A village in Punjab. A legacy across continents.
THE KARMUWALA STORYHistory, family stories and memories from a village beside the Beas.
A place remembered. A story still unfolding.
On the banks of the Beas in Punjab, Karmuwala’s story lives in its land, its families and the memories carried far beyond the village.
The village
Walk through the village’s history, explore its photographs and discover the places that connect generations.
Browse village photographs · View the original road photograph
Family histories
Lives, records and connections preserved by Karmuwala’s families.
Interviews
People, memories and conversations from Karmuwala, in writing and on video.
Jaspal Singh
Sunder Singh’s grandson recalls his family’s homes and connections between Karmuwala, Punjab and Singapore.
Gurdayal Singh
A lifelong Karmuwala farmer, also known as Bhajan Singh, recalls village settlement, irrigation and Sunder Singh’s wells.
Naseeb Chand
A former sarpanch of Karmuwala and Gharka recalls village administration, local families and their shared history.
Unnamed Muslim elder
An unnamed interviewee from Karmuwala shares Muslim family memories of Partition and stories of life among neighbours.
Ajaib Singh
A Karmuwala elder recalls his upbringing and family lineage through Harnam Singh, Hazara Singh and Wadhawa Singh.
Gurbachan Singh Karmuwala
Introduced as an SGPC leader, Gurbachan reflects on Roor and Puran Singh’s family legacy and overseas connections.
Randeep Kaur & Kulwant Kaur
Teachers at Karmuwala’s Government Primary School discuss classroom life, village education and their hopes for the school’s future.
Ajit Singh & Major Singh
Army veteran Ajit Singh and Major Singh of Babo Ki Patti discuss village history, military memories and changing rural life.
Dalwag Singh & Meet Singh
Two Gharka residents share family memories, accounts of Karmuwala’s growth and reflections on village education.
Gurmel Singh
A history graduate explores Gharka and Karmuwala’s roots, offering his personal perspective on Sandhu ancestry and village life.
Gurbhej Singh & Inderjit Singh
Panchayat member Gurbhej Singh and Inderjit Singh, introduced as sarpanch, discuss village politics, community change and memories of 1984.
Dulha Singh & Ajmer Singh
Dulha Singh, an army veteran, appears with Ajmer Singh in a conversation about family roots and village life.
Surinder Singh
A lifelong Karmuwala farmer and son of Sardar Sadhu Singh reflects on riverbank farming, floods and family unity.
Rasal Singh
A lifelong Karmuwala resident shares local memories of Sunder Singh’s wells, haveli and enduring place in village history.
Baba Gurdev Singh
A longtime sevadar at Karmuwala’s gurdwara reflects on Sikh heritage, communal worship and the difficult years of the 1980s.
Historical maps
Explore the maps and place names behind the village’s history.
Punjab, 1835
“Keraiwalee”, shown near Harike and Dhun, is a possible identification of Karmuwala.
Read the map context
From a map copied by Sheikh Kadem Ali in 1835 from a survey done in 1835, it is possible that Keraiwalee in the top right refers to the Karmuwala village. Modern day Harike (Hurreeke) village is clearly visible and is a good reference point together with Doom (modern day Dhun village). Other reference points: Cumbo (Kambo Dhaiwala) and Chubba (Chamba Kalan)
Punjab, 1844
The map labels Gharka as “Goorka”, with Harike and Goindwal as nearby reference points.
Read the map context
The point labelled as Goorka in the middle clearly refers to the Gharka village. Modern day Harike (Hurreeke) village is clearly visible and is a good reference point together with Bhynee (Chola Sahib) and Goindwal.
Karmuwala: A Village in Punjab, A Legacy Across Continents
The story of one Punjabi village through empire, partition and global migration, bringing together oral histories, maps and archival records.
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