A Beautiful Lie
Page 17
Gulam returned, breathing hard and doubled over, clasping his knees.
‘Stand up, son, you’ll get your breath back quicker that way,’ I said, remembering myself when his age.
He looked at me curiously and stood up. ‘I was always running from place to place and Grandfather used to say that to me.’ Gulam produced a crumpled envelope from his pocket. ‘When my bapuji died, as his only son I was responsible for organising his possessions. Going through his files, I found a large box of Grandfather’s things and in it was this envelope. It said To my good friend Bilal on it but I wasn’t sure who it was for. Until now. Perhaps because you left abruptly he never forwarded it to you but I think it’s right you should have it.’
Taking the envelope from him, I froze. Looking up at Gulam’s curious expression, I turned the letter over in my hand. My heart quickened and the stars in the sky seemed brighter, sharper. Opening the letter carefully and unfolding it, I gasped. It was a letter from Bapuji dated 14th August 1947. My eyes swam as I tried to focus on the scrawl in front of me. The first few lines looked as if they had been written by a child, the letters oversized and strangely spaced. What followed was a bolder hand written in a flowing script. Bapuji must have tried stubbornly to write the letter and when his strength gave out, somebody else must have taken over. I looked up at the young boy, my hands trembling. Doctorji. Forcing myself to look at the letter, I began to read.
Dear heart,
Of all the things I wanted to do before I died, the most important was to write you this letter. I am proud of many things, Bilal, but I am proudest of being your bapuji. I couldn’t have asked for a more courageous boy and knowing this, I know you will be an even greater man.
I don’t even have the strength to finish this letter but Doctorji is here helping me. My boy, he told me about your oath and the lengths you’ve taken to keep the truth from me. Dear heart, what did you take upon yourself ?
Bilal, you are my India. You are my dream. What you have done, the gift you have given me is branded on to my heart. When you receive this letter, please realise that when I found out, I cried, not in misery but in joy knowing I had a son like you. I beg you not to blame Doctorji for telling me. The righteous old fool felt he had no choice. I know that you of all people know how that feels.
Please tell Rafeeq I am proud of him too. Despite our arguments, tell him I have never forgotten him. I hope he finds peace both in the world and in his heart.
I will end this letter now. The thought of leaving you is too painful. I leave you my most prized possessions, my books. I know you will look after them. Perhaps every time you pick one up, you’ll smile and think of me.
Bapuji
Hands still trembling, I stared at the letter. A few minutes passed and the words became lines and shapes, memories and pictures.
‘Bilal-ji, are you OK?’ asked Gulam, concern etched on his features.
Folding the letter carefully, I placed it in the envelope and clutched it tightly. In my other hand, I still held the crumpled piece of paper I’d had on stage with me. Smoothing it down, I tried my best to flatten the edges. Curious, the tall young man with Doctorji’s serious face looked at the piece of paper.
‘Everybody lies,’ he said, reading aloud my hastily scrawled prompt.
I handed him the creased paper.
‘Bilal-ji, what shall I do with this?’ he asked.
‘Whatever you like,’ I replied and moved past him. ‘It no longer belongs to me.’
Glossary
Anaar Gully Hindi for ‘Pomegranate Alley’
Aseel A bird bred specifically to take part in cockerel fights
‘Assalamu Alaikum’ ‘Peace be upon you.’ A greeting used by Muslims throughout the world
Banyan A vast fig tree with many roots, traditionally used as a meeting place or as shade for meditation or teaching. The national tree of India
Bapuji Common Hindi term for ‘father’
Bhai Common Hindi term for ‘brother’
Bhen Common Hindi term for ‘sister’
Chai Common Hindi term for ‘tea’
Chapatti A flat, round bread cooked on a griddle
Charpoi A portable string bed
Chota Common term used to describe children. Used in this context by Bilal and his friends to describe Chota as the ‘little one’ or ‘shorty’
Chuppal A simple type of footwear, like sandals or flip flops
Daal Lentils. A popular dish in India
Dacoit Common term for ‘bandit’
Dhoti Traditional men’s garment, worn wrapped around the waist and legs
Diva A small oil lamp that is lit and placed around the home. It has a single wick and is usually brightly coloured
Ghungroo A musical accessory tied to the feet of classical Indian dancers, consisting of small bells and cymbals
Guru A Hindu or Sikh religious leader
Imam A leader of congregational prayer in a mosque. Also a religious teacher or leader
‘Jai Hind’ ‘Victory to India’ or ‘Long live India’
Ji A form of address for elders, strangers or anyone meriting respect
Kabir An Indian poet, mystic and philosopher (1440–1518)
Kameez A traditional Indian shirt
Kara An iron bracelet which serves as a reminder for Sikhs to follow the morals of their faith
Kathak One of the eight forms of Indian classical dance, originating in northern India
Kirpan A sword or dagger worn by many baptised Sikhs at all times
Lassi A yogurt-based drink, similar to a smoothie
Ma Common Hindi term for ‘mother’
Maidan A large open space often used for playing cricket and for meetings etc.
Masterji Common Hindi term for ‘teacher’
Monsoon Seasonal winds that bring heavy rainfall to all of India
‘Namaste’ ‘I bow to you’ or ‘My greetings’. A greeting used by Hindus throughout the world
Nawab A Muslim prince or landowner
Pandit A wise or learned man in India. Often used as an honorary title
Peepul A tree that is traditionally revered in India
Saree The traditional dress for mainly Hindu women, worn wrapped around the waist and draped over the shoulder
‘Sat Sri Akaal’ ‘Blessed is the person who says “God is truth”.’ Used by Sikhs throughout the world when greeting other Sikhs, regardless of their native language
Sitar A stringed instrument that is plucked. Predominantly used in Indian classical music
Tabla A popular percussion instrument used in Indian classical music
Tagore, Rabindranath A famous Bengali poet, novelist, musician and playwright (1861–1941)
Talwar Common Hindi and Punjabi word for ‘sword’
Some Historical Notes from the Author
14th August 1947 saw the birth of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a nation state separate from the predominantly Hindu India. Pakistan was made up of two regions: West Pakistan on the Indus River plain, and East Pakistan, which is now known as Bangladesh. At midnight the next day – on 15th August 1947 – India won its freedom from British colonial rule.
The break-up along religious lines resulted in the movement of about 14.5 million people – Muslims going to Pakistan from India and Hindus and Sikhs going in the opposite direction. Many people lost family, friends and homes, with communities cut in two during the upheaval. It is estimated that over 1 million people died in the violence during this period.
Although it is over sixty years since Partition, conflict between India and Pakistan continues to this day, with large-scale communal violence still occurring. The far-reaching and often devastating consequences of Partition on every aspect of Indian and Pakistani life are as evident today as they were on the stroke of midnight on 14th August 1947.
Irfan Master
Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Berlin, New York and Sydney
First published in Great Britain in January 2
011 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
36 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QY
This electronic edition published in 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Text copyright © Irfan Master 2011
Maps copyright © Peter Bailey 2011
The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted
Poem in chapter 4: ‘Where the Mind Is Without Fear’ by Rabindranath Tagore from Gitanjali
Grateful acknowledgement is made to Visva-Bharati University
as the archive holder of Tagore’s work
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ISBN 9781408812013
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