A family photograph that endured 115 Years, borders, and generations

This photograph is probably the oldest in our family photo albums. Taken around 1911, it shows my great-grandfather, Kartar Singh Dugal — whom the family called Bauji — standing on the left. He was about 18–20 years old. His father, my great-great-grandfather, Soba Singh Dugal, a stoic figure, is seated in the middle, and leaning on him from the right is Bauji’s younger brother — around ten years younger — my great-granduncle, Raghubir Singh Dugal. The photograph was most likely taken in Rawalpindi, about 80 km from our ancestral village, Syed Kasran (both now in Pakistan).

A supernatural legacy

On one such general visit to Imphal (Princely state Manipur’s capital), during the 1930s, he was informed that the queen of Manipur was quite sick, and the King – Maharaja Churachand’s staff were looking for a healer. My grandfather was roped in, only to find himself cornered with a conundrum : if his queen healed, the Maharaja would reward my grandfather; if she did not, he would be beheaded.