Watch Rasika Dugal and Mukul Chadda Narrate a Tragic Love Story from 1947

Zainab and Buta Singh's tragic love story has become representative of the soul-crushing effects of the Partition.

Rasika Dugal and Mukul Chadda narrate Buta Singh and Zainab's story.

(Photo Courtesy: The Quint)

As India celebrates its 77th year of Independence, watch Rasika Dugal and Mukul Chadda take you through a heart-wrenching love story that stemmed from the partition. It follows the journey of Zainab, a Muslim woman, and Buta Singh, a Sikh man that find love during one of the most tumultuous times for the country.

The story has several versions, one by writer and publisher Urvashi Butalia in her book, 'The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India.' Another is by Krishna Sobti in 'Partition Dialogues', a collection of conversations involving writers and their experiences during the partition. One of the most popular versions is the 1999 film Shaheed-e-Mohabbat directed by Manoj Punj starring Gurdas Maan and Divya Dutta.

Ae Bantvaarey tuney kaisi

Zaleel si harkat ki….

Bant gayi zindagiyaan dono taraf

Bant-ni toh bas sarhad thi?

Romeo Juliet, Heer Ranjha, Shahjahan Mumtaz ki Daastaan-e-Mohabbat Ithaas ki jis kitaab mein darj hai usmein ek panna Buta Singh aur Zainab ke naam ka bhi hona chahiye.

Bantvaarey ke daur ki ek aisi dardnaak prem kahaani jo gawaah hai iss baat ki….Ki sarhadein mulk banaa sakti hain, badal sakti hain, par Ehsaas-e-Mohabbat nahin

1947 mein Hindustan aur Pakistan ke sarhadi ilaake, Yaani Dono taraf ke Punjab mazhabi dangon ki aag mein jal rahey the. Auraton ke jismon par bhi jaise zameen ke tukdon ki tarah manmaani lakeerein kheenchi jaa rahi thi.

Pakistan jaaney wale Muslim kaafile se agvaa ki gayi Zainab, Apni izzat aur Jaan bachaaney ke liye, Amritsar ke kheton mein bhaagti hui, Buta Singh se takra gayi jisne Zainab ki jaan aur abroo bachaaney ke liye, dangaayion se usey Paise dekar khareed liya. Kuch kahaaniyaan batati hain ki Buta Singh 55 varshiya Retired Fauji tha, aur Zainab 20 saal ki navyuvti Jinmein saath rehte rehte nazdeekiyaan itni badh gayi ki dono ne mazhab ki deewarein tod kar Shaadi kar li. Aur Do khubsoorat betiyon ke Maa Baap baney.

Magar Vibhajan ke baad bhi kai aur bantvaarey baaki they. December 1947 mein Hindustan aur Pakistan ne ek Inter-dominion treaty sign ki, jiske anusaar….Sarhad paar, agvaa ki gayi har aurat ko swades lautaaya jaayega. Buta –Zainab ke dushman kam naa they, kisi ne search squad mein khabar di ki Zainab ko bhi Buta ke saath zabardasti rakha gaya hai.

Naateja yeh hua ki Zainab ko, sarhad paar uske gaanv bhej diya gaya 1 beti Buta ke saath Hindustan mein doosri Zainab ke saath Pakistan mein, aur dono tarah….vibhajit dil!

Wahan Pakistan mein Zainab ke jabran Nikaah karaaaye jaaney ki khabar mili. Mahinon tak Buta Singh Dilli mein Pakistani High commission mein visa ki guhaar lagaata raha. Zainab se milne ke liye, dharm badalkar Buta Singh se Jamil ahmed ban gaya, taaki usey Pakistani Passport ya Pakistan mein daakhila mil jaaye.

Buta ko Pakistan ka short term VISA mila toh sahi, magar bahut der kar di meherbaan aatey aatey. Parivaarik dabaav ke chaltey Zainaab ki shaadi karva di gayi thi. Uski aankhein toh Buta ko dekh kar ro padi par Honth khamosh rahey.

Zainab se milne ki jaldi mein Buta Singh Pakistan mein apne aane ki jaankaari Police station mein naa diye jaane ki wajah se Court mein magistrate ke saamne pesh kiya gaya! Usne Zainab ko apni patni aur in 2 bachiyon ki maa bataaya, roya, gidgidaaya.

Jab Court mein magistrate ne Zainab se iska jawaab maanga…..toh Zainab ne kaha "Ab main yahan shaadi karke Pakistan mein rehna chahti hoon….iss aadmi se mera koi lena dena nahin."

Buta Singh jaanta tha ki Zainab ne dabaav mein aisa kiya hai….Magar apne dil ke tukde tukde lekar wo Peer Baba ki mazaar par rota raha.

Haath mein choti bachchi aur aankhon mein bhaari aansoon liye wo station par intezaar toh kar raha tha….magar naa jaaney uss pal mein usne kya socha ki saamne aati train ke saamne koodkar….Buta ne apni jaan de di.

Saal 1957! Buta ki maut ki khabar ab Mohabbat ki misaal ke taur pe poorey Pakistan mein goonj rahi thi. Har akhbaar mein zikra tha ki Buta Singh ne apni aakhri ichcha yehi rakhi thi ki usey Zainab ke gaanv mein dafnaaya jaaye. Hindustani Jatt ki Mohabbat ke charache ab Pakistan mein they….Magar Mohabbat ke dushmanon ne Buta ke janaaze ko Zainab ke gaanv bhi naa aane diya. Aakhirkaar, Buta ko Lahore ke sabse bade Kabristan Miani Sahib mein dafnaaya gaya, jahan par Zainab ke gharwalon ne uss kabr tak ko khodne ki koshish ki…Magar Mohabbat pasand logon ne kabr ko barkaraar rakha.

Mohabbat ki iss daastaan ko Urvashi Butalia ki kitaab THE OTHER SIDE OF SILENCE :Voices from the Partition of India, Hindi lekhak Alok Bhalla ke collection "Partition Dialogues" aur 1999 mein aayi Gurdas Mann aur Divya Dutta ki film Shaheed-e-Mohabbat mein bhi dohraaya gaya hai.

75 saal hone wale hain….Magar kuch siskiyaan…Kuch Zakhm…..Ab bhi wahin hain….Humse poochtey hain….Bantvaara…..Koi hal tha, ya khud ek sawaal?

(This video is from The Quint's archives and is being republished on the occasion of India's 77th Independence Day)