Recenly I have been reading two books concering Indian history Freedom at Midnight and City of the Djinns. Both are nice books. Realized there are lot of things which I dont know about history.
Coming back to the point, this blog is about the story of Butta Singh which I read in freedom at midnight. Gadar movie was partly based on this movie, the actually story is quite different. Here it goes.
Butta singh was a sikh and he brought this helpless muslim girl for 1500 rupees and married her. They lived quite happily for quite sometime and had a daughter. But then there was this drive to send the people who had got seperated during to partition to their respective homes. So police caught Butta singh wife and put her in the camp. After that her family was located and she was sent back to her family in pakistan. While going Butta singh's wife promised that she would come back. Meantime Butta singh cut his beard and converted himself to a muslim and applied for a visa to pakistan. But he was denied. Finally he illegally crossed the border with his little daughter and landed up in pakistan. He went to his wife village to realize that she had been forcefully remarried. His wife's relatives beat up Butta Singh and handed him to police. Then there was this famous court case, where Butta singh pleaded that just for once he be allowed to ask his wife if she wanted to be with him. The judge pitied Butta Singh and asked for his wife to appear before the court. His wife confessed that Butta singh was her first husband and the little girl with him was her daughter. But when asked if she wanted to return to India with Butta Singh, she refused. Heart broken Butta Singh took his daughter and left that place. Later he went to some railway station nearby and he threw himself and his daughter under the train. He died instantly but his daughter miraculously survived. They found a letter with Butta singh for his wife stating that he be buried in her village, where she should come and put flowers on his grave everyday. But his wife relatives would not allow that to happen. By this time his story had been widely circulated and had generated a wide spread sympathy. He was give a grand burial at Lahore. Butta singh is the symbol of the love that thrived during those tormented times. It seems that his daughter was adopted and lived happily later.
I was really moved by this story, I am trying to find some resource for this story on the web but have been largely unsuccessful. Google search for once does not yeild any result.
I put this story in the blog, because I guess most of the poeple dont know this story. I am not making any conclusions or judgements from this story, but just was wondering that in our generation will anyone go as far as this.
Coming back to the point, this blog is about the story of Butta Singh which I read in freedom at midnight. Gadar movie was partly based on this movie, the actually story is quite different. Here it goes.
Butta singh was a sikh and he brought this helpless muslim girl for 1500 rupees and married her. They lived quite happily for quite sometime and had a daughter. But then there was this drive to send the people who had got seperated during to partition to their respective homes. So police caught Butta singh wife and put her in the camp. After that her family was located and she was sent back to her family in pakistan. While going Butta singh's wife promised that she would come back. Meantime Butta singh cut his beard and converted himself to a muslim and applied for a visa to pakistan. But he was denied. Finally he illegally crossed the border with his little daughter and landed up in pakistan. He went to his wife village to realize that she had been forcefully remarried. His wife's relatives beat up Butta Singh and handed him to police. Then there was this famous court case, where Butta singh pleaded that just for once he be allowed to ask his wife if she wanted to be with him. The judge pitied Butta Singh and asked for his wife to appear before the court. His wife confessed that Butta singh was her first husband and the little girl with him was her daughter. But when asked if she wanted to return to India with Butta Singh, she refused. Heart broken Butta Singh took his daughter and left that place. Later he went to some railway station nearby and he threw himself and his daughter under the train. He died instantly but his daughter miraculously survived. They found a letter with Butta singh for his wife stating that he be buried in her village, where she should come and put flowers on his grave everyday. But his wife relatives would not allow that to happen. By this time his story had been widely circulated and had generated a wide spread sympathy. He was give a grand burial at Lahore. Butta singh is the symbol of the love that thrived during those tormented times. It seems that his daughter was adopted and lived happily later.
I was really moved by this story, I am trying to find some resource for this story on the web but have been largely unsuccessful. Google search for once does not yeild any result.
I put this story in the blog, because I guess most of the poeple dont know this story. I am not making any conclusions or judgements from this story, but just was wondering that in our generation will anyone go as far as this.
2 comments:
Cannot understand what makes these people so cruel..
however I am happy that atleast Gadar movie does not end in tragedy...
I dont know why Butta Singh went and comitted suicide. He should have lived to tell this story and should have waited in India and send letters daily to his Ex-Wife. That would make a true love story without any man made boundaries. Hope Goli marries some Pakistani girl and I can write a amazing story which would be a hit in both India and Pakistan. Also i recommend you to read "Train to Pakistan" if you have not already read it.
Post a Comment