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).

“I am a refugee in love!”

This is a photograph of my paternal grandparents Kewal Krishan Puri and Reva Puri whom I call Dadu and Granny, taken at the Bombay Photo Stores Pvt. Ltd Studio in Calcutta, (Kolkata), West Bengal. My granny’s maiden name was Barbara Dorothy Reynolds, and my Dadu was devoted to her. This is their love story.