IMAGINE, just imagine about visiting the graves of the family that saved the life of your grandparents about 75 years ago during a time of serious and severe conflict. On Nov 28, after nearly 75 years, I did just that. I paid my heartfelt and much overdue gratitude at two graves in Gujranwala’s Ibban Wali area related to Muslim family of Bashir Ahmed Virk and Amna Bibi who gave refuge to my Sikh grandparents, Captain Ajit Singh Butalia and Sardarni Narinder Kaur, in Lahore during the bloody event of 1947.
Bashir Ahmed Virk, the father of the sitting local MNA, Mehmood Bashir Virk, swore upon the Holy Quran that my grandfather was his brother, and saved the life of my grandparents and two uncles.
Amna Bibi stitched new clothes with her own hands for my grandparents and took care of my two uncles, one of whom was about three months old at the time.
It is said that the goodness of our ancestors always continues, but my visit focussed on ensuring, to the extent that I could, that such goodness may continue for the generations of tomorrow.
At both the graves, I offered the same prayer; may the world, especially the land of the five rivers, have many more people like Bashir Ahmed Virk and Amna Bibi so we can wash away the stains with our mutual love and compassion.
It is time for South Asians to do way with the partition of hearts, to be friends and not foes. As I said goodbye to the graves, I knelt down to kiss them. And that is when the words of gratitude dried up and were replaced with tears of gratitude.
Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia
Executive Director, Religions for Peace
New York, USA
Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2021
