150-year-old diary scripts reunion story

Khooddun had left his home in Adampur Akbar village in Jaunpur district way back in 1882 for South Africa to work as an indentured labourer. He never came back. He took one of his sons, Wali Mohd who, too, never returned with him and left the other in India.

Since then it was for the first time this June 17 when Wali Mohd8217;s son A R Abrahim, along with his grandson Ismail Abrahim, visited UP to pick up the threads of their lost familial connections. 8220;It has been possible only because of this diary in which my great great grandfather jotted down every little detail of his life,8221; Abrahim said.

8220;I never met my great great grandfather, but when I hold his diary I feel an instant bonding with him,8221; he said. Abrahim, a retired auto technician, is now into export and import business in South Africa.

No one in the family was allowed to touch the diary that had detail 8212; from the trivial like lending five pounds to someone just on a handshake promise to the vital like births and deaths in the family 8212; about Khooddun8217;s life.

Abrahim was 21 when he lost his father. He thanked his stars for being the luckiest among three brothers and two sisters to have got the possession of this precious diary.

A search started in South Africa itself where Abrahim and his son went to University of Kua-Zulu Naal that has a museum housing records and references of migrants.

After getting details about Khooddun, Abrahim contacted the UP Tourism officials and got registered with it to avail their services under the scheme, Discover Your Roots.

On June 17, Abrahim visited Adampur Akbar village in to meet the family of Khooddun8217;s other son.

After meeting the family members of his father8217;s cousin, an overwhelmed Abrahim said he would now bring his whole family here.