THE MAKING OF EXILE: SINDHI HINDUS AND THE PARTITION OF INDIA by NANDITA BHAVNANI

Author:NANDITA BHAVNANI [BHAVNANI, NANDITA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tranquebar
Published: 2014-07-28T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

A New Geography

Bombay

Bombay, the city as well as the province (which then also included portions of present-day Gujarat and Karnataka) was the preferred destination for many Sindhi Hindus, for it was relatively easy to access, being a few days’ journey away by sea. Moreover, unlike trains, sea voyages were relatively safe from attack. Passage by steamer also enabled the migrants to carry more luggage with them.

Bombay was also of deep psychological significance for Sindhi Hindus. During the colonial period, Sindh had been part of the Bombay Presidency for close to a century, and Sindhis felt a strong connection with the city. Several Sindhi Hindu businessmen also had office branches in Bombay city, and often had relatives settled there who could be relied upon for accommodation. Moreover, since Sindhi colleges were still affiliated to Bombay University, the educational transfer of Sindhi students was comparatively easier in the province.

For those who had neither family nor friends in Bombay, this city of opportunity had its own allure. Bombay was a port and a commercial city, a modern metropolis comparable with Karachi. Many Karachi-ites identified with the urbane atmosphere of Bombay; they could not imagine living in other, smaller Indian towns. Even those businessmen who did not have a branch office in Bombay had faith in the city’s business prospects; professionals believed that their chances of employment were far greater in Bombay than elsewhere. Finally, several people chose the metropolis simply because their relatives and friends had chosen to migrate there, creating a multiplier effect. Many Sindhis living in South Bombay recall congregating at Marine Drive in the evenings where, in an era when telephones were not ubiquitous, they could catch up on each other’s news and meet those who had recently arrived from Sindh.

Kishu Mansukhani was a 10-year-old boy when Partition became a reality. His father had arranged to send all the children and other members of the extended family to Bombay. Kishu Mansukhani recalls:

I clearly remember that we travelled in a ship named Ekma.

There were about 25 of us who landed in Mumbai. But where do we go from here? For a few days we stayed at my father’s Gujarati friend’s place. As I was young and the surroundings were new to me, I was quite enjoying myself as I had never seen trains without engines or double-decker buses.

With the help of these good Samaritans and my father’s influence, we managed to get an apartment. It was about 1,200 square feet, where all 25 of us used to stay. It had just one hall, one bedroom and one bathroom and on top of it all the apartment was on the fifth floor. All were family members, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. All of them were quite young. We had come with our uncle Karamyogi Gangaram, while my parents stayed back in Sindh as they wanted to wind up everything and sell our properties etc.

[…] There were about four to five beds in the house, which were called khatu or charpai. The elders would sleep on the bed and the children would sleep under the bed.

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