We send you our love. I hope you are well by the grace of God. We are also well. You must be wondering why your father has not come to take you. But don’t worry. Due to some difficulties I have not been able to come. Very soon, I will come and take you. You must not be sad. Eat well and study properly. Respect your teachers and consider Cha Mu as your mother. We felt very bad that you were not here during the puja. We missed you. We did not go anywhere to watch the puja. We have not bought any new clothes. When you come …’

Ho Yin’s sobs touched all present as if this was not his letter alone but a letter from everyone’s fathers. All the boarders started crying.

In another room, teacher Chiang Chi Chien sat quietly with a letter in his hand. His eyes were shadowed with immense sorrow. The letter was from his new wife, who was supposed to come to Makum shortly from China. Everything had turned upside down because of the war. He read the letter again.

‘I haven’t received word from you for a long time. I am worried about you. Don’t worry about us. Write soon. We are all fine. Everyone keeps asking me, “When will he come?” I go to work in the fields every day. I also do the housework. Everyone loves me. But I feel sad that you are not here. When will you come?’

Chiang Chi Chien tried to compose himself when his colleagues entered the room.

‘You look sad. Whose letter is it?’ one of his colleagues asked.

‘It is from my wife. I don’t know what I should do.’

‘Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. But be careful what you write. I think the letters are censored.’

‘Yes. That’s true. The Indian government suspects us. It feels terrible.’

‘They may not. These things happen during a war. There might be some bad people amongst us. In a way, it is good that they censor the letters. They will know what we are doing.’

‘Headmaster says we should meet Ho Chang Ho and see if some arrangement can be made to send the children home,’ said another colleague.

The procession organized by the PSP and other organizations was approaching the school at that time. Perplexed, Cha Mu quickly locked the school gate and returned. One could never tell when it might turn into a mob. She hurriedly took the children indoors.

‘Down with aggressor China! Down! Down! Down! Down!’

‘Get ready to save the country! Get ready! Get ready!’

‘Chow Mao murdabad!’

‘Nehru zindabad!’