But for 75 years, this was a home that lay across a seemingly impenetrable national border, that a Varma could visit only as a painful memory. That was, until July of this year. Now 90, but still glowing, a chance meeting in a Facebook group helped her find and visit the family home she was forced to leave 75 years ago, located in what is now Pakistan. “I thought, ‘This is why I’m still alive, so I can finally go home,’” Varma said of her emotional and joyous return. After so many years had passed, there was no one left in the lane Varma had known since her childhood, but the locals greeted her with an enthusiastic welcome like their own. In 1947, the peaceful lives of Varma’s family came to an abrupt end with partition, which divided the subcontinent along sectarian lines. Rawalpindi, the bustling city in Punjab where they lived as a Hindu family, was one of the cities that ended up in the fledgling Islamic Republic of Pakistan after August 1947. The state of Punjab became the center of terrible violence and Rawalpindi, which had a a majority Muslim population, was engulfed in brutal communal killings as Hindus and Sikhs were driven from their homes and fled across the border into India. Growing up, Varma recalled a peaceful existence between her Hindu family and their Muslim and Sikh neighbors, who often came to their home for a cup of tea and festival celebrations. But in March 1947, Varna recalled the fear that gripped the Hindus living in the area. Neighbors patrolled their lane and raised the alarm in case Muslim attackers arrived at night. Finally, in May 1947, Varma’s parents decided to send their children to the city of Shimla, a place in the foothills of the Himalayas where they would go on vacation. Just 15 at the time, Varma packed only a few items, figuring she would be back in a few weeks. Her parents followed soon after. They had no idea they would never see their home again. After 1947, it became clear that it was unthinkable for him to return to Rawalpindi. “My parents had left everything behind and suffered very badly,” he said. “For years, my parents thought we would come back.” Rina waves from her childhood balcony. Photo: Reuters Stranded without a home, with all their belongings and money left behind, Varma’s family eventually moved to Pune, Maharashtra. As the years passed, she began to yearn for her home and often thought about finding a way to return. But with no connection left in Rawalpindi, and not knowing if her house was still standing, she moved on with her life. He married and had two children, although he “always felt something was missing.” But Varma’s life was about to change after she joined a Facebook group called the India-Pakistan Heritage Club. She wrote a speculative post about her old house in Rawalpindi, detailing its location and nearby landmarks, asking if anyone could help locate it. Another member in Rawalpindi took up the task and sent her a message: he had found her old house, which, miraculously, was still standing. It took two rejected applications before Varma’s case reached the ears of Pakistan’s foreign minister and she was granted a visa. In July, he crossed the border for the first time in 75 years. Graphic Varma was not prepared for the fanfare that greeted her arrival. Drumming and singing accompanied her as she walked down her old lane and dozens of residents flocked to greet her, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I have no words to express how I felt,” she said. “Everything went very smoothly and there was such a warm welcome when I got there. And I couldn’t believe the house was in such perfect condition.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. He added: “People talk about India and Pakistan as separate, but when you go there, you get so much respect, such gracious hospitality. Their hospitality is one you will never forget.” The family that now lives in the house put her up for the night. There was, however, a sadness as he passed through the rooms and stood on the balcony. “I missed my family so much. I wish as much as anything they could have been there.” Reena Varma: “I couldn’t believe the house was in such good condition.” Photo: Reuters It was also an emotional journey for Imran Williams, who set up the India-Pakistan Heritage Club Facebook page and was there to greet Varma when she arrived in Rawalpindi. “It was like touring my grandmother in her ancestral home,” Williams said. “I would never be able to take my grandmother back to her ancestral home before she dies and it breaks my heart. I try to fulfill this duty by helping others, showing them their home, their village and their roots.” Varma said she hopes her trip will serve as an example to the governments of India and Pakistan about the importance of putting aside their political differences and allowing others to travel across the border. “My view is that after 75 years, we should not continue to talk about partition, we should forget these divisions,” he said. “People are very, very loved on both sides and on both sides people are desperate to meet.”
