When historical events shape a life

She does not recall her exact birthdate or year, but clearly remembers the multiple geopolitical events that shaped her life over the years. Gouri Choudhry was born in Chittagong in undivided Bengal to a progressive family. She remembers that there was no communal discomfort regarding guests at the house. Anyone from any community was welcome. Even at that time, her grandfather was enthusiastic about women’s education and wanted to live in a town to ensure educational opportunities for his grand daughters. Despite their wanting her to get educated, however, life had other plans. 

The Second World War had a huge impact on her family’s life. They had to escape from the bombing raids, for which they went to the village home. She remembers that her aunt, who was studying in Kolkata joined a revolutionary group and was almost caught by the police. 

Even though she was earlier attending school, given the situation of the time, she was tutored from home. During this time, she learned many things about the revolutionaries and freedom fighters at the time. Recalling about her school days, Choudhry says that she had to discontinue since the school moved to Dhaka during the war and she was not allowed to go there. The war continued to affect her life indirectly even after she was married in 1946, since she was married to a doctor, who was working in the Burmese refugee camps in Chittagong.

Then came the partition, and they had to move to Kolkata in 1948. It is here that Choudhury completed her schooling. Life moved her on, and she soon relocated with her husband to Bihar, where he was working. Her maternal as well as husband’s family, however, stayed back in East Pakistan. She went to visit her parents and in-laws in 1953 for the last time.

The war of 1971 brought more strife to the family. It was during this time that her father was killed. Her mother, sister, and brother escaped the killings and took refuge to a village. To survive, they used to stay in the forests during the day and come back to the village after it was dark. While her mother and sister moved to India for their safety during the war, they went back after the establishment of Bangladesh. Her brother still lives in Bangladesh with his family.

The original version of this article was initially published in The 1947 Partition Archive 

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