Synopsis "Mother of Broken India: A Biography of Harbans Kaur (1913-1999) (in English)"
An epic life story of a young mother whose journey begins happily married in a comfortable home, to being stranded in a refugee camp having lost her country, her ancestral home and her husband, the love of her life, due to the breakup of India in the 1940s.In 1947 a new country, Pakistan, was created by partitioning India to divide people on the basis of their religion. As a result, a young mother with eight children and millions of others like her became personae non gratae in their own country simply because of their religious beliefs. Over a million innocent people were killed in the sectarian violence that followed. Mother of Broken India follows the journey of a young family fleeing across India in one of the biggest mass migrations in modern history, and the heart-rending struggle of a young mother to provide for her young family through poverty and political turmoil.From the chaotic conditions of the family's escape from Pakistan to the challenges of settling in their new home, this book chronicles Harbans Kaur's courage, resilience and selflessness. Despite the terrible loss of her husband, she overcame her personal strife and sought to help those in need. After moving to England later in her life, she continued her community work whilst her children, in whom she had instilled her values, reached successes in their chosen fields around the world.This is a story of tragedy and hardship, but it is also a story of how these can be overcome with grace, kindness and perseverance. It pays tribute to the leaders of India who opted for a secular and democratic India where everyone is equal under the constitution regardless of their race, religion or gender. As a result, India has become a positive force in the world and her people are respected throughout the world for their values - the same values that Harbans Kaur held tightly onto and instilled in others throughout her journey.This book is a companion volume of Don't Break Up India, the story of the martyrdom of Harbans Kaur's husband, Shaheed Sardar Nanak Singh, during the partition of India in 1947.
