𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑, 𝐅𝐄𝐔𝐃𝐀𝐋 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃

CHAPTER ➑ • Tight Lipped

August 17, 1947
Raja Sansi Town
Amritsar

"Nandani kahan hai..?" Rana Vikramjeet Singh roared.(where is Nandani) It was a hot afternoon in Amritsar, but the open varadah hall of Singh Mansion was cold. The open question of Nandani's disappearance gave everyone a cold feet. Rana Vikramjeet's anger was obstreperous.

It had been 3 days since Nandani disappeared. There was no trace of her. Rana Vikramjeet had searched the entire Amritsar. Search parties were appointed, local ruling parties had lent help, but Nandani could not be brought back home.

"Tum dono ko ek kaam dia tha..wo bhi sahi se nahi kar paaye..kaise ghar se chali gayi wo.." Rana Vikramjeet accused Bakhtu and Feena who stood at the corner of the hall with their heads hung down.
(I gave you one work to do, that too you couldn't do properly. Where did she go)

"Maalik maafi.. humne bohot koshish ki thi.. par choti malkin ko rok nahi paaye.." Bakhtu replied trembling. (Maalik we are sorry, we tried a lot but couldn't stop her)

"Tumhare maafi maangne se Nandani wapis nahi aayegi.." Padmini wailed.."Ranaji meri bachi wapas laao" (your apology won't be enough to get my daughter back. Ranaji do something, get me my daughter)

"Padmini hausla rakho" Rana Vikramjeet caressed Padmini's left shoulder trying to calm her down. (Padmini have faith).

Rana Vikramjeet Singh was a prominent figure in the business market of Amritsar-Lahore. Both Eastern and Western Punjab were dominated by Singhs for decades.The partition gave an upper hand and monopoly to Singhs in the Trade Business and export of opium to neighbouring countries. However, the fallout with Khans did cost them a lot of land revenue and they lost their ancestral lands to Khans in Lahore. But that didn't stop vikramjeet to re-establish himself in Amritsar. Now he had the local government on his side, he was ready to challenge the Khans again.

The disappearance of Nandani spread like a wild fire in the town of Raja Sansi and other neighbourhoods of Amritsar. If the gossip mongers were to be believed, then Nandani ran away with someone who practiced Islam.

"Suna hai Rana Sahab ki ladki kisi Musalman ke sath bhaag gayi hai.." said a man sipping tea at the chai tapri near the main manufacturing unit of Singhs. The place was famous for labour union gatherings and discussions. Carrom boards and cards were complimentary with the chai.
(Rana Sahab's daughter ran away with a Musalman)

"Arey uske charche toh pehle se hi mashoor hain, Lahore mein rishta tha kisike sath.. uske paas gayi hogi. Na deen dekha na dharam." Said another man joining in.
( Her stories are famous. She had a relationship with someone in Lahore. She might have gone there. Without caring about beliefs and religion)

"Ye toh galat hua.. agar aisa chalta raha toh kal ko humari ladkiyan bhi zid karengi dusre dharm mein rishta jodne ko. Rana Sahab se baat karni padegi. Unko apni beti wapas laani hogi, Musalmano ke ghar se. Aakhir batwara hua bhi toh isiliye tha. Do mazhab ek sath nahi reh sakte the." declared Satram Rajput the head of the labour union in Singh Manufacturing Unit in Amritsar.
(Whatever happened is wrong. If this continues, then our girls too will wish to have relationship with people from other religions. We need to talk to Rana Sahab. He needs to get back his daughter from Muslims. After all, partition did happen because two major religions couldn't co habit with eachother)

••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Singh Manufacturing Unit of Amritsar was the largest opium production unit in entire Eastern Punjab and neighbouring states. Feeding families and employing capacity of around 5000 labourers at a time. The generally crowded plant unit was still and silent today. Rana Vikramjeet had asked for complete privacy and as a result the whole plant unit was vacated in the first half. The sun was going down, causing a crimson hue in the otherwise bright sky. As the sun went down , the hope of Rana Vikramjeet too went down. The dark sky brought hopelessness. Nandani was yet to be found.