Dhona da Ghara is a small rectangular-shaped mohalla located almost in the centre of the Walled City, Bhera having nine gates. The general alignment of the wall was the present-day Circular Road. We
In the north of Dhona da Ghara is Mohalla Gandianwala, in the west Bazaar Dalgaran, in the south Jhugiwala Bazaar, Chaantianwali Masjid, an old small temple and Imam Kot ( old Gurdwara ), and in the east mohallas, Hattaranwala and Gondianwala.
Before Partition in 1947, Dhana da Ghara was a purely Hindu mohalla comprising 29 small, medium, and large houses. Three big houses are still open in the street, from Imam Kot to Mohallas, Gondianwala, Gandianwala, and Nagianwala. ( See sketch for the layout of houses) .
Prof Dr. Gian Sarup (late) belonged to Bhera. He was born in Mohalla Dhona da Ghara on 3 March 1933 and passed away on 12 June 2015 in DeKalb, Chicago, USA, aged 82.
Srup earned Ph. D., in Sociology from Pennsylvania State University, USA. He served as a sociology Prof at Northern Illinois University ( NIU) from 1972 until his retirement in 2000. He was a member of the American Sociological Association and the American Psychological Association. He chaired the Department of Sociology for six years, specializing in Social Psychology, attitude change, and research methods. See Wikipedia for more information about him, his publications, and his articles.
At fourteen Gian Sarup left Bhera forever, but he had fond and vivid memories of his birthplace, which he remembered till his death. He shared some of them with me. He was also a writer of English, Hindi, and Urdu literature. He wrote a comprehensive article on educational institutions of Bhera, established by Hindus, with emphasis on Kirpa Ram Anglo-Sanskrit High School, Bhera ( presently Government Girls Higher Secondary School ), an article on Hindus’ exodus from Bhera in 1947 to India ( three parts), etc. Probably, these articles were translated into Urdu by the locals of Bhera. His Urdu Afsanas was published in an Urdu magazine from Bhera, “Nala – e – Dil” by Mirza Shabbir Bhervi. If interested to read these may be shared.
A few pictures of Mohalla Dhona da Ghara, sketches, and a photo of Gian Sarup are shared.
To be continued ……
Zahid Mumtaz
