I was happy and stirred watching Anthony Bourdain's show about India and his journey to Simla or Shimla as it is known today. It brought nostalgic memories of my youth in India and Auckland House School, Shimla, where I was a boarder during the years 1946 and 1947.
1947 was a terrible year because, in mid-August, British India was partitioned into Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan with massacres occurring on both sides. Over 2 million people were tragically killed and over 15 million fled from one country to another, due to religious and national bigotry.
At school, although they dried very hard to feed us, we were famished as we were offered only a chapatti and spoonful of dhal, three times a day, for one month, no milk, no fruit. Due to the very difficult political situation, food was scarce.
During the August exams, a tragic event occurred. We watched a family rushing towards the wood to escape from their enemies. Swards flashing in the sun, they were, unfortunately, all slaughtered, one by one up to the smallest child.
There can be nothing worse than war, especially civil war.
In December I and a few schoolmates went back to Karachi, Pakistan, under military escort. My father came to Lahore to escort us back to Karachi, I never returned to Simla, which I so loved. Read this book whenever you can.
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