Page 45 - Train to Pakistan

two rows silently going through their genuflections. In the gurdwara, Meet

Singh, sitting beside the Book which was folded up in muslin on a cot, was
reciting the evening prayer. Five or six men and women sat in a semicircle
around a hurricane lantern and listened to him.

Iqbal went straight to his room and lay down on his charpai in the dark. He
had barely shut his eyes when the worshippers began to chant. The chanting
stopped for a couple of minutes, only to start again. The ceremony ended with

shouts of ‘Sat Sri Akal’ and the beating of a drum. The men and women came
out. Meet Singh held the lantern and helped them find their shoes. They started
talking loudly. In the babel the only word Iqbal could make out was ‘babu’.

Somebody who had noticed Iqbal come in, had told the others. There was some
whispering and shuffling of feet and then silence.
Iqbal shut his eyes once more. A minute later Meet Singh stood on the

threshold, holding the lantern.
‘Iqbal Singhji, have you gone to bed without food? Would you like some
spinach? I have also curd and buttermilk.’

‘No, thank you, Bhaiji. I have the food I want.’
‘Our poor food …’ started Meet Singh.
‘No, no, it is not that,’ interrupted Iqbal sitting up, ‘it is just that I have it and

it may be wasted if I don’t eat it. I am a little tired and would like to sleep.’
‘Then you must have some milk. Banta Singh, the lambardar, is bringing you
some. I will tell him to hurry up if you want to sleep early. I have another

charpai for you on the roof. It is too hot to sleep in here.’ Meet Singh left the
hurricane lantern in the room and disappeared in the dark.

The prospect of having to talk to the lambardar was not very exciting. Iqbal
fished out his silver hip flask from underneath the pillow and took a long swig of
whisky. He ate a few dry biscuits that were in the paper packet. He took his
mattress and pillow to the roof where a charpai had been laid for him. Meet

Singh apparently slept in the courtyard to guard the gurdwara.
Iqbal lay on his charpai and watched the stars in the teeming sky until he

heard several voices entering the gurdwara and coming up the stairs. Then he got
up to greet the visitors.
‘Sat Sri Akal, Babu Sahib.’
‘Salaam to you, Babu Sahib.’

They shook hands. Meet Singh did not bother to introduce them. Iqbal pushed