Prakash Langeh Jamwal

Date of Birth: September 1924

Education: She can read and write Urdu, which she has learned from tuitions at home as it was not the tradition to send girls to school.

She was referred to affectionately by the Grand children as ‘Badi Amma’

Escape from Srinagar during the war of 1948: During the so called “Kabaili attack” of 1948. Capt Abhe Singh was serving the as part  J&K Regiment in Poonch stalling the Pakistani attack. Mrs Prakash Jamwal was stationed in Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar along with the other families of the state forces personnel. At that time she had only one son and one daughter. The daughter was with her grand mother in Chak Kripalpur, while the son was with her in Srinagar.

Some time in the evening there was an electricity failure, she sent the orderly “Bharto” (most probably Bharat Singh) to check for the cause of the failure. It seems that the Kabaili’s had captured the power station of Srinagar. The orderly came back with the news and suggested her to stay inside and keep the doors locked. At that moment a jeep arrived in which Capt Mubarak Singh (her brother) came and told her of the impending threat and told her to pack up and be ready to move as soon as possible, he would in the mean time arrange for transport for her.

She immediately packed up and packed up her luggage and prepared to leave. The Maharaja Hari Singh, who was also stationed in Srinagar was also leaving for jammu, hence all the families were to be evacuated to jammu. They started for jammu somewhere close to 8-9 in the evening. It was a convoy in which the Maharaja himself was traveling.

Some where close to Ramban (a place mid way between Srinagar and Jammu), they say the Indian Air Force planes (referred to as Nehru’s forces)going to Srinagar.

Mrs Prakash arrived in jammu and headed to her native village Chak Kripalpur. But on arrival there it was found that the villagers themselves were evacuating the village in view of the threat from the Pakistanis and moving to Jammu.

A muslim servant “Taju” of theirs arranged for transport to Jammu and himself left for Pakistan. It was rumored that beyond the chenab India will be formed and on the other side Pakistan. Hence it was imperative to cross the Akhnoor Bridge to get to India and safety. As she recollects, she has never later seen such a sea of humanity on that bridge after that day. It seems people from all the remote villages were moving to jammu from that bridge.

She along with the other members of the household arrived in Satwari Cantonment at a relatives place. The lady of the house served them for a  the few days till the situation stabilized and they could return to there village.

Threat fire to the house in Fattu Chogan, 1951: There was a chakki (mill) near the new house in Fattu Chogan owned by the Mia Dharam Singh. He was trying to grind daru (gun powder) in the mill. The whole mill exploded killing at least 5-6 people in the explosion. The was a huge fire which threaten to engulf the house, which at that point of time was only two rooms and a kitchen. Sh Prakash Devi was in the house along with Daughter Shakuntala, Rajindra and Raghuvir.