Sanjeev Jha, Purnia
77 years have passed since the country’s independence and its first partition. In these years, one generation became old, one generation became middle-aged and one generation became young. The fourth generation is strolling as a child. Despite this, the pain buried in the chest of the people of the colony is not decreasing. This pain becomes more painful when the people of the colony hear the groan of a pregnant woman in labor pain in the dark night. Before the rains come, people make a vow to their village deity that no one falls ill in this season. There is no scope for education, so they are not worried about it. They just keep trying to stay alive somehow. The basic purpose of life is to sweat in the fields and manage to fill your stomach every morning and evening with the little income earned from it. We are talking about Pakistan Tola of Purnia district. This settlement is located in Singhia Panchayat, about 10-12 kilometers away from Srinagar block headquarters. There is also a Muslim population around this tribal dominated Pakistan Tola. In such a situation, along with Diwali, Eid is also celebrated here. Tribal society celebrates Karma, Sarhul, Tusu as well as other Hindu festivals with great pomp and show. Especially a big event is organized on Shri Krishna Janmashtami.
sting of problems
On August 15, 1947, along with the joy of independence, the country also suffered the pain of partition. At the same time, a large number of people settled in the area of Pakistan came to India and settled wherever they found shelter. Similarly, some people came and settled on the banks of Kari Kosi river flowing next to Singhia Panchayat. At that time, the old residents of this area started calling their settlement as Pakistan Tola and the people settled in the settlement as Pakistanis. He never felt bad about it. Because of this, there was never any dispute about them being Pakistani or that settlement being called Pakistan. There is no dispute even today. But the problem is regarding basic facilities and very low standard of living. In this regard, the people of Pakistan Tola say that now there are no Pakistanis living here. Now only those families and members of the society live there, who were completely part of India and are still living there. But they are still struggling with problems.
Basti: at a glance
- Tap water scheme: No
- Anganwadi Centre: No
- Paved road: No
- Unpaved Road: Available
- How is the road: single lane
- Electricity: Available
- Nala: No
- School: 3 km away
- Hospital: 10 km away
- Market: 3 km away
- Job Card: Not everyone has
We want the name of the colony to be Birsa Nagar: Jaddu
Jaddu Tuddu, a resident of Pakistan Tola, says that at the time of independence, some refugees from Pakistan had come and settled here. For this reason people call this settlement Pakistan Tola. He had heard this from his grandfather. In later days, all those refugees left from here, but the name of the settlement did not change. Then his grandfather came and settled here. Since then their community has settled here. This entire colony belongs to tribals. Now we have started to feel that this name of the settlement is the only reason for basic facilities not being restored here. This is a settlement of about 25 houses. All belong to the working class, but not all have a job card. If someone needs a hospital in case of illness or delivery, they have to take a tempo or take them on a cot to Srinagar Primary Health Center. The name of the settlement is Pakistan Tola on land, Aadhar card, ration card and other documents. Now people want its name to be Birsa Nagar. They demanded this at every level. Some people from outside also helped in changing the name. But nothing happened. Even today he is where he was. In the name of development, there is nothing here except electricity and bridge construction which came only a few years ago.
Only Kaleshar passed matriculation, everyone else has a spade in their hands: Ganesh
Ganesh Besra, a resident of Pakistan Tola, says, ‘We are not educated. How to study, there is not even a school here. There was no one in the village who could teach us. Kaleshar Besra is from the same village, who had a passion for studies and was somehow able to pass matriculation. All the rest of the people are living their life relying on plough, bullock and hoe. We suffer more during rainy days. Roads and fields become one and the same. But in case of any kind of problem, one has to come out.
This colony has been neglected by its own name: Raju
Social worker Rajesh Kumar Mandal alias Raju Mandal, a resident of Singhia Panchayat of Singhia Panchayat, says that even after 77 years of independence, the light of development has not reached Pakistan Tola. 100 percent population of this hamlet belongs to Scheduled Castes and Tribes. There is neither a good road to reach there nor a school for the children. The distance from the hamlet to the school and primary health center is more than two and a half kilometers. The primary health center at the Panchayat headquarters is only in name, where there are neither doctors nor medicines. He depends only on one nurse. Even for daily needs one has to go two kilometers to Singhiya Haat. It becomes difficult to leave the village during the rainy season. During rainy days, people spend months eating doka, snails and sattu. No block officer goes there. It seems that Pakistan Tola is still suffering the sting of its name.
The fragrance of harmony smells on this ‘LOC’
One is the Line of Control (country’s border) between Srinagar and Pakistan, from where only news of bombs and deaths is heard. There is a need to take inspiration from this battlefield situated between Srinagar and Pakistan, where the fragrance of harmony also smells. Even though its name is Rangah i.e. ‘place of war’, whatever activity took place here till date has been giving the message of love. The activities are also so interesting that everyone would like to know about them. Every year, on the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, a grand one-day rural fair is organized in the triangular battlefield. On this occasion, local artists organize plays here throughout the night. The immersion procession starts the next day. Similarly, the first day of Moharram takes place here, where people from villages like Srinagar, Fariyani, Baluwahi, Uprail etc. arrive with Tajiya. A fair is organized on this day also. The special thing is that often the kissing of the entire tazia (by women with grass, paddy etc.) takes place at the doors of every house of the Hindu society, only after this the tazia leaves for the battlefield. Devanand Singh, a villager of Ufrail, says that it is not known since when Janmashtami and Pahalam are being organized on this ground. But somewhere it is the contribution of this ground that in our society everyone comes together and organizes every event. Those people who think of enmity should learn from this ground of ours.
Graveyard of Hindus on one side of the field, Muslim graveyard on the other side
There is a graveyard of Hindus at one corner of the battlefield. Here the dead bodies of a particular caste of Hindus are buried. However, recently cremation has also started taking place here. At a short distance to the west of the ground, there is a graveyard of Muslim followers. There is a temple of Lord Krishna on one corner of the ground, and Idgah on the other side. Children study in Idgah and various events take place.