In August 1947, the Nath family fled Lahore with nothing but their lives. They left behind generations of wealth, a center of intellectual thought, and the only home they had ever known. This is their story.
Life Before Partition
Before the tragedy of 1947, Punjab was the crown jewel of British India. Lahore, its capital, was known as the "Paris of the East" — a cosmopolitan city where Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh communities had lived together for centuries.
In 1905, Rai Bahadur Mul Raj purchased a bungalow in Lahore that he named "Willows." It wasn't just a family home — it became an intellectual center where the brightest minds of Punjab gathered. Here, the future of India was debated, institutions were conceived, and movements were born.
The Arya Samaj Connection
Rai Bahadur Mul Raj was a leading figure in the Arya Samaj movement founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati. This reformist organization championed education for all, women's rights, and a return to Vedic principles while rejecting casteism.
The Lahore Arya Samaj became a crucible for nationalist ideas, producing leaders who would shape India's freedom struggle. Mul Raj's wife, Goma Devi, ran a Widows Home and Orphanage, providing shelter and education to those society had abandoned.
"This was a life of prosperity, purpose, and deep roots — a family at the center of Punjab's transformation. All of it would be left behind in a single night."
August 1947: The Crisis
As the British withdrew and the subcontinent was carved into India and Pakistan, communal violence erupted across Punjab. Lahore, which would fall to Pakistan, became a killing field. Hindu and Sikh families were targeted for their property and their faith.
Dr. Prem Nath, Mul Raj's son, overheard neighbors plotting to kill the family and seize their assets. In the chaos of Partition, such murders were common — and went unpunished.
The Escape
"We have one night. Get everyone out."
— Dr. Prem Nath to Air Marshal Ajit NathThey left with nothing but their lives. "Willows" was seized. All family lands were abandoned. Generations of accumulated wealth — gone. But the family survived. And somehow, the manuscript survived too.
Rebuilding in Hyderabad
The family's journey didn't end with escape. Landing in an unfamiliar city, they had to rebuild everything from scratch. Dr. Upender Nath, who had trained in the finest medical traditions, eventually became the Royal Surgeon to the Nizam of Hyderabad.
His son, Dr. Rabinder Nath, would continue the family's legacy of service through dentistry and social work. The values instilled at "Willows" — service, education, compassion — survived the journey from Lahore to Hyderabad.
The Legacy Continues
The book that Rai Bahadur Mul Raj had been writing — "The Beginning of Punjabi Nationalism" — was delayed by 28 years due to the upheaval. But it was eventually published, preserving the story of Punjab's reform movements and the family's role in shaping modern India.
Today, the Dr. Rabinder Nath Foundation carries forward the spirit of service that began at "Willows" over a century ago. The free chai counters serving Hyderabad's homeless connect directly to Goma Devi's work at the Widows Home in Lahore.
"The book survived. The story survived. And the spirit of service continues — connecting 1893 to today, proving that principles transcend tragedy and time."