1947: A Severance

It was on the eve of midnight that India woke up to its historic, newly earned freedom. As the country engaged in Celebration, patriotic songs and merriment, there was one part of the country that was being torn apart in riots and brutal killings. Invariably, the bloody mess of partition.

August 17, 1947
The Bist Doab, Lahore

The city that was supposed to be drowned in joyous ferver was eerily quiet and tuned in to the National Radio. It was today, that the partition of India was announced.

Shaurya sneaked out of his house and was currently at the park, waiting eagerly for someone.
Her footsteps were heard and he instantly knew who it was.
"You heard the news?", He asked solemnly, with his throat drying up. They were two in millions of those who were the predicted innocent victims of communal rivalry.

Mehek nodded in vain. Somehow, she wasn't yet ready to face the horrendous situation. Were they really set to part ways?
For a fraction of a second her heart wanted to think that this wouldn't be as strict as her doubts were. Maybe they could give a little concession to some families, specially if you... Loved someone with your body & soul. But only the Supreme Being knew that her doubts were to be proven true in the coming days.

Mehek & Shaurya, belonging to the aristocrats of Lahore district, were brought up in the same atmosphere. They maybe wouldn't have known in their lives who they communally were, until came the revolutionary partition.
Mehek's family, the Junaids - were profound Muslims. They were very particular about their caste, as seen in any 'khandaani' family of that time. Her father didn't really approve of Shaurya as a prospective groom but the fellow was such, his head couldn't find reasons to reject him. Shaurya, on the other hand, was the sole child of a deceased Indian Major. His mother's whereabouts were unknown and his family was supposed to have died in a revolt in Bengal (where his father was placed in earlier days).

December 23, 1947

It was now or never. The ultimatum had been received. Shaurya was expected to cross the border and go to the present day India, or else the Muslims here were ready to hoist his body atop a hill. The Radcliffe line had stretched into hundreds of kilometres, dividing the two countries. He was going to be nowhere near her. And here they sat on a thatched roof, entwined hand in hand.

"Was it for this day that we met?", Sobbed Mehek.
"Do you remember where we met for the first time?"
She found it hard to recollect. Maybe in some sarson khet? Or in some Iftaari dinner.
But it was always them. Infact they had already acted out their marriage as kids, in front of a child Maulvi.

"What does Ammi say?", He sighed
"Hasn't spoken since days", she replied.
"Your community threatens to kill me if I don't go away"
Her clasp on his hand few firm as she pressed her fingers into his body.
"No...", She whined. "You've to live on", she wailed.

"I've got time till two days to rethink my decision"

Mehek hopped off the roof. Someone was calling her in the distance.

***

She hadn't expected this of all. Her heart shivered and words failed to leave her mouth. She stood in front of a house set ablaze. She kneeled and wept.
It was a final departing warning for Shaurya. As the sun set behind the land, the house was kept illuminated for a while, for him to see the consequences of staying back.
Mehek nervously was walking up to the park. Her clutched her dupatta in a fret, with the burned house still playing on her mind. It was night-time by now.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, jumped off two men. They blocked her way. Teasing her body and beauty, they certainly we're adding on to her troubles.

One of them stepped ahead and tried to pull off her dupatta. But before his hand could touch the cloth, it was broken with a cracking sound.
"Dare you touch her!", Roared the king.

"Let's go!", She held his hand and they ran away, allowing the other guy to attend to his crying friend.

They ran and ran till they reached the outer edge of the city.
"Your house...", She spoke softly.
"I know. Your uncle had come", he clenched his fist. "He threatens to kill you too, if I stay back. They set the house ablaze to prove it. And those goons were his too. I just had a nasty word with him", he announced in anger. His blood boiled to see such obstinate behaviour.

"Let's run away", she suggested.
"You don't know your father but I do", he told. "He'll hunt us down and kill us. We'll have to keep running for our lives, which I don't want".

"Is there any solution?", She asked.
"I'll have to convert", he sighed. "Convert and be like you. It doesn't matter now even if I'm one of you all those days"

"You won't convert yourself. You will not change your religion!", Asserted Mehek, with a renewed vigour. Why should he erase the last remains of his clan just for her sake?

He nodded in helplessness. They didn't have any option. He moved close to her and upheld her chin.
"The fire, the water, these lands. They all know you're mine. Just mine", he whispered the last words.

"It needs courage to live up to your love. It's cowardice to die in the name of your soulmate. Those, whose souls are connected are never without each other, however far they live."

"Indeed. I'll live for our legacy. I'll shan't die in your name certainly", said Mehek, embracing in his arms for the last time.
"But I'll never be able to forgive my family for this", she cursed vehemently.

"Never say that dear. God has bestowed his blessings on you by giving you a family. Don't let my memories stain their love for you"
She nodded in agreement as his stature and worth rose further in her heart.

"Farewell", he whispered in her ear, crying.

"Thank you, Shaurya. Thank you so much for making me realise that how deeply can I love someone who never belonged to me."
Mehek said as tears rolled down her eyes.

Shaurya looked at her as he controlled his feelings. "I hope you understand someday that Love is not just a feeling, its a commitment and above all a sacrifice of your happiness for your love"

They both tried to hide their tears from each other.

Mehek sat their till dawn, reminiscisimg their moments spent together. She kept looking in the direction of the border, in the direction of her beloved.

Thus, another glorious love story got lost in the violent pages of history and partition, which brought out nothing but the separation of humankind. We had certainly achieved freedom but somewhere lost our harmony and religious tolerance.