Reena Varma was welcomed with much fanfare as she danced to the beat of dhol (a traditional drum played in India and Pakistan) and showered with floral petals in front of a big crowd that converged to see her.
She revealed to Pakistani media that she was barely 15 when she had to leave the house built by her father – an employee of the Military Accounts in the British Indian Army.
Recalling vivid memories of growing up in the house, Varma said: “We had a radio and a gramophone in those days. I used to sing from the balcony of our house, especially when it rained.”
Varma has urged both India and Pakistan to ease their visa rules to enable people from either side to meet frequently.
“I would urge the new generation to work together and make things easy,” she said, adding that humanity is above everything and all religions taught humanity," according to Pakistani daily Dawn.
Spreading a message of peace and love, Varma said, "Because these are neighboring countries, everyone should live together. Our culture is the same, so is everything else — everyone wants to unite, wants to live with love.
The overwhelming story of Varma has touched millions of netizens, who have demanded that travel restrictions between India and Pakistan be relaxed.
Some social media users said such a step would enable others from India and Pakistan who had to leave their homes during the partition to visit their ancestral homes across the border.
Netizens react to heartwarming story of 90-year-old Indian woman who returns to her ancestral home in Pakistan after 75 years of partition
© Photo : Twitter
"Moving and inspiring story. So much hype about one individual’s visit. This should be the norm, so ordinary that it stops making the news," one user tweeted.
Netizens react to heartwarming story of 90-year-old Indian woman who returns to her ancestral home in Pakistan after 75 years of partition
© Photo : Twitter
Her visit to Pakistan and related formalities were facilitated by Imran William, the administrator of the Facebook page "India Pakistan Heritage Club."