From riches to hardship, home to homelessness

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 11

”Partition has given us only pain. We were living in Karachi like a king but after division, we lost everything. Now, it’s all about fulfilling basic necessities,” these words have been shared by 76-year-old Kirtan Singh with tears in his eyes.

Kirtan Singh has a small shop of dupattas in a market of Mehna Chowk area. 

Kirtan Singh, who was born in 1941, said his father Meher Singh was the owner of a big transport company and had a number of trucks. 

He lost his father in a road accident in 1945 when he was just four-year-old. 

His mother Shanti Devi bore the family’s responsibility and took care of Kirtan and his two younger brothers Inderjit Singh and Billa.

His uncle Kartar Singh, who was living in Jehlam district in Sind, started taking care of his father’s business. 

“But after two years, as we heard that India was divided into two countries. The local people looted everything from our house and office,” he added.

Kirtan said those who looted his house in Karachi were close friends of his father.

“My uncle Kartar Singh took us to Jehlam in his home but after two-three days, similar situations prevailed there. We moved to Chanarathal near the Lahore-Gujranwala refugee camp. We only had a few clothes. I was 6-year-old then,” Kirtan Singh said.

After a few days, the local authorities of Pakistan shifted us to Chehratta Sahib Gurdwara near Amritsar by train. 

During that time, due to non-availability of medical facilities, Billa died of fever, he added.

“After two months, we shifted to Faridkot. The Maharaja of Faridkot gave us food and other things. He also made proper arrangements of langar and accommodation. After eight days, we moved to Bathinda where my paternal aunt Ishwar Kaur was living,” Kirtan added.

“After three months, my uncle and our family moved to Mubarkpur camp near Dera Bassi and lived in tents. The Indian government allotted us a house and some land at Saidpura village in Patiala district,” the septuagenarian said.

“After a few years, I moved to Ludhiana due lack of work as the government failed to give us ownership of the allotted land,’ he said.

He lived in Ludhiana till 1970 before finally settling in Bathinda, where he started a duppata shop in Baba Mehna Market. He has continued that work till date. 

Now, he has his family with two sons and two daughters, who all are married. However, his heart still sinks when he thinks about his riches in Pakistan.