IN SEARCH OF THEIR ROOTS

[Ramesh Kateja <rukateja@YAHOO.CO.IN>]

Maize

Karachi Born Mr. Hiro Shroff (1926) migrated to India in August 1947 as
a refugee.  In March 1949 he joined PTI-Reuters and was posted at
Karachi up to 1955.  During his stint of 11 years with PTI he worked as
foreign correspondant covering Pakistan, Afghanistan, Middle East and
China. He is an Oral Historian & Journalist.
20

"Down Memory Lane" is a nostalgic book published by him.It is a
collection of 92 Down Memory Lane pieces published in the eighties, in
India and abroad, in newspapers and in periodicals, in various
languages.

This is one of the episod in the book: 20

IN SEARCH OF THERE ROOTS

Jhamatmal Kimatrai Building. What about it? Surely there are other
buildings like that one, as old and as elegant. Hang on. This building
is in Hyderabad Sind in Pakistan. Prior to partition in India, it
belonged to Hindu owner- the Kimatrai family. But despite partition,
despite the passage of 40 years, and despite the fact that the new
owners of the building is Muslims, the building still displays, in solid
stone, the name Jhamatmal Kimatrai Building.

I am not going into politics of the two countries-India and Pakistan. I
am merely going 91down memory lane92 with some of the Hindus now in
India to reminisce about Pakistan.

The other day, in Bombay, I chanced into Narain Kimatrai and his wife,
Shakun. As children and as a result of partition, they left their
hometown, Hyderabad (Sind) and are now in Bombay. A few months ago, they
trace back their 91roots92 and visit their ancestral homes in
Hyderabad Sind. Shakun recalls they drove from Karachi to hyderabad- a
distance of hundred odd miles- and as they were approaching Hyderadab,
she could sense her husband getting emotional. She says that, on
entering the town, her husband got out of the car, and walked his
childhood roads, right up to his house. And there Shakun recalls, stood
the Jhamatmal Kimatrai Building, amidst the hustle and bustle of
richshaws, motorcycle and cars. It stood majestically, still bearing the
name: Jhamatmal Kimatrai Building. Narain and Shakun still relish the
hospitality they receive in Hyderadab and Shakun says she went into the
building just like a bride entering her sasural.

While doing this piece, I got chatting with my good old friends, Lal
badlani. At the partition in August 1947, Lal was a young customer
officer in Karachi. He has opted for India and was all set to leave
Karachi by boar, for Bombay.

Just then there was a bomb explosion in the area where the Lal was
staying. His house and all the area around it, was surrounded by the
police and he was told he could not leave. He pleaded hard with the
police officials saying he has nothing to do with the bomb explosion, he
had already opted for India and he was to report at the Customs House of
Bombay. Tough going. Ultimately the Deputy Inspector General of Police
took kindly to Lal and told him, 93You better go fast before I change
my mind.

Lal quickly jumped into a friend92s car and was giving ride to the
Karachi docks. As the car was leaving the colony in which Lal was
living, he was stopped by a soldier on duty- a young soldier from the
famed Baluch Regiment. Fortunately, Lal was in his uniform- starched
white, with a crown on his epaulette. The young soldier smartly saluted
Lal and waved him on.

 Lal came to Bombay and reported for duty at the Customs House. But
then, in a few months time, he had to go back to Karachi to pick up his
belongings which he had left behind. At that time there was no passport
or visas between the two countries. Lal was back in Karachi. He went to
his old home, which was now occupied by Sindhi Muslim family. Lal was
warmly received and when he asked if he can take his belongings, the
head of the Muslim family told him, 93muhinje akhyun te94 (freely
translated it would mean: Sure, on my honour). Lal then went and spent a
few days with a friend in Karachi and when he was back in his old home.
The Muslim family was not in but just the servant. The servant said he
did not have any instruction to part with any of the belongings. So that
was that.

Lal strolled back to the ship, which was to take to Bombay. The ship92s
captain was surprised to see lal come back empty-handed. The captain was
expecting him with heavy cargo. This, in view of the fact that he had
earlier apprised the captain of the household goods he would be
transporting to Bombay.

The ship92s captain- a Briton- gave Lal comfortable lodgings on the
ship and equipped him with a bottle of scotch whisky.

On berthing at Bombay, Lal walked up to the captain, thanking him for
his hospitality and ask the captain if there was anything he could do
for him in Bombay. The captain briskly replied, 93I never trust a
customs officer.94

This business of 91roots92 can be really gripping. The other day I was
at a bookstall in a hotel. A young lady walked up to me. She said she
was working in the hotel. Her parents hailed from Sind. She was not even
born when partition took place but she had read some of my 91down
memory lane92 pieces on Pakistan and she had been telling her parents
that should they ever decide to visit Pakistan, she could insist on
going too. She wants to savour her roots.

And then, at my office, I had a visit from a young advertising
executive. He seemed on his 20s and therefore a post partition product.
After talking about his advertising business with me, he suddenly shot a
question: Would I know or would I be able to find out about his
ancestral home in sukkur (Sind, Pakistan) which his parents left behind?
He said he would love to be able to visit his ancestral home.


                    THE END

Ramesh U. Kateja
Powai, Mumbai, India
Mob: 91.9324071844
http://www.rukateja.tk