Crossing the Rubicon: How an Indian woman returned to her childhood home in Pakistan

In 1947, when Britain finally concluded its colonial rule in India, a 15-year-old girl from Rawalpindi (now Pakistan) was in India with her family. 

As Reena Verma Chibber enjoyed her summer holidays, communal violence broke out across the country and a united India was partitioned into two: India and Pakistan.

Reena's city, Rawalpindi, was now meant for Muslims. Being a Hindu, Reena's family never went back home, resettling in India. 

"Reena settled in India along with her family but she had always desired to visit her ancestral house before she died"

In 1947 during Partition, united India witnessed large-scale communal violence between Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims and around 20 million people were displaced along religious lines.   

Reena settled in India along with her family but she had always desired to visit her ancestral house before she died. Her dream to visit the house has finally been fulfilled 75 years after her initial migration, Reena is now 90 years old. 

“For years, I had a desire to see my ancestral home but visiting Pakistan was not very easy. I was living in Bangalore, which was far away from Pakistan. In 1965, I had tried to go to Pakistan but failed,” said Reena, talking to The New Arab.

Since Partition, India and Pakistan have been adversaries. In the last 75 years, the relationship between two neighbouring countries has been hostile, to say the least. The two countries have fought three wars against each other.

Visiting from one country to another has, in most cases, been a difficult task. Even now, the situation between the two countries remains tense, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking an aggressive stand against Pakistan by accusing the neighbouring country of promoting terrorism in his country.

In such a situation, Reena was still able to make her visit on 16 July this year and was overwhelmingly welcomed by the local people. She said that when she visited Pakistan, she was welcomed in such a manner that she felt at home.

“I first went to Lahore, where I stayed three days along with the members of a Facebook group (India Pakistan Heritage Fan Club). They took care of me so well that I don’t have words to express my emotions. I was taken care of very lovingly. Then, I went to my home in Rawalpindi,” she said.

When she visited the area where her ancestral home is located, local people welcomed her with a band. A video of her being welcomed by the local people with the band has also gone viral on social media. The video shows that she has been flanked by a group of people, they are dancing and lifting her in their lap. A few people are holding her hand while flowers are also being showered on her.

Reena said that the present owner of her ancestral house also received her well. Initially, they were a little bit uncomfortable but when they met her they received her well and allowed her to see what she wanted to see. They even allowed her to stay for a night in the room where she used to sleep when she was younger.

She was happy as well as emotional as she remembered the past violence that tore the country apart. She recounted that she used to sing songs on her balcony. 75 years later, she sang once more. 

Help from Pakistan

Reena’s visit to her ancestral house in Rawalpindi materialised because several people in Pakistan helped her to get a visa and find her house in Rawalpindi.

The first time she applied for the visa in March this year, it was rejected. However, she was granted a visa in May when a video of her appealing for the visa came to the notice of Pakistan’s foreign ministry. But she did not visit Pakistan in May due to the scorching heat at that time of year.

She first came into contact with some people from Pakistan after joining a Facebook group India Pakistan Heritage Club. It’s the members of this group who received her in Pakistan and helped to go from one place to another in the country.

Sajjad Haider, a resident of Rawalpindi and Islamabad-based journalist, is one among those who helped Reena to find out her house in Rawalpindi.

Haider told The New Arab that Reen’s daughter Sunali contacted him three years ago after she came across his post related to Pindi (the area where Reena’s ancestral house is located in Rawalpindi).

“Her daughter made me speak to her mother (Reena). Then, we exchanged WhatsApp numbers as chats on WhatsApp are a little easier. Then, they sent me an 8-year-old photo of her ancestral house and told me about its location. She told me that the name of the street was Prem Gali and the house's name was Prem Niwas in 1947. After Partition, the names of streets and areas were changed. But I was able to find her house,” said Haider talking to The New Arab.

After finding her house, Haider sent a photo of it to her and she identified it. Haider also went to the current owner of the house and told them that Reena wants to see the house through video call.

After seeing the houses through video calls, she became more curious and determined to see the house. In the meantime, COVID-19 gripped the world when travelling from one place to another was not allowed.

In July this year, when Reena finally visited her ancestral house, Haider also helped him to visit other places in the city she remembers.

Reena’s Message for Both Countries

Reena wants people and governments from both countries to make joint efforts to build better relations between both countries.

“Since two countries came into existence after Partition, it is not been possible to reunify. It's wrong to think that two countries won't eventually reunify. Everyone, whether it is governments or people from both countries, should come together to make the situation better. People from both countries want to meet each other lovingly. There should be a situation in which people from both countries are able to meet each other with ease,” she said.

She believes that there is immense love among people from both countries for each other. She can’t describe the love and respect she found among the people of Pakistan. She thinks that, similarly, people from India have equal affection for the people of Pakistan.

“When people come from Pakistan to India, they also get similar love in India," she said.

Waquar Hasan is a journalist based in New Delhi. He covers human rights abuses and hate crimes in India.

Follow him on Twitter: @WaqarHasan1231