In Exile

Chapter 1--Lahore

Those were the summers of ’47.Probably more intense than usual, in fact such heat had not been

observed earlier.The Sun was at blistering peak as usual but what was unusual that the people

below the Sun were defeating it. It was a competition going on that who could turn the Ravi and

Beas waters blood red.

Dr. Arun khanna was a noble soul in Sheikhpura of Lahore. He joined Lahore Medical College

and obtained an MBBS degree, along with girlfriend Dr. Rachna Agarwal,who soon became Dr.

Rachna Khanna by blessings of both the families.They opened a clinic there and were enjoying

happy personal and professional life. God soon bestowed them with a lovely daughter named

Archana......the result of love of Arun and Rachna.

But the temperature was rising.The well respected Doctor couple who saved many life and

provided happiness to neighbours there, were facing it.The number of patients at clinic were

dwindling. Many a times when they opened the clinic at morning, they got broken window glass,

stones, pieces of papers etc, one day a warning was written on a paper “Leave the Pakistan or

leave this world.”

Situation was worsening, now stone and papers were not being hurled but warnings were being

issued by loudspeakers “Listen everyone…… the Kaafirs in Lahore, either you embrace Islam or

just leave from here to your Gandhi’s and Nehru’s Hindustan.” Rachna trembled and said

“something is happening here…daily…..should we leave?….”,she could not complete the

sentence, Dr. Arun interrupted with anger “ You people can think anything…..absurd…....Why we or for

that matter, why anybody should leave? We have been living here for 200-300 years, why will we go?

Then he became calm and said “these are bad times, this phase will be over.” He didn’t speak

this firmly as he had seen many stones, broken glass and piece of papers in last few days, but he

had some faith in humanity…...........but was it because of his profession?...... or anything else?......God knows.

Next day, that was also broken. Some people set afire their clinic last night. When the couple

reached there to open the clinic,they got the shock of their life. Chairs, tables, stretchers,

medicines all were burnt down. Dr. Arun was completely shaken, could not utter a single word

and knelt down. His parents and Rachna, somhow took him to a corner to sit and gave some

water. Some noble persons in the crowd came forward and consoled him and his old parents. The

family returned home and collectively took a decision---to leave the Lahore, their own beloved

city of Lahore.

Chapter 2-- Lallo

Lallo was last village of Lahore bordering Amritsar. Here ,in a small hamlet, sweets were being

distributed because a girl child was born to a widow Nilofer. Nilofer was a women who ironed

the clothes given by the dwellers. Her husband had gone so she was taking care of her family and

animals. Her behavior and work was so good and disciplined that people liked her so much and

thus she generated income enough for her and her 5 year old child Shahid, alongwith a cow and a

calf.

Shahid was most lovable child of the hamlet. He was so cute, adorable child with red cheeks,

who helped her mother as he could. He delivered the ironed clothes to the people and people

gave him some food items, used clothes ,sweetmeat along with money, which he showed to her

mother with pride “Ammi…Poonam didi has given this Barfi….” and all. Nilofer burst into

laughter seeing this. Today, this Shahid got her younger sister, and Nilofer named her as Sapna.

At every evening ,in the dim light of lantern, he sat with Sapna in his lap and looked at her for

some minutes “Oh little Sapna, look at me dear……here……I am you Bhaiya……here

Sapna…..” and he snapped fingers to attract the little child. Then asked his mother “why her eyes

are so small?....and her fingers are too small and tender to touch”…..Nilofer replied with a smile

“she is just a small baby, you are a so big and tall....”

The Heat was reaching out to villages from cities. Lallo was although a Hindu dominated village

but simplicity and easy village life was largely remain unaffected by that poison. Villagers were

far away from hustle-bustle of cities and were enjoying Ghee-Gur-Roti-chhachh……..but how

long?

Then the moment came. An early morning, some outsiders came in two trucks to Gurdwara.

Some armed Sikh youths deboarded the trucks and entered into Gurdwara. After few minutes,

they came outside and gestured their friends to unload the cargo.They started and villagers saw

that around 6 large boxes were carried into Gurdwara. Then the youths unloaded some bundles

of Spears and Swords. Villagers had not seen such huge cache of open spears and swords in their

lives, leave the content of the boxes. Then the trucks went towards outside the village and Sikh

youths moved into Gurdwara. The old jatthedar of Gurdwara could only see all the proceeding,

as he had not courage enough to say something.

The villagers had become aware till noon that huge cache of arms had arrived in Gurdwara.

Nilofer was having lunch with Shahid but could not swallow the food. Suddenly they heard an

announcement over loudspeaker “People of Lallo…..your village has been declared as a part of

India and so the muslims of the area must collect their livestock, belongings and essentials items

and just go to your Pakistan.We give you 24 hrs., just leave the Lallo otherwise we will do

exactly same thing to you what you people have done to our people in Lahore.” There were very

few homes of muslims who assembled in local mosque and asked to the old Qazi to talk to

jatthedar of the gurdwara. Qazi went to Gurudwara where old Jatthedar was quiet in a corner

and Sikh youths were ordering the staff. Qazi asked to the Jatthedar “ is there not any other way

out……Pritam singh ji?” A sikh youth interrupted in between and said to Qazi “No, there is no

other way out………we are talking on behalf of jatthedar ji as he is sick and cant talk. And listen

Qazi sahib, you people don’t have any option. Vacate the Lallo.” Qazi requested with folded

hands “Where will we go?......our ancestors……..our homes………….our soil……..our

crops…..all are here……where will we go without them….?” Another youth interrupted loudly

“stop the drama Qazi sahib……..getting me?……..just vacate the lallo.”

People started to collect their livestock, belongings, essential items etc. on their bullock-carts.

Hindus who were in majority, they were looking from their windows, balconies but nobody

uttered a single word.

But the monsters were hungry for blood, they did not follow even their 24 hrs. deadline and

attacked the bullock-carts and houses. Nilofer immediately packed a bottle of milk and kept it

into Shahid’s bag. Shahid was watching all this. Nilofer, after putting her saved money, clothes

into the bag ,handed it over to Shahid along with her little, 2-months old daughter and said

hurriedly to Shahid “Shahid, run away from here with you sister……..just run as fast as you

can…….as long as you can………as far as you can”, and she opened the small back gate of the

house. Meanwhile a powerful blow was heard at the main door of the house along with foul

mouthed abuses. Nilofer cried “Run Shahid…..run……you are ammi and abbu of you sister

now……..run my son. Please don’t leave her alone……..always be with her my son…..she is

your child……your little sister”. Then she forced Shahid toward small back gate. Another

powerful blow was heard at the main door. 5 years old Shahid ran from the spot leaving her

mother behind with her sister in his arms. He could only heard behind that some people had

broken the door.

A 5 years old toddler with a 2-months old infant was just running over the boundaries of fields

in this heat of august. He was not aware of the direction, neither he knew India and Pakistan. In

the evening, Shahid reached at a Dhaaba owned by an old sikh couple who when saw him,

offered some food and place. He found the milk bottle in his bag, opened it and driven by his

small intelligence, he put his two fingers into the milk and then put the milk soaked fingers to the

baby’s lips. She immediately opened her mouth and started to suck the fingers. Then he repeated

it. The sikh couple were smiling watching this. He looked to them and smiled “She is hungry”.

They said “and so are you….have some food”.Then the old man said “Muslims would have done

the damage…..what is your name, where are you from?”…..Shahid knew clearly what was going

on, so he answered “ I am Jeevan, from Lallo” ,”What?.....from Lallo?.....but Lallo is hindu

dominated, how muslims got such power there?”, then old man miffed “o.k.…you are

hindu….hindus are peace-loving people, they are not martial caste like us, so they don’t fight“.

Shahid was quietly sitting there for 2-3 hours. As he wanted to sleep, just then some muslim

groups attacked over the dhaaba. The bullets were raining from both sides, Shahid tied a cloth

loosely around baby’s mouth and again ran away from here with her. He kept running whole night. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but he never stopped running that night. That little child became suddenly mature enough to understand that the lives of this brother-sister duo that night was completely depending upon his running ability. Had there been an Army Commander there, he would have certainly recruited him in his battalion, seeing such wisdom, courage, presense of mind of just a 5 years old toddler.

During all these ordeal and

running, exactly when he crossed the border and entered into Attari village of Amritsar,India, he

did not know. During whole last night, barring some time at dhaaba, he was just running. As he

reached in front of a school and collapsed on the ground.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself on a wooden bench, encircled by some ladies. Sapna

was sleeping. A needle had been inserted in his wrist which was connected to a pipe and pipe

was attached to an inverted bottle mounted over a cast iron stand. It was actually a primary

school which was converted into a make shift hospital-cum-camp for time being. When he got

proper senses, a lady doctor asked him about both. “I am Jeevan, she is my sister Poonam”,he

said. 

Wow little champ!!!!

Chapter 3-- Attari

In next few weeks, Jeevan and Poonam were most lovable and pampered children in camp.

People were surprised to know that a five-year brother saved her infant sister in this blood

soaked atmosphere by running from Lallo to Attari, and cares her a lot.

One day when Jeevan got up at evening after a nap, he did not find Poonam. He asked other

persons, and got negative, as nobody saw Poonam because they all were sleeping after lunch. He

became tensed as he was searching her in the camp. He started crying. Some people consoled

him but he was very sad as Poonam was not there and the promise he made to his mother was

broken.

Whether good or bad, times just goes by. Jeevan, now 16 was a skilled worker at a cycle shop in

Amritsar. He visited every month at that school in Attari to inquire about Poonam but got

nothing. Pappu who was working with him, told him “Why are you here?, you are such an expert

in cycle repairing. You are just wasting here yourself. Go to Ludhiana, the hub of cycle

manufacturing. There you will get much more money in a company.” Jeevan told him about her

sister then Pappu advised him that he should forget Poonam and should focus upon earning.

Jeevan moved to Ludhiana and by his skill and talent got a job in a big firm which manufactured

and supplied cycles to other parts in the country. Slowly Jeevan earned trust of manager and got

promotions with increments in payment too. He was 25 now. One day manager told him “Jeevan

,we have a large consignment of cycles to be delivered at 3 shops in Allahabad. It would be

better that a trusted person should go there along with the team.” Jeevan affirmed.

At one of the pre-designated shops in Allahabad, Jeevan saw that a brand new cycle was being

given extra attention by owner. He joked “Will you deliver it to Queen Victoria?”, owner stared

at him. Jeevan was curious “ Who is she?”, owner said “daughter of Dr. Rachna”.

Dr. Rachna was most famous doctor of Allahabad. She was the first choice of who’s who of the

city in the hour of need, plus she had been doing number of charity activities too. She had a

daughter Archana, who was everything to her. But the doctor was also (in)famous for her highly

disciplined routine and manners, So people scared of her so much.

Shop owner requested Jeevan to come along with him to Dr. Rachna’s home, with Archana’s

new cycle as it would enhance owner’s reputation in eyes of Dr. Rachna. Jeevan affirmed and

went there. Servent gestured them to wait in large, elite class drawing room of a very posh

mansion in Civil lines area. “M’dm is coming” he said.

Dr. Rachna entered into the room. Jeevan saw her and just felt like he had received 440V shock,

but he said nothing. Owner introduced him to Dr. Rachna “He is our manager representative Mr.

Jeevan from Ludhiana”. In all 15-minutes conversation Jeevan said very few things and was

continuously looking at the Doctor.

He returned, had dinner and after that he tried to sleep but he could not. He was troubled. He

came out of the room and boarded a rickshaw for Dr. Rachna’s home, Civil lines.

At the gate of her bungalow, her gateman stopped him. "Who are you?"

Jeevan requested him "Please tell this to Madam......its urgent?......i have to meet her......its really urgent."

Gateman scolded him "Are you nuts?..........What kind of urgency it is?.........is this a time to visit a Noble person's house?.......can't you see the timing?"

Jeevan folded his hands "Please let me meet her just once......its really urgent."

"I will certainly not allow you...........have a look at your watch!!! Come in the morning......thats all!" Gateman was firm.

Dr. Rachna came in drawing room after Jeevan’s altercation with servant, and asked strictly

“who is this?”, Jeevan said “m’dm its me, Jeevan…….I came in the evening with Archana m’dm

cycle”, hearing this Dr. Rachna gestured Gateman to let him come inside. Gateman then accompanied him from the gate to the drawing room, and instructed him to sit there on sofa "Madam is coming.....you wait here." And then he went. 

Jeevan was waiting for Dr. Rachna, and meanwhile he was observing many black-and-white photographs of Dr. Rachna, with her daughter, on the walls of that drawing room. 

After few minutes, Dr. Rachna was there. Jeevan, sitting on sofa looked at her and stood up immediately and greeted. She affirmed and gestured him to sit on sofa comfotably. Both of them sat down in front of each other. Then Dr. Rachna asked him “Yes, yes……speak-up”,.......what brings you here at this time?

 “M’dm, do you know Gurmeet m’dm?” Jeevan asked.

Dr. Archna heard this

and felt that somebody had poured molten glass in her ears. But being a strong women she said

convincingly “No,but why?” 

“M’dm actually about 20 years back, I had an infant sister Poonam,

whom I lost in a camp-cum-hospital in Attari in communal riots during partition. At that camp I

saw a women ,you exactly resemble to her infact, her name was Gurmeet and she was a doctor. I

thought may be you know Gurmeet m’dm, then I will contact her and will again try to find

Poonam”.Doctor said calmly “My name is Rachna and I don’t know any Gurmeet. Infact I have

never visited in any of that area. My limit is Delhi only”. After few minutes, Jeevan thanked her

and went.

Dr. Rachna ,after closing door and switching-off the lights of drawing room, went to her

bedroom where Archana was sleeping, but now Rachna was feeling so low, so insecure.She was

looking at Archana.She wanted to die at this very moment. She was thinking………..as it was

just yesterday.

Doctor family was leaving Sheikhpura that morning. Arun booked a tonga, put all belongings,essentials into it. 

All of them were sobbing incosolably. Arun and Rachna were not just collecting their belongings but also watching their sweet and lovely memories--that were being crushed by their own hands -- helplessly. They were leaving behind Arun's wedding sherwani, and Archana's wedding lahenga. These were now useless, unnecessary items. They were leaving behind a box of their love-letters which they wrote to each other when they were in college. They wrote these love letters and handed over them to each other's very close friend so that the letter could get its destination safely , and those close friends were so nice and honest that they never opened the letter mid-way. These letters were also useless, and unnecessary items now. They were leaving behind the silver glass, plate and spoons of little baby Archna which were gifted to her by her grandparents. Those signs of grandparents unbound love to their grand-daughter were also now useless commodities. They were leaving behind a number of small wooden, musical toys of Archna as these toys were only increasing weight and space in that tonga. They were leaving behind a mini-library of Arun's father, which consisted the exceptionally brilliant books about lofty ideals of Gandhi, Gautam, and Ghaffar's philosophies and in reality those philosophies and those ideals were in tatters now. There were no takers of those lofty moral values and ethical ideals. 

..........and the couple along with Arun’s parents and 2-months-old Archana, was about to leave Sheikhpura with heavy hearts, for Lahore railway station. 

They were silently watching their home, actually so-called home, last time. They were crying inconsolably. A tree was being uprooted mercilessly. In this very house, Rachna came as a newly-wed bride. In this very house, Archna was born and played. Arun was imagining that just at that very time, his neighbour Siddiqui sahab would call him like he was used to do "Arey Doctor Sahab!!!.....Sair par nahin chalna kya aj? (Oh Dear Doctor Arun!!!....would you not go for morning walk today?)". Arun was assuming that at that very time, Siddiqui sahab would run into him, he would hold his hands and he would say "Nahin Arun........kahin nahin jana........bilkul nahin jana!!!..........ap yahin rahenge........ham sab yahin sath mein rahenge, jaise hamesha se rahte aye hain.........koi kahin nahin jayega........... ham sab yahin sath mein jiyenge, aur marenge bhi yahin.........ham apko kisi bhi surat mein yahan se nahin jaane denge.........ap yahin rahenge, ap kabhi kahin nahin jayenge (No Arun!!!!......absolutely no way!!!!......you will not go anywhere........certainly not go.........you will live here.......we all will live here together, as we have been living here for generation...........nobody will go anywhere........we will live here together,  and we will die together here only..........we will not let you go anywhere from here.......never!!!!.......come what may!!......you will live here only and you will not go anywhere for sure!!!!)." 

But it did not happen. It was only Arun's imagination. Siddiqui sahab was sleeping peacefully in his bedroom of his house. He had become a true 'Muslim' after all. He will not come. He will not hold Arun's hands.

Then they all boarded the tonga with heavy hearts, slowly started their journey towards Lahore railway station. Mr. Khanna and his family, their another immediate neighbour, had already left for India a few days back.

They were going towards station that morning when after some time, an armed muslim mob

chased the tonga in the way and one of them threw an axe which exactly pierced the Arun’s

neck. Arun was bleeding profusely and collapsed on the road screaming at chauffeur “Don’t stop

tonga……please make them reach at Lahore station”. His old parents jumped from the tonga

seeing their son in pool of blood and cried to chauffer “Don’t stop tonga…….Make both of them

reach at station”. Rachna could not utter a single word when he saw from a racing tonga that

rioters brutally killed her husband and in-laws. She was weeping and crying. A couple of rioters

were chasing the tonga but chauffeur was whipping the horses to make sure that they would

reach station, and it happened too.

Rachna did not have any time to think about. It was massive chaos there. She saw a train full of

passengers at platform. She tried but could not enter, so she looked at the rooftop of the

compartment where thousands of persons were sitting. The train was going to Attari. She lifted

her child and a lady there pulled her. Then she raised her hand and the lady pulled her too, at that

very moment, engine whistled and train moved. Rachna was still weeping, when the lady said

“don’t weep bhabi ji……everyone is weeping here…….everyone has lost someone…….you will

have to fight a long battle”. Just then, an armed mob attacked over slowly moving train. One of

their leader was screeching “what do you think?, you are going to Hindustan and we will let you

go simply? We will gift this unique train to Patel and Nehru….”.Some of them climbed up the

rooftop and started killings. Rachna with her child ,ran from the rooftop of one compartment to

that of another, as people were running for the life, and in this chaos, her 2 months old child got

slipped from her hands and fall down from the rooftop like a small pillow. Rachna got

mad……..she cried many times vehemently but nobody listened. Train was running at full speed

now, the rioters had gone, and Rachna fainted.

Train reached Attari just after noon and Rachna, like a moving dead body, with stony,

emotionless eyes, came out of the station and started to an unknown path on foot, without

listening to anyone. She reached near a Primary school building where food was being

distributed in disposals. She did not even look there and sat down under the shadow of a large

tree just touching the school’s gate. An old women overseeing the distribution saw her and went

there with some food. “Bibi ji….you are looking so tired and extreme sad. What can I say?….

here everyone has some story of pain……..some unimaginable loss and grief……..have some

food Bibi ji………what is you name?” Rachna did not speak, was just looking at the ground. Old

women then said nothing, put the food near Rachna and went.

Around 5 p.m., the staff gathered all empty utensils, broomed and washed-off the place and went

inside the school. The old lady again came to Rachna, who was still sitting there and looking to

the ground. The food was not there and by the shining disposals, old woman guessed that this

lady’s food had been enjoyed by dogs. She again asked her “Bibi ji, what is your name?”,

Rachna raised her face this time, looked around and said in very low voice

“…Gur………Gurmeet”.

Old women brought Gurmeet in school. Another women was crying in pain there due to stomach

ache, all other women were trying but her problem persisted. Watching this, Gurmeet alias Dr.

Rachna with her red bag, went to the woman and picked out some medicines. “just have it now,

you will feel relief after 15 minutes, and then twice a day. With in 2 days, you would be fine.”

After 15 minutes, the women was smiling. The old lady asked Gurmeet “Bibi ji, how do you

know about medicines?”, she replied “I am a doctor”.

In next 2 and half months, Gurmeet befriended with many ladies in the camp who respected and

loved her a lot because of her knowledge, manner and courage. Gurmeet was also trying to cope

up by serving the patients in the camp. One morning some ladies were chatting after breakfast

when they heard a infant cry. They came outside and saw a boy of 5-6 years was lying on the

ground without senses. He was wounded, clothes were dirty and blood-stains were present over

them. A girl child merely of 1 or 2 months old were weeping loudly at the boy’s chest. The

ladies immediately took them in the school and provided necessary first-aid. Then in-charge of

this make shift camp, Dr. Radha, arranged a drip for the boy. After an hour, Boy came into

senses. He opened his eyes slowly and found him surrounded by the ladies. Gurmeet asked him

“What is your name?”, the boy said “I am Jeevan and she is my sister Poonam”.

Next 3 months were quite good. Gurmeet was taking care of children in the camp but she was

very particular about Poonam. She reminded her about Archana. Gurmmet was so much in love

with Poonam that she breastfed her whenever she wept due to hunger. Poor Jeevan did not know

how and why her sister became happy after seeing Gurmeet everytime. She had developed a very

special bonding with Poonam.

One day ,after lunch, the people in camp went to their beds as usual. Jeevan and his sister were

sleeping when Gurmeet was just passing by them. She saw both of them, stopped and sat on their

bed. She was smiling while looking at them. She kissed both on their forehead. Then thoughts

came to her mind “It seems Archana got re-birth as Poonam……what a cute baby she is?.......but

what is her future with this boy, her brother?.....how will he feed her?.....how will he take care of

her?......why not I?........I am breastfeeding her…….I am taking care of her……why I should not

be her mother?......I was a mother but God has taken my daughter…….. now why I should not

consider Poonam as Archana?.......what is wrong in it?......I never harmed anyone, but GOD

harmed me. GOD has taken everything from me……..my husband, my parents, my

Archana……everything. Now I am looking a hope of my life in Poonam…………I believe that I

can live my life for this child…………I will not let her go……she can bring something b’ful in

my life.” And immediately then Dr. Rachna alias Gurmeet took a decision. She lift a sleeping

Poonam in her lap, put her red bag consisted some medicines and her valuable savings, on a

shoulder and ran away from the camp, not even once thought about poor Jeevan.

Chapter 4-- Allahabad

Dr. Rachna went to Attari Railway station, from where She got a Delhi bound train ticket, and

immediately boarded the train. After reaching Delhi early morning, she decided to go further “I

will never let this child go……..I will go to a place where that Jeevan will not reach in his

lifetime.” A train was standing at the platform. Rachna asked a passenger ,sitting near a window

“Where the train is going towards?” ,passenger replied “Allahabad”, Rachna immediately got a

ticket and boarded a train to completely unknown city.

Rachna came to Allahabad where scars of partition and riots were almost absent, and life was

easy going. Rachna got a nurse job in an hospital. Initially there were some hiccups as city,

language, tradition, food habit was unknown to Rachna. She did not have any shelter to survive.

She lived for time being in hospital itself. But when you have money, mind, will power and

determination, these hiccups can’t play any significant role. Nurse Rachna, soon became Dr.

Rachna. As far as last 20 years were concerned, Dr. Rachna was amongst rare,successful woman

of Allahabd and a doting mother.

Next morning, Dr, Rachna sent one of her servant to the cycle owner for a meeting with Jeevan

at her place in that very evening.

Jeevan entered the drawing room with some curiosity “….if Dr. Rachna can tell something about

Gurmeet madam then I wiil meet her and try to search Poonam again”. He was in thoughts, when

Dr. Rachna entered calmly. He asked “M’dm, is everything o.k. with the cycle?.....has Baby

liked it?” “Yes….its fine. I don’t have any issue regarding it” she said in a bit tense mood. “I

want to tell you something important…….listen carefully.” Jeevan became more attentive. Dr.

Rachna stood up and moved near a photograph of her and Archana, saw it for few seconds and

looked up to Jeevan and then said confidently “Yesterday you asked about Gurmeet?”, Jeevan

said “Yes….M’dm.” “Jeevan,…..actually……I am Gurmeet”. Jeevan was shocked to the core

but as this was not enough, he heard next sentence of Dr. Rachna “….and my daughter Archana

is actually your sister Poonam”. Hearing this, Jeevan lost his balance and fall upon the sofa. It

became difficult for him to breathe, he could not utter a single word. Dr. Rachna then consoled

him and offered him water and asked him to be calm.Then she told him “I actually stole your

sister when you and other people were sleeping after lunch that day.” Jeevan was looking to the

floor.Then she said firmly “…..and I don’t think It was wrong.” Jeevan looked at her face and

said angrily “How can you have such courage to say in my face that it was not wrong?” Dr.

Rachna said “yes, it was not wrong because I was in the role of the child’s mother. I breastfed

her…….I was taking care her more than any other……because your Poonam reminded me my

Archana…”. Then Dr. Rachna sobbed for a while, and narrated all the ordeal she had suffered

right from Sheikhpura,to Allahabad.

It was a tense silence in the room for a few minutes.Then Dr. Rachna said “I thought GOD had

taken away Archana from me, but returned her in Poonam, your sister……..at that point, she

became my only hope for life. I could not foresee my life without her……I became such a

selfish, weak and insecure that I did not think about the brother of that child and after coming

from Attari to Delhi, I came to Allahabad just to ensure that you can’t come here”. Jeevan was

listening silently.

Dr. Rachna continued “Jeevan, I am capable, and can provide a good life to your sister, which

you can’t. She studied in best school of Allahabd, then got admission in Allahabad university.

She enjoys best-in-class food and cloths, and I have fixed her marriage in a prestigious family of

Lucknow which is to be held just after 15 days from now.” Hearing this, Jeevan started weeping

and crying. Dr. Rachna was trying to console him. Then she said “Jeevan, I am certainly your

crime, and totally deserve punishment whatever you declare”.

Jeevan, after a few moments, asked her “May I meet Poonam?” Dr. Rachna said “I know I am

wrong again but it is true…….i am highly insecure about You and Archana and I will not allow

you to meet her as her brother. You can formally meet her in my presence only, as I do not want

anybody to meet her and to turn her emotional except me. Sorry Jeevan , but I will not let you

meet her”. Jeevan said “Just once…..before her marriage…” ,Dr. Rachna said “I will invite you

as a special guest for her marriage……..I will arrange your journey and you will stay here. Then

you can meet her under certain conditions.”

Jeevan thought for a while then agreed. He thanked her and came outside the house quickly. He

was weeping ,but happy inside. At some distance, it was a mosque. Shahid of Lallo village of

Pakistan who was now Jeevan, entered into mosque for a special prayer. He thanked almighty

that finally Sapna is safe, happy and will remain so.

After 10 days he received invitation of Sapna’s alias Poonam’s marriage who was now Archana.

He bought new clothes for himself, clothes and gifts for Archana and her husband, and yes…..for

Dr. Rachna too, and came to Allahabad.

Now he is in jovial mood in banquet hall. He is looking for a girl, who does not know he exists,

or the story that has brought him here. He has no reasons to be discreet but still he has to be

careful. He is standing near the doorway and surveying the golden banquet hall, which is filled

with refined bodies in saris and jackets, and beautiful young women who came in swanky, expensive cars, with straight hair who never

make facial expressions. But they will, soon. Any moment now........they will have psudo-happy smiles for the cameras. But what about Jeevan's smile?......was it real enough?

Next day, in after-noon, Jeevan, who was actually Shahid from Pakistan, came across a mosque in Allahabad. He carefully observed his surroundings. It was absolutely none of his acquaintance there at that time. He put out his skull cap from his pocket, wore it and swiftly entered the mosque. He offered a special prayer there, because the promise he made to his mother some 25 years back, about the safety and happiness of her little sister Sapna, had been fulfilled succesfully.