Her: On the Sindhi Hindu Exodus

[Gul Agha <agha@CS.UIUC.EDU>]

>Saaiin Shewak Nandwani writes in Sindh-international:

Dear Nand,

It was nice to read your articles.  Here are my views:

I agree with you that during the period of December-January, it was
most difficult for Sindhis to leave Pakistan and go to India.  Each
person was looted and was not allowed to carry more than a set of
clothing's and Rs.10- per person.  All were checked very roughly and
there was one man I cannot recall the name correctly( it sound like
Mr.  Khaouro) he was the terror for us ethnic Sindhis.

I remember that we were given protection by our neighbors across the
street in Hyderabad.  Mr.  Nassar was his name and he lived in Karachi
but his in-laws in Hyderabad were our neighbors who lived like our
family with us and used to be at our home most of the time as our
family members.  Mr.  Nassar came from Karachi to escort us to Karachi
and made us stay at his own house for 6 days until we could get our
ship's berths confirmed, we left Karachi by a liner (named Ekta) on
31st.  December,1947.  After reaching Bombay, we heard that on the 6th
January, 1948 there was looting and lot of blood shed in the area we
were living in (Near Mr.Nassar's house).  One of our relatives, an old
lady of 70 had her chain and earrings ripped off her neck and ears and
she was stabbed a couple of time, but she lived.  I was only 8 then
but these are sad scars on my mind about the partition.  Many of us
Sindhis from Hyderabad were slashed to death by locals and not
necessarily the Mohaijirs, as most of the Mohaijirs were barely able
to settle down in Pakistan and they were as much confused there as we
Sindhis were in India.  (There are always some miscreants or some
Goondas in every country who take advantage of such situations).  But
it is possible that after few months Mohaijirs must have started their
activities of looting due to not finding place to live and money
enough to eat like lots of our brethren's in India who never committed
the crimes of looting and killing.  We were refugees and we were
homeless and we stood in ration lines but we never committed crimes as
we were respectable Sindhis of Sindh.  Even after losing everything
and leaving fully furnished houses to our neighbors (Pakistani
neighbors), I remember my own house full of bone china sets and silver
tea-sets etc., Houses full with Guru Nanak and Udero Lal and Lal
Saeen' photographs on the walls with large photographs of our
ancestors hanging on the walls, hoping, specially my mother, 100%
positive of returning within 1-2 months, never ever dreaming that this
was our final departure from Hyderabad Sindh.

Even now I wish to go there (Just for one time) to see my house just
for few hours, I think I will do this one day.  Even though both my
parents are not living but just to see the place where I was born.
Where I played and visited places.  Even today I remember all the
beautiful places where I went alone (walking as there were no
automobiles , at least we did not have one, we had only Victoria horse
carriage).  Going to places like Phuleli and Giddu Bandar, Tilak
chaari and other places like Rania jo baag and Quillo.  I feel that
even today once I reach Hyderabad, I could visit all these places
walking and not asking the way to these places from anyone as I
remember even the routes and roads to these places.  They are still so
fresh in my memory.

I am carried away talking about the beautiful places instead of
talking more about the Hindu Sindhi exodus.

Would like to hear on the above subject from more Sindhis specially
from Hyderabad area.  May be someone still knows me and was my friend
during my days in Hyderabad.

Shewak Nandwani


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