Pak Hindus seek roots in Anand,wish to extend their visas by a year

“People back in our town in Pakistan have to live with constant fear of theft and loot. It’s not just Hindus,but Muslims too are being targeted,with little help coming from police or politicians. We have sold off all that we owned before we came here,” Kumar said.

Kumar is here with his wife,children and father-in-law. His father stays back in Sanghar town where he owns a grocery shop. Raja Kutchhi,Kumar’s maternal cousin,has come here with his wife and children. Kumar’s great-grandfather had settled in Sindh province before Partition.

One of his grandfather’s cousins,who lived in Kutch,migrated to Anand’s Gopalpura village some five decades ago in search of a better life.

Kumar said their relatives in Kutch were not financially well-off enough to host them. “Our great-grandfather migrated from Kutch to Sindh in Pakistan before Partition to meet his sister and decided to stay back as life back home was hard. Some other relatives also migrated in search of a better life. But they all now cherish the desire to come back to India sooner or later,” he said.

Sarpanch Mafat Patel said the villagers were initially shocked to see the large number of visitors. “We have no issues hosting them for a few more months,” he said.