United They Stood Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

 

United They Stood

Author: Dr. K. S. Kang

At the time of tragic decision of partition of country both Adeena Begum and Ranu lived in a perfect peace and harmony like two real sisters, though they belonged to diverse faiths. Both of them came to know each other when they were put in a lone missionary school of the town as it was a common belief among people that missionary Christians gave good holistic education to a child and both Adeena and Ranu’s parents wanted to have the best of the education for their child. Both of them were always together in every activity at every place like two bodies single soul. Their journey continued into the province of higher education too when both of them were admitted to the same college of the town named after a famous philanthropist. Both of them were leading their life like real sisters participating in celebration of each other’s festivals and both of them visited each other’s house quite frequently and regularly.

On that fateful day Ranu had to leave her ancestral town, due to partition. Though unwilling, her parents decided to leave their beloved town and soil of their ancestors as even Adeena’s parents also felt it safe for them to leave the town, so as to ensure their safety, atleast for some days. But as the fate would have it they had to leave it for ever by coming across the boarder to a newly independent country but strange with its alien language and culture though with the same faith as theirs. Before leaving the town Ranu had come to bid farewell to Adeena for ever. In their last meet they decided to be in touch with each other by meeting with each other on the international frontier as frequently as possible atleast once in an year to know about the well being of each other’s family. They decided to meet each other on the birth anniversary of the great revolutionary leader who commanded great respect in both the nations as he had worked tirelessly for the freedom from imperialism throughout his life. A number of young people in those days were supporters, admirers and fans of that great revolutionary leader and his ideals and ideology.

As decided Ravina’s family crossed the boarder along with numberless other people who had lost their land, friends, relatives and property in the senseless communal violence that preceded the partition. Thanks to the support and aid of Adeena’s family that Ranu’s family reached safe and sound in this country after crossing the frontier. Every year on the appointed date and time both Ravina and Adeena came to meet each other to exchange the news and well being of their families, and friends on their side of the boarder. That had become almost a regular annual feature of their lives except for a brief span in 1965 and 1971 when boarder was closed due to conflict and tension between these two neighbouring countries. Earlier Adeena and Ravina used to come with their parents to meet each other, then with time when they got married and their parents got infirm due to old age, they would come along with their husbands and children. And later on they would come with their son-in-law, daughter-in- law at the boarder and now they continued their visits to the boarder in the company of their grand children. But their commitment was firm that as long as they are not physically invalid they will continue to come at the boarder to know about the well being of each other and their families. The firmness of their commitment rose from the belief that after all they are two bodies one soul, and though they have been separated by a political decision taken by alien rulers at the midnight but this firm resolve to meet each other was their way to affirm their unity and defy the decision of partition, that had affected the numberless lives, in their own way .