A song that tells the story of family getting back together.
an arduous journey
christine hagar
christine phillips
christine phillips hagar
donna presnell
movie gala
movies without borders
Story behind the song
August 14, 1947 British-ruled India was partitioned into two separate countries,
India and Pakistan.
India got its independence the next day August 15, 1947.
Arjun was 10 years old at that time, the song speaks of Arjuns actual family.
Arjun, his father, his mother, and his two sisters.
Riots, looting, and killing in the streets was already a problem but became
much worse after the partition.
Millions of people started migrating either to Pakistan from India or to India from Pakistan. They traveled to their new homes however they could by foot, by bullock cart,
by train, by plain, as they made their attempts to go to safety, chaos ensued, people tried to avoid all matter of trouble by hiding in the darkness of the night in field or wherever else to try and stay alive and intact another day.
Due to all the danger, and millions of people running this way and that many families lost loved ones in the confusion.
Arjuns familyaa‚¬a„¢s attempt to cross the border was going well until they got to the plane to take Arjun and his family to India. His father was told that there was only one seat available on that plane and that was that. He could not send two daughters alone, or even his wife and one daughter, he had to make a more than difficult decision to send his son, who would have the best chance with some other relatives that were already on board the plane. His relatives agreed to take care of young Arjun if the rest of the family did not make it to safety in India.
The plane got them to India and to a refugee camp, Arjun and his relatives did whatever work they could get and did not rely on any government given rations.
Arjun would buy old newspapers and make them into paper bags.
In India these types of bags are still used today for small amounts of groceries.
They made a meager profit but it did buy enough wheat flour to make chapattis
(Indian bread) to be shared by all of the family. They could not go to school because they had to work and earn.
Arjun remembers the sorrowful gathering of thousands of people in Bikaner to mourn the death of Mahatma Gandhi, who was shot dead in the capital of India, Delhi .
(January 30, 1948)
For six months, they lived with rumors of brutal deaths and some safe escapes of the people trying to cross the borders. He remained sad and apprehensive throughout this period of separation from his parents and sisters.
The love and care he got from his relatives was phenomenal and helped him to stay in good spirits despite his fears of what could be.
In February, 1948 his parents and his sisters did part of their journey on foot, part on camel backs, and part in trains escaping slaughters.
By Gods Grace, they reached Kurukshetra refugee camp in India safely.
So, after six long months, came the happiest day, when he was able to see and hug his parents and sisters.
It was the happiest day of his life.
He had found his family that had been lost.
This is a true story of Arjun and his family.
I made the studio appointment for this song on maybe a Tuesday, which meant I was now firmly committed in taking this song to that studio.
I had been looking for a sister of mine I had lost track of for some time, and could not find her and was feeling like I never would locate her.
I thought her son has an unusual name, lets try this here ( in one more search engine) and his name came up. WOW, he was conversing with someone who was looking for me for my younger brother Gary, he and I had not seen each other in over 42 plus years.
The last time we saw each other he was 4 and I was 5.
During our brief childhood together we were very close, being we were only one year and one month apart, we were rather like a set of twins..
Our family suffered its losses for many reasons too long to list here, but also separated was an older sister whom I had never met before, and thought I never would meet.
Jackson Lloyd had been looking for me to help my brother Gary, and was going