Barmer: For Babri Bai, life was never the same after the 1965 war between India and Pakistan.
Married into Sindh at 16, she crossed over to Barmer during the war, just a month after her husband died. Little did she know that the border would be sealed.
Many years after 80-year-old Babri Bai lost hope of ever hearing from her family in Pakistan, she received a letter, pictures and a tape from them, asking her to come back and see them at least once.
Today, as she listens to the taped voices of her family in Pakistan, memories of the time she spent in Pakistan come gushing back.
With the news of the Thar Express, which is to run between Pakistan and India through Khokrapar-Munabao, hope chugged into Babri Bai's life. It's one ride she doesn't want to miss.
"I'll be on the train and get off at my in-laws house. It's been such a long time. I'll meet my loved ones and they're all waiting for me, I know they'll all welcome me with all their heart," she says.
But her children say the procedure of getting a visa and a passport for her is just too complicated for them. Besides, for a poor family like theirs, making numerous visits to Delhi for the Visa is next to impossible.
Babri Bai's grandson, Mangu Khan, says, "Where will we get the visa from? Where will we go? We do not have money, my grandmother wants to go but I do not know what to do?"
There is a dim chance that Babri Bai will ever make it to the train to Pakistan.
(With Sushil Kumar)
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