""In March 1947, I was about eight"" "I was in Lahore" "The foundations of the British Raj were shaken." "But I also heard..." ""like a pounding march drawing closer, the impending partition of our soil..."" ""the partition of Hindustan and Pakistan." "Hindu, Mussalman and Sikh..."" "who had lived forever in a well-knit society... were clamouring suddenly for their respective shares" ""And then, August 1947"" "The pen of the British Empire dripping with the lifeblood of this nation... etched on our soil in perpetuity a line" "Goodness!" "What've you done Lenny-baby?" "I thought the Americans have dropped a bomb on Lahore" ""Yusuf, careful here"" "What will the lady say?" ""Why only a plate?" "Go on, smash a hundred"" "Madam..." ""Madam I hear, before giving us independence..."" "the Angrez (British) will dig a huge canal." "On one side Hindustan" ""The other side, Pakistan." "Got to do that if they want two countries, no?"" ""Nonsense, Shanta"" ""Here." "Never touch trees at night, it's a sin"" "Might as well kill them in their sleep." "They won't know" "Eat a roti." " No thanks" "You need strength." "Taking care of that mischievous Lenny isn't easy" "And her cousin..." "he's like an express train" ""Forget it, Uncle." "Must be asleep now"" "Have you heard of a British soldier and an Indian in a train compartment?" "The Indian was taking swigs from a bottle of scotch" "He wasn't offering the Angrez." "When the Indian leaves his seat... the soldier helps himself to a large gulp from the bottle" ""Whenever the Indian left his seat, the Angrez emptied a bit"" "In a while the two got talking." "The Angrez says..." ""Friend, I helped myself out of your bottle." "You wouldn't offer me"" "The native is shocked!" "But that's my urine" "The medicine man prescribed it as a cure for syphilis" ""Before the Angrez arrived, there was no venereal disease in India"" "We could even bail out you and your country" "Why do you think we can't do Self-Rule?" "I'm telling this cursed thing to quit India" "Shut up white man" "We'll settle our differences ourselves" "Another peg?" "Coward!" "Bloody white simian" ""You Angrez have done so much for us, right Jaanu?"" "Roads... and exemplary postal system and..." ""One thing more, venereal disease"" "Just let some bastard try to grab my land" "Maalish-wallah (physiotherapist) let's go" ""Come Lenny-baby, sit"" ""You know, Lenny-baby is scared of your lion in the zoo"" ""Don't worry Lenny-baby, I'll make sure it's chained fast"" "How dare he eat you?" "Is Lenny-baby afraid?" "No one lets the lion out of the cage" "And the cage is so strong that not a hundred lions can break through" ""Besides, I feed the lion a fresh goat every day"" "Why would it eat a stringy girl like you?" ""Moon that you are, smallpox scars would put stars on your face"" "Wonderful!" " Brilliant" ""Like a speck, you're caught in beauty's grindmill"" "So what?" "The whole world is caught in her spell" "I've concocted a new oil that grows hair on bald heads" ""it comprises of fish oil, mustard oil, ground pearls and lots of herbs"" ""Careful, your fingers will sprout hair." " Goodness"" "ls Shanta scared?" "That's nothing." "I've come up with a first class pill for making babies" "Really?" " I'd give it a try" ""The youth isn't anymore." " Ass, it isn't for libido"" "It's for women who can't conceive." "But it might even give a man a baby" "Is that why he wants it?" "Any news from government house?" ""Gandhi, Nehru and Mountbatten are like that"" ""Then who talks for us, Mussalmans?" "And who's on Mr Jinnah's side?"" ""if you keep talking Hindu-Mussalman, I'm not coming to the park"" ""Hey Shanta, sit..." " Come Lenny-baby"" ""This is between friends, lets out the bad breath"" ""Still, if you don't like it, we won't talk about it, right?"" ""Sure, we won't." "Sit." " Sit Shanta"" ""Well, I'm off too." "Khuda Hafiz"" ""Lenny-baby, you'll get tired." "Come, sit on the cycle"" ""Doctor says, no sitting in the buggy." "Let her walk"" "What do doctors know?" "Lenny-baby aren't you tired?" ""Yes, very tired." " Great"" "Careful" ""Look Shanta, in the eyes of Lord above, we're all the same"" ""You're Hindu, I'm Mussalman, what difference does it make?"" "Again Hindu-Muslim talk?" "We won't come to the park again" ""Go now, I've lots to do." " What work?"" ""The laundry, then ironing clothes." "I haven't even dusted the lady's room"" "Let me do it for you." "I do a good job of dusting" "Are you mad?" " Mummy will kick you out in a moment" "Let's sit for a while" ""All right, but only ten minutes"" "Damn you!" "You're shameless." " Cross so soon?" ""Will you leave, or do I complain to the lady?"" ""All right, forgive me." " As if you'll ever mend your ways"" ""Look at the Maalish-wallah, he's such a gentleman"" ""Okay, here I go"" ""if not mine, whom does she belong to?" "Why did God give lovers a heart?"" "Imp!" "I'll show you" "What are you doing?" " I'll throw you down" "Put her down!" " You're so rotten... they'll thank me for throwing you down." " Don't!" "You bastard!" "Right on your face!" " Help!" "Imam Chacha" "Leave her!" " Help!" ""On condition." "You're coming to my place." "Else, here goes your Lenny-baby"" ""All right, I'll come." "Put her down"" ""Why are you baring your teeth at him?" "What's he, your hero?"" ""Come on, you imp"" "When are you coming?" " I'll tell you right away" "Will you go or won't you?" "Out!" "Get out" "Spring's come" "The yellow mustard blossoms" "The cuckoo sings..." "Spring's here" "Ice-Candy-wallah we're here" "Welcome!" "Happy Spring" "Wonderful!" "Come off it" ""Come on Imam Chacha, fly a kite." "Spring is the festival of youth"" "Forget all about your old bones." " You think I'm old?" ""Look, like this?" " Careful Ms Shanta"" ""Bend the spine, don't break it"" "I'll fly it." "Pass the spindle" "This way" ""He-kites, she-kites, darts, there are varieties of kites"" ""Look, that's the king of kites"" ""Dilnawaz, I didn't know you're into kite-flying too"" "Just a sport" ""I want to fly too, show me"" "Not to be so heartless." "The kite's like your paramour" ""Romance him." "If he goes taut, let go"" ""Only when you've got a grip on him, draw him in"" "Scoundrel" ""Spring's slipping veil, let it fly"" ""Fallen autumn leaves are gone"" "Spring's come" ""When she blossoms in such colours..."" ""the lanes, the bazaars are filled with such rejoicing"" ""In the ochre of her veil is painted my treasured shades of love"" ""Oh what bond is this that ties you to me, robs me of my sleep?"" "Look!" "Our kite is about to snap" "Never." "Watch how I fool him" "Got him" "Isn't this fun?" ""Got to, to survive"" "Wouldn't let us step in" "A bowl of milk with sugar" "Sweet but invisible" "Want a ride on the cycle?" "Perch here" "No danger of falling." " Goodness" "Hey sonny" ""So soft, so mellow..."" ""the mellow fragrance on your body"" ""Ignites, spreads..."" ""melts, burns..."" "oh how can I not be overcome?" ""In a waft, the fragrance mixes..."" "and all turns hazy" ""ls yours a beauty, or sunshine?"" "Are your tresses cloudbanks?" ""Nearness, makes me thirst..."" "for the touch of you" ""This closeness makes me thirst for your touch..."" "whenever you are near..." "I thirst" ""Oh so soft, so mellow"" "Allah have mercy" "What happened?" "Tell me." " Patience Shanta Bibi" ""I'm reading your fate, not the morning news"" "Brilliant!" " What?" "You'll mother a hundred children" "Your husband will be a great poet." " Come off it" "I swear by you" "Are you mad?" "Just wiping the dirt." "The lawn's very dusty" "They're coming" "All time you shit!" "What will the ladies think?" "What about these...?" " I'll sell them to someone else" ""Mad mendicant, parrot-wallah, ice-candy-wallah"" "What would you like to be the most?" "Your nanny's slave" "My back!" " I'll do it" ""Push, everyone." "Come on, heave"" ""What are you doing, Pappu?" "Mind your business"" "Don't hit her" ""Everything okay at work, Jaanu?"" "Don't lie" "Long live Pakistan" "Down with Hindustan" "Roll up the windows" "Pissed?" "Done?" "How changed" ""Hindu, Mussalman and Sikh are living apart"" "Only your community is the same" ""Yes Shanta Bibi." "Hindu, Mussalman, Sikh..."" ""all of us hover about you, like fireflies around fire"" "Fireflies?" "You?" "You Hindus consume so much cabbages and beans." "No wonder..." ""your hermits levitate." "Some clay, they'll fart their way up to Heaven"" "Can I go?" " Go" "So today he's Allah's telephone" "No one's as wild as Dilnawaz" "May the prayers of the believers reach Allah's ears." "Allah is Great" ""Greetings, hermit." " Greetings"" "Will you please step in?" " Sure" "Tell me." " We have three daughters" "My wife wants to know whether Allah will give her a son" "Certainly" ""In the name of Allah, the most Merciful"" "The connection works" "Seven" "Eight" "Six" "Allah!" "Do You hear me?" "This poor woman desires a son" "She has three daughters!" "Is this your justice?" ""Of late, Allah is worried, what with all this talk of independence..."" "and the Hindu-Muslim feuds" "Glory to Allah!" "Praise the miracle of Thy creation!" "Bless Thy mercy" "Prince and pauper are the same before You!" "You will surely give... this woman a son" "Glory to Allah" "What happened?" "How about telephoning Allah and asking... what will happen to us after the whites leave?" "Line's disconnected" ""Line to Your God, gone dead?"" ""This is a private line." "If you got any questions, telephone your Guru"" "One minute..." "I'll ask Him" "Allah have mercy" ""Allah says, at the time of division, there will rise a huge storm"" ""And like animals, you will fight"" "Now I must get going" "Got an appointment with Mr Jinnah" ""Daddy, Pappu is getting married"" ""Yes Jaanu, her father is arranging her wedding"" "She's only ten." "God!" "This shouldn't be allowed" "He'll become a Christian" "Nowadays Hindu gods don't count for much in Lahore anyways" "Put the box away" "You look so sweet" "Give this to Pappu." "Not to her mother" ""Banno my princess, someday you had to go away to a King's palace..."" ""you had to become a stranger to all of your friends"" ""Banno my princess, someday you had to grow up"" ""There, the kohl lining your eyes, the henna on your fair hands"" ""Your earrings are gorgeous, your anklets sound a lovely chime"" "That garland looks great on you" ""Oh, your silken dress"" ""I can see you smiling to yourself, softly"" ""To dreams of fantasy, someday you had to be lost"" ""Banno my princess, someday had to grow up"" ""When your prince comes to lift your veil..."" ""don't you give in, Banno." "Don't show him your face..."" "let him flirt with you first" ""Pappu, get UP"" ""Make him pay homage to you, make him say he'll be your slave"" ""Let him say, Oh I'm mad about you"" ""Then he'll go crazy, you will too someday, this had to happen"" ""Banno my princess, someday had to grow up"" "Will you ever find a husband?" " Why not stupid?" ""Ice-Candy-wallah, Maalish-wallah, Zoo-wallah, Hari and also Adi"" "Lenny-baby come quick!" "Pappu's wedding procession is arriving" "Goodness!" "She's marrying a baby!" ""Today we are assembled in the house of our Father, God"" "Why is Pappu being married to him?" " To tie the couple in Holy matrimony" "Fear makes people lose their minds." " Should any among you object... speak now before Jesus or be silenced forever" "Welcome Shanta Bibi" "Kid!" "Over here." "Take the lady's order" ""Two rotis, a lentil soup and cheese-and-peas." "Serve it steaming"" "What does Lenny-baby want?" " Caramel custard" "None here" "What's that?" " English pudding" "Bloody English pudding" "Do you Parsis think yourselves to be the Angrez?" "Spare her." "Aren't you ashamed?" "Venting your frustrations on a baby?" ""What's the creed of pain?" "What sect are tears?"" ""Every star is a distant one, any hand that reaches, is far too short"" ""Our very own poet, in true Moghul-court style"" ""Forget Moghuls, talk of now." "If the partition happens..."" "Lahore is surely going to Pakistan." "Muslims are larger in number" "Lahore stays in Hindustan." "Hindus own the larger share of property and trade" "But Mussalmans are greater in number." " So what?" "Money speaks" ""Who listens to the people?" "Before cash, nothing holds"" "Forget cash." "Stripping these rich Hindus is no big deal" "Could happen the other way too" "You know what I want?" " This...?" ""No, bring meat." " Yes sir"" "Spare him." " Mind your own business" "Stop staring and get it." "Quick or I'll break your legs" "What happens to us?" "We own more farmlands than Hindus and Mussalmans" "All lies." " Are you calling me a liar?" ""If you want to save your farmlands, work out a compromise with Mussalmans"" "The whites have advised Mr Jinnah to stay away from you bastards" "Even they think you're a headache." " We don't want you bastards either" ""The day the line's drawn, Mussalmans across the border will be castrated"" ""Have you gone mad?" "For ages, we've lived like brothers"" ""Our language is same, our enemies are the same"" ""I'm right, Hasan." "These Sikhs are the swords of the Hindus"" "And the Hindu is ready to use his sword" "Come off it." "Sit down" "Don't talk nonsense" ""In Amritsar, our Koran is kept beside their Granth Sahib"" ""The Sikh sect came to be, to bring Hindu and Mussalman together"" ""And why fight among friends?" "We'll stand by each other, won't we?"" ""Yes brother, why not?" "We'll stand by each other, no?"" "Yes Mr Totaram?" "Why not?" ""Lenny-baby, sit"" "No" ""Lenny-baby, don't go far"" "Will you have tea?" " No thank you" "I say.." "The Malhotras..." "Gupta has left too." " The Guptas too?" "When?" "Two hours ago." "To Amritsar" "What news?" "Gurdaspur goes to India" "Bloody curs..." ""tear up my country and hand it to us and they say "Happy independence"" "I wanted to leave some of my possessions with you" "Sure" "Bring it over." "We'll store it along with the Kapoors' belongings" "In forbidding night's dark... can my heart beat on?" "Twelve hours already." "Any news of the train from Gurdaspur?" "Put your trust in The Lord" ""They're pensive, as if about to lose something"" ""Wind holds his breath, in awe of something impending"" "Death lurks everywhere... in forbidding night's dark" ""Stray incidents of looting, arson and violence are reported from Gurdaspur"" "The city was under a 24-hour curfew for the third day" "The situation is under control" "Mussalmans are being massacred." "The real fighting begins now" ""Hindus will flee Pakistan in thousands." "Mussalmans in thousands too, from India"" "The Apocalypse is here" ""Sher Singh, if the situation worsens you can move to Amritsar"" ""I'm not going anywhere." "Home's here." " Ones who must, will surely leave"" ""The train arrived from Gurdaspur, filled with corpses..."" "of Mussalmans massacred." "And four sackfuls of women's breasts" "Dilnawaz's sisters were on the train" ""Now, the recording of yesterday's speech in parliament..."" "given by first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's speech... to mark the auspicious moment of Independence" ""These leaders talk strange." "Fine independence, this"" "How many lives has it cost?" "A friend of ours is leaving Lahore for Amritsar" "Don't you have relatives there?" " Yes" "The situation here might worsen." "The master and I are thinking... you should accompany them." " But the Parsis aren't taking sides" ""Everyone knows that." "And as long as I'm with you, I'll be fine"" ""As you wish." "This is your home, Shanta"" ""Nanny, can I ask the Ice-Candy-wallah how his sisters came packed in sacks?"" "Certainly not" ""Lenny-baby, you ask him how he is"" "Did you see your sisters in sacks?" " Shut up Lenny-baby" "Never mind" "How are you Dilnawaz?" "Are you all right?" "That's Delhi-gate." "There's Lahori-gate" "And that's the Mochi-gate" ""Hasan, you live there don't you?"" "There's Shalmi." "Hindus live there" "What are these bloody turbans doing here?" "Why don't they go to Hindustan?" " Leaving homes isn't so easy" ""Shanta, I shouldn't have brought you here"" "I want to go home" ""Don't be afraid, Lenny-baby." "I'll take you home once the chaos is over"" ""Look, Shalmi is burning"" "There goes the dynamite the Hindus had stacked for us" "Pray to God" "Where did these bastards come from?" "They've doused the houses in gasoline." "Must be Mussalmans" "Don't move from here." "I must go and help them" "No Lenny-baby" "Shanta Bibi... this isn't only about Hindus and Mussalmans" "It's about all of us" ""Hindu, Mussalman or Sikh, we're all bastards." "All beasts"" "Like that caged lion which scares Lenny baby... lying in wait for the cage to open" "And when the cage is opened..." "Allah save us" "Marry me" ""if I'm with you, this beast inside me..."" "will stay on a leash" "You know how dearly I love you" ""I'll marry you, Ice-Candy-wallah"" ""Come, let's go inside"" ""What's it, my baby?"" "Yes my child" "Go to sleep" ""Look after her, Nanny"" "How's Lenny?" " All right" "Jaanu..." "You know exactly what I'm talking about" ""Hindu, Muslim and Sikh whom do we not betray?"" ""Many congratulations, child"" "Make porridge right away" ""Yusuf says, what a fallen woman"" "Fallen women" ""Hey, come here"" "Was your mother raped?" ""The Hindus attacked our village, they killed everyone." "I hid under corpses"" "That's how I'm alive." " Killed your mother?" ""Yes, are you Hindu?" " No, Parsi"" "Playing marbles?" ""After the Hindus left, I went looking for my mother." "She was in a mosque"" "She was tied to the fan on the ceiling by her hair." "She was completely naked" "Today's my birthday." "Want to eat cake?" " Cake?" "What's that?" "Remember Kirparam?" "The miser who used to lend us money" "We sent Kirparam on his way to Hindustan" "But guess what we found behind the bricks in his walls?" "What?" " 900 gold coins" "Show me your palm" "Keep it." "It's for you" "No" "I brought it for you." "Keep it." " I don't want it" "Where's Sher Singh?" " He's vanished" "Who's looking after the lion?" " No one" "Just as well that Sher Singh has left." "After the riots that the Sikhs started... the refugees are bent upon revenge." " And you?" "You want revenge too?" "What's your problem?" "And what kind of a Mussalman are you?" "You want to listen?" ""Yes, I lobbed grenades into several Hindu homes, folks I knew all my life"" ""For each of my sisters' breasts, I want to kill all the bastards"" "Bloody eunuchs" ""Right, brother." "There are these things that drive men mad"" "Lord keep us" ""I've sent my family away to Delhi." "In a while, I'm going to Delhi too"" "You Haria?" "What have you thought?" "Where will you go?" "Where can we go?" "I'll become a Mussalman" ""Yes, many people from your sect are becoming Mussalmans"" "You better change your name too" " True..." ""our friends want to kill us, what options do we have?"" "We should leave Lahore" "The lady says she will send me to Amritsar" "Maybe it's best for me" "You needn't go anywhere." "Why worry?" "I'm with you" ""Lenny-baby, go to your room"" "Don't cry Shanta." "I'm with you" "With heartfelt tales... seeking a heart" ""I enter slowly, a hazy realm of love"" "In deep-deep blue dreamy shadows..." ""you and I are lost in dreams, waking, sleeping..."" ""subdued, pensive"" "On life's long road... who knows what's to happen?" "On life's caravan... who knows where we're headed?" "But stories the heart weaves... seek a heart" ""Should the light go out of my eyes..."" ""should I forget the dream I once dreamt..."" ""should pangs of sorrow shatter my heart..."" "my heart is a desert" "On life's long road... who knows what's to happen?" "On life's caravan... who knows where I'm headed?" ""Shanta, why don't we get married?"" ""So what if I'm a Mussalman?" " I'm yours, I'll always be"" "Let's go away to Amritsar." "I'll become a Hindu" ""Shanta, marry me"" "Yes" "On life's long road... who knows what's to happen?" "On life's caravan... who knows where we're headed?" ""It's me, Hasan"" "Can't trust anyone nowadays" "I didn't mean to frighten you" "Nowadays even familiarity breeds fear" "I've made all arrangements for our travel across the border to Amritsar ls there any danger?" " No" "Ahmed Ali is doing brisk business sending Hindus and Sikhs out of Lahore" "He wants an advance" "Rest yourselves." "It's a long journey ahead" ""Son, we can never repay whatever you're doing for us"" "Sher Singh is a brother to me." " May The Lord preserve you" "May the blessings of ten Gurus be with you." "May you live a long life" "Madam..." ""What is the matter, Shanta?" " I'm getting married"" "Really?" "Who is it?" ""Dilnawaz Ice-Candy-wallah?" " No!" "Hasan, the massage-wallah"" "He's becoming Hindu" ""We're leaving Lahore, going to Amritsar." "We'll marry there"" ""Madam, are you angry?" " Angry?"" "This is great!" "Does Lenny know?" " No" ""When are you leaving?" " Hasan says, soon"" ""Don't tell Lenny, or you've gotten yourself a dowry"" "But Lenny-baby..." " I'll take care of everything" ""Excuse me, Madam." " Shanta... wait"" "That's gold!" " Be careful with it." "And this" "Make sure that Hasan talks to the master before you leave" ""Hari, why have you sheared the caste-mark in your hair?"" "Not Hari." "Call me Himmat Ali." " Where's nanny?" "At home" ""How did this happen, my friend?"" ""Lenny-baby, let's go"" "Come on" "Come" "You shouldn't stay here" "He's dead" ""Come inside, come on"" "Hide!" "In the bedroom!" "Call the master" "The police is coming" ""We're the police, madam"" "Bastards..." "What are you up to?" " Bring out the Hindus" "No Hindus here." "This is a Parsi homestead" "Where is Hari the Gardner?" "He has become a Mussalman." "Now his name is Himmat Ali" "Tell him to read the Kalema." " Yes!" "Like a true Mussalman" ""There is no lord but Allah, and Mohammad is his prophet"" ""Show us Himmat Ali, whether you are a true Mussalman"" "Drop your pants." " Get lost" "You have my word!" "Ask the barber who circumcised him" "There are no barbers around" "The barber did a great job" "Aren't you ashamed of doing such vile things in the name of religion?" "Where's Moti?" " Drag him out" "There" "He has become Christian." " Mr David Masih" ""Yes, the padre married his daughter to a dwarf"" "Now he has become a gentleman" ""Mr David Masih, the half-caste!" " Now off to England to marry a white"" "And the Hindu nanny?" "Where's she?" "Drag the Hindu woman out." " She has left" "She's gone nowhere!" " Drag her out" ""I said, she has left Lahore." " He's lying!"" "Imam-din why are you lying?" " And you're a Mussalman" "Swear it by Allah." " Swear it" "Speak not Allah's name in your vile tongue" "You aren't willing to swear!" "Liar!" " He'd swear if he was true to the faith" "Swear it by Allah." " I swear by Allah." "She has left" "Move" ""What's happening here?" "What's this, a circus?" "Get lost"" ""it's all right, Madam"" ""Don't cry Lenny-baby, I'm here"" "I know how to make Lenny-baby smile" "Ice candy?" ""Lenny-baby, tell me where nanny is." "I'm here for her"" ""She's here, isn't she?"" "I can do anything for her sake." "You know it" "Where is she?" " In Mummy's bedroom" "She's inside" "Ice-Candy-wallah I'm lying" "She's gone to Amritsar!" "I'm lying" ""250 years of British Rule, and what have we to show?"" ""A country, split." "Murder, loot, kidnappings"" "Crime and more crime in retribution" ""it's been 50 years since I betrayed my nanny, unknowingly"" "Later I heard somewhere that she was married to the Ice-Candy-wallah" "Somewhere I heard that she was seen in the brothels of Lahore" ""Someone once said, she's in Amritsar"" "But I never saw her again" ""On that 1947-day, I had lost a part of myself with my nanny""