麻豆社

Sixty years after the partition of India forced her grandparents to flee from Pakistan to India Maghull teenager Neha Malhotra has been tracing their journey between the two countries.

The partition of India and Pakistan in August 1947 led to massive population movements, coupled with violence and slaughter.

Over seven million Muslims crossed from India to Pakistan with a similar number of Hindus and Sikhs making the journey in the opposite direction.

Neha鈥檚 grandparents fled from Pakistan to India in the aftermath of the partition, leaving their home and many of their belongings behind.

Sixty years on Neha says the experience is still one her grandmother, Shanti Devi Malhotra, clearly recalls, 鈥淲hen my grandmother talks about the Partition I know that it upsets her.

鈥淪he was really upset that she had to leave her home in Pakistan, but at the same time once they鈥檇 settled in India I know that their lives were built back up again and they carried on living a very happy life.鈥�

Along with Neha鈥檚 grandfather Vidya Sagar Malhotra, her grandmother made an arduous journey from Pakistan to India, 鈥淎long the way they stayed in some camps and finally passed over the border to India. I know the journey was not easy for her because she had a little baby who was about 15 months old and she was also pregnant with her second child.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 imagine having to travel so far on foot, especially looking after one little baby and being pregnant, it would have been nearly impossible in this heat. Although I鈥檓 carrying out the same journey, 60 years ago it would have been nothing like it is for me now, and I鈥檓 finding it hard in the weather. I just can鈥檛 imagine how it would have been for her.鈥�

鈥淣ow I鈥檓 quite proud to go back to my grandmother and say 鈥業 feel I can really be a part of your history now that I鈥檝e been to the exact places that you once lived in and travelled to and from.鈥�

鈥淭o experience and discover my grandmother鈥檚 family history on a personal basis, by visiting the houses and the places that she used to visit it鈥檚 been so amazing.鈥�

鈥淚 know that since my grandmother left Pakistan neither herself, or any of the family have been back there. So I know that it means a lot to her and to the rest of the family that at least one of us has been back there to the house and I鈥檓 looking forward to going back and telling everyone how it looks and how it felt for me and what an adventure this trip has been.鈥�