by guests to the bride and bridegroom – by some in a closed envelope; while others openly. A person would sit and write on a paper how much who paid, so that they payor had similar function at their house; such gifts would be presented there with “some addition”.
Myths
People used to put a black goat head or spread different dals; split beans; in the chowks; street crossings; thinking that would avoid bad luck and keep away troubles.
Some small denomination coins were thrown out, every few minutes, in the air, over the bride and bridegroom, as a sadqa – an offering to avoid difficulties for the couple. It was difficult for local and outsiders to pick up these coins from under the foots and from dust, so they made coins traps with two large sticks 4-5 feet apart connected with a sheet of hard cloth. As soon as coins were thrown, they would open and spread these traps under the coins falling down and thus more coins were caught.
WARNINGS BY SENIORS
If I went for pulse or a karyana item; the shopkeeper (even the hindu shopkeeper) would ask for a piece of cloth to put the stuff in it. If I didn’t have, he would me to bring next time; told me putting these food stuff in papers was calling for dearness.
That was the world war II time – and it was heard “Jad roos panjabay away, rupaeey da ik sair un wakaway” (sorry if my Punjabi writing is not clear). Means, when Russia will come the one kilo of wheat flour will cost one rupee – perhaps; prices would rise four times or in multiplication of that.
We used to bring vegetables in cloth.
Ghosht/mutton was put in a cloth wrapped in a white paper. Some time the seller would put a piece of charcoal in it; saying it will keep bala/bad omens away. He said if mutton was wrapped in newspaper its calico ink printing will damage the ghosht.
RESPECT OF ALL BY ALL COMMUNITIES
Functions/festivals were not disturbed. Everybody respected others’ events. For example, on basakhi (a festive by sikh community) they will travel around on bullock carriages, sing joy songs loud, but as soon as they entered the basti’s muslim abadi/community, they started singing a praise-song (naat) – “SAAREY RASOOLON KAY SARDAR MAKKI MADNI” meaning the head of all prophets is that who is in mecca/medina.
PLEASING CHILDREN
Some sweet rice or kheer (pudding) or even black roasted grams mixed with sweets were distributed in children each month. Children would hear a call by the distributor “Kurio, mundeo, wundi the kheer (etc) lay jao” – (girls and boys, please come and take ------“ As soon as –even one child- would listen; he will start calling other children; and in minutes 15-20 children would show up – all of this same mohallah. Some children would ask for a share of his sister or brother (she/he is at home, and couldn’t come). Children were happy, and it’s good for your well-being to make children happy.
In addition to please children, as explained above, the shopkeepers used to give a candy or something sweet to the child returning after purchase. This also made children happy.
Hair cuts at home:
It was done at the salons but where arranged it was done – on Sundays – for some permanent customers at their houses. Hajjam (hair cutter) brought with him a small water container with some burning charcoal under it, to use warm water for shave. At the client’s place, he would refill water and charcoal and move to another house.
EGGS and Chicken for free:
Hens/chicken were kept in almost all houses. They were fed some leftover breads crumbs in the morning; had some water; they let loose, go out of house all day long searching for food; in the evening they will return and by evening fall enter their cage.
Each morning collect some eggs from the cage.
On a fashion day or to serve a special guest with delicious feast, one of the chicken from cage would do the job.
Maintenance of household cows and buffaloes: There comes a period when these animals cannot provide milk, and a period they expect. Therefore, instead of their maintenance and feeding at home, they were left with some farmers until they were due to deliver baby. The owners would bring them back home and pay a settled amount to the farmer for maintenance.
Maintenance of household goats: Some people used to collect goats from their owners, each morning, take to the grassy places and bring back home at noon. They were also paid monthly by the owners.
Maintenance of Farms; water well wheels; ploughs, accessories, bullock-carriages (gadd), was done by supposedly arranged contractors; carpenters, blacksmiths. They will do the job whenever needed and farmers will supply them sufficient Produce (wheel, maize, etc.) at each cultivation period.
People’s Safety without guns
Entrance doors of all houses were kept open during the day. Real, and I don’t know how, no robberies happened. Except, that those who were cheaters, used to knock and call out the resident to tell past and future and what they could do to keep the calamity away – in exchange of some money. Ladies were convinced and they took away money from them.
At night – evening through to morning – one (just one person) with a stick and on foot, used to walk through streets of a mohallah; a portion of a basti; uttering loud “JAGTEY RAHO”. Thieves would not dare come to enter the area or face him. Was that person scary just with a stick walking around alone?
A government employee with a ladder on shoulder and carrying two conisters; one with kerozone, one empty; would come each evening and take out used kerosene from lamps fixed to walls on each turn and middle of streets and refilling and lighting them. He would come again in the morning to put off the lights.
Jugglers
With Snakes, Bear and Monkey, goat tricks used to come and stop at few places in street to show children how bear, money and goat would perform on the signal of a stick. When they entered they would play the “dugdugdi” – a handmade papercraft instrument with threads with one rice or tiny stone on both sides of the small drum made of paper. When spinning these rice would hit the drum and make a noice. Children understood the juggler has come. At the end children would give their some money or a handful of wheat flour.
Hawkers made some essentials available at door steps
- Ladies with needles (assorted sizes) and threads.
- Sabzi wala – with a bucket of vegetables.
- Ghost wala – carrying different parts of mutton. Used to mince manually.
- Fruit wala – with assorted fruit.
- Kerosene wala – with a barrel of kerosene on a hand-pushed trolley.
- Kaprey wala – Carrying dress fabrics on a bicycle.
- Oil wala – Another person carrying mustered oil, and other perfumed oils.
How about the kitchen stuff; ata, dal, ghee, mirch, masala (flour, pulses, cooking oil, spices). I am talking here about Basti Danishmandan. A shopkeeper (named: Khushia; Khushia Mal) used to come (I should say all houses) couple of days before end of month, and checked for quantities and stuff needed. He would carry all orders on a bull- o-cart (could not find this word in dictionary) – it was wooden flat-bed trailer pulled by bullocks; and deliver door to door without money. On payday he would come back to be paid. What a facility!
Ladies were not seen doing general shopping. They would go to a fabric store to buy and stich all dresses (I am sure) at home or to have it done for money from another lady with sewing machine. Same was true for sweater and muffler (to cover head, ears and wrap around neck) buy wool, do it or get it done.
System of cleaning of streets
Government employees came every morning to sweep the streets. Of and on during summer, to avoid dust rising up, a waterman (carrying on his shoulder a MASHQ; water container made of leather/full-size goat skin) would come and sprinkle water before sweeper worked.
Toilets and drainage
There were gutters; sumps; dumps; Latrines were in the houses and cleared by some person every morning and dumped outside locality on heap (called rudi – garbage pile).
The street drains were cleared or sand and stones.
WORLD WAR II
Those days terrorism-cum-war was between countries; not communities. There was no electricity, at least in our basti. There were kerosene lit lanterns dimmed at bedtime or clay-made little blows filled with mastered oil feeding a burning wick. People were warned to blackout ventilators; by carbon papers or other stuff; and not any light seen from outside to help enemy. If a light was seen; a color would be spilt on that roof by the airplane to identify and punish next day. Young boys – within the weight and height required, were recruited from poor and influenced countries to help bygone fight a war. There were warnings announced not to pick stray pens, pencils or other gagets on the street or roof; those could be booby traps dropped by the enemy and would blow out.
These fears traveled thousands of miles to become now unidentifiable from from an arm’s distance.
Times is a cure: In couple of years war effects were fading and people enjoyed leftovers of wars, Potatoe chips; parachutes; servicemen’s tiny stoves with wax burning under, servicemen’s stomping lasting-long shoes; khakhi uniforms, cots and other accessories were on sale and adopted by the people. It was a good and cheaper source of pacifying injured poor people. It’s my dua/prarthana – these same injured suffered people should never try a war; if we had one arm decapitated; not let the other arm also fall down. Let’s spend on welfare of people’s water, power, education, environment, food and industry.
Farm land is being rapidly sold for increasing population’s housing needs, thereby reducing Produce Supply against the Demand. We should review the taxation system. The farming land to be taxed lower than the banjar land; if this formulae could work, more and more banjar land would become under farming. Give more incentives to people who would cooperate. Or make such banjar-cum-farm lands tax free for five years.
BE MY GUEST!
It’s a hand shake; sharing a dining table; some gupshup; then depart to meet. We meet to depart; isn’t it.
Like Ashwani Kumar Aggarval from Jalandhar invited me to be his guest and show me around my native home place and its new look. Reciprocating this I invite Ashwani ji with same spirit to be my guest and let me serve.
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http://www.punjabjalandhar.info/2009/01/zinda-manzil-shah-kuli-basti-guzan.html
http://www.punjabjalandhar.info/2008/05/jalandhars-town-of-bastis.html
http://www.punjabjalandhar.info/2009/01/old-gate-of-basti-shah-kuli-jalandhar.html
Following are the golden memories Sheikh Muhammad Sarwar who left Jullundur at the age of ten for Pakistan and is presently settled in Chicago, USA.
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Father: Barkat Ali son of Rehmatullah, Basti Danishmandan, Jalandhar
Mother: Hussain Bibi, daughter of Badruddin of Basti Danishmandan ,Jullundur
I studied Middle School: Sanatan Dharam, Basti Nau, Jalandhar
Took admission for high school: Islamia high School, near Basti Mithu Sahib/Baba Khel. Could n0t study there due to pertition of India
My Father: Barkat Ali (age in 1947; about 38)
He worked in Sind province on a bridge project, as surveyor. He was a tracer also and could draw maps. He liked music, as I saw him attending music and qawalies and he had also a harmonium at home fitted in a folding stand. Other people from this basti, also worked on the Sind project (Sukkur barrage?). My father used to help people writing letters, applications, and did bookkeeping for a brick kiln – so he was called Munshi Barkat Ali.
At time of partition, he was working as manager at Bombay Brass Works Co., Adampur, Jalandhar; manufacturing charcoal heated Irons, silver utensils for kitchen, water nozzles, Nickel plating. He walked to and from his job. He used to go to Lahore (now in Pakistan) to get import export permits.
He used to bring some fruit for us on his return from work. Family used to have dinner together. After dinner almost all parent would come out of their houses and sit outside; doing some gupshup, watch children play for an hour before going to bed.
Father a very loving, care taker of family. Used to take us for eye; ear problems, to a hindu karyana storekeeper; Lala Lal Parshad? He took us to another hindu shopkeeper Ram Chand? Runnig karyana store; make syrups and arqs (evaporation from herbs boiling in a pot). He gave us Jawarish Kamuni (for throat) and syrup for stomachache; other things for such minor ailments.
My father used to prepare some medicines at home; like secretion from silver – (put silver in one clay bowl and cover it with another same size clay bowl – seal both of them with doughed flour) burn about ten pounds of firewood or other fuel like: paathi. The silver would melt into powder; blow up and stick inside the upper bowl. Scratch it; save it for use. He used to secrete oil from almonds (badam rogan) I used to help him with crushing, grinding almonds in a clay/stone large bowl (called koondi – chipped inside) with a thick wooden handle (called Dandah) – He used to spray warm water few drops after few minutes and kept grinding; finally oil will separate itself from the almonds paste. This almond oil was given us in warm milk. He always asked to take a copy of warm milk at bedtime to keep good sleep.
He made some other medicines and I don’t know what which? Published a small catalog/book named “Ramuz-i-Zindgi” – Uncle Ahmad Shah was helping him and I also helped in folding large sheets into catalog size. As much as a child could do. I remember, he gave name as Barkat Ali Sindhu as author of this book. Sindhu – he came back from the Sindh Bridge project and due to this project word “Sindh” was then a renowned word – he took benefit of this flying popularity.
My father used take children to Eid/Dusehra/Basakhi/Devali – organized in an open space between basti danishmandan and basti sheikh. These was commonly enjoyed by all sects of society. Sometime, during heavy rains, this open space was filled with knee high water.
He used to take me to Jalandhar city for text and exercise books; visit shrine of Imam Nasir. Once he took me to a movie ShahJehan (before partition). I was scared when horses were seen running-towards audience. Songs were, I believe, sung by Mohan Lal Sehgal.
Ours was a single storey house with a water well in it and a big NEEM tree. We had a swing fixed with it. There were two honey bee combs; one very large (bari makhi) hanging from a stem of neem and the other small (chhoti makhi) on a wall.
We kept a cow in house; as other people also had, some had buffaloes, for healthy milk, butter and lassi (butter milk). My phuphy/sister Zohra and myself helped mother to churn curds/yugard, take out butter and lassi – these were so much nourishing
Whenever we went to buy a cow from a closeby village (don’t know name) he took me with him. On way he used to recite this:
HASBUNALLAHU WA NEMAL WAKEEL, NEMAL MAULA WA NEMAN NASEER
Translation: "Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us); what an Excellent Maula (Patron, Lord) and what an Excellent Helper! “
He used to check how much milk we draw in the evening and how much in the morning. He preferred to see quantity of milk drawn in the evening; so that, if it was not drawn, quantity would be larger in the morning – giving misunderstanding about the total milk during one day.
Uncle (chacha) Ahmad Shah:
Education: High School or BA. I don’t know/remember where and what job he was doing. His wife was from Mohallah Qarar Khan, Jalandhar City.
Uncle Irshad: Don’t know education, or his skills. He joined army. Later, on the
request of his wife (from basti danishmandan) he was released from
army service. At that time, a fauji (service man) was paid Rs.17 per
month. It was a world war time, (the saying went around “Indian
sacrificial goat for Rs.17 only).
Uncle Habib: No education. Did masonry work. Moved to Bulland Shehr, then to
Ferozabad. He married there and had children. They visited us in Pakistan. Later he died there. God may keep him in peace.
My mother – Hussain Bibi:
Housewife – loving wife, mother; took good care of kitchen; clothing, all household. She used to prepare some energizing sweets of Alsi (flex), Dal Moong, etc. She stiched our dresses. She prepared breakfast and served to all of us in kitchen sitting of a mat.
By the time we come from school, lunch was ready. We used to take dinner all together
father, mother, children. After dinner we were given some fruit or sweet desert.
Brother of grandfather:
Fazal Din. Living in Lahore. Had his own good comfortable house and annexe. He was superviser for contruction of State Bank of Pakistan and perhaps that of GPO buildings.
He died couple of years after partition. Had no children. His wife Janet (jannat) went back to her parents.
The Bitter Painful Migration 1947
When we were in a camp (during migration) at Jalandhar Cantt. One evening; my father went out to fresh up for prayer; he never came back. He had all the savings/jewelry on him. My uncles /brothers of my mother/ ran around, announcements made by camp management; we there was no trace, our hopes did not die down even after partition. But he never showed up. May God keep him in peace Time healed our injury. Our maternal/paternal uncles/families supported us. My mother knew stitching which helped her earn for livelihood, support children education. She died in 1965. A great mother. God bless her, keep her in peace.
Maternal grandfather/mother:
Grandfather: Badruddin (living in basti danishmandan, in a mohallah opposite of so called dewan khana. He loved art and published a book called “Guldasta-i-Badr” giving flower art for pillow covers, shalwar, kameez, table cover etc. etc. He was a construction contractor and supervised also the art work of a small tomb in basti danishmandan – Mian Sahib ka mazaar which had two graves; one of the muslim saint and the other of a thief who climbed up to steal a golden moon from top of the tomb and became blind; released it; got eyesight back; gripped it again to take off; gone blind; finally left it there and got his eye sight; and became a deciple of the saint.
He had also a cow in the house.
Grand maternal mother: Bakhtawar. House-wife. Died in old age. Lived good life.
Their sons: Ishaq, Shafi, Imdad .
Ishaq – (did carpentry, engraving, iching, floral artwork) Was married
to a daughter of a relative family (who were living at Noor Mahal and had a house in basti danishmandan also). Her name was Hassan Bibi; she died later and uncle was married to another women and settled at Faisalabad.
Shafi – doing construction work; later became a contractor; was married to elder daughter of a relative; she died soon, and married the younger sister.
Imdad worked in a Factory, as pattern maker and later founded his own works Imdad Tanning Machinery at Baghbanpura, Lahore.
Their daughters : Hussain bibi (my mother); Irshad married to Yaqub in basti shaikh; Fazl bibi (Fazli) married to Iqbal in basti Shaikh.
Places, events and moments in my childhood memory
There were basties (12) and kote’s in Jalandhar. Name of our Basti was/is Danishmandan. There were other basties; like, Shaikh/Shaikh Darwesh, Guzan, Nau, Mithu Sahib, Baba Khel, and others I was not familiar with.
Basti Danishmandan
My family had been living in this wonderful basti composed of various communities. They had their own worshipping places. It was populated on both sides of a main bazaar about one mile in length running in curve; with a small moque near adda tonga (horse-driven carriages); on this location, there was postoffice and a four mill+ginning mill. In the middle of length of this bazaar was central mosque. Close by living were Feroze Khan, Mushtaq Khan, Ilyas Khan: and on the other end was another small mosque.
On the corner of our street; an off-shoot of main bazaar; was a fresh sweets shop run by Lala Badri. Little down the street, was a blacksmith (Sardar ji’s shop) doing cattle nailing; besides other works, they were living in a sub-street along side of his shop, rather this was a part of their house, I guess. Going further in that street, lived hindu community. If I remember correctly, I heard there lived Mr. Bedi, who worked in movies?. Further down the main street, there was a water well and a sub-street going into Kacchi abadi where reshmi/silky cloth was woven, they kept some insects fed on leaves of guava tree (I heard so). These insects produced something like thread wrapped around their bodies which was removed to weave. If we go farther in our street, in front was an open space, on right was a water pond and up there closeby was walled graveyard. Turning to left on our street at about 100 yards was our mohallah and our house was on the corner of this street. It had one window in main street and one door in the dented corner. There was an open space in this mohallah.
Believe there was an open space left in all busties/streets for any festivities, marriage parties, guests seating, cooking parties meals, qawalies, etc.
On this open lot Meals for parties were cooked in daigs (big size brass utensils) and served to the guests fresh. Perhaps there were no catering contractors. Old ones used to take charge of each daig and young ones standing in line from daig to the guests delivered meals hand to hand and as such, returning empty meal dishes to the daig-caretaker. This return trip of dishes/bowles was so swift that it looked like running a conveyor. Then this group of distributors and servers would take meal after serving all guests – I heard good meal was left and saved behind in daigs.
It was totally safe environment all around. I walked alone to my school; Sanatan Dharam in basti Nau (nayee basti) via basti Guzan. I walked alone to Basti Shaikh where headmaster (sorry, forgot his name) of our school lived and offered free help in math and English during summer vacation. Sorry, I forgot his name. Thanks to him and his family who let us share their vacation/leisure time.
Basti Nau (nayee basti)
This was property of Maharaja of Kapurthala, and was adjacent to Basti Guzan. Was under the administrative rules and regulations of the Maharaja. As I heard at that time; these two areas (Basti Nau and Basti Guzan) were like two different states. Any criminal or any other persons who would step over into Basti Nau for protection, could not be chased and arrested by the administration of Basti Guzan. One would go through proper permission from Maharaja’s administration.
I studied upto 8th grade in Sanatan Dharm school (Basti Nau), sponsored and funded by Tikka sahib? who was a retired judge? And had a chain of these schools (that I heard). At times, there were an announcements; classes was windup at such as such time and come in line at an entrance of a room where mitha’es (sweets) were baked fresh and distributed to students. Students would enter one by one; take sweets and exit from the other door. It used to happen two three times a year. As I heard to celebrate a birth or child in Tikka sahib’s family, etc.
Some students living in villages used to study urdu/hindi in their local village school and then come to this school to do their English 7th and 8th grade.
Along with good teaching practices; there used to be one 30 minutes period called “chup dharan” – Khamosh rehna. A teacher would come into the class room and sit Calm Quiet for 30 minutes. We were told this was to recover energy lost. Sounds good. Why not this is practiced now, when we definitely need it in this stressful time!
I remember students used to play drama and all students were invited to watch. There was physical exercise every day. Urdu was also taught and there was no compulsion to take hindi courses.
I remember a newsbreak spread in school – an airplane crashed near school on road from jalandhar city to basti sheikh darwesh. Student were there and was some parts spread in the fields (khet) and some seen on trees and the body stuck up in the tree (tana) the basic tree.
Basti Guzan
Don’t remember much of it, except that there was bakery in the main chowk/crossing (at the entrance of a bazaar) where my father used to buy “araroot” biscuits very nice, soft. This word “araroot” rested in my memory until I looked at its meanings, and found it’s a type of special flour for baking biscuits. This shop was on the right while going towards basti nau. Standing at same position, on my left, was another bazaar. There was another sweets shop; fresh sweets; jalebies (dark golden sweet swirlies); and the shopkeeper’s son (Yesh Pal?) was my classmate.
Basti Mithu Sahib
Couple of our relatives lived there; I guess one was a map-tracer, the other was Mohammad Islam (later worked as office superintendent in PWD office in Lahore) to whom elder sister of my father (Zainab) was married.
There were other families doing beef business. I think that was the only place/basti from where beef was supplied.
Basti Baba Khel
I think Islamia High School was located in this basti, where I took admission in ninth grade but soon we had to migrate to Pakistan. A bazaar from basti Guzan was leading to this Basti and Basti Mithu Sahib. But we the student from basti danishmandan walked through field – a short cut – to the school – in chilling winter, in scoching heat. Hoowever, my mother used to give a-carry-out for lunch – a thick sweet crispy biscuit like paratha which I used to eat it on my way to school, every morning; perhaps feeling hungry during walk. Took usual school tuck-shop stuff at lunch time.
MY EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Thal Development Authority, Pakistan
Pak Industrial & Trading Corporation, Pakistan
Guy F. Atkinson (Mangla Dam Contractors), Pakistan
IMPREGILO, Milan (Tarbela Dam Contractors), Pakistan
Tamimi-Fouad-Atkinson-Grove, Saudi Arabia
GE (USA) in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
Wordprocessing, USA
Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, USA
EDUCATION
BA
Diploma in Bookkeeping and Accountancy
Certificate in Commerce and Secretarial Practice
Diploma in Mercantile Law and Secretarial Practice
Business Management, University of California.
I owe many many thanks to my wife Sarfraz Anjum who encouraged and supported me to take up more and more education to enhance my skills.
On 20 January 2008, her time was up and God called her back. May God keep her in peace in her permanent abode. Aameen.
HOBBIES
Gain more knowledge and skills for job to support my family.
Badminton.
Playing with children for paper-craft and other experimental, educational exercises.
Planting vegetables and flowers.
WRONG IMPRESSION
I always put myself in other’s place to feel his/her sufferings/feelings. Likewise, wrongfully, I have always been under the impression that he/she must feel my feelings. Still as we must be patient; act for forgiveness, some times I react sharp hurting someone; perhaps he/she did not did that act intentionally. I am sorry for that and ask for forgiveness from he/she and forgiveness from the Almighty, Kind God.
GENERAL
Pardah/Haya
Observation of pardah/haya is mandatory for men and women.
WOMEN
Muslim women used to wear a one-piece burqa (usually made of white cloth) from head to leg-foot joint (takhna). A space about 2” wide and 5” long was cut and woven like mesh in burqa, below the forehead to see through by women.
Hindu women had saries wrapped around and a large part of it spread over the head to shoulder.
Sikh women had dupata/large scarf covering back, head and front of their bodies.
MEN in these communities had their own head covers; Muslims topi/head hat while or red roomi topi, hindus white cloth caps; sicks turbans/pagries.
Marriage parties
I will talk about muslim community. Bridegroom will ride a horse with a sub-bridegroom (called shawala) while guests will walk along – if bride’s house was far away; all will travel by tonga (horse-driven carriages).
All the gifts; jewelry; dresses; given by parents of both sides and friends were shown one by one from a conspicuous place so that all guest, who wish to, could see.
The music bands would travel with the baraat/marriage party all the if this was in the close vicinity. If it was far away; then the bridegroom’s will hire the band in the area of bride’s house; to lead them to her house.
Salami / a monetary gift was given by guests to the bride and bridegroom – by some in a closed envelope; while others openly. A person would sit and write on a paper how much who paid, so that they payor had similar function at their house; such gifts would be presented there with “some addition”.
Myths
People used to put a black goat head or spread different dals; split beans; in the chowks; street crossings; thinking that would avoid bad luck and keep away troubles.
Some small denomination coins were thrown out, every few minutes, in the air, over the bride and bridegroom, as a sadqa – an offering to avoid difficulties for the couple. It was difficult for local and outsiders to pick up these coins from under the foots and from dust, so they made coins traps with two large sticks 4-5 feet apart connected with a sheet of hard cloth. As soon as coins were thrown, they would open and spread these traps under the coins falling down and thus more coins were caught.
WARNINGS BY SENIORS
If I went for pulse or a karyana item; the shopkeeper (even the hindu shopkeeper) would ask for a piece of cloth to put the stuff in it. If I didn’t have, he would me to bring next time; told me putting these food stuff in papers was calling for dearness.
That was the world war II time – and it was heard “Jad roos panjabay away, rupaeey da ik sair un wakaway” (sorry if my Punjabi writing is not clear). Means, when Russia will come the one kilo of wheat flour will cost one rupee – perhaps; prices would rise four times or in multiplication of that.
We used to bring vegetables in cloth.
Ghosht/mutton was put in a cloth wrapped in a white paper. Some time the seller would put a piece of charcoal in it; saying it will keep bala/bad omens away. He said if mutton was wrapped in newspaper its calico ink printing will damage the ghosht.
RESPECT OF ALL BY ALL COMMUNITIES
Functions/festivals were not disturbed. Everybody respected others’ events. For example, on basakhi (a festive by sikh community) they will travel around on bullock carriages, sing joy songs loud, but as soon as they entered the basti’s muslim abadi/community, they started singing a praise-song (naat) – “SAAREY RASOOLON KAY SARDAR MAKKI MADNI” meaning the head of all prophets is that who is in mecca/medina.
PLEASING CHILDREN
Some sweet rice or kheer (pudding) or even black roasted grams mixed with sweets were distributed in children each month. Children would hear a call by the distributor “Kurio, mundeo, wundi the kheer (etc) lay jao” – (girls and boys, please come and take ------“ As soon as –even one child- would listen; he will start calling other children; and in minutes 15-20 children would show up – all of this same mohallah. Some children would ask for a share of his sister or brother (she/he is at home, and couldn’t come). Children were happy, and it’s good for your well-being to make children happy.
In addition to please children, as explained above, the shopkeepers used to give a candy or something sweet to the child returning after purchase. This also made children happy.
Hair cuts at home:
It was done at the salons but where arranged it was done – on Sundays – for some permanent customers at their houses. Hajjam (hair cutter) brought with him a small water container with some burning charcoal under it, to use warm water for shave. At the client’s place, he would refill water and charcoal and move to another house.
EGGS and Chicken for free:
Hens/chicken were kept in almost all houses. They were fed some leftover breads crumbs in the morning; had some water; they let loose, go out of house all day long searching for food; in the evening they will return and by evening fall enter their cage.
Each morning collect some eggs from the cage.
On a fashion day or to serve a special guest with delicious feast, one of the chicken from cage would do the job.
Maintenance of household cows and buffaloes: There comes a period when these animals cannot provide milk, and a period they expect. Therefore, instead of their maintenance and feeding at home, they were left with some farmers until they were due to deliver baby. The owners would bring them back home and pay a settled amount to the farmer for maintenance.
Maintenance of household goats: Some people used to collect goats from their owners, each morning, take to the grassy places and bring back home at noon. They were also paid monthly by the owners.
Maintenance of Farms; water well wheels; ploughs, accessories, bullock-carriages (gadd), was done by supposedly arranged contractors; carpenters, blacksmiths. They will do the job whenever needed and farmers will supply them sufficient Produce (wheel, maize, etc.) at each cultivation period.
People’s Safety without guns
Entrance doors of all houses were kept open during the day. Real, and I don’t know how, no robberies happened. Except, that those who were cheaters, used to knock and call out the resident to tell past and future and what they could do to keep the calamity away – in exchange of some money. Ladies were convinced and they took away money from them.
At night – evening through to morning – one (just one person) with a stick and on foot, used to walk through streets of a mohallah; a portion of a basti; uttering loud “JAGTEY RAHO”. Thieves would not dare come to enter the area or face him. Was that person scary just with a stick walking around alone?
A government employee with a ladder on shoulder and carrying two conisters; one with kerozone, one empty; would come each evening and take out used kerosene from lamps fixed to walls on each turn and middle of streets and refilling and lighting them. He would come again in the morning to put off the lights.
Jugglers
With Snakes, Bear and Monkey, goat tricks used to come and stop at few places in street to show children how bear, money and goat would perform on the signal of a stick. When they entered they would play the “dugdugdi” – a handmade papercraft instrument with threads with one rice or tiny stone on both sides of the small drum made of paper. When spinning these rice would hit the drum and make a noice. Children understood the juggler has come. At the end children would give their some money or a handful of wheat flour.
Hawkers made some essentials available at door steps
- Ladies with needles (assorted sizes) and threads.
- Sabzi wala – with a bucket of vegetables.
- Ghost wala – carrying different parts of mutton. Used to mince manually.
- Fruit wala – with assorted fruit.
- Kerosene wala – with a barrel of kerosene on a hand-pushed trolley.
- Kaprey wala – Carrying dress fabrics on a bicycle.
- Oil wala – Another person carrying mustered oil, and other perfumed oils.
How about the kitchen stuff; ata, dal, ghee, mirch, masala (flour, pulses, cooking oil, spices). I am talking here about Basti Danishmandan. A shopkeeper (named: Khushia; Khushia Mal) used to come (I should say all houses) couple of days before end of month, and checked for quantities and stuff needed. He would carry all orders on a bull- o-cart (could not find this word in dictionary) – it was wooden flat-bed trailer pulled by bullocks; and deliver door to door without money. On payday he would come back to be paid. What a facility!
Ladies were not seen doing general shopping. They would go to a fabric store to buy and stich all dresses (I am sure) at home or to have it done for money from another lady with sewing machine. Same was true for sweater and muffler (to cover head, ears and wrap around neck) buy wool, do it or get it done.
System of cleaning of streets
Government employees came every morning to sweep the streets. Of and on during summer, to avoid dust rising up, a waterman (carrying on his shoulder a MASHQ; water container made of leather/full-size goat skin) would come and sprinkle water before sweeper worked.
Toilets and drainage
There were gutters; sumps; dumps; Latrines were in the houses and cleared by some person every morning and dumped outside locality on heap (called rudi – garbage pile).
The street drains were cleared or sand and stones.
WORLD WAR II
Those days terrorism-cum-war was between countries; not communities. There was no electricity, at least in our basti. There were kerosene lit lanterns dimmed at bedtime or clay-made little blows filled with mastered oil feeding a burning wick. People were warned to blackout ventilators; by carbon papers or other stuff; and not any light seen from outside to help enemy. If a light was seen; a color would be spilt on that roof by the airplane to identify and punish next day. Young boys – within the weight and height required, were recruited from poor and influenced countries to help bygone fight a war. There were warnings announced not to pick stray pens, pencils or other gagets on the street or roof; those could be booby traps dropped by the enemy and would blow out.
These fears traveled thousands of miles to become now unidentifiable from from an arm’s distance.
Times is a cure: In couple of years war effects were fading and people enjoyed leftovers of wars, Potatoe chips; parachutes; servicemen’s tiny stoves with wax burning under, servicemen’s stomping lasting-long shoes; khakhi uniforms, cots and other accessories were on sale and adopted by the people. It was a good and cheaper source of pacifying injured poor people. It’s my dua/prarthana – these same injured suffered people should never try a war; if we had one arm decapitated; not let the other arm also fall down. Let’s spend on welfare of people’s water, power, education, environment, food and industry.
Farm land is being rapidly sold for increasing population’s housing needs, thereby reducing Produce Supply against the Demand. We should review the taxation system. The farming land to be taxed lower than the banjar land; if this formulae could work, more and more banjar land would become under farming. Give more incentives to people who would cooperate. Or make such banjar-cum-farm lands tax free for five years.
BE MY GUEST!
It’s a hand shake; sharing a dining table; some gupshup; then depart to meet. We meet to depart; isn’t it.
Like Ashwani Kumar Aggarval from Jalandhar invited me to be his guest and show me around my native home place and its new look. Reciprocating this I invite Ashwani ji with same spirit to be my guest and let me serve.
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http://www.punjabjalandhar.info/2009/01/zinda-manzil-shah-kuli-basti-guzan.html
http://www.punjabjalandhar.info/2008/05/jalandhars-town-of-bastis.html
http://www.punjabjalandhar.info/2009/01/old-gate-of-basti-shah-kuli-jalandhar.html
6 comments:
It was nostalgic to go thru the narrative though, excuse me for putting it frankly, not written in correct English. I was 7 in 1947 and come from Jalandhar city (Muhalla Said Kabeer, as it was then known as. I believe it was adjacent to Muhalla Karaar Khan that has been mentioned in the memoir. Past is of course ever so enchanting!
Abdul Haye
It was a really good narration, nostalgic, transporting one to past. i am from Jalandhar and would like to post the pictures of the sanatan dharma school if i could find it there. would like to hear more about the old city, from Mr. Abdul Haye as well.
Jalandhar's- a town of Bastis
At one time, Jalandhar had twelve Bastis:
Basti: Danishmandan,
Basti: Sheikh,
Basti: Gujan,
Basti: Babakhal,
Basti: Mithu,
Basti: Shah Kuli,
Basti: Shah Ibrahim,
Basti: Nau,
Basti: Peerdad,
Basti: Bhurekhan,
Basti: Pathana,
Basti: Banbatta
Jalandhar had twelve gates:
1.Ma Hiran Gate
2.Balmiki Gate
3.Shitla Gate
4.Khingra Gate
5.Neela Mahal Gate
6.Saidan Gate
7.Phagwara Gate
8.Gate Shak Kuli
9.Lahori Gate
10.Khodian Gate
11.Dehlvi Gate
12.Joran Gate
These are 12 important Mohallas with gates ( called Kot):
Kot Kishan Chand
Kot Lakhpat Rai
Kot Sadat Khan
Kot Achhi
Kot Chhivian
Kot Pakshian
Kot Bahadur Khan
Kot Muhammad Amin
Kot Sadiq
Kot Badal Khan
Kot Fazal Khan
Kot Aasma Khan.
only two gates in their body form - in the form of a gate exist now: Saidan gate and balmiki Gate. The other gates still exist but only in names. About Gate Shak Kuli, I have never heard in my 35 years stay in jalandhar. the same is about Lahori Gate and Dehlvi Gate. Khodian Mohalla does exist but never heard about Khodian Gate. Other gates are still there mostly in name only. Similarly never heard about Kot Lakhpat Rai, Kot Sadat Khan, Kot Achhi, Kot Chhivian, Kot Bahadur Khan, Kot Muhammad Amin, Kot Fazal Khan, Kot Aasma Khan.May be their names have been replaced by new names. other Kots are still there.
Of the twelve bastis , not heard about Basti Shah Kuli,
Basti Shah Ibrahim, Basti Pathana, Basti Banbatta. other Bastis are very much there and with same name.
Anybody there from Kot Kishan Chand ?
Great story. .still united punjab in your memories..
What an absolutely beautiful and interesting account of times gone by.
I could read it for comfort over and over. love the detail.It was also very helpful.
Thank you so much to the author.
It was very sad at times. Esp when the uncle went missing. Everyone has a misfortune to reveal.
I will read it many times from now on.
Thank you once again.
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
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