Papa had arrived in Bombay and moved up from Jogeshwari to Bhuleshwar. He was living at Gordhan Kaka's house at Kumbha Tukda and commuting by tram to the mills in Parel.
His youngest sister, Devkanya aka Kukoon was married into a Gujarati family that lived across the street from Kishore Bhuvan. Mom's Somi masi was neighbors with the family. Kukoon was a beautiful, talented and exuberant 16-year old. She soon became a part of Somi masi's extended family, and became friends with the Choksey sisters, especially mom.
Papa in the meantime was quite despondent - he had been engaged to be married. Weeks into the engagement his fiance and her entire family were wiped out in a deadly and tragic fire.
The young Kukoon was determined to find a match for her big brother and proceeded to persuade her mother in law Kamala ben and Somi masi to explore an alliance with mom.
Mom, was the second oldest daughter of a large family. While the oldest daughter had been married when she was just 13, my grandfather's more liberal bent of mind prevailed and at 20 - mom was still single and helping Ba run Kishore Bhuvan. The one suitor that she had been shown, she turned down, much to the chagrin of my older aunt - who counseled her that she really should not be picky. After all she was already 20, and there were several other sisters that were of marriageable age.
Somi masi discussed this with Ba - who was a little concerned about marrying her daughter to someone outside the Patan community, and particularly to someone from a place called Haldwani, which sounded like it was in a jungle. However, the young Kukoon persisted.
There was a chance encounter - Mom and Thakore mama stepping out of the hospital where they had visited Hansa mami saw Papa in the street. Mom oblivious to the strings being pulled behind the scenes, is said to have remarked to Thakore mama that there was an attractive man (or something like that). This message was relayed to their parents who were starting to receive very strong feelers from Kamala bhen.
One morning Ba instructed mom to go visit Somi masi. Mom that that was a bit odd, cos she almost never visited Somi masi. Most of the visits were FROM Somi masi and Kukoon and Kamala bhen. However, mom picked out a pretty sari, that she was sure she would not be allowed to wear and asked Ba for permission. It was granted without question.
So mom put on her pretty sari, went downstairs and crossed the street to Somi masi's. When she got there, she was asked to go stop in at Kamala bhen's. Inside Kamala bhen's house was a whole crowd of people, including dad's mother Rewa Ba. Mom completed whatever flimsy tasks that Somi masi and Kamala bhen had come up with and returned to Kishore Bhuvan, oblivious of what had transpired.
Within a short time, Rewa Ba informed Kamala bhen that she would like to pursue the match. This came back to Kishore Bhuvan through Somi masi and a formal meeting was organized. Rewa Ba, Kukoon bua and papa came, accompanied by a few other people. One look at papa, and mom was convinced. Papa's mom Rewa ba had made up her mind for papa. A formal proposal was made.
Mom's father - Bhai - approved. Ba, despite her concerns about the remoteness of the location, was swayed over by Bhai - who told her it all felt right to him.
The "gol-dhana" ceremony - where the engagement is formally proclaimed was held at Gordhan Kaka's house in Kumbha Tukda. Sarla bhen Kilachand of Kesar Sugar , Rewa Ba's friend from Baheri, and from one of the leading families of Patan was also present. This helped reinforce the "rightness" of the arrangement.
A wedding date was set. The groom, marrying into a very traditional Gujarati family, spoke no Gujarati. The bride marrying into a family with its home in the jungle had seen lush green fields and jungles only in her dreams. 62 years later they have travelled around the world by car, train, bus, airplane, ship, elephant, horse and camel. While they still call Bombay home, they spend less and less time there.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Zamana of Parents Youth - 3, Kailash Kaka and the Allahabad Connection
Papa had 2 friends in his youth that grew up with him Kailash Kaka and Shashi Mama. Kailash was a young man he met in Nainital. Shashi was actually his mom's cousin. The 3 of them spent a lot of time together in Mumbai in the late 40s and early 50s. Both joined mom and dad on their honeymoon trip to Nainital. In fact, part of the honeymoon trip was AT Kailash kaka's ancestral home in the hills of Nainital. Mom and Dad returned there atleast once or twice with the infant Dhruvbhai and Uttambhai.
Grandfather was working on a case for the Kesar Sugar factory in Baheri with Jivanlal Chhotalal. The case dragged through atleast one long summer. The case was to be heard at the Allahabad High Court and the Kesar Sugar team needed some Allahabad based lawyers. Who better to represent a well connected Gujarati family, than another set of Gujaratis ? They chose the Dave brothers of Allahabad.
That summer the Kilachands and the entire legal team decided to work out of Naintal. Grandfather and his entourage joined them. By now, papa had become a permanent fixture in the entourage, being called upon to take care of odd jobs like handling grandfathers stuff and running errands in between reading Popular Mechanics.
The Kilachands rented the Chitrakut bungalow on the Lower Ayar Patta slopes from Raja Jvala Prasad. The Allahabad lawyers - the Dave family - moved into Mt Kailash their ancestral home located on the Upper Ayar Patta slope. The Ayar Patta slope leads to Tiffin Top.
The Daves had a young nephew, Kailash. They also had a telescope. That started a friendship that lasted over 25 years, even after Kailash Kaka moved to London And the telescope - it was moved from Mount Kailash to Chtirakut, and used to check out the activities in homes within line of sight of Chitrakut.
When Papa finished engineering college and came to Mumbai seeking employment, he first stayed with his older cousin and mentor Balu kaka in Jogeshwari (a distant suburb). From there he would take the train to the mill that he worked at in Parel. A few months later, Balu Kaka went to London for further studies. Papa then moved in with his mom's uncle - Gordhan Kaka.
While this seemed like a very distant relationship, that is how clusters built up in the Bombay of that time. Gordhan kaka lived in Bhuleshwar near the Kumbha Tukda temple. He lived in a "chawl" or multi-story tenemement. A common balcony ran on the side of each floor. Each unit consisted of 2 rooms a "front" room cum kitchen and a sleeping room. Sometimes there would be a private balcony on the other side. The front room had an area carved out that served as a place for washing and bathing. Bathrooms were housed in a common toilet block at the end of each of the common balconies. People typically rented a unit here, paying a large initial deposit called "pughdi" and monthly rent.
The 2 rooms in Kumbha Tukda housed Gordhan Kaka, his mother, his second wife - the first one lived in Kapadwanj and was rumored to be insane), the children from his first wife, and his son Shashi from the current wife. Papa was welcomed into this family - though being an almost fully grown man, he ended up having to sleep in the public balcony in the area directly outside their unit. He and his black trunk lived there quite happily for several months.
He soon discovered that the Kilachand's Bombay home was quite nearby and Jivanlal and Sarla ben were now spending a fair amount of time in Bombay. So that relationship was renewed. The Daves nephew, Kailash had also taken up residence with his maternal aunt at Narpat Mansion in Girgaum, also a short distance from Bhuleshwar. He renewed his acquaintance with the young Kailash. And Gordhan kaka's son, Shashi - technical dad's uncle, but of similar age and inclination, joined them to become a trio.
While I never met Kailash kaka - he is supposed to have had a zest for the good things in life. When he left India to move to London following his marriage to a young Parsi lady. Papa met him when he visited England in 1964.
Kailash kaka died well before his time, but he left Papa with a stack of records which has left an indelible mark on us. for that's how we were all exposed to Cliff Richard's Bachelor Boy, the Mambo song, Vaya Con Dios, Peggy Lee's When you get what you want.... and my favorite Sixteen Tons from a very young age.
Grandfather was working on a case for the Kesar Sugar factory in Baheri with Jivanlal Chhotalal. The case dragged through atleast one long summer. The case was to be heard at the Allahabad High Court and the Kesar Sugar team needed some Allahabad based lawyers. Who better to represent a well connected Gujarati family, than another set of Gujaratis ? They chose the Dave brothers of Allahabad.
That summer the Kilachands and the entire legal team decided to work out of Naintal. Grandfather and his entourage joined them. By now, papa had become a permanent fixture in the entourage, being called upon to take care of odd jobs like handling grandfathers stuff and running errands in between reading Popular Mechanics.
The Kilachands rented the Chitrakut bungalow on the Lower Ayar Patta slopes from Raja Jvala Prasad. The Allahabad lawyers - the Dave family - moved into Mt Kailash their ancestral home located on the Upper Ayar Patta slope. The Ayar Patta slope leads to Tiffin Top.
The Daves had a young nephew, Kailash. They also had a telescope. That started a friendship that lasted over 25 years, even after Kailash Kaka moved to London And the telescope - it was moved from Mount Kailash to Chtirakut, and used to check out the activities in homes within line of sight of Chitrakut.
When Papa finished engineering college and came to Mumbai seeking employment, he first stayed with his older cousin and mentor Balu kaka in Jogeshwari (a distant suburb). From there he would take the train to the mill that he worked at in Parel. A few months later, Balu Kaka went to London for further studies. Papa then moved in with his mom's uncle - Gordhan Kaka.
While this seemed like a very distant relationship, that is how clusters built up in the Bombay of that time. Gordhan kaka lived in Bhuleshwar near the Kumbha Tukda temple. He lived in a "chawl" or multi-story tenemement. A common balcony ran on the side of each floor. Each unit consisted of 2 rooms a "front" room cum kitchen and a sleeping room. Sometimes there would be a private balcony on the other side. The front room had an area carved out that served as a place for washing and bathing. Bathrooms were housed in a common toilet block at the end of each of the common balconies. People typically rented a unit here, paying a large initial deposit called "pughdi" and monthly rent.
The 2 rooms in Kumbha Tukda housed Gordhan Kaka, his mother, his second wife - the first one lived in Kapadwanj and was rumored to be insane), the children from his first wife, and his son Shashi from the current wife. Papa was welcomed into this family - though being an almost fully grown man, he ended up having to sleep in the public balcony in the area directly outside their unit. He and his black trunk lived there quite happily for several months.
He soon discovered that the Kilachand's Bombay home was quite nearby and Jivanlal and Sarla ben were now spending a fair amount of time in Bombay. So that relationship was renewed. The Daves nephew, Kailash had also taken up residence with his maternal aunt at Narpat Mansion in Girgaum, also a short distance from Bhuleshwar. He renewed his acquaintance with the young Kailash. And Gordhan kaka's son, Shashi - technical dad's uncle, but of similar age and inclination, joined them to become a trio.
While I never met Kailash kaka - he is supposed to have had a zest for the good things in life. When he left India to move to London following his marriage to a young Parsi lady. Papa met him when he visited England in 1964.
Kailash kaka died well before his time, but he left Papa with a stack of records which has left an indelible mark on us. for that's how we were all exposed to Cliff Richard's Bachelor Boy, the Mambo song, Vaya Con Dios, Peggy Lee's When you get what you want.... and my favorite Sixteen Tons from a very young age.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
The Zamana of My Parent's Youth -2 of Many - How papa became an engineer and The Prem Maha Vidyalaya of Brindavan
After finishing high school, papa returned to Haldwani. Tauji had already started making a living for himself as a farmer. While papa enjoyed watching things grow, he could not be bothered with supervising the farm hands. Instead of supervising and directing the farm workers, papa would often be found curled up somewhere in the field reading a copy of Popular Mechanics or Natural Geographic - if you recall his interest in photography had already been kindled by the court photographer in Tehri. He kept telling the family they needed to buy a tractor. He could farm the entire property if they just got a tractor. However, an investment in a tractor was difficult to justify in the face of incredibly cheap labor that was available in those days.
But how does a young man living on a farm in Haldwani get a hold of Popular Mechanics or Nat Geo in the late 1930s ? Now that is another story.
The Kilachands, a prominent industrial family of Patan (yes, the same Patan that mom is from) and Mumbai, had established a sugar factory in Baheri - about 50 Kms south of Haldwani. The factory was managed by Chhotalal Kilachand's son, Jivanlal Chhotalal.
Jivanlal consulted Dad's father - Ghanshyam Das on a legal issue with the local contractors that had built the factory. As a result of this Ghanshyam Das spent several days a week in Baheri. Frequently, young Satish, popular with the Kilachands, went along with him.
The Kilachands home was a large mansion along the lines of a home in Patan - but most importantly it had a large collection of magazines - Popular Mechanics and National Geographic - which young Satish often borrowed and brought back to Haldwani.
Through all of this reading, emerged the determination to become an engineer.
Unfortunately, the engineering schools of England, a popular place for young men to go study, was out of Papa's reach. It was a time of turmoil as the struggle for independence was underway. Schools of advanced study were being shut down as they were being suspected of harboring freedom fighters.
One day, Tauji - papa's older brother - came home and reported that he had seen an advertisement for an engineering college in Brindavan. Brindavan, closer to Agra, was one of the towns on the banks of the Jamuna river. Education at the Prem Maha Vidyalaya was free and included room and board for students from out of town. This was the perfect place for papa to fulfill his aspiration of becoming an engineer.
The story of the Prem Maha Vidyalaya and its founder, is equally fascinating. Papa mentioned a few things, and I found the rest on the net. A true prince - Raja Mahendra Pratap had donated his family estate to the cause of technical education, because he strongly believed that that was the key to India's development and freedom. This institution was shut down from 1932 to 1938 as it was seen as a threat to the British government. Read all about it at http://www.rajamahendrapratap.net/pmv.htm (also reproduced below)
There were only 2 teachers at the Brindavan College of Engineering, and they were not particularly good. So young Satish taught himself from the books that were available at the school, some text books and the guidance of the principal Narender Dev, whom papa found particularly inspiring. I remember seeing some of those college textbooks on the L-Shaped black bookshelf in the Anand Vihar house. And I also remember seeing Popular Mechanics and National Geographic copies forever.
Raja Mahendra pratap singh
"No religion is greater than love"
Prem Maha Vidhyalaya :
Founded on May 24th 1909 byRaja Mahendra Pratap Singh.PMV was one of its own kind and one of the first polytechnic institution in India. This institution provided all the technical courses which wasmuch needed at that time. After travelling all over the world and seeing the progress in other countries Raja saheb had decided that this kindof institution would give benifit to people nation wide.The institution offered courses like carpentary,metal works,weaving textiles and carpets,pottery,etc.It also had its own hostel so that students coming from faroff places could reside.The main objective was that students could learn the skill and use it to earn their living.
Estate gifted-Prem Mahavidyalaya inspired by foreign technological advance. We may briefly recall his thoughts at the gift of his estate and property for the technical college; for he took the technical education to be the foundation for all round development of India, In his own words, "I returned home and began to prepare for the great event - giving away of my property ! I sent out invitations that in August, during the famous Jhulan festival of Brindaban, the ceremony to give name to my first child would performed. On a large scale plans were laid out for a religious ceremony as well as merry making festivities. Our relatives brought gold ornaments and clothes for my son! Friends brought presents. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya ji kindly arrived at my special request. After yagya meeting was held. But here I announced that my son was a technical college wchich i mean to found...Finally the name 'Prem Mahavidyala the college of Love was unanimously adopted." Rani Balbir Kaur Sahiba had not much of objection to the gifting of propery for the technical college,the other mothers of Rajaji, Rani Swarup Kaur and Hanuwant Kaur, had, however, objections to the gifting of the property.It was due to their objections and the advice given by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya ji only half of the Raja's ancestral estate was gifted for the purpose. institution became the symbol of not only the need to train the youth in all round technical education, but the center of the nationalistic aspirations.
Its importance can easily be assessed by looking at the persons who headed as its Acharyas, Shivsaran Fatakwala, Bhai Kotwal,Puranik,Ayodhya Prasad Fatakwala, Sampurnanand, Paripurnanand, Anand Bhikshu,Nand Kumar Dev Vashista, Acharya Gidwani, Acharya Jugal Kishoreand others. Acharya Narendra Dev headed its management committee during 1938-40. Mahatma Gandhi took personal interest in the institutiolin the absence of Raja Mahendra Pratap, and many of the principals were choosen and sent by him. The British became so much obsessed and and afraid of it that it was banned and closed in 1932, and this restriction could only be liftedwhen the first Congress ministry was formed in UP. under pandit Govind Ballabh Pant in 1938.
Trust : Prem Maha Vidhalaya Association formed under the Societies Registration ACT of 1860.on the 29th July 1910 which was created by Rajajii.It has 100 trustees as members.Five villages namely
Sukhea - Entire village
Bural- Entire village
Ukhtearpoor- Entire village
Dhumera- Entire village
Jasnaolee- Entire village
had been donated to support the institution which fetched thirty thousand anually.In thosedays it was considered a big amount.
Present Situation: Today is a sorry sight of the PMV.Unfortunately the trustees have not fulfilled their duties.As a result PMV does not function like how it functioned under Rajaji.The building needs renovation which would require huge expense.The trustees are unable to understand the importance of rajaji's dream.Some organisation has to come forward and save this dream from the clutches of these selfish beings and revive the golden era of specialised education.
But how does a young man living on a farm in Haldwani get a hold of Popular Mechanics or Nat Geo in the late 1930s ? Now that is another story.
The Kilachands, a prominent industrial family of Patan (yes, the same Patan that mom is from) and Mumbai, had established a sugar factory in Baheri - about 50 Kms south of Haldwani. The factory was managed by Chhotalal Kilachand's son, Jivanlal Chhotalal.
Jivanlal consulted Dad's father - Ghanshyam Das on a legal issue with the local contractors that had built the factory. As a result of this Ghanshyam Das spent several days a week in Baheri. Frequently, young Satish, popular with the Kilachands, went along with him.
The Kilachands home was a large mansion along the lines of a home in Patan - but most importantly it had a large collection of magazines - Popular Mechanics and National Geographic - which young Satish often borrowed and brought back to Haldwani.
Through all of this reading, emerged the determination to become an engineer.
Unfortunately, the engineering schools of England, a popular place for young men to go study, was out of Papa's reach. It was a time of turmoil as the struggle for independence was underway. Schools of advanced study were being shut down as they were being suspected of harboring freedom fighters.
One day, Tauji - papa's older brother - came home and reported that he had seen an advertisement for an engineering college in Brindavan. Brindavan, closer to Agra, was one of the towns on the banks of the Jamuna river. Education at the Prem Maha Vidyalaya was free and included room and board for students from out of town. This was the perfect place for papa to fulfill his aspiration of becoming an engineer.
The story of the Prem Maha Vidyalaya and its founder, is equally fascinating. Papa mentioned a few things, and I found the rest on the net. A true prince - Raja Mahendra Pratap had donated his family estate to the cause of technical education, because he strongly believed that that was the key to India's development and freedom. This institution was shut down from 1932 to 1938 as it was seen as a threat to the British government. Read all about it at http://www.rajamahendrapratap.net/pmv.htm (also reproduced below)
There were only 2 teachers at the Brindavan College of Engineering, and they were not particularly good. So young Satish taught himself from the books that were available at the school, some text books and the guidance of the principal Narender Dev, whom papa found particularly inspiring. I remember seeing some of those college textbooks on the L-Shaped black bookshelf in the Anand Vihar house. And I also remember seeing Popular Mechanics and National Geographic copies forever.
Raja Mahendra pratap singh
"No religion is greater than love"
Prem Maha Vidhyalaya :
Founded on May 24th 1909 byRaja Mahendra Pratap Singh.PMV was one of its own kind and one of the first polytechnic institution in India. This institution provided all the technical courses which wasmuch needed at that time. After travelling all over the world and seeing the progress in other countries Raja saheb had decided that this kindof institution would give benifit to people nation wide.The institution offered courses like carpentary,metal works,weaving textiles and carpets,pottery,etc.It also had its own hostel so that students coming from faroff places could reside.The main objective was that students could learn the skill and use it to earn their living.
Estate gifted-Prem Mahavidyalaya inspired by foreign technological advance. We may briefly recall his thoughts at the gift of his estate and property for the technical college; for he took the technical education to be the foundation for all round development of India, In his own words, "I returned home and began to prepare for the great event - giving away of my property ! I sent out invitations that in August, during the famous Jhulan festival of Brindaban, the ceremony to give name to my first child would performed. On a large scale plans were laid out for a religious ceremony as well as merry making festivities. Our relatives brought gold ornaments and clothes for my son! Friends brought presents. Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya ji kindly arrived at my special request. After yagya meeting was held. But here I announced that my son was a technical college wchich i mean to found...Finally the name 'Prem Mahavidyala the college of Love was unanimously adopted." Rani Balbir Kaur Sahiba had not much of objection to the gifting of propery for the technical college,the other mothers of Rajaji, Rani Swarup Kaur and Hanuwant Kaur, had, however, objections to the gifting of the property.It was due to their objections and the advice given by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya ji only half of the Raja's ancestral estate was gifted for the purpose. institution became the symbol of not only the need to train the youth in all round technical education, but the center of the nationalistic aspirations.
Its importance can easily be assessed by looking at the persons who headed as its Acharyas, Shivsaran Fatakwala, Bhai Kotwal,Puranik,Ayodhya Prasad Fatakwala, Sampurnanand, Paripurnanand, Anand Bhikshu,Nand Kumar Dev Vashista, Acharya Gidwani, Acharya Jugal Kishoreand others. Acharya Narendra Dev headed its management committee during 1938-40. Mahatma Gandhi took personal interest in the institutiolin the absence of Raja Mahendra Pratap, and many of the principals were choosen and sent by him. The British became so much obsessed and and afraid of it that it was banned and closed in 1932, and this restriction could only be liftedwhen the first Congress ministry was formed in UP. under pandit Govind Ballabh Pant in 1938.
Trust : Prem Maha Vidhalaya Association formed under the Societies Registration ACT of 1860.on the 29th July 1910 which was created by Rajajii.It has 100 trustees as members.Five villages namely
Sukhea - Entire village
Bural- Entire village
Ukhtearpoor- Entire village
Dhumera- Entire village
Jasnaolee- Entire village
had been donated to support the institution which fetched thirty thousand anually.In thosedays it was considered a big amount.
Present Situation: Today is a sorry sight of the PMV.Unfortunately the trustees have not fulfilled their duties.As a result PMV does not function like how it functioned under Rajaji.The building needs renovation which would require huge expense.The trustees are unable to understand the importance of rajaji's dream.Some organisation has to come forward and save this dream from the clutches of these selfish beings and revive the golden era of specialised education.
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