Going Home to Lahore, and a World Left Behind

Parag Khanna

Thanks for this article. I am a sukker for Nostalgia. This does not cost anything and releases some good chemicals into the body.

nhk

Chowk-staff,

I wonder when enough is enough? The same story is repeated over and over again - families driven out of their homeland because of partition want to see the land of their forefathers after six decades, go to Pakistan, Saidan Shah, Lahore, Badshahi Masjid, ``Jinde Lahore nahin Dekheya o janmeya nahin``, concession to Indian visitors, Wagah ceremony, Ketas Raj... The fact that this one is not written by a Chowk regular adds insult to injury. And why is the visit to food street missing from these memoirs?

Is someone visiting Karachi, Delhi, Agra, Peshawar, Bangalore, Kolkatta or Mumbai? Please do and post something, anything, if only do remind the Chowk staff that there is a word called excess in English language.

Thank you for a very simple and uncomplicated report.

But in context with the last line, what`s the tragedy?

Chances are that if the Partition of 1947 had not happened, your family would have still been in or around Lahore. On the other hand, thanks to 1947, you are now in Umrika. And writing for the NYT, no less.

And the other query I have is this:- why was Partition not discussed in your family? Why was it a subject not to be brought up?

Please forgive me for asking these very personal questions, but I hope you will appreciate that they are relevant.

veeresh

Diwali is the Hindu New Year ???

Glad that you had an overall positive experience.