I am neither from Bhera nor have studied there. My sister was married in Bhera in 1943. I visited Bhera several times before and after the Partition. Now
I am 82, and living in Rawalpindi. My friend’s son, Zahid Mumtaz met me and asked me about my reminiscence of Bhera. My eyesight has gone weak, but I was fascinated to see the old pictures of Bhera. They reminded me of the youth days I spent in Bhera.
I have vivid recollections of Bhera. I still remember in the evenings, I used to watch the game of tennis. There was a tennis court in the compound of the Municipal Committee, Bhera. Dr Mangle Sain Vora, two MBBS doctors and a gentleman by the name of Bali, I do not remember his actual name, were regular members. I wonder if the tennis court is still there?
A few other things which I remember are: below the Tebba outside Sheikhanwala Mohallah there used to be Nachu ka Akhara. In the evenings there was a big gathering. People from far-flung areas visited. A renowned Siniasi named Imam Ali lived in Mohallah Shiekhanwala. A weekly newspaper Durra was published by Mir Shaib. Aziz tailor was well known and was an expert in stitching coasts and Achkans. His shop was located in Bazaar Dalgaran. Mulana Gulzar was the leader of Jamat-e-Islami. Sikhs on tongas played the harmonium and celebrated their festival – Gurpurab. Ghulam Rasul was the leader of Julias who lived near Chirri Chog Darwaza. Among the writers were Abu Shaheen Faruqi, his friend Babar, and Shamim Bhervi who later settled in Peshawar. I do not remember the names of others.
The Hakims of Bhera were well known in the sub-continent. The names of few I remember: Hakims from Sheikhupurian including the descended of Hakim Allah Din, Hakim Muhammad Din, Hakim Molvi Mian Shah Muhammad, Hakim Ahmed Ali, Hakim Irani from Mohallah Sahniawala, Hakim Barkaat Ahmed Bugvi from Mohallah Imli Wala, Hakim Sultan Mehmood, Hakim Afzal Gondal etc. I may have missed the names of some significant hakims.
There was a lot of politics in those days in Bhera. I remember the names of a few politicians I saw in Bhera i.e. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Jawal Lal Nehru, Atta Ullah Jahania, Sohlwardy, Ranjha, Sheikh Fazal Haq Piracha, Sir Sikandar Hayat, Mumtaz Doltana, Feroze Khan Noon etc.
A few more things I have covered in my Urdu article “Bhera jo aik sehar tha”.
Note: Dr Rashid Nisar passed away on 21 January 2013, aged 86 (born on 15 August 1927). May Allah Almighty bless his soul! Ameen. His article , “Bhera jo aik sehar tha”. on Bhera is given on the website: bhera.org. https://bhera.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=1218&action=edit.For more information about Dr Rashid Nisar, see Wikipedia.
Zahid Mumtaz
