11 October 2014: Heading from Hassan Abdal to Rawalpindi, I was looking forward to meeting Noori. In 1996, Kaka, a 28-year-old Pakistani from Mansehra, had visited Delhi under Tablighi Jamaat, to impart an understanding of Islam at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Centre of learning. Kaka, a devout Muslim has dedicated his...
At the age of 80 years, Noori breathed her last on 16 June 2020 at Rawalpindi (Pakistan). Noori, aka Jaswanti, born a Sikh, accepted the ‘Divine Will’ and lived as a devout Muslim! Noori is my distant Aunt, whom I last met at Rawalpindi in 2018. I remember her being...
During the explorations of the remains of the Kirtangarh Gurdwara at Alibeg in Pakistan, I met Raj Mohammad, a 92-year-old man who had studied at the school run on its premises. He fondly remembered the past when this gurdwara had served as a fulcrum of education and free kitchen for...
In search for the remains of a historical gurdwara at Baherwal in Pakistan, as I grappled how to gain access to the locked premises, the locals came forward to help. In that moment, I reflected how fortunate I have been that at every site across the county, the desire to...
After the conquest of Kashmir by Ranjit Singh in 1819, his most trusted general, Hari Singh Nalwa entrusted with the task to strengthen the military presence in the North-West Frontier. Hari Singh Nalwa built many forts in the region, including the one at Sher Garh, to barricade the routes used...
Before the partition of 1947, the site of Baba Than Singh at Kot Fateh Khan (Pakistan) was visited by Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims. According to the Rawalpindi Gazetteer, 4,000 people across all faiths attended a fair held at this place in 1893. Partition resulted in the migration of the entire...
During the search for the Topi Gurdwara, I found Nanakpanthis. I am the Guru, I am the disciple. I am Nanak, I am Sachal. I am Nath, I am Adam. I am Shiva, I am Christ. I am Moses. No one is apart from Me. Only our names are different.
My quest to search for the remnants of the gurdwara at Retla Mandi in Hazro (Pakistan) was embraced by the people of the town. Exploring the abandoned homes and temples, I finally arrived at the locked premises of the gurdwara. On witnessing a flat ground, I reflected that existence is...
During the explorations of the remnants of the abandoned Baba Than Singh Gurdwara at Kot Fateh Khan, interactions with the locals revealed that the memories of the past have been kept alive for seven decades. Whilst the non-Muslims of the region were ousted in the partition of 1947, the villagers...
I reminiscence the days spent across Pakistan, when the purpose within had transformed me into a mystery that would attract everyone! Interactions with unknown men on the streets of Kasur, are a reflection of humanity that prevails in the hearts. Political agendas may have divided the punjabis but the cultural...
