About the Book

This partition was not just the division of a country but the division of the body, mind, and hopes of every person. It fractured the souls of all women, like my mother, who left their homes forever with their husbands, holding their children close. They left behind their mothers and their motherland forever. No one knew where they were headed or in which direction. They only knew they were Indians, going to India. They departed with beautiful dreams of a new country, but who knew that this journey would be their last? They would never return to their birthplace or meet anyone from there again. Within just six years of leaving the country, my father died prematurely, and my mother found herself lost in a dense forest with her children.

Sita Mata’s exile lasted only 14 years, but my mother’s exile was lifelong. Sita had her husband and brother-in-law with her, but my mother had no one. When Sita was exiled again, Valmiki Muni supported her like a father, but my mother was aided only by some villagers who pitied her, seeing her as helpless with orphaned children. In the end, Sita Mata, overwhelmed by pain, chose to end her life, but my mother did not. Sita’s children found a father, but my mother’s children had no one to support them. My mother must have considered leaving this world, but her love for us held her back. Sita Mata had lost her courage, but my mother never did. Sita left her children, but my mother never abandoned us. That’s why my mother was more patient, hardworking, and fearless than Sita Mata.

About the Author