(iii) Birth and Death Ceremonies.
Birth Ceremonies. The society in India is custom-ridden. The ceremonies among the Hindus and the Sikhs start not only with the birth of a child but even when a woman is pregnant. It is known as reet. Accordingly, the father of the pregnant woman sends presents, usually of dry fruits, to the in-laws of his daughter. The Sikhs in the urban areas also observe the reet. When a child is born, there are a number of ceremonies. An astrologer is consulted to confirm if the birth of a child is auspicious or not for the father and the mother. In case the child happens to be a gandmool (born under bad stars), certain remedies are suggested by the pandit after birth within twenty-seven days at the latest. IN olden times, the children who were gandmool, were generally thrown away. But now this practice is legally banned. Sutak in maintained for forty days and women from outside are not allowed to enter the house during this period. However, this practice is on the wane. An iron-bangle or a lock are tied to the cot of the mother to turn away evil spirits. The mother would start feeding the infant on the third day. Before feeding, there is a ceremony and the childs aunt (fathers sister) washes the breast of the mother with dubh grass after dipping it into water. The Muslim women also ohbserve sutak, called iqiqa but its duration s only of thirteen days. After that, the mother would see the stars in the evening and her iqiqa would end. All these ceremonies are shelved or dispensed within these days, if the child is born in a hospital.
On the eleventh day after the birth of the child, among Brahmans; on the thirteenth day among the Khatris; on the eleventh day among the Rajputs, a Brahman is sent for. He performs the ceremony of shudhi (purification) and baptizes the child. Among the Sikhs, the baptism takes place a little later. Among the Muslims, a Mullah recites the kalma in the ears of the child for the performance of this ceremony. This practice is also prevalent among the Christians.
The namkaran sanskar (naming ceremony) is observed among the Sikhs. A bhai (Sikh priest) is sent for. He opens the holy Granth Sahib at random and the first letter of the first passage on the left page is taken as the first letter of the childs name. The namkaran sanskar is not observed these days, although a pandit is generally consulted by the Hindus in regard to the first letter of the childs name. The pronouncement of the pandit is, however, not always adhered to.
The mundane sanskar (ceremony of shaving the head of the child) is observed by the Hindus on the first, the third or the fifth year of the child. Instead of mundane ceremony, the Sikhs in the urban areas perform kesi dahi (washing the head with curds), ceremony. Sunnat (circumcision) is an important ceremony among the Muslims and is usually performed in the young age. The child who is born circumcised is called rasulia.
Death Ceremonies. Death ceremonies, with minor differences, are almost similar among all the communities. Hindus, Sikhs, and the Jains cremate their dead, whereas the Muslims and the Christians bury them. Among the Hindus, a little before death, a person is made to lie down on the ground. Some grains are kept towards the head of the dying person, and a lamp is lighted. Holy books such as the Gita, are read within the hearing distance of the dying persons, if time permits. These customs are also prevalent among the Sikhs, in whose case it is the holy Granth Sahib that is read. After death the person is bathed, using curds and perfumes. The dead body is laid on the bier for taking it to cremation-ground. This custom among the Hindus and the Sikhs is similar with only a difference that among the latter a bhai replaces the pandit. Sometime after the pyre is lighted, and the dead body has been burned partially, the ceremony called kapal kirya (the rite of breaking the skull with a pole) is held. Among the Muslims, the dead body is bathed and clothed. The Mullah recites the namaz (prayer) called Namaz-i-Janaza. The dead body is taken to the burial ground on a bier. After due ceremonies it is laid to rest in a grave, already dug a few hours earlier. Among Christians, the dead body is take to the cemetery and the religious rites are performed by the priest. The dead body is put in the coffin and laid to rest in the grave. Among affluent Muslims and Christians, there is a custom to install an epitaph on the head side of the deceased. The usual mourning takes place among all the communities, except among the Jains. Among the Hindus and Sikhs, if the person dies on the cot, his kirya is performed at Pehowa (Haryana). The bones of the deceased, collected on the fourth day after cremation, are immersed in the river Ganges at Hardwar whereas the Sikhs generally immerse them in the River Satluj at Kiratpur (Rupnagar District). The last kirya karm is generally performed on the thirteenth day after death, but the period differs among different sections of the people. The Sikhs perform the Bhog ceremony on the tenth day.
(iv) Home
Life
Dwellings. The geographical conditions of an area and the economic status of its people determine the standard of its dwellings, The district of Hoshiarpur lies at the foot of the Shiwaliks. Rains in the district are normal. The area very near the Shiwaliks requires the slanting roofs for the houses. Slanting roofs can be made either by using straw, slates, iron-sheets, etc. Wood is available in plenty in these areas and, as such, it is freely used for the floors and etc, ceilings, Bricks (unbaked) or pieces of stones are generally used for constructing the walls. The cheap structures in the semi-hill areas, resembling those of mud-huts, are known as chhans. Sometimes, a house is two-storeyed and a wooden ceiling is used to divide the two storeys. In the areas, the houses of well-to-do people are constructed with stones and bricks. In the past, lime was used, but it has now been replaced with cement. Mostly, the houses in the villages are small, without latrines and bathrooms. The kitchen is a multipurpose structure and is used for cooking, sitting by the fire in the winter and even for bathing in the daytime. A separate chan or a small separate structure, kachcha or pucca, is used for keeping cattle. After independence, most of the villages have been electrified, but still a good proportion of the population in the rural areas is not tempted to get their houses electrified. The houses of the Rajputs speak of their higher position and are generally pucca. They have a separate drawing room (baithak). This was a necessity, as their women observed purdah and the visitor could have no access to the inner apartments. Houses in the urban areas are generally of the same style as prevalent elsewhere. As the district is economically backward and the people are not rich as compared with those of the other industrialized districts, the houses in the urban areas, however, lack beauty and finish. Some very good ultramodern houses are now being built at Hoshiarpur. Talwara, a township in the Dasuya Tahsil has an ultramodern housing complex. The township is divided into sectors, with drainage facilities. Dasuya is a very old town and appears to have been built on the theh (mound) of an old town and, as such, generally its streets are not even. Houses are otherwise pucca. Modern structures have come up on the other side of the town and compare well with the houses built in other towns. The towns of Tanda Urmar and Mukerian appear to be a compromise between the urban and rural areas. Some houses resemble those of the villages and others those of the urban areas. Hariana, Garhdiwala and Sham Chaurasia are old towns which have not progressed after independence. Very few new buildings have come up. These towns remind us of the types of houses built in the end of the nineteenth century. Houses are very small and people would prefer to erect the second storey according to their requirements instead of raising a structure on a separate plot. Mostly the houses in these areas or towns were not provided with latrine and bathrooms. But now the people have built them. Bathrooms are usually enclosed with stairs. In the urban areas., people also keep cattle and tether them at places convenient to them. Even streets are not spared. People tether their cattle with utter disregard of traffic. It the space in the courtyard permits, they do not hesitate to raise temporary sheds for the animals.
The house structure in the villages varies. For instance, houses in the villages very near to the Kapurthala and Jullundur districts are very much like those in the villages of these districts, whereas the houses in the areas adjacent to the villages in Himachal Pradesh resemble those of the villages of the State.
According to the 1971 Census, the number of occupied residential houses in the district was 1,81,287.
Decoration and Furniture. The style of decorating the houses and the type of furniture to keep in them depend upon the status of the and his aesthetic taste. The poor living in the villages would afford to have one or two coloured pirahs (low-stools). At least one stringed cot with colour-painted legs would be owned by a household. Calendars bearing the photographs of various types would be proudly hung to complete the interior decoration. While mud-plastering the exterior, they would raise certain birds in mud-plaster and would colour them roughly afterwards, to complete the exterior decoration. Well-to-do people in the rural areas would have that type of furniture of interior decoration which is in use in the urban areas. They, however, would not like to replace these items of furniture with the changing fashion. Similar is the case of other items, such as cots and couches. The type of utensils used also depends upon the economic position of a householder. Brass and steel are getting costlier. The poor rural folk are contented to have earthen or aluminum utensils. One or two brass patilas are invariably kept for cooking vegetables and pulses. One or two utensils of kansi (bronze) are also seen as the heritage of the past. In the houses of the well-off rural people, all the utensils, big or small, are of brass. Utensils of kansi (bronze) are also there. Even utensils of stainless steel are now owned by them. Since the rural people are averse to the idea of disposing of their out-dated belongings, their houses get cluttered up. Even the out-of-use utensils are kept along with those of daily use. The former are only used on special occasions in the village and the owner proudly lends them to those who need them. Small broken utensils might be exchanged for new ones.
Dress and Ornaments. The dress used in the district is not very much different from that worn in the Doaba or the hilly tracts of the State. The villagers generally use the traditional apparel. They wear kurta, tehband, kameez, pyjama, pagri or topi. They do not wear undershirts. If at all an undershirt is used, it is made of khadi. Women gererally wear shalwar, and kameej and a piece of cloth called dupatta, to cover the head and the shoulders. Sari is used on certain occasions. The school and college going boys and girls do not stick to their traditional dresses, but instead put on those in fashion used by their counterparts in the urban areas. In the winter, sweaters, pull-overs or rough coats of indigenous wool, blankets, shawls and lady shawls are in use. Since then woolens are getting expensive, these pieces of dress generally are preferred from shoddy or indigenous new or old wool. Small children are dressed according to the means and the aesthetic tastes of the parents. The dress in urban areas is the same as used by the people of the urban areas in other districts. It ranges from kurta, tehband, pyjama, pantaloons, jackets, achkans, suits, neckties and other accessories. The younger generation is more fashionable than the older one and its members put on all the ultramodern dresses of the Western type.
Hoshiarpur is known for the manufacture of desi jutti (indigenous shoe). It is very comfortable, as it has a broad toe. It is very much in use in the villages and even in the urban areas. The women in the rural areas use chappals and sandals. In the urban areas, English type of footwear are also used by both men and women. Shoes, boots, chappals, sandals, desi juttis or fine and embroidered, are all in use according to the status of the wearer. Similarly, the women use all types of footwear of the Western style. In the urban areas, the elevated double or triple-soled are very highheal footwear are in vogue. Since these are very costly, uncomfortable and not very durable and require trousers, they have not caught the fancy of the masses.
It may be of interest to mention those ornaments which were used in the district more than half a century back. At that time owing to lack of the means of communications, a particular area had a peculiarity in respect of an ornament. Adequate means of communications and with the shunning of the habit of sitting at home, tastes have been integrated. Now ornaments of all types are used in the district. For instance, necklace of Mahaharashtrian origin, particularly mangal sutar, nose-ring of Muslim origin and the multi-rings joined by a bracelet of marwari origin. In the past, the middle class and the rich used gold ornaments and the poor were satisfied with ornaments and jewellery of silver or brass. Previously, gold ornaments were considered a financial security and were heavier. Now owing to the prohibitive price of gold, the ornaments are of light-weight but have good designs. These ornaments are made for the use of special occasions, and not for financial security. Still women may have a passion for the ornaments and jewellery and may possess them to the extent they can afford. Even unmarried girls, boys and men wear ornaments.
Jewellery is not very much distinctive from ornaments. If jewels are added to the ornaments, they are called jewellery. Artificial jewellery is very much common in these days. Jewellery is perhaps beyond the reach of a person of average means. Rings for the fingers, nose and ear, and necklaces are very much in use and, therefore, their designs are soon changed. Heavy ornaments rarely change in design.
Food. The climatic conditions and the geographical factors determine the food habits of the people of a particular region. Further, it is more important as to what is available. The district of Hoshiarpur forms a part of Doaba. Parts of its area are at the foot of the Shiwaliks. The food habits of the people of these areas would naturally tally with those of the people living in the Simla Hills. Owing to sufficient rains, maize was previously grown in abundance. People are this cereal in plenty. Now maize cultivation is being replaced by paddy in the marshy tract right from Mukerian to Tanda Urmar. The consumption of rice in these areas is on the increase. Milk is not consumed by the people to the extend it was done during a decade and a half back. This decline in consumption is due to the network of roads making it possible for the people to sell it in the urban areas at a lucrative price.
By far, wheat continues to be the staple food in the district. Maize, too, is used in winter In certain areas at the foot of the Shiwaliks, rice forms the staple food of the people Pulses of all kinds are used, but preference is given to those which are grown in these areas or are easily procurable. Gram, and gram pulse are very commonly used. In the area at the foot of the hills, kultha pulse, almost exclusively used by the hill peopleis also used. In the rural areas, those vegetables which are locally grown are commonly used. In winter mustard or sarson leaves are cooked and relished by the people both in the rural and urban areas. Vegetables of all kinds, are grown locally or obtained from elsewhere, are commonly used. Meat is not the staple diet. Even non-vegetarians relish vegetables. Food is cooked generally in hydrogenated vegetable oils or refined vegetable oils. Ghee is used only by the rich who can afford it. The district is not habituated to the use of very spicy foods. The exorbitant, rather prohibitive, price of milk has made it impossible for the poor or the persons of average means to use it in plenty. The rich, however, consume it in good quantity. Lassi (butter-milk), is not as popular a beverage with the rural people, as it was in the past. The paucity of milk prevents them from preparing it. Tea has now become perhaps the commonest beverage in the rural as well as in the urban areas. In the rural areas kachchi lassi (milk mixed in water and sugar or salt) may still be used in summer to quench the thirst. Aerated water is a luxury for the rural people. IN the urban areas, the beverages of all kinds, such as tea, coffee, soft drinks, and shakanjin (lemon squash) is commonly used, according to the season. Ice is used in summer in the urban as well as in the rural areas. People in the villages also use sweetened water (water with jaggery dissolved in it) as it is cooling and energizing but the people in the urban areas do not relish it. Gur or crude brown sugar is used by the people in the urban and the rural areas alike in winter to get energy. There was a time when sweets commonly prepared in the Punjab only were sold. As the tastes are being integrated, the sweets prepared in other States are also now commonly available. The only difference in the rural and the urban areas is that those sweets are prepared in the rural areas which can withstand speedy decomposition, as the producers do not expect ready purchasers. Ladoo, Jalebi, Messu, shakarparas and sweets of basin are generally prepared in the rural areas. Burfi, however, can be purchased everywhere in the rural areas. In the urban areas, sweets of all kinds, such as Bengali, Sindhi or Maharashtrian origin, are available in plenty, since the sweetmeat sellers do not run the risk of their remaining unsold. They produce very costly and superior products. Sweets of English origin, such as toffees, biscuits, pastries, are freely used in the urban areas. People do not miss their traditional meals but very often eat bread and buns. Hoshiarpur is known for making superior varieties of reories (product of white sesame seeds and sugar or gur). The big round variety known as reor is also a specialty.
As in other parts of the State, smoking is very common in the district. In the villages, people use the traditional hookah or chilm in which indigenous tabacco mixed with molasses is used. In the urban areas, people generally smoke cigarettes and bidis. Bidis are also used in the rural areas. Although the people in the district are addicted to the use of liquor and opium, the Punjab Government through its policies is endeavouring to minimize their consumption.
(v) Communal
Life
Fairs and Festivals. Festivals of socio-religious nature provide the people with an atmosphere of devotion and enjoyment. Some festivals mark the seasonal changes and some are local in character and are associated with some place, saint or pir. The religious festivals are Shivratri, Holi, Janam Ashtmik, Rakhi, Dussehra, Diwali and Tika. In the praise of a goddess, Navratras are celebrated with great zeal. The seasonal festivals are Lahori, Maghi, Basant, Baisakhi and Teej. Lohri indicates the prime of winter; Basant heralds the spring and Baisakhi is celebrated to mark the harvesting season. Teej is celebrated by women for enjoyment. Even the newly married girls return to their parents homes to celebrate it.
The national festivals are the Republic Day (celebrated on the twenty-sixth of January), Independence Day (on the fifteenth of August), and birthday of Mahatma Gandhi (the second of October). There are certain local fairs which are celebrated by the people in the district. At Rajni Devi, in the Hoshiarpur Tahsil, there is shrine of the goddess of smallpox. Here, a fair is held every Tuesday in Chaitra (March-April).
Holi fair is held in the Thakurdwara at Sahi. On the Baisakhi day, a large number of people visit Dera Bahadurpur near Hoshiarpur. At Garhdiwala, fairs are celebrated at the Devis temple in Chaitra and Asuj (September-October). Janam Ashtami is celebrated at Ram Titwali. The Thakurdawara is a fine building made of stone and is situated at the foot of the Shiwalik Range. In the Garhshankar Tahsil, a mela is held on the Baisakhi day at Pachnangal in the temple sacred to Babal Kalu. The Baisakhi of Garna Sahib is also famous. At Achhalpur, people assemble at a Sidh shrine in Maghar (November-December). In the Dasuya Tahsil, fairs are held at Dharampur in Chaitra and at Kamahi Devi also in the same month.
Gurpurbs are celebrated with great solemnity by the Sikhs. Big diwans are held on the birthdays of Guru Nanak Dev and Guru Gobind Singh and the martyrdom days of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur.
The Gurpurb of Guru Ravi Dass is celebrated in February with great enthusiasm.
Among the Jains, Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated by taking out a procession of pictures of Lord Mahavir. The Jains observe fasts on that day. The Jayanti falls in the month of Chaitra.
Among the Muslims, the important festivals are Moharram, Bara Wafat, Shab-i- Brat, Ramzan, Id-ul-Fitr and Id-al-Azha. Moharram is celebrated on the 10th of Ramzan in the memory of Hazrat Imam and Ussain who laid dova their lives fighting against the tyranny of Yazid. Bara Wafat is celebrated on the 12th day of Rabi-ul-awal. On the birth-day of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad, the teachings of Islam are explained to the people and the holy Koran is recited. On Shab-a-Brat, the Mohammadans distribute food among the poor and offer ablutions to their deceased forefathers. Ramzan is the holy month throughout which purificatory fasts are observed. Id-ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasts on termination of Ramzan. Id-al-Azha falls on the 9th and 10th Zilhij. People on this occasion proceed on Haj to Mecca and Medina.
Games, Sports and Recreations. Almost all sorts of modern games and sports are played in schools and colleges, the more important among them being hockey, football, volley-ball, cricket, basketball, etc. nowadays, girls are taking as much interest in games and sports as boys. Among the indigenous games, mention may be made of wrestling and kabaddi. Playing-cards, chess, chaupat, kite-flying, etc. are the common pastimes. Dramas, cultural shows, including bhangra, dance, cinema, etc. form the usual means of entertainment.
Folk-Songs and Cultural Life. The folksongs express the ideas and sentiments of the people. These are sung on different occasions. Brief extracts from some of the folk-songs, (both in Punjabi and Roman scripts along with their English rendering) common in this region, are given below:
Uth Ni Rawel Ghori
Uth ni rawel ghori, babey wehre ja,
Babey de munh shadian, teri dadi de munh cha,
Ghori chugdi harya gha, ghori payee savalre rah,
Ghori sanwli syeo
.
Get up. O Tamed Mare
Get up O tamed mare, go to the courtyard of the grandfather,
The grandfather is overjoyed, and so is the grandmother.
The mare grazes, goes on an even path,
Dear friends really it is a beautiful mare with a dark-brown hide .
Kolo Koli Pind Sininde
Kolo koli pind suninde, Pakhowal Prali,
Othe dian do kurian sunindian, ik patli ik bhari,
Patli da na Udhmi, bhari do Kartari,
Sabz motia laigee Udhmi, narm rahi Kartari,
Bota molak da, jinhun khalqat jane sari
____________
Adjacent
Villages Heard Of
The villages of Pakhowal and Prali are heard of as located adjacent to each other,
Of these villages, two girls are heard of,
One is slim and the other is plump,
The slim one is named Udhmi and the plump one, Kartari,
Udhmi is most imposing, beautiful and fresh, whereas Kartari has just missed beauty,
Molaks camel is well spoken of all around .
__________
Stalwart and Grown-up Boy of Himmatpur
The stalwart and grown-up are the boys of Himmatpur,
They are the swimmers of seven rivers,
They sow wheat on fertile land, and gram on rainfed land,
One boys name is Fateh Mohammad, and those of others are Sardaroo,
Gama, Barkat, Saun, Chanan Singh, and Baroo surpasses them all,
All of them go to the fair together, also accompanying them is Nahroo,
The desires of the spring season are evoked in them by the girls folk-dance ...
___________
Maan Mann Gut Kar
Maan maan gut kar, dhiye bhaine chup kar,
Mann maan viah kar, dhiye bhaine rah kar,
Maan maan janj aayee, dhiye bhaine kithe aayee,
Aayee papal de heth, nale sauhra nale jeth,
Nale maan da jevai, khanda loochi te karahi,
Saunda lef te tulai, peenda dudh te malai,
Bhaira rus rus janda, sanu sharm peya dwanda,
Aal maal hoiya thal
..
_________
O Mother Make my
Pig-tail
O Mother, make my pig-tail; O Daughter, keep quiet !
O Mother, marry me away; O Daughter, talk sense !
O Mother, the marriage party has come; O Daughter, where has it come?
It has arrived and is now resting under the pipal tree, with it are my
Father-in-law and my eldest brother-in-law,
There is also your son-in-law, who eats luchi (friend loaf of bread), and halwa,
He sleeps in cosy beds, drinks milk and eats cream,
He is annoyed even with trifles and puts me in an awkward position,
Thal (salver) a game is complete ..
Kuri Da Souhra Aaya Ho
Kuri da souhra aaya ho,
Manji daah bahaya ho,
Hethan rkhi angiari ho,
Ute phook mari ho,
Uhdi Sar gai dahri ho
__________
Father-in-law of the Girl has Arrived
Father-in-law of the girl has arrived,
He has been seated on a cot,
Beneath the cot a small fire has been lighted,
It has been fanned by a heavy gust of breath,
So, his beard has been burnt
Doabe Di Main Jammi Jai
Doabe di main jammi jai, jangal vich viahi,
Desh vichhuni kunj main bhaino, jang nu gya mera mahi,
Har dam neer vage nainan chon, aun di chithi na paai,
Mur payeen sapahiya ve, main jindri ghol ghumai
_________
Born in Doaba
I was born in Doaba, was married off and sent to the southern wooded areas,
I am like a goose separated from my land of birth, O sisters, my husband has gone to war,
My eyes are full of tears all the time; he has sent me no letter intimating the time of his return ,
O soldier get back, I am prepared to sacrifice my life for you .
_________
Pindan Vichon Pind Suninda
Pindan vichon pind suninda, pind suninda Lallian,
Othon de do baulad suninde, gal onah de tallian,
Nuth nuth ke oh makki bijda, hath hath lagian chhalian,
Bante de baillan nu, pawan guaray dian phalian .
__________
A Village Heard of from Among Villages
From among villages, the village of Lallian has been heard of,
Two bullocks of that village have been heard of, they have bells tied round their necks,
They run fast and sow maize; the maize crop has borne cobs as long as a cubit,
I would feed the bullocks of Banta on the pods of guara (cluster bean) ..
____________
Teri Khatir Ghar-Bar Chhadia
Teri Khatir Ghar-bar chhadia, khuh te chhad laye aaroo,
Bina basantar bhujian hadian, hai nahin rog da daru,
Ishq terey da charhia taiya, kehra vaid utaru,
Rondi yar chhad gayee, tenu ki muklawa taru
.
___________
I have left my Hearth and Home for thy Sake
I have left my hearth and home for thy sake, and left behind the peachtrees planted on the well,
My bones are being roasted without fire; my illness defies all treatment,
I am afflicated with the intermittent fever of separation; which physician will cure me of it ?
While wailing, you left behind your lover, of what avail is now muklawa to you ?
__________
Ghund Da Bholiae Kam Ki Giddhe Vich
Ghund da bholiae kam ki giddhe vich, ithe terey sarey
hani,
Jan ghund ladhde bahute roop wali, jan ghund kadhde
kani,
Tun tan mainu disen shkinan, ghund vich akh pachhani,
Khul ke nach lai ni, ban ja giddhe di rani .
__________
Why A Veil in a Folk-dance ?
O ignorant and innocent woman, why a veil in a folk-dance, as all here are of the same age-group as you.
Either the loveliest should veil herself of the half blind.
To me you look like a modern girl; I have seen through you veil what your eye reveals.
Dance to your hearts content and become the queen of the folk-dance
___________
Rahia, Ve Rahe Jandea !
Rahia ve rahe jandia, daeen sunehra ja.
Aakh daeen mere dhol nun, maan moi ghar aa.
Maan moi ki vigrya, vehre di gayee bala.
Maim di kiti naukri, main chhad ke ni sakda aa.
Rahia ve rahe jandia, daeen sunehra ja.
Aakhin dhol siphai nun, peo moya ghar aa.
Peo moy ki vigrya, thare di gayee bla.
Sahib di kiti naukri, main chad ke ni sakda aa.
Rahia ve rahe jandia, daeen sunehra ja.
Aakhin mere kant nun, naar moi ghar aa.
Naar moi sun main moya, mere dil da rukiya sah.
Kithe taan pagri sut dian, kithe taan maran dha ?
Killi te pagri saambh ke, baith plung te aa.
Naar teri ghar jiwandi, ve behke dill parcha.
Vaar chalittar naar da, kis bidh liva bula.
Gori maim di naukri, pal vich ditti chhuda.
O Wayfarer on
the Move
O wayfarer on the move ! Deliver my message to my husband that his mother had died and that he should return home.
What loss is there, if my mother has died Only an evil had departed from the courtyard. I am in the service of an English lady and can not return home.
O wayfarer on the move ! Deliver my message, to my soldier-husband that is father has died and that he should come home.
What loss is there if my father has died ? Only an evil that always occupied the raised front of the house had departed., I am in the service of an Englishman, I can not return home.
O wayfarer on the move; Deliver a message to my husband that his wife had died and that he should return home.
The news that my wife has died has stopped my breathing and I am nor more. Where should I throw away my turban and where should I go to let out my wails ?
Hang your turban on the peg and be seated on the cot. The wife is living, make merry with her.
See the guiles of thy wife how she has maneuvered thy return home and has forced thee to leave the service of white men (English lady).
The partition of the country in 1947 brought untold miseries and turmoil to the people on both sides of the Punjab. Unprecedented Communal riots, arson and loot compelled the minorities to migrate to the other side of the border. The non-Muslim minorities, mostly the Hindus and the Sikhs of the West Punjab, migrated to the East Punjab (India) whereas the Muslim Population of the Hoshiarpur District migrated to the West Punjab (Pakistan). This unexpected event of colossal magnitude created numerous problems for the Government. The migrants were escorted safely up to the border and arrangements had been made to rehabilitate the migrants from Pakistan temporarily or permanently. First of all the Government was to ensure their safe arrival, and arrangements were also to be made for providing them with shelter, food, clothing and medical-aid. Since the migrants were without belongings and money, the problem of rehabilitation was further aggravated. The matter of prime importance was to ensure the places where they were to be sheltered. They could not straightway be shifted to the village, as it was not possible to provide them with free rations. The pre-requisite for making rehabilitation more effective was that they should be first concentrated at particular places. After making arrangements for allotting lands and creating avenues of employment or commercial facilities, they were to be dispersed. Since the accommodation for the very large number of migrants could not be arranged in a short time, the Government and private educational institutions were closed for an indefinite period and these places were used for housing the refugees. With a view to expediting rehabilitation, big camps were also established.
Before the partition, there were, 3,80,759 Muslims in the district (1941 Census), but their number came down to 1,359 (1951 Census) after the partition. The number of displaced persons who settled in the district after the partition was 1,46,935.
As compared with other districts of the State, the displaced persons did not feel tempted to settle in the district of Hoshiarpur which was economically backward because of numerous chos. On one side, these chos considerably damaged the land and on the other, the land holdings left by the Muslims were small. Besides, the district lacked adequate industrial or commercial avenues. Hence the speedy settlement of the displaced persons was hampered to a great extent. The colonists or their ancestors who had previously migrated to places (which then fell in Pakistan) were tempted to settle here after the partition, as it was a policy that colonists will settle in their home districts. Among the settlers in the district were also those who found industrial or commercial avenues here.
As per 1951 Census, the numbers of persons settled in each tahsil of the district were: Hoshiarpur Tahsil (51,906), Dasuya Tahsil (65,048), Garhshankar Tahsil (67,584) and, Una Tahsil, (7,449), now transferred to Himachal Pradesh.
The rehabilitation of the displaced persons was of three types; rehabilitation of the school-goers, of agriculturists, and of those engaged in trade, commerce and industry.
Educational Facilities. All the educational institutions in the State were closed from July 1947 to February 1948. Consequently, one academic year of the students admitted to these institutions was lost. These institutions were reopened in March 1948 with the condensed period of study. From August 1948, the students were to be promoted to the next class. The next academic year was to end in 1949. The students were granted fee concessions, were provided with textbooks, and the examination fees were subsequently refunded to them. The college-goers were granted stipends and loans to enable them to continue their studies. All these arrangements were not sufficient to induce the displaced children to continue their studies. Some parents could ill-afford even to feed them, as they themselves were living on free rations. To meet the situation, vocational condensed courses were started at Hoshiarpur to enable the trainees to earn their livelihood after undergoing these courses.
Rural Rehabilitation
Settlement of Agriculturists. The Muslims left 2,54,730 acres of cultivated land, the breakup of which is given as under:
Nehri .. 18,730 acres
Chahi and Abbi .. 20,353 ,,
Barani and Sailab .. 2,15,947 ,,
Besides, the settlement of the agriculturists was done in three phases. The first of these was much easier. Crops were ripe and temporary allotment was made to them. They were given option to seek allotment in groups, keeping in view the conditions of insecurity then prevailing. People preferred to move in groups in the villages, as they knew one another from earlier days. Subsidies and grants were made available to enable them to repair the houses they were to live in, and to purchase cattle and agricultural implements. The second phase of the allotment was of quasi-permanent nature.
Quasi-permanent Allotment of Agricultural Land. The conditions were almost settled by April 1948. Steps were taken to allot the land to agriculturists on a quasi-permanent basis. The land in the district was allotted to 37,364 persons who had left the cultivable land in Pakistan. They were to file their claims in respect of the land left by them. The Government of India had entered into a agreement with the Government of Pakistan, whereby each country had agreed to make available the land records of the claimants for verification of their field claims.
Advance of Agricultural Loans. The allotment of land was of no use, unless the cultivators were given loans for purchasing of cattle and agricultural implements. The total number of the evacuee villages in the Hoshiarpur Tahsil was 401, that in Dasuya Tahsil was 500 and that in Und Tahsil was 276. A loan to the tune of Rs. 38,30,094 was advanced to the agriculturists up to 1956, when steps were taken to allot the land on permanent basis. This facility was necessary, as the cultivators could not undertake farming without loans and grants. The land left by the Muslims in the East Punjab formed only 62 per cent of the land left by their counterparts in West Punjab. Moreover, the land was not of the same type. A formula, Standard Acre Device, was, therefore, evolved. According to the formula, the land was assessed in terms of annas. For instance, an acre of land of top quality was assessed at 16 annas and four times the land valued at four annas was to be allotted instead. Another feature was that some landowners held small pieces of land; some were big landlords and the cut was the heaviest upon them. On the contrary, petty landholders suffered less. In accordance with the Displace Persons (Verification of Lands) Act, 1950, they were required to prefer their claims for verification. It was a colossal job and took a lot of time, as the claims were to be verified in consultation with the records obtained from Pakistan. The total evacuee land available for allotment was 1,71,231 standard acres, out of which the colonists from Amritsar were allotted 5,678 acres.
Allotment of Urban Immovable Property. The houses, shops and the industrial establishments and other urban immovable built or unbuilt properties left by the Muslims were allotted to the displaced persons. Most of the houses left by the Muslims in the villages had become dilapidated owing to heavy rains. Some of them did not conform to the requirements of migrants. To cope with the urban housing shortage, a scheme for the development of a model town was chalked out. One hundred built-up houses were allotted and they were valued at Rs 13,65,882. Besides, 197 plots were carved out and were allotted to the displaced persons against their claims. Loans amounting to Rs 4,67,500 were advanced to enable them to raise the structures. Thereafter, the built-up shops were sold out to them. Besides, 92 mud-huts were allotted to the poor at a total cost of Rs 7,360, costing Rs 81 each.
Ram Colony Camp situated at a distance of 4 km on the Hoshiarpur-Garhshankar Road previously accommodated 1,000 displaced persons. Afterwards, al the land-owing displaced persons shifted to their lands, leaving behind some persons from Jammu & Kashmir. Some widows and infirm persons reside there. The blocks, housing the widows, are now known as the Widows Home. The problem of widows and destitutes was considered with due attention, since they had no bread-earners with them. They were advanced loans to the turn of Rs 16,398 in 1952, Rs 13,616 in 1953, Rs, 5,822 in 1954, Rs 1,690 in 1955 and Rs 640 in 1956.
The displaced persons, settled in the urban areas, were also required to prefer entire claims according to the Act mentioned above. Those claims were also to be verified. Those who did not have urban property in Pakistan were also allowed to get the houses at the fixed price. Small urban loans and grants were introduced to help the displaced persons to restart their trade, commerce and industries. These loans were advanced at 3½ and 3Ύ per cent interest and its recovery stared two years after the disbursement. The loans, together with interest, were to be realized over a period of six years.
The last and final stage of rehabilitation was the payment of the compensation to the claimants. The claims were verified under the Displaced Persons (Verification of Claims) Act, 1950, and the payment was to be made under the provisions of Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act, 1955. The work of payment of compensation actually started in 1957. Payments were made to the claimants by imposing cuts as in the case of agriculturists. For instance, persons with the higher claims were paid less than the smaller claims. Persons with a claim of Rs 2,000 received 66 per cent, whereas those with a claim of a lakh of rupees received only 20 per cent. Thereafter, the percentage decreased sharply. It was only 11.11 per cent of the verified claim of 18 lakhs of rupees. The cut in the compensation in the permanent allotment of land was also affected on the basis of the graded-cut formula.
In the Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act, 1955, a provision was made to receive the claims from those who could not file their claims under the Displaced Persons (Verification and Claims) Act, 1950 if they could justifiably maintain that they could not file their claims on valid grounds. There were certain cases in which the displaced persons had not entered India before 1950. Such persons were also entitled to file their claims. The claims were got verified on a priority basis and were finalized along with other claims.
There was another group of persons who had not taken possession of land allotted to them against their verified claims. Such persons were paid Rs 450 per standard acre as compensation against their verified claims. This payment was made to them after imposing the graded cut. There were certain immovable properties in the rural as well as in the urban areas, which were attached to certain Muslim religious bodies. Those properties were got vacated and handed over to the Wakf Board, Punjab. The Board manages these properties on their own.
There were certain rural as well as urban properties which were either out in the notice of the Government or were grabbed by the local or displaced persons. These were got vacated by the Government afterwards and disposed of. Certain cases are still pending and await disposal. By August 1, 1976, the Tahsildar (Sales) disposed of 6,716 standard acres of cultivated land, 10,728 ordinary acres of banjar land and 8,737 ordinary acres of banjar qadim. Similarly, he disposed of 4,981 houses and 4,427 sites. One thousand two hundred and thirteen standard acres of land and 5,815 ordinary acres of banjar and 19,556 ordinary acres of banjar qadim, 802 houses and 4,715 sites are still awaiting disposal.
Garden Colonies. At the time of making allotment of land to displaced persons, it was an endeavor of the Government to ensure that the garden colonies found due place in the district. Keeping this point in view, certain lands were reserved for garden colonies in the district. Those were to be allotted only to those claimants who were inclined to raise gardens in these lands. For this purpose, a village named Panam in the Garhshankar Tahsil was earmarked for allotment. Besides, there were 345 acres and 3 canals of garden land left by the Muslims in the district. This land, too, was allotted only to those who were to raise the gardens.
Rural Housing. The number of the displaced persons was smaller than the outgoing Muslim migrants. But still rural housing problem was there. Land Holdings with the Muslims were very small and the displaced persons were allotted land on economic ground. In this way, a peculiar situation arose. A few people settled in a big village and in a small village more persons settled if the land stood allotted to them. Certain villages had more houses than the demand; the others, there were a few landholders. Every landholders was allowed to keep one house and a plot for his personal use. If he wanted more, he could have them on reserve price. In case no customer was forthcoming it was to be disposed of by open auction.
The Scheduled Castes. Those Scheduled Castes who wanted to settle in the district were given house sites free of cost. Being economically very poor, they were also advanced grants to undertake repairs of the houses.