When 78-year-old Raj Bibi got off the cross-LoC bus at Chakkan Da Bagh on November 10, Sita Devi was there to receive her. It was celebration time, the “sisters” meeting after 61 years. But when they got talking at Sita Devi’s home, they realised there had been a mistake. They were not sisters separated during Partition.

Disappointed, Raj Bibi prepared to return home to Palandhari in Sadhluti in PoK. But then someone said her story was very similar to that of Ram Bari of Rajouri whose sister got left behind in PoK in 1947. And when Ram Bari showed up the next morning, Raj Bibi realised she was looking at her elder brother — the bus ride had been worthwhile. Sita Devi is happy for them — she says she now has a sister in Raj Bibi and a brother in Ram Bari.

It was four years ago when a neighbour told Raj Bibi that he had made a trip to Poonch to meet members of his divided family and had met her “elder sister” Sita Devi who was still looking for her. He had brought with him a photograph that Sita Devi had given him — it was of a young woman who looked like Raj Bibi when she was young. Sita Devi and Raj Bibi began exchanging letters and once the cross-LoC bus service began, made plans to meet.

Reunited with his sister, Ram Bari — he was 20, she was 17 at the time of Partition — filled in the gaps: “Our family had moved to Rajouri town from Sohna village (a part of which is now in PoK) in 1947. Pakistani raiders captured Rajouri town and lined up the Hindus. My elder sister Bainti Devi turned to Sher Khan, a local youth who she called brother, to help us. He took us away, hid us behind some trees. The raiders shot the other Hindus. We asked Sher Khan to help us reach Khui Ratta (now in PoK) where our maternal uncle Gazi Mohammad Rehman lived. He had already embraced Islam. We stayed there only for two-three days before Indian troops liberated Jhangar. My uncle was among those who fled towards Pakistan, leaving us behind. Indian troops brought us to a refugee camp but in the confusion, Raj was left behind with Sher Khan.”

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