In search of midnight’s children on city streets

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, August 16

As the clock struck 12 on the midnight of August 14, 1947, India gained Independence from the British Empire after over 100 years of freedom struggle. Many erupted in joy to see their dream of an independent India come true in their lifetime. More fortunate were the ones who were born on the same day as that of free India.

The birth records of independent India with the Municipal Corporation of Jalandhar (MCJ) revealed that on August 15, 1947, a boy and two girls were born in Jalandhar. While a 23-year-old woman gave birth to a male child, two other women (aged 31 and 30 years) gave birth to girl child the same day.

While the boy was born in Mangu Basti area, a girl was born in Chamra Mandi area. The birth place of the other girl could not be read as the language in which the record was written was a mix of Arabic, Farsi and Urdu language and the faded ink could not be read properly.

According to the MCJ birth registrar Dr Madhu Bhardwaj, there was a proper mechanism of birth and death registration even before the independence. “It was the duty of the chowkidar (watchman) to inform the local authorities about any birth and death taking place in his respective area. He would go to the police station or tehsil concerned to inform about such developments,” said Dr Bhardwaj.

She also informed that as there was no organised means of public transport, it was not possible for the informers to get the records registered every day. “Owning a bicycle during that time was a ‘big thing’ and the watchmen used to get the records of the whole week registered on a single day,” said Dr Bhardwaj.

While the first boy was born to Hira Lal, who was the son of a government employee Ram Das, the girl born at Chamra Mandi was born to Babu Khushi Ram and his wife Savitri Devi. Khushi Ram’s father Pandit Balig Ram got the record registered with the local municipal office on September 13 the same year.

“While the boy was the second child of his parents, the girl born at Chamra Mandi was the fifth child of her parents. The details of the other girl were not readable in the birth records kept with the MCJ.

Interestingly, the records of that era were found to have been written in details format with ample use of Urdu, Farsi and Arabic words that majorly includes Walid, Walida, Taadad and Bazaar etc. More interestingly, while the records written up to August 15 were found to have been written by a single person for the last many year, the records written after August 16 were found to have been written by a different person.