The Past in Pictures-
Returning to my blog after almost two weeks. Ankur our younger son reminded me about it.So here I am in a new format. Have been rummaging through a whole lot of old photos which Shailey has very meticulously preserved.The blotches on the 10 BW photos have become more prominent after scanning. But they bring back some very happy memories from my childhood and younger days which I have tried to recapitulate below:-
Top Photo
Goa 1976- Tanuja and her husband Somu Mukerje who was shooting a film there visited our homeYes that's Kajol in Shailey's lap.Friends and neighbours Narendra and Sudha, and Rita another good friend, are also seen in the picture with us.Shailey tells me little Kajol had wet our sofa in the Drawing room when Tanuja had spent the day at our home .
Second Row Left -That's Shailey as a Baby. She later came in to my life as my wife, and turned it upside down- from a Bindaas Happy go lucky ' most eligible bachelor in town' -to a home loving bird ,looking forward to returning to the nest after a hard days' work. But the change didn't happen overnight. As a matter of fact, I didn't realize when it did. And she let me be a Bindaas for quite a few years- giving me lots of space, smiling and watching from a distance.
I met Shailey for the first time in 1969 when she alongwith her parents visited our home in Alld ; then again in early 1970 while I was on home leave to attend Anand Bhai's Engagement. Her Dad was a good friend of my eldest brother- in- law.They drove in on their way back from Varanasi to Kanpur in the longest car I had ever seen- a Custom Ford 500! I remember her as a rather serious skinny young girl. A proposal quickly surfaced - " Nice girl- Nice known family" etc etc. But I was in no mood to loose my freedom and " Masti". So I said " Car now and the girl in easy instalments" . It was laughed off.
But they did come back 5 years later, to Goa where I was posted as SP for a " well planned holiday" . My parents were already with me and they arrived with my eldest sister and brother in law. I was cornered again. I said "I need more time." But my brother-in-law would have none of it. "We have given you enough time, Anil. And now you have to give us a firm Yes or No " he roared, which brought out a feeble "yes" from me. And then they acted fast - Dinner at home in the evening, after which I was allowed to take her out for a drive- to Donna Paula- where else. And the ring ceremony followed the next evening. The die was cast!
Right - In Goa in 1974 with a young photographer ( I think his name was Paul) with whom I made friends on a train journey from Bombay to Goa. I was still a bachelor.
Third Row- Pitajee with Bro. C P Burke Principal of our school St Marry's Academy. Shri Shanti Prasad IP, a close friend of Pitajee who was DIG Meerut Range is also seen in the background. Shri Prasad was a towering personality who later headed the UP Police. He largely inspired me to opt for the police as my career.
Fourth Row - with Anand Bhai and Roy Fanthome, our close friend and neighbour in Meerut. The year could be 1958 or 9.
Fourth Row Right-With Maa, Anand Bhai and younger sister Anurag ( Baby) much later in Meerut. Perhaps in 1964 when I was studying in College in Delhi and Anand Bhai was training to become a Commercial Pilot with Chacha in Alld.
Fifth Row -At home in Meerut with Babba, Bhabbi( Grandparents) , Anand Bhai and Baby- In the late fifties, I think.
Sixth from Top- Our friends in School, sons of the Sub Area Commander ( Brig R S Sodhi) had brought Army horses to our house in Meerut Cantt, when Aand Bhai and I first tried our hand at riding, a traditional family sport, which I cherish till today. Earnest Fanthome, Roy's elder brother is safely holding the stallion by his reins, while I am proudly on its back.
Seventh from Top- Taken around Dussehra time in the fifties in Meerut when Anand Bhai and I were allowed to fire from the family weapons. I am proudly holding the .32 bore Revolver ready to shoot! Does it matter that I am barefeet? The weapon was presented to my Grandfather by "HE The Commander - In- Chief of the British Forces in India for Services rendered during the Great War and after" -1919, when he was Tehsildar of Hathras, I think in Aligarh district ( UP). Did that make us "Todi Bachhas" ? I don't think so.It's a family heirloom which I have inherited from my father. I am truly proud of it. Manufactured by Johnson & Johnson Cycle Factory in Michigan USA. It has a gold plate on its butt commemorating its presentation to my Grandfather. I tried to find out about the factory which produced the weapon during my posting in the US much later and was told that it had closed down many years ago!
Babba my grandfather was known as a " Shandaar Tehsildar" an honest, strict and no nonsese type of administror. He is said to have performed his tours riding miles and miles on horseback when the horses were changed every 10 / 12 miles, but he would continue to gallop or canter (the least tiring for the rider), till he reached his destination, to camp in tents put up in forest areas close to the village, for a bit of " Shikar ", after the inspection was over. In a future blog I shall try to carry a picture of one such camp where my father and his brothers were also taken on the " Daura".
Finally the last picture - It wastaken in a studio in the school blazer in 1960, when I was filling out my forms for the NDA and "Dufferin" exams. Don't miss the crew cut- coz Elvis had got one in the Movie " G I Blues" and coz I was pretty fed up of my unruly hair which simply didn't stop falling on my forehead, despite liberal treatments with Brylcream, Vaseline Pomade etc.
The Present- In Delhi -
Delhi continues to be hot and sultry with little rain in the past week. But the heat and dust has hopefully settled, also after all the the political drama witnessed on July 22.In an obvious salute to the PM , Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM kept playing the number " Singh is King" from the yet to be released Akshay Kumar starrer movie by the same, after the UPA Govt won the vote of Confidence in the Lok Sabha. Young Omar Abdullah, son of Farukh Abdullah, the J & K NC leader's straight from his heart speech in Parliament clearly scored over all others.
Last Sunday, we went for a Mango Party in an orchard owned by Khan Sahib, owner of Rajdhani Nursery in Jorbagh. His orchard which also has a farm house and serves as the back up nursery and Green House for the Rajdhani Nursery in located on Garh Mukteshwar -Meerut road ;a good 2 1/2 hrs drive from Delhi. We had lots of fun feasting on the delicious varieties of mangos- Langdas, Dussehris, Chausas and the lesser known Ratauls and Gulab Jamuns grown only in western UP but very weet and tasty. The mangos were served in the tradional style, soaked in buckets filled with water and ice, and eaten jointly under the shades of trees also laden with mangos. There was a large tank fed by a tube well for the kids to frolic in. This was followed by a sumptuous meal of Pooris , Kachaudis , variety of Subzis and Biryani, Korma all made by gourmet chefs at the Farm House.There were no less than 200 guests who enjoyed Khan Sahib's hospitality!
I attended such a party which used to be an annual affair during our childhood after many, many years. And Khan Sahib's Khatirdari was impecable. He looked after every guest personally, extending the usual courtesies ( disappearing fast) only a Muslim from UP can- in proper Lakhnavi and Rampuri Andaaz, assisted by his sons and other family members. Small baskets of mangos were also placed in the cars of the VIP guests as they left the farm house. " Will your sons be able to continue with this tradition of hosting the annual mango party after you are gone," I asked Khan Sahib before leaving."I am sure" was his prompt answer. But I am not so sure...
That's all for now. All the best till I blog again.
Love from your "Desi Maali".
