On a sunny July afternoon, Reena Verma walked through the winding lanes of Prem Gali Muhalla in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi as thrilled locals showered flowers, played drums and sang music in her honour.
The grandmother, 92, a small figure with a white bob haircut, looked in awe and disbelief as she reached the three-storey house where she was born and lived with her parents and five siblings until the Indian subcontinent was divided at the end of British rule in 1947.
There were uncertainties, but we thought we would come back. My mother was in disbelief that she couldn't go back even two years after the partition
Reena Verma
She visited each room and relived the memories of her upbringing in the house. She also spent a night in the room that was once hers.
It was the first time in 75 years that Ms Verma had stepped into the family home — now owned by a Pakistani Muslim in what became the Pakistani province of Punjab.
“It was a very emotional moment for me. I went to each room, even on the first floor and second floor. I could see my family roaming around. I could see the things that were kept on the mantlepiece,” Ms Verma told The National.
“I had mixed feelings because I was both happy and sad simultaneously. All of us had lived there together but I was there alone. We lived very well, all of us were fond of music and had gramophones and radios.”
Ms Verma was 15 years old and was on holiday in the Solan Valley in the Himalayas — currently part of India — at the end of colonial rule, a moment that marked the start of a tumultuous and bloody partition leading tens of millions to migrate on sectarian lines.
Her father, a British government employee, had arranged a regular holiday for Ms Verma and her three sisters in May. But this time they went to the Himalayan mountains as the situation was tense in their home state of Punjab, home to Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims.
She had packed some books, woollen clothes, marbles and dolls, and bid goodbye to her home with the hope to return in a few months.
But three months later in August when the British left and the subcontinent was divided into dominions of Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan, Ms Verma became a refugee.
In the chaos, fear and shock, Ms Verma and her sisters remained in newly born India.
Her books, clothes and dolls were her only possessions.
As sectarian riots raged in the region, millions of people were uprooted and mass migration ensued, with families leaving everything behind.
More than a million people are estimated to have died in the following months as trains filled with bodies arrived across the Radcliffe Line — their passengers massacred by fanatical mobs as they tried to cross the new border between the Indian and Pakistani portions of Punjab Province.
Ms Verma’s family fled their home to migrate to India where they reunited and settled with their daughters in a Himalayan town that is now part of India’s northern Himachal Pradesh. They then moved to Pune in western Maharashtra where her brother, who was in the army, had relocated.
“We never thought we were not coming back,” said Ms Verma. “There were uncertainties, but we thought we would come back. My mother was in disbelief that she couldn't go back even two years after the partition.
“We had nowhere to go as my father had already returned and his pension was very less. Whatever money we had, we had put in three banks and all three banks failed.”
Over the years, Ms Verma built a fulfilling life in India.
She completed her education, worked at the government's cottage industry department, got married, had children and grandchildren.
She participated in beauty contests and dance competitions and sang to her heart’s content.
But deep down, she yearned to see her ancestral home, at least once.
The relationship between India and Pakistan has remained frosty and the nuclear-armed rivals have fought three wars since independence.
“Life was very peaceful and happy and since we were children, it was a normal life. We used to go out for movies and travel to Lahore and other tourist places,” she said.
Visiting the rival nations remains a challenge for many like Ms Verma, as getting visas is difficult owing to political hostilities and deep-rooted suspicion between the two governments.
Ms Verma’s visa was rejected at first, but her dream finally came true in July with the help of Pakistan-based activists and journalists.
It happened after she joined an Indian-Pakistani heritage group on Facebook and wrote of her desire to visit her old home.
Ms Verma said her visit also highlighted the love and connection between the people of two countries that are sparring because of politics.
She urged their leaders to resolve their disputes and open their borders so that their citizens could meet each other.
“It has been decades and it is useless talking about the partition and the wrongdoings. The younger generation was not part of it,” she said.
“I am a survivor of partition and yet I am saying that both the governments must forget about the partition and make it easy for the young generation to meet and make future relations better.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (rated 95-108) US$125,000 2000m (Dirt).
Winner: Don’t Give Up, Gerald Mosse (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap (95 ) $160,000 2810m (Turf).
Winner: Los Barbados, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
7.40pm: Handicap (80-89) $60,000 1600m (D).
Winner: Claim The Roses, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (Div-1) Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D)
Winner: Gold Town, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Cape Verdi Group 2 $200,000 1600m (T).
Winner: Promising Run, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
9.25pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Conditions $100,000 1,400m (D).
Winner: El Chapo, Luke Morris, Fawzi Nass.
Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) Listed | $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) Conditions | $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
One-off T20 International: UAE v Australia
When: Monday, October 22, 2pm start
Where: Abu Dhabi Cricket, Oval 1
Tickets: Admission is free
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Company%20profile
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Name: Colm McLoughlin
Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
KINGDOM%20OF%20THE%20PLANET%20OF%20THE%20APES
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The six points:
1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences
2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it
4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow
5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided
6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
