Our Grandmother Karam Devi

             Smt. Karam Devi (1900 - 1985) 

This picture was taken on family travels to Karachi in 1946 

Our grandmother, birth named 'Sadori Bai' in Sindhi, hailed from a small town called Shikarpur, Sindh. Her family, craftsmen of artificial stone and colorful threads jewelry, faced poverty. Circumstances led to my grandfather Sh Bhagwan Das remarrying due to familial pressures, especially from his sisters, Kishori Bai and Jamuna Bai.

Lala Bhagwan Dass 1875-1920

Our grandfather, having two daughters from his previous marriage, succumbed to the societal norm where only the mother determined a child's gender identity. Sadly, my step-grandmother faced bias and pressure from society. To alleviate this, the two sisters orchestrated the marriage of a 17-year-old girl Sadori Bai to my 41-year-old grandfather Lala Bhagwan Das who was an acting Office Superintendent at District and Session Court in Multan, a southern district of Punjab

As was customary, her name changed from Sadori Bai to Karam Bai/Devi after her marriage. 'Sadori,' meaning a sweet messenger, symbolized the fortunate message bearer from Shikarpur, Sindh, to the descendent of Bhai Nand Lal family in Multan. Appropriately, she was renamed Karam Devi, signifying a goddess of Fortune who did bring us mountain of fortunes for our family.

Sardar Vasdev Singh



Sardar Inderjit Singh

Karam Devi blessed the family with a healthy boy named Vasdev on August 14, 1919. The affluent family celebrated by distributing alms and blankets to the city's poor. However, my grandfather's sudden demise followed, leaving her to raise their sons, Vasdev and posthumously born Inderjit in 1921, amid legal and social challenges in acquiring her late husband's wealth and agricultural property.

Despite these difficulties, she worked tirelessly to raise her sons. She was hardly addressed by her actual name but teased her as ‘Shikarpurni’. Family members including near and dear living in Mohalla Aghapura Multan never had sympathy for orphan lady from outside. This was the main reason when approached, she gladly accepted the marriage proposals for her two sons from amongst the family. This action made her strengthen her feet there and manage the wealthy assets of her deceased husband with the help of growing sons. Her determination and resilience seemed admirable which we realize it today.

Her journey after country’s partition led her to live independently in a new village called Badbar, erstwhile District Sangrur Punjab. She loved to live alone bravely while her sons frequently visited alternatively. 

In the twilight of her life, when our uncle and her younger son, S. Inderjit Singh, a dedicated lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, relocated her to his home in Chandigarh due to her deteriorating health, he became her unwavering caregiver. Despite the dearth of medical resources and nursing facilities at that time, S. Inderjit Singh selflessly devoted himself to her care. He tirelessly attended to her diminishing health, undertaking all aspects of hands-on care such as dressing, bathing, maintaining continence, and ensuring her hygiene. His commitment was unyielding, even though it was immensely taxing for an elderly individual like him.

Her Death Certificate from Dept of Health, Chandigarh Administration. The historic evidence as submitted by my dear cousin and buddy Roop Kapoor (S. Tarlochan Singh) eldest son of uncle S. Inderjit Singh.

Remarkably, uncle S Inderjit Singh chose to share his living space with her, staying by her side, serving her needs, and sharing meals in the same room until her final breath on July 13, 1985. His dedication and sacrifice in the face of her declining health stand as a testament to his profound love and commitment to her well-being.

Way back in 1954 at Chhota Shimla. 

Upon her passing after a brief illness, she left behind two sons, two daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. Her memory remains a cherished part of our lives, and we hold her departed soul in our thoughts, wishing her eternal peace.

We shall never be able to repay for the sacrifices she did for us, a single helpless women.