8. Birth of Neyaz & Days of Turmoil.
Doctor Saheb who was disallowed the leave applied for during my illness.
Later he took two month’s leave for the purpose of getting transferred from
that wretched place. For the next one year he was deputed to a number of
interior rural areas where I did not join him. Eventually he got a posting to
Sahebganj. From there he wrote a letter that he is sending an
orderly with whom I have to travel to Sahebganj. I began my preparations.
Mamoon Abba was very sad to hear about our departure from Patna city. Whenever
he used to wrap Reyaz in his arms, he was unable to hold back his tears.
Asim came to the railway station to see me off. When I was settled inside
the compartment I asked Asim to get down the train. When the train whistled he
got down the foot-board but when it started moving, he jumped inside the train
again. I was more concerned that there was no information back home that he is
going along. Everyone was bound to get worried. The blame will be put on me. As
I was traveling alone, I must have pulled him along. Doctor Saheb had come to
receive us at the station. He too initially got the impression that I must have
brought Asim along.
After reaching home I asked him to send a telegram to Dhawalpura that Asim
too has come here and that we all have landed safely. Asim had no clothes to
wear other than the one in which he had come. Asim was lean and thin compared
to doctor Saheb and even short in height. Somehow managed for a couple of days
when new clothes got stitched for him. I kept reminding Asim to go back as his
studies were getting hampered but Asim was enjoying his freedom. All day long
he used to play cards, carom and have fun with the kids. The brother never ever
asked him to go. Whenever I used to remind Asim, he would refute “ he himself
will face the consequence when he returns”. After a fortnight, a letter from
Dhawalpura arrived stating that Amman and Abba are quite worried about Asim and
were asking him to return immediately. Doctor Saheb saw him off at the station.
Just before the departure, he wrote a brief message for
Nazim that it was he who had asked Asim to stay back for so long.
After a couple of months a telegram arrived with the news that Nazim along
with Amman and Abba were coming there. Wheel chair was arranged as he went to
the station to receive them. Hassoo had also come and Badloo Mian was there for
taking care of Mamoon Abba. After a fortnight, Mumani Amman went back with
Nazim and Mamoon Abba and Hassoo stayed on with us. God knows for what reason,
one fine morning, Badloo Mian got annoyed and left for Patna. There was no one
to look after Mamoon Abba the way Badloo Mian used to do it. All Hassoo could
do was to read him the newspaper in the morning sitting on his bed side. Doctor
Saheb himself used to perform all the related chores including make him sit on
the commode and wash him, make the bed and give bath on Sundays. Carry meals to
his room and sometimes himself feed him and sometimes Hassoo would will do
that. Before going to the hospital, he will give his father the medicines.
Thank God within a few weeks, good sense prevailed upon Badloo Mian and he came
back on his own.
Mammon Abba derived immense pleasure in the company of the kids who were
the cherries of his eyes. Suddenly one morning we heard gargling sound from his
room. As we all rushed it was revealed that the paralytic attack had struck him
again. Blood pressure was checked which was abnormally high. Doctor Saheb
immediately cut the vein near the elbow to let some blood flow out. Some
injection was given and a doctor was consulted. But he remained in coma and it
went on for two more days. In the mean time, from Dhawalpura, everyone had
arrived including Mumani Amman, Nazim, Asim, dulha Bhai and probably Sakkoo
too. Doctor Saheb’s Mamoon Abba from Sadargali also came.
As his condition deteriorated, I got the labor pain. That was difficult
time. There was no lady doctor around. He however consoled me that the hospital
nurse is experienced enough to take care of everything. Then Mamoon Abba
expired. The consensus was that the body should be taken to Patna for the last
rituals. As Mamoon Abba had wished, his last days were spent at his son’s
house. In a wooden coffin, the body was to be taken by train. Everyone left for
Patna except Amman, Makhdooman Bua and a servant. Considering the tragedy, I
was not much concerned about the delivery this time. After everyone left the
pain started to subside. All of a sudden, I saw Doctor Saheb is coming back. He
said “there are whole lot of people in Patna but you were all alone to face any
exigency and hence I decided against going to Patna”. I was touched. I however,
regretted that because of me he couldn’t go there; not even on the day of the
Qul.
After ten days a boy was born and was named as Neyaz. When he was about
two months old, letter came from Patna that Nazim’s father-in-law was now
insisting for the rukhsati. The Nikah was already done. At this juncture
communal riots erupted in Punjab and Delhi. The locality in Sahebganj, where we
were residing was hub of communal activity. He could foresee trouble
approaching. He asked us to leave for Patna with the orderly assuring that he
will join us later after the leave is sanctioned. Within a few days of our
reaching Patna, the riots spread everywhere. It was mayhem all around.
Though Dhawalpura was predominantly a Muslim locality, most of the
inhabitants belonged to poor class. In the nights slogans of “Allah-o-Akbar”
and “Bajrang bali ki jai” were shouted from both the sides that was very
depressing and gave a sinking feeling to the heart. As our house was spacious
enough, lots of people, mostly women, from the surrounding areas had moved in.
The male members used to guard the house throughout the night. One of these
days, the tension built up in the afternoon and shouting was heard. We could
see a mob with naked swords in their hands. Nuzhat was then playing
with Asim. He rushed her to me and while leaving, locked the door from outside.
Lots of men had gathered in the house and they also shouted back
“Allah-o-Akbar” in response and Sultan Bhai fired a few shots in the air. This
probably gave an impression that even we were prepared. Thus the mob retreated
from Lal Imli chowk.
That night Jhabboo Bhai and Sultan Bhai came, the consensus view was that
this locality was not secure and it would be safer to be in Bankipore where
atleast one can expect some police help. A large size bus was arranged the next
day for us to shift to Bankipore. We took the bare minimum belonging and left.
Mumani Amman did a wise thing as she took all her ornaments as well as mine
from the iron safe and brought them along in the palloo of her saree. I locked
my silver-wares in a mini safe and locked it in one of the cupboards. Everyone
left except Badlu Mian who preferred to stay back and used hold the pillars of
the house and to cry at the sight of the deserted house, with which he had so
much sense of belonging.
Jhabboo Bhai initially landed at the house of Jafar Imam Saheb near Sabzi
Bagh and after staying with him for a couple of days, took a house on rent and
shifted there. Bhaiya came and took the rest of us to Bihari Lane though it was
a Hindu locality but predominantly of Bengalees. There was no information
regarding the welfare or whereabouts of Doctor Saheb. Other than praying to
God, nothing else was within my reach.
One night, on hearing “Bajrang Bali” slogan shouts, Mannu etc who were
also then living with us shouted “Allaho-akbar”. Most of the
neighbors were timid Bengalees who got shit scared and went up the roof tops in
search of safety. My Bhaiya too was chicken-hearted. Next day
the Bengali neighbor came to Dada and begged him not to shout slogan
that way – “our heart starts collapsing” he said.
On Friday tension rose once again as the Muslims were bent upon to go for
the weekly prayers to the mosque. Khichdi was cooked for the lunch but the
tension was so intense, no one had anything. Kids ware badly affected as the
milkman was not coming. Curfew was imposed during the night. After a few days
of silence, whenever the curfew was relaxed, some mischief took place
again. The riots now spread to the rural areas and that was really
barbaric. There is a place called Tilhara where the Muslims gave a tough fight
without any arm or ammunition. Even the Police was on the sides of the rioters.
Eventually they were all killed. The women with the kids jumped in the well.
Manjhle Dulha Bhai, i.e. Mazhar’s Abba, met with shahadat in Bhagalpur where he
had gone for some work.
At Khusrupur where Dulha Bhai lived, was badly affected as well.
Some of his employees were nice enough to arrange a transport for them to
enable them to escape. All the valuables, however, had to be left behind. They
took shelter in Lodi-Katra, Patna City. Gandhijee and Jawahar Lal came to Patna
that helped in abatement of violence. But every now and then there were rumors
galore that some attack is being planned. Every Friday it was rumored that as
the men go to the mosque for prayers, the mob will kill them and enter the
house. Life had lost all its charm.
Suddenly Doctor Saheb arrived in a state of nervousness from Sahebganj.
The impression he had gathered from the newspapers and the rumors floating
around that all of us must be dead by now. He had such a relief after finding
that everyone was fine and safe. He then described the happening of his side.
He was there all alone with Rahim the servant. Nights after night, he used to
switch off the lights at night and would remain awake and watchful. It was
horrifying to hear the noises of gun shots, bajrang-bali slogans and the
shrieks. The masses were getting butchered and the police remained a silent
spectator. As his quarter was inside the hospital campus and he was everyone’s
favorite, he remained safe. Though the staff asked him not to worry, they still
thought it would be safe if he left for Patna. But it was still not safe to
move out of the hospital. It was the kindness of Allah that we could eventually
leave Sahebganj. He had a tough time there alone.
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Chapter
INDEX.