My family and our times

Worlds highest Himalayan Peaks as I look at them from a distance of 150miles.

2012-02-02T14:17:00.001-08:00

Sunset time

High-range, Mid-range, low range and Shivalak are very clearly visible

Gangotri Glasier are visible from near the highest peak Nanda Devi situated in India

The color of Sunset while driving on the highway gave a breathtaking views

Another View of Nanda Devi

This is the tower errected by the Government at a height of 8500 ft. The view of the snow ladden peaks was stunning and clear as if you are seeing through a telescope. We actually prayed here on behalf of all near and dear we could virtually feel closer to God. The sun God oblidged us with awesome bright, clear and unadultrated fresh rays of light.

Pancholi (five) group of Peaks along with high, mid, low and shivalak ranges also visible.

Clear shot of Trishool peak

Back drop of snowy Himalayas

Another view of Trishool

Banasar Garden, Sangrur

2012-01-31T18:23:00.001-08:00

Banesar Garden

The news of a new train from New Delhi to Ludhiana via Sangrur came a boon to me. For me to reach my village 10 miles towards Barnala from Sangrur usually took the whole day. The only train Jammu Tavi was a hopeless which used to stream off at odd hours at midnight. This new Shatabdi started at 7.00 AM and reached Sangrur 10.55AM. We enjoyed the beautiful country side, We saw wheat sown all over. So this was dream Train which can help me rech back Delhi in a day without getting un-necessarly tired

From Sangrur station, our ride took us 30 minutes to reach my village Badbar. So it was quick, refreshing and well on time. The phone system had already worked and our people were on their alert to catch me. With a quick round of Nehri Land for about one hour or so , we proseeded to Maru Land pocket and reached in ten minutes.

I was thrilled to see Vegetable crops of Peas and Bell Pepper under shades being grown. I encouraged Meghraj to go for Organic vegetable farming. We also discussed to start a Guave plantations in one acre of land as a Pilot Project. We tasted white radish and carrots and started back for Sangrur.

So there was still plenty of time for the return journey and we decided to see Banesar Garden to spend some time in the afternoon.

I am trying to document some of my memories here. Enjoy!

The Marble 'Baradari' having 12 door openings on North, South, East and West sides is in the midst of a pond which remains dry now a days. Alas! some body could care more and star this Pond working. After all this is one of the master pieces of treasures the City has. Most of us spend a lot of money and go visit places while we donot care to spend a penny at our own place. The city may charge a fee and should all free scheduled visits by students once or twice a week to learn our History, Culture, Art and Architecture.

What a grand piece of Architecture is this Statue Loaded Marble Fountain. The art is far superior than seen other more famous places of the world.

This is the entry for the Marble 'Baradari'. The door is decorated by marble statues Malwai Turbaned & Bearded strong man armed with usual bamboo rods shown in a symmetrical way. They are flanked by Lion and Lioness on either side. An elephant on each side is also shown above them. The crown is made up of one male Peacock accompanied by two female Peacocks. The stiff and elongated feathers of male are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship. Unless we maintain such peice of art, very soon we shall loose them and many others.

This is a sculpture of a woman holding and feeding a baby in her lap. Unfortunately this master piece has been demaged vry badly. I am fully confident that it still can be restored to its orignal glory.

Sitting on acool place.

Meticulously laid out marble tile floor which has weathered hundreds of years of abuse

On may way back to Delhi, as we waited for the train, the sun set was really spectacular indeed at the Sangrur Railway Station!

Badbar visit Dec 2011

2012-01-31T11:20:00.001-08:00

Kumon Dancing learning from the locals at the Club Mohindra, Binsar, Almora.

2012-01-29T15:28:00.001-08:00

Himalaya tracking on river Binsar, Uttaranchal.

2012-01-29T15:05:00.001-08:00

Getting started for the walk. The club Mohindra supported us with a trained staff of four persons who started professionly by giving a roll call.

A lobor carrying bulding materila

The walk was for three hours and was difficult for some.

As we reached the river Binsar, all of us started enjoying with the river water by squatting on the boulders.

Wheat Fields

The farmers will be unhappy as the small plants are being crushed unknowingly

The spring water being offered. The taste was so sweet and refreshing. Even we dared tasting the same.

A family from Colorado visiting as the are located at Dubai presently.

My Hero in local Kumon outfit.

A Gujurati family from Mumbai gave an excellent pose. The diamond merchant flashed a diamond smile along with his equally jubilient family.

A Kashmere Pandit Suppore Family was very friendly. They had brought their highly educated kids from Manipal University. Mr Ashok Suppore is presently located in Hyderabad.

A fantastic view of Trishul snowy peak overseeing the Binsar Valley. The colorful communication tower caters to the demands of local villages with sprawling scattered houses. The air was clean and so far uneffected by the modern pollutions.

The Club stall collected wood from near by and made a customised fire wood ovan and prepared a fresh cup of tea for all of us at the bank of the river. It was really a unique experience, I grabbed a second cup too.

It is not my fault. I tried to explain! As we crossed the river, my foot slipped on the moss wrapped stone and in the process a small stain to my jacked and my right palm. I was saved from drowning in the river but for the water level. Harvinder and other group members had a hearty laugh. Our new friends showed concern to enquire if I was hurt. But I was not and even more jouvile after the incident.

Ringing a bell at the local Shiv Temple

Janias Art work

2012-01-28T14:16:00.001-08:00

An Evening in Lajpat Nagar Central Market

2012-01-22T09:47:00.001-08:00

Harvinder buying the sugar cane Candy(Ganerian) in a lantern lit open vending junction parked on the road.

Decorated with Neon Lights

The famous Narrow Strret

Huge show rooms right on the edge of the Main Strret

The Salad and Chaat wala occupying the main road itself

The colorful Cushions

Shopping for thr lady folks

Delighted to see the variety

The shopowners park their vehicles in front of the shops

Wow! KFC is here too

The hot Chaat becomes delicious with the sprinkling of road dust and auto exhaust. The taste even travels to US.

This small and deep clothing showroom is so colorful and nicely decorated with blonde statue woman wearing 'Desi' stuff. Being imressed by decorum I was so keen to have a picture of the same. But the security guard held me back. I, however, got a chance and snapped one as he watched the other customers in the shop.

A very happy, contented and enthusastic Riksha puller as he is able to send his savings back family who are proud to enjoy the city money in the villages

All sort of traffic passing through the Main Road leisurely without aven a single traffic policeman.

Lohri 2012 at Sherwood Court

2012-01-14T10:00:00.001-08:00

Lohri being celebrated

Sunder mundriye hoe!

Tera kaun wicahara hoe!

Dullah bhatti walla hoe!

Dullahe di dhee vyayae hoe!

Ser shakkar payee hoe!

Kudi da laal pachaka hoe!

Kudi da saalu paatta hoe!

Salu kaun samete!

Pop corns and sugar candy being tossed on to the fire

Mamhe choori kutti!

zamidara lutti!

Zamindaar sudhaye!

bade bhole aaye!

Ek bhola reh gaya!

Sipahee pakad ke lai gaya!

Sipahee ne mari eet!

Sanoo de de lohri te teri jeeve jodi! (Cry or howl!)Paheenve ro te phannve pit! "

(Rhyming: beautiful one like a ringlet one!)Who will save you poor one (to a rescued girl)Dullah Bhatti is here for you (He rescued the girls who were abandoned and rejected after kidnap!)

The Duallah married off his daughter (the rescued girls were adopted by him as his daughters)He gave a measure (sher about a kilo)of sugar!The girl is wearing bridal red dress!But her shawl is torn (poor and soiled-girl has been raped?)!Who will stitch her shawl(repair her reputation)?!

Gobind, goes ecstatic on the eve of Lohri, playing his recorder

The maternal uncle made sweet ghee bread (choori)! (maternal uncles were responsible to vouch for chastity of the girl)

The landlords ravished it (meaning the girl kidnapped by rich moghul landlords!)!He made the landlords eat a lot!Lots of innocent guys came (poor grooms)One innocent boy got left behind (the poorest of poor!)The soldiers arrested him! (Indicated that he was in collusion with Bhatti the rebel)The soldiers hit him with a brick! (tortured him)Cry or howl!Give us lohri (gifts) ..long live you couple!"

As a grand finale, Jania plays on Piano

Give me Lohri Now!

Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded, Maharashtra

2012-01-07T10:56:00.001-08:00

Early in the Day

One of the Four Entries

Hazoor Sahib's own rich story has, until now, been somewhat lost in the vast history of India. In The Master's Presence: The Sikhs of Hazoor Sahib, the new book by Nidar Singh Nihang and Parmjit Singh, firmly gives it the place that it deserves. Hazoor Sahib, which literally means “Master's Presence”, is the shrine built over the ashes of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last living Guru of the Sikhs, who walked fully armed onto his own funeral pyre of sandalwood to be consumed in the light and flames as he sat in a trance-like state.

Well decorated Marble Panels with colored animals

In The Master's Presence is also a wonderful story, well told, full of colourful characters, spies, intrigue, and warfare, all played out in two very different parts of India: the plains of Punjab in the north and the Muslim state of Hyderabad to the south. It is though, fundamentally, the tale of survival, often against all the odds, of a people, their way of life, the preservation of a settlement and the protection of a shrine.

In the middle of this abundantly and beautifully illustrated book, you'll find a lithograph from the British Library, our national library in London. The scene is a gathering of the great and the good, recorded in their sumptuous glory for posterity as they sat watching an evening's entertainment at the palace of Raja Chandu Lal. This Sikh devotee, who served as the finance minister of Hyderabad State, was the chief patron of Hazoor Sahib long before Maharaja Ranjit Singh turned his attention in the 1830s to the tenth Guru’s final resting place. Glancing along the rows of faces, it is easy to form a view about who they are and what they did. But there, silently casting his eyes over the scene, seemingly incongruously, is an Akali Nihang warrior in full dress, armed with a matchlock and steel mace. Who is he, why is he here, what is he, and what does he stand for? To ignore such questions is to leave history incomplete. The strength of In The Master's Presence is that it answers these questions in a clear, concise and well-written way.

Langar is served by Sevadars both men and women all in uniform and well dressed in yellow Salwar Kameez and blue dupattas and the food is served in clean and steel containers and is presented with utmost respect unlike tossed some other places. The Policeman Dr. P S Pasricha, who is heading the leadership of this Gurdwara, has an impact in discipline all around. The front desk at the NRI Yatri Niwas was not only courtious but was prompt and to the point and his battery of helpers were very supportive.

The Gurdwara is very beautifully lighted at night as seen here. There were fountains all around of various colors enhancing the ambience of place so sacred to Sikhs.

The NRI Yatri Niwas is of international standards and the Sevadars on duty are performing excellent service.

The Dancing fountains in bright colors

The Gurdwara is ornamently decorated with beautiful paintings all arround.

The Patth in Progress

The 'Angitha Sahib' the place where Guru Gobind Singh left for his heavenly abode.

The side panel marble work

The flowered work of marble is eye catching and is kept very clean even at the end of the day as seen here.

The glittering gold plated works

The management had this Flowerman inside the Gurdwara. He suggested to buy big two flowers as is the tradition, but inside when opened only one big garland could be unpacked while the second was just a small one. That surprised me a bit.

'The Nagarha'

The well laid vast floor leading to the Sanctorum

Hazur Sahib at night time in winters

ShivShilpy 12th Wedding Anniversary

2012-01-03T09:44:00.001-08:00

The Prasad just ready!

ShivShilpy decided to celebrate their wedding Anniversary in San Diego. We took advantage of our time share Hilton Grand Vacations and were able to get a booking for a two bed room suite at Ocean Front Sea Pointe Resort Carlsbad, San Diego. The location was awesome and we could have the wide view of Ocean from the living room it self.

Shilpy recommended for booking five days of Four Parks visits. Shiv's friend Pritipal Sethi synchronized his visit at the same time. Pritipal had another childhood friend visiting from Seatle. And we all enjoyed the Sea World all together.

Harvinder as meticulous as she is never forgot to prepare 'Karhah Prasad' on Dec 26 to mark the 12th Anniversary. She in fact brought a tiny quantity of ingredients to cook the same and family had an 'Ardaas' to Waheguru for the well being of the Kids and remain at the foot of Waheguru for the entire life.

So when we're on a vacation at a far distance from home, with Harvinder's help and Wahegurus blessings, we're able to celebrate with usual prayers as a family.

Cheetah Run at Safari Park

2012-01-03T07:42:00.001-08:00

The people are awaiting anxiously for the Cheetah-Run just from a hand-shaking distance. Shiley the cheetah runs its top speed at the San Diego Safari Park, the only place in America where cheetahs are run off leash.

It was really a jaw dropping experience to see a live majestic Cheetah run in front of hundreds of people.

This was not a race but a run as there is no competition involved. As the Cheetah comes out of the cage, the first step and the second steps are 40 mph and by the third or fourth step she attains the speed of 60 mph. That was awesome indeed!

There was a female dog companion, white and equally big, who was made to run prior to Cheetah run just to familiarize her. A mechanical lure tied with a favorite toy is brought and placed at the mouth of Cage.

As the cage is opened, out comes the grand spotted Cheetah going after the Lure which is kept ahead at a faster speed to make Cheetah run after it. Shiley the Cheetah completed the 100 meters run in 5.8 Sec today.

The Cheetah and her companion, the white dog are then walked back through the grassy track while answering onlookers quessies, feeding and cuddling by the trainers. The cheetah is of course neck strapped and remains in full control of the trainer. To the amazing excitement of onlookers, this Cheetah is only an ambessador of their breed and does not get scared of people arround or being hunted as she is not from Jungle but has been foster companionship with domestic dog right from very young days.

To us the Cheetah was looking comfortable and playful and was being fed raw rabbit meat all the times on his walk back to the cage.

We were really lucky to witness Cheetah run second time too. This was the highlight of our trip to Safari Park.

Jania turns Six

2012-01-03T06:58:00.001-08:00

With the advent of every New Year, we kick off with a Birth Day Party. Shilpy and Shiv invited Jania's close friends and their parents on a Movie and a neat small Party.
Gobind wrote a small poem and narrated it confidently.
It was all fun.
Grandma Harvinder prepared Prasad and offered Ardaas as usual.

Organic Farming in Badbar, District Barnala, Punjab

2011-12-31T08:18:00.001-08:00

My visit to the our farms was short though, but very significant.

I decided to take a leap step forward in undertaking Organic Farming from now onwards again. My man Meghraj had attempted a pilot farming of Peas which need cold weather in between the layers of Bell Pepper under shades(to protect them from severe cold and frost)done in a proper and meticulous way. These vegetable crops will bear fruits in 60 days. The costing asper the present day prices has rewarding numbers. The bell paper will cost approximately Rs 4 per plant and will give yield up to 5-6 times

I was impressed.

As Meghraj looked nervous since he had adopted this without my permission. I was, rather, amused and felt I had the man who could fulfill my dream of such a farming. I had failed earlier when I invested for tomatoes two decades ago and my favorite cousin Roop often laughed at me. I lost all the investment, my regular crop and credibility of a city face by indulging in stupid ways.

To be sure this time, I took the opportunity to discuss the details with Happy Veer Ji a relative who is involved in Progressive Organic farming of abou 100 Acres in Raipur, Chhatisgarh. Happy Veer ji has been exporting his produce to England for quite few years by. Now.

He was encouraging and suggested many options besides Eco tourism and Horticulture. So after carefully analyzing I decided to plant Guava plantations in one Acre as a Pilot Project.

To start with, I have placed an order for 150 of such fast growing plants and scheduled them for planting in Jan 2012, which will bear fruits twice annually and will give more opportunity of employment for local residents and improve their horns for marketing the produce. The first fruits will be available for sale in 2015. Wait and have patience till then. So if you are passing on Sangrur-Barnala highway just near the Harigarh canal, just stop by during the fruit season. While you enjoy the fruits with your friends and family, you will also be helping the local residents to make their honorable living to develop their neighborhood and raise, feed and educate their kids well.

We intend to produce organic vegetables steadily and also approach the government for subsidy for drip irrigation. There is also a provision for out of turn tube well connection. The drip irrigation will go a long way in helping the water level in the area as the need for water is significantly reduced.

I also requested Meghraj to bulldoze the small hill top and grade the one acre land. He agreed to cultivate and convert that piece of land into an orchard. This piece of land has never been used for centuries, was left out when I reclaimed the remainimg 25 years back. The extra dirt will be thrown on the low level lands so as to face the flooding in rains.

We have already Jamun, banana and other desert trees which are helping in soil erosion. I remember two decades ago the entire stretch was sun soaked and availability of drinking water was a taboo. Now seeing trees and shaded plants pumps oxygen in to you lungs.

Come and enjoy!

My trip was exciting and successful.

Zoo, San Diego Ca.

2011-12-31T06:06:00.001-08:00

Legoland, San Diego, CA

2011-12-30T15:07:00.001-08:00

Travel Eyewitness -I, Almora, Uttaranchal

2011-12-21T07:49:00.001-08:00

Anand Vihar Terminus just like an Airport

We had booked a suite at Club Mohindra, Bageshwar road, Binsar, Uttaranchal for seven days.
My brither-in law Amrit Dhir as gracious as he is, helped us to book right train and tickets and we proceeded to take the train from a brand new Railway Station Anand Vihar Terminas Delhi for Kathgodam.

I was very much impressed with general cleanliness and facilities at the station. We took our luggage ourselves. As the taxi driver dropped us at the Anand Vihar Railway Terminas, he helped our luggage to go through screening equipment. There after it was as if we were in an airport. We just pulled our carry-ins to the left of stairs and found the Escalators. After sliding the bags on the escalator, we were on the Platform where the train was parked right there.

We got into an unusual clean train and occupied the allotted seats. There was well washed linen and blankets available for the use of each passenger. To cap it all, the toilets were really really clean.
The train started at right time and reached Kathgodam on dot time after a very comfortable journey. As the train streamed off the station, there was a lot of garbage on either side of the track, but as the journey progressed, the green wheat fields of cute small sizes attracted the attention. The country side is still cleaner and was obviously a sight to see flora and fauna. The cleanliness was intercepted by the garbage and human waists whenever the train passed through a big town.Food grains being offloaded at Hapur Railway station

From Kathgodam a foothill town, we travelled for uphill journey by a hired taxi driven by an excellent driver Rashid Khan to reach Binsar a place 36 kilometers farther from Almora. This road journey was awesome and very refreshing, scenic and Picturesque.

On the way, we were able to witness stunning scenes of Himalayan Peaks besides flora and fauna.

We saw vast forest of Pine and Deodar trees, abundance of greenery and various herbs. On the way, we started viewing the majestic views of various peaks of Himalayas at times. The ambience was fresh, cool and tranquil.

In a state of Bewilderment while enjoying the Nature

Rashid Khan was an immigrant from Kashmir and his father had settled here about 60 years ago. He was very happy to live here harmoniously in a diversified culture and was proud of his Hindu and Sikh neighbors. He was a proud father of a daughter and a younger son. Being very proud of his daughter's intelligent, he wanted her to study medicine and become a successful doctor. When asked how to bear expenses of higher education, he responded that he will sell off himself to pay for her education. I liked the intensity of focus in him for furthering the upliftment of his family values. When further asked how many wives he had as Muslims do have up to four wives, he immediately replied that he will have only one partner as he loved his wife immensely and starts his day only after she offers a cup of tea prepared with her own hands. I found him very honest, informative and duty bound. He cared enough for us to drive at slower speeds so as to give us minimum traveling sickness of hills full of numerous short turns. That was a good sign of a very nice vacations ahead.

The Sunset at its best

The glittering Himalayan Peaks as seen from the highway

Rashid was not only a good driver but a very good guide of the area. He explained to me the details of various herbs on the way, important milestones, and attractive spots where the Bollywood movies had been filmed. He was very particular about a large Banglows up above the Bhimtal where many films were made including 'Koi Mil Gaya'.

Koi Mil Gaya and many other films are supposed to be filmed here.

Rashid dropped us before getting dark at the Club Mohindra 36 kilometers beyond Almora in the North. We promised him that we shall engage him on the way back journey.

To be continued...

Mini Taj 'Bibi Ka Maqbara' A Tribute To A Mother

2011-11-30T23:14:00.000-08:00

Both the famous Taj Mahal in Agra in north-central India, and the lesser-known Bibi-Ka-Makbara, are monuments of love. The orignal is the final resting ground of Mumtaz Mahal. Her husband, Emperor Shah Jahan, had it constructed until his favorite wife passed away in 1629. The Mini-Taj is a tribute to a mother. Prince Azam Khan, son of the Mugal Emperor Aurangzeb, built the Bibi Ka Maqbara in 1679 to honor his mother Rabia Durani, the fourt wife of the Emperor.

He modeled it on the original Taj Mahal in the form of a hexagon and angles are ornamented with minarets. Bibi-ka-maqbara was built in 1660 by Aurangzeb's son, Azam Shah, as a loving tribute to his mother, Dilras Bano Begam.

While the Taj Mahal was constructed by using white Makrana Marble, this monument was done in innovative Plaster of Paris mixing inter-alia the pearls and precious stones from far and near Seas. According to the "Tawarikh Namah" of Ghulam Mustafa, the cost of construction of the mausoleum was Rs. 6,68,203-7 Annas (Rupees Six Lakh, Sixty Eight Thousand, Two Hundred and Three & Seven Annas) in 1651-1661 A.D. In comparasion, the cost of construction of Taj Mahal was Rs 3, 20,00,000 and was completed in 21 years.

My welcome at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport

2011-11-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

To my pleasant surprise. We were all set to be welcomed in a grand Indian way. As usual there were more people to receive than the arriving guests. My dearest and nearest relations Major General Harkirat Singh arranged a VIP welcome. all formalities of immigration and customs clearaces were completed swiftly and out of turn. Harvinder and me really felt elated.

As we were brought to the exit gate through the VIP lounge, our help in the welcome party simply pulled us away from the special gate and directed us to the general exit gate. The reason. The VIP gate had a long line of passengers to be cleared while the general exit was empty. The VIP influence was made redundant.

I felt India is really making progress. This is without any disregards to the right earnest efforts done by my dear relative who in fact had a hearty laugh and was first to point this out to me.

July 2, 2010

Shades of Old Punjab

2011-11-04T05:58:00.000-07:00

Shades Of The Old Punjab

Picture on the left – Joga Singh with a maulvi outside the mosque in Sarwarpur that his brother Sajjan helped reconstruct.

Across rural Punjab, Sikhs and Hindus are helping restore mosques destroyed during Partition

Brothers In Arms

* Around 200 mosques across Punjab have been repaired, rebuilt or built from scratch with the help of Sikhs and Hindus in the last 10 years
* Many destroyed during Partition riots are now being restored by village communities
* In some cases, the Jamaat-e-Islami is involved, but most are unorganised village-level efforts
* It’s a reassertion, after decades, of Punjab’s unique religious and cultural synthesis

The Ghuman family of Sarwarpur, near Ludhiana, cannot understand what the fuss is about. Ever since Sajjan Singh Ghuman, an NRI Sikh living in England, rebuilt a mosque in his native village that was damaged during Partition, the shrine, as well as his family back home, have attracted the curiosity of outsiders. “We never imagined we would be on a Punjabi TV channel just because my elder brother rebuilt this small mosque for the poor Muslim families of our village. For him, it was just a gesture towards restoring the collective heritage of our village,” says Sajjan’s brother, Joga Singh, who manages the family’s lands in Sarwarpur. Sure. But what Joga and his family, or even the TV channel, do not know is that the sentiment that inspired his brother’s act is being manifested in scores of villages across Punjab, with Sikhs and Hindus joining hands to either rebuild old and damaged mosques or build new ones. Odd? Perhaps. But Punjab, as admirers of its unique religious synthesis say, has always defied stereotypes to do its own thing.

That spirit comes through clearly in the actions of a group of school and college boys from 600-year-old Ajitwal village near Moga. During Partition, when Muslims fled Ajitwal, just as they fled in waves from other parts of Punjab, an ancient village mosque was vandalised. As years passed, someone encroached on its grounds and the place became a village dumping ground. A neem tree on its compound became a hang-out for the village youth. One day, a bunch of boys decided to clear the muck. Within days, the entire village—now made up of Hindus and Sikhs—joined them. Says 20-year-old Laddi: “We were never short of money or material. Anyone who passed this way would contribute in cash or kind. Someone brought five bags of cement, another donated bricks and so on….” This, when there were no permanent Muslim families left in the village. But, once repaired, the mosque began to be used. A few Muslim migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, labourers and petty tradespeople, began praying here. A maulvi from a neighbouring village now comes to conduct Friday namaaz. To the delight of 80-year-old Nachattar Kaur, who was born and brought up here, the sound of the azaan (call to prayer) is being heard again, after decades. “We have always believed in this shrine,” she says. “It is a house of God. God bless these boys for restoring the oldest relic of our village.”

Muezzin’s call: Worshippers at the Dhuri mosque

In Malerkotla, the headquarters of the state unit of Jamaat-e-Islami (Hind), publisher and Jamaat member Ramzan Sayeed, who has also translated the Quran into Punjabi, observes, “It is only in Punjab that Sikhs and Hindus are helping to build masjids with tractors, labour and money.” That this should happen at a time when Islamists are being reviled and resisted across the world makes it remarkable; and that it should be happening in a land where the soil is soaked with the blood of Partition, and stories of murder, **** and looting have been passed down the generations, renders it especially significant.

In the months after Partition, some 50,000 mosques across present-day Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh were destroyed, burnt or converted into temples and gurudwaras—homes, even. Today, Muslims comprise just 1.5 per cent of Punjab’s population, mostly migrant labour from UP and Bihar and some Gujjar families from Jammu and Kashmir who have settled here, in addition to small pockets of Muslims, such as those belonging to Malerkotla, who did not go to Pakistan in 1947.

Not mere mortar and bricks Students of Ajitwal village, near Moga, rebuilt the ancient masjid

However, in the last decade or so, the Jamaat has managed, with extraordinary village-level support, including money and materials, to free and revive about 120 mosques. Scores of others, like the one at Ajitwal, have been revived or rebuilt purely by villagers themselves. Jamaat president Arshad Ali told Outlook, “We consciously involve Sikhs and Hindus whenever we help build a new mosque or repair an old one; and every time, the community’s response is overwhelming.” He reels off the names of scores of villages where this has happened. One of them, Diwa Gandwan in Fatehgarh Sahib, has only 17 Muslim families, most of them poor labourers. Mohammed Jameel, a farm labourer who lives in the village, told Outlook, “We never imagined we could have a masjid of our own, but we do now. It would not have been possible without the help of the Sikh landlords here, who filled up the low-lying area by bringing us earth in their tractor trollies.” The first brick of the mosque was laid by a Sikh priest from Fatehgarh Sahib, who also donated money.

Arshad Ali contrasts this attitude with the one that prevailed when he began working for the Jamaat in Punjab some 30 years ago: “We used to face opposition whenever we tried to assert ourselves. But all that has changed now. Our effort to construct masjids is helping foster religious brotherhood in Punjab.” Hassan Mohammed, the imam of the Jama Masjid at Mandi Gobindgarh, recalls that last year, when he tried to mobilise Muslims of Jhampur village to rebuild their village mosque, they were afraid of even the suggestion. He then approached the sarpanch, a Jat Sikh, who immediately got a few boys to clear the overgrown area. Other villagers chipped in with contributions in cash and kind and, soon, what was once a crumbling ruin became a vibrant place of worship. Such stories abound in rural Punjab today.

There are no clear-cut answers for why this is happening. It helps, clearly, that Muslims are only a tiny, largely poor, community here, no threat to anyone, and that sympathy for the underdog is a distinctive Punjabi—especially Jat Sikh—trait. But that’s only a partial explanation, as is the other obvious one—that this is a manifestation of collective guilt over the atrocities committed by Sikhs and Hindus against Muslims during Partition.

Guilt could be a factor, acknowledges Sikh historian and writer Prof Gurdarshan Singh Dhillon, “There is no doubt,” he says, “that the atrocities of Partition are a blot on the history of the Sikhs. We, as a martial race, are not supposed to attack the weak and unarmed, but it happened, and ever since then, there has been remorse.” He recalls how a few years before his death, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, long-time president of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), confessed that he too had killed a Muslim during the Partition riots and felt haunted by his act. Possibly to atone for the act, Tohra constructed a mosque in his native village and laid its first brick with his own hands.

On the other hand, much of the present effort to revive mosques is coming from a generation that does not have the blood of Partition on its hands; one that has witnessed and endured, rather, the violent Sikh separatism during the ’80s. That’s why Pramod Kumar, director of the Chandigarh-based Institute of Development and Communications, feels this is “the collective reassertion of Punjab’s unique cultural synthesis” and “an attempt to build a secular Punjabi identity, as opposed to a communal identity or religious one”.

But predictably, radical Sikh scholar, Prof Gurtej Singh, takes a different line: “This is an instinctive manifestation of the Sikh’s disillusionment with a Hindu-dominated Indian state that has done all it can to obliterate Sikh identity. During Partition, we were made to believe that Muslims were our enemies and we massacred them in large numbers. We have now realised that not Muslims, but Hindu-dominated parties like the BJP are the real threat to our identity.” Pointing out that Sikhs and Muslims have gradually come to value each other, he relates an anecdote about Shia Muslims recently discovering how Sikhs protected one of their shrines in Samana in Punjab, and how they are returning the gesture by helping Sikhs build gurudwaras in the Gulf. He also lauds Pakistan for enacting a Sikh Marriage Act which he helped draft, whereas India is yet to do so. “These things,” he says, “accumulate in the popular psyche, and manifest themselves in various ways”.

Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims at the mosque site

But try telling 67-year-old Kesar Singh or 24-year-old Kamal Vohra that this is only a story of Sikh-Muslim bhaichara. Kesar, a Jat Sikh farmer from Ratia, some 15 km from Dhuri, a Hindu-dominated town in Sangrur district, and Kamal, a Hindu whose family migrated from Sialkot in Pakistan, have slogged shoulder to shoulder for days to rebuild Dhuri’s lone mosque. Kesar admits to a special bond with the mosque, which he visits every week, along with 20 other Sikhs of Ratia, for Friday namaaz. “The old imam has been my friend for the last 50 years and I enjoy his liberal interpretation of the Quran,” says he. But when the old mosque was demolished to make a bigger structure, it wasn’t just Sikhs but the entire Hindu mohalla that helped dig the foundations. Hindus and Sikhs from nearby villages, too, contributed with hefty donations. As always, Punjab never fails to surprise.

Shades Of The Old Punjab

June 28, 2010.

Sundar Mundrye, Hoe!

2011-11-04T05:42:00.000-07:00

Sunder mundriye hoe!

Tera kaun wicahara hoe!

Dullah bhatti walla hoe!

Dullahe di dhee vyayae hoe!

Ser shakkar payee hoe!

Kudi da laal pachaka hoe!

Kudi da saalu paatta hoe!

Salu kaun samete!

Mamhe choori kutti!

zamidara lutti!

Zamindaar sudhaye!

bade bhole aaye!

Ek bhola reh gaya!

Sipahee pakad ke lai gaya!

Sipahee ne mari eet!

Sanoo de de lohri te teri jeeve jodi! (Cry or howl!)Paheenve ro te phannve pit! "

(Rhyming: beautiful one like a ringlet one!)Who will save you poor one (to a rescued girl)Dullah Bhatti is here for you (He rescued the girls who were abandoned and rejected after kidnap!)The Duallah married off his daughter (the rescued girls were adopted by him as his daughters)He gave a measure (sher about a kilo)of sugar!The girl is wearing bridal red dress!But her shawl is torn (poor and soiled-girl has been raped?)!Who will stitch her shawl(repair her reputation)?!

The maternal uncle made sweet ghee bread (choori)! (maternal uncles were responsible to vouch for chastity of the girl)

The landlords ravished it (meaning the girl kidnapped by rich moghul landlords!)!He made the landlords eat a lot!Lots of innocent guys came (poor grooms)One innocent boy got left behind (the poorest of poor!)The soldiers arrested him! (Indicated that he was in collusion with Bhatti the rebel)The soldiers hit him with a brick! (tortured him)Cry or howl!Give us lohri (gifts) ..long live you couple!"

Give me Lohri Now!

Jan 13, 2011

2011-11-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

Women are still an under-utilized resource. Nothing like it used to be, but there's just no question about it. I was lucky -- when I was born in 1944, I won the ovarian lottery. You know, I was born in British India and soon migrated to a Brand new State called India. I was born into a landlord family with sufficient land and real estate. I was born male with four young sisters. Finally after the marriages of my sisters I inherited the entire estate of my Dad. My life would have been vastly different if I had been born female.

I would like to narate a story which is self explanatory below:
"Regarding Mr. Bhimania’s experience with his prospective father-in-law, this is typical – buyer beware when you marry an Indian woman, especially from a business family. These same parents of girls will first discriminate against that girl, cheat her out of her property rights and inheritance, favor her younger brothers in food education & life opportunities, call her “paraya dhan” aka “someone else’s wealth” (yes, humans as property! isn’t that what slavery was about?). The whole mindset is: “let me palm her off on someone else, while I build my empire for my son’s benefit”. Of course, they will then shop around for the “respectable and well-to-do” son-in-law. Mr. Bhimania, if you succeed, that same shameless man will be standing outside your office with a begging bowl in hand, asking you to assume his “burden”. I advise you to open the door, and spit in his bowl."

I have felt many times that I am a partner to a big cheating which I helplesslly continue to look on. My sisters were born to same father and mother and the God made us like that but the social structure made us do this unjustice. But I see a ray of hope and fully believe and hope that the gender difference will not play that role for my grand kids.

Punjab - Star of India's rise, Faces steep fall

2011-11-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

By Nikita Garia

Once India’s fastest-growing state, Punjab’s economic crisis shows that the country’s rapid growth cannot be taken for granted. Many readers shared insightful comments on the state’s economic decline in the Comments section of The Wall Street Journal’s story “Punjab, Star of India’s Rise, Faces Steep Fall.” Here is a roundup of what readers had to say on the fall of Punjab:

Punjab’s economic crisis shows that the country’s rapid growth cannot be taken for granted.
“That is the story of India. Corruption and negligence by the Government,” said reader “Juhan Singha.”

Many agreed that populist programs such as free electricity to farmers caused more damage than good to Punjab’s economy. Reader “shirish kokatay,” pointed out that giving farmers subsidies for power removed the “incentive to be smart or frugal about using this precious resource…while the rest of the citizens of the state pay for this potentially huge inefficiency and waste in form of higher taxes or reduced state services.”

Others drew attention to the environmental costs of these policies. “Richard Mango,” said that by switching from wheat to more water-intensive crops like rice, Punjab has done “irreparable damage to the aquifer.”

“Ravi Singh,” noted that environmental issues are more pressing than the state’s governance troubles. Noting that “In many respects the 1960s green revolution was a disaster for Punjab,” he said that “Forty years of intensive irrigation, fertilization, and pesticides have not been kind to the loamy gray fields” of the state.

All agreed politicians were to blame. Reader “Daljit Singh,” said that “the responsibility for mismanagement must lie with the leadership of the state regardless of their political affiliation. On a more positive note, the reader added that “There is much potential for growth in Punjab, but, there is a very small pool of enlightened leadership. It must be cultivated. Get over the issues of caste, religion and communal hang ups. The time is running out.”

Readers also argued that the state needed leaders who can provide employment opportunities for its college-educated youth. “The biggest problem in Punjab is that there are thousands of engineering colleges but no industry and so students have to go to other states to find work,” said “Danish Kapur.”

Some lamented the lack of facilities and the state’s poor infrastructure. “Basic services are not always provided and there’s a high degree of inefficiency and inability to make progress because of the politically-supported unions and the incessant corruption,” said “Rohit Vedhara.” He added that Punjab was famous for its food and culture, but “sadly not as a progressive hotbed of broad-based entrepreneurial talent and innovation”.

Another reader, “Sarah McKenzie,” drew a comparison between India’s economy and China’s – the other Asian giant. “Compare and contrast this with China, where all provinces are racing ahead at breathtaking speed into modernity. There is no lack of funding, hard work, innovation or hope in Chinese provinces,” she said, though other commentators didn’t always agree.

My Dream Train Delhi to Sangrur from 4th Nov, 2011

2011-11-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

Delhi-Ludhiana Shatabdi to chug off from today
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 3
The Delhi-Ludhiana Shatabdi train, which will traverse via Rohtak and Sangrur, will be flagged off by Minister of State for Railways KH Muniyappa from Ludhiana tomorrow. The Shatabdi, which has come about following an initiative of Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari, is in fact the restarting of an earlier service which ran for only three months in 2008.

Manish Tewari said the Shatabdi would be a boon for commuters of Ludhiana who wished to reach Delhi late in the evening to catch international flights. He said the reverse was also true for Punjabis coming from abroad as the train restarted on its journey back to Ludhiana early in the morning from Delhi.

Tewari claimed that the train had been temporarily routed through Rohtak-Sangrur because of congestion on the main Ambala trunk line.

The Railways authorities, however, claim that the Shatabdi is likely to continue plying on the Rohtak-Sangrur track. The Northern Railway General Manager SK Budhalakoti, when contacted, said the present route was a permanent arrangement. He said the route via Ambala was saturated and moreover it was the endeavour of the Railways to provide superior Shatabdi services to new places. “The present train is serving new points of Rohtak and Sangrur”, he added.

The Rohtak-Sangrur route is likely to increase the journey time because the Shatabdi cannot travel on high speed on it. There is only a marginal increase of 11 km as far as distance is concerned. The Railways GM said the train, which was presently scheduled to run for four days a week on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, would start running for six days a week once the Railways got a new rake for the train.

Meanwhile, the Sangrur MP Vijay Inder Singla claimed he had submitted a written letter to the former Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on the day she announced the train in the Railway Budget urging the train run through Sangrur. He said he had made a similar request to the Prime Minister who had acknowledged the same and assured him that he would look into the matter. He thanked both of them for providing this service to the Malwa region in Punjab.

A New beginning
l The Shatabdi will be a boon for commuters of Ludhiana who wish to reach Delhi late in the evening to catch international flights

l The train has been temporarily routed through Rohtak-Sangrur because of congestion on the main Ambala trunk line

l The train, which is scheduled to run for four days a week on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, will start running for six days a week once the Railways gets a new rake

Our Family Parrot 'Tweety'

2011-11-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

On Animal Day Nov 2 2011, Let me introduce our family Pet 'Tweety' a nine years old Yellow-headed Amazon. This is one of the Amazon parrot species which are commonly kept as pets. Amazon parrots are known for their exceptional vocal abilities, playfulness, and dexterity with their feet.

Hand reared parrots, which Tweety is, are very loyal companions and they can live for 50 years or more in captivity.

In order to maintain health and happiness, pet parrots require much more attention than domesticated animals such as dogs or cats. They require communication, manipulative toys, supervised time out of the cage.

This Halloween, Tweety was very busy welcoming the kids saying repeatedly 'How are you doing?' while sitting on the the top back of the chair at the front gate.

Tweety even allowed to get himself pictured with some of the guests.

This was happy Halloween indeed for all of us.

5 days Escape to the Coachella Valley, at Westin Resorts, Palm Deserts, CA.

2011-08-19T16:43:00.000-07:00

The Mist-Sprayed-Entry to counter the hot Weather, which was incidently at 113 degrees F.

In the Club House

Relaxing in the Club House

The Wild Life

The Pool, Spa and the 60 ft Water Slide supplimented the fun for kids.

The Golf Course Onsite

Fully equipped kids had a fantastic fun in the pools hopping from one to the other.

Shiv ready to jump and join the fun while watching the kids.

Shiv in the balcony overlooking Golf course

The ladies seem to be happy even in this heat which reminded Harvinder of Ajmer where she was raised. The atmosphere smelt similar and had the floura and fauna to the same extent. No migratory birds, however were noticed at this time of the year. They are found in abundance in winter times.

A trip to nearby Native Indian's Fantasy Springs Resorts Casino

Enjoying freshly cooked Vegetarian soup, a delight she is always looking for at or away from home.

While passing through Thousnd Palms camp grounds, on way to Indio; a beautiful central valley city CA.

Picturesque Central valley with a view of Water Canal and green vast fields

While passing through loaded Red Grapes orchards, we also winessed miles and miles of Almonds, Walnuts and Cytrus Orhards.

Windmills in California

2011-08-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

Windmills of Altamont Pass in my neighborhood Livermore, CA

Windmills dot the landscape as Interstate 580 passes through the Altamont Pass Wind Farm

The Altamont Pass Wind Farm is located in the Altamont Pass of the Diablo Range in Central California. It is one of the earliest wind farms in the United States. The wind farm is composed of 4930 relatively small wind turbines of various types, making it at one time the largest farm in the world in terms of capacity. Altamont Pass is still the largest concentration of wind turbines in the world, with a capacity of 576 megawatts (MW), producing about 125 MW on average and 1.1 terawatt-hours (TWh) yearly.

Palm Springs Wind Energy

Increasingly popular as alternative sources of energy, wind turbine generators are a type of windmill that produces electricity by harnessing the wind. Wind turbine generators are much less harmful to the environment than burning fossil fuels, but they do require average wind speeds of at least 21 km/h (13 mph). The largest of these windmills stands 150 feet tall with blades half the legend of a football field. The compartments at the top containing the generator, hub and gearbox weigh 30,000 to 45,000 pounds.

A wind turbine's cost can range upwards to $300,000 and can produce 300 kilowatts - the amount of electricity used by a typical household in a month. Almost all of the currently installed wind electric generation capacity is in California. The high-tech megatowers are engineered in cooperation with NASA and nursed by federal and state subsidies. This wind farm on the San Gorgonio Mountain Pass in the San Bernadino Mountains contains more than 4000 separate windmills and provides enough electricity to power Palm Springs and the entire Coachella Valley.

The North Wind 250 is an advanced technology, 250 kW wind turbine developed by the New World Power Technology Company under the DOE Wind Turbine Development Program. The two-bladed, upwind turbine uses aircraft-style aileron controls that deploy in high winds to smooth out energy spikes. Wind Energy as a Significant Source of Electricity .

Turban, a matter of Pride and Honor

2011-07-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

Turban, a matter of pride and honor

by Roopinder Singh

PRIDE and honour make a potent potion and the turban evokes these feelings in those Sikhs who wear a turban. People have been wearing turbans since time immemorial and you find individuals wearing turbans in many nations in Asia and Africa. While for some turbans might be an optional, formal, attire, for the Sikhs wearing a turban is a religious imperative.

Turban-wearing Sikhs stand out in a crowd, for good or bad, and there are many documented cases, spread over centuries and spanning the globe, when the Sikhs have faced discrimination and worse because of their turbans.

Often prominent people would stand up for their rights. When the question of Sikhs wearing turbans and refusing to wear steel helmets came in front of the British parliament, Sir Winston Churchill said it was “a matter of deep regret that consequent to contemporary cynicism, people had been toying with many precious social and religious values, but those who want to retain and maintain them with due respect should receive our appreciation as well as help. The Sikhs need our help for such a cause. We should help them willingly. He who is familiar with Sikh history knows the Sikhs’ relationship with England, the high degree of their achievements, and must help them with full strength. The Sikhs should be exempted from wearing steel helmets because it hurts their religious feelings”.

Especially in the final decades of the last century, the Sikhs would take recourse to the legal systems of the nations that they faced discrimination in, and more in time would be granted relief since courts worldwide recognised the fundamental right of the Sikhs to wear an item of their religious attire. This was so in Britain, Canada and the US, to name just three major nations.

In France, however, it was the state that discriminated against Sikh school students and banned them for wearing turbans to school, because turbans were seen as “conspicuous religious symbols”. It enacted an all-embracing law against “conspicuous religious symbols” in 2004 and enforced it vigorously. Others affected by the law include Muslim girls wearing headscarves, Jewish boys wearing scull caps and Christians wearing large crosses.

The logic behind this decision is to take secularism not as equal respect for all religions, as it is seen in India; or a separation of the church and the state as is practised in most of Europe and the US, but a particularly narrow and strident interpretation that seeks to stamp out religion and religious symbols to preserve secularity.

French courts have supported the government in this and now the principle is being extended-the Sikhs are being asked to uncover their heads while being photographed for driving licences. Recently, United Sikhs, an international charitable organisation that has also been fighting for the cause of the turban, reported that its appeal regarding Shingara Mann Singh, 52, a French national who was refused a replacement driver’s licence because he did not take off his turban, was turned down by a top French court. Similarly, appeals by eight French students, who have sought to be allowed to attend school, have met with a similar fate.

The forthcoming visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy has drawn attention to this issue again. The issue of banning turbans in French schools has been raised , protest marches have taken place, and vigils are being planned.

It is a historical fact that 80,000 Sikh soldiers fought for France and many lost their lives during the two world wars, fighting major battles in Ypres, La Bassée, NeuveChapelle, Festubert, Loos, Givenchy and Somme.

The late Hardit Singh Malik was granted the French Legion of Honour Award in 1952. He had served as a fighter pilot for the French Air Force, and won nine aerial battles in World War I. The turbaned Malik also served as Indian Ambassador to France soon after India became independent.

The issue is neither the contributions of the Sikhs to the freedom of France, nor the ties they have with France and the French people. What is at stake here is a fundamental matter of giving people the freedom to profess and practise their faith.

The following are excerpts from a statement by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York on September 25, 2007, which is being circulated on the Internet:

“Attachment to one’s faith, to one’s language and culture, and to one’s way of life, thought and belief – all this is natural, legitimate and profoundly human…To deny that is to sow the seeds of humiliation. A ‘clash of civilisations’ will not be averted by forcing everyone to think and believe alike; cultural and religious diversity must be accepted everywhere and by all.”

Quite so, Mr President.

Curtsey: Tribune Chandigarh

Grand Opening of Second Phase of Nation's most expensive & largest San Jose Gurdwara Sunday April 10.

2011-05-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

San Jose: Expanded Sikh temple, largest in nation, open to the public this weekend

The Sikh temple high in San Jose's hills will be a flurry of activity this weekend, with an open house open for Evergreen district neighbors Saturday followed by a free vegetarian lunch for 10,000 guests and tours of the new $20-million expansion on Sunday.

The major festivities at the San Jose Sikh Gurdwara, which means "gateway to the guru," begin about 10 a.m. Sunday, with a procession around parts of the 40-acres campus at 3636 Murillo Ave.

Throughout the day, dignitaries such as Gov. Jerry Brown, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and others, are expected to be among the thousands touring the newest additions to the temple, considered the largest and most expensive in the United States.

The second phase of construction was about a year later than planned and about $2 million over what was originally budgeted said Bob Dhillon, a temple leader who oversaw the construction himself. The total cost to build the 110,000 square feet of the overall building footprint is about $32 million, Dhillon said.

The new additions include a prayer hall that can hold up to 1,500 worshippers, a massive vegetarian kitchen called a langar, 12 classrooms and 11 apartments for temple priests and visitors.

President Obama

2011-05-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

"President Obama single-handedly came up with the technique in order to pull this off," Limbaugh said on Monday. "You see, the military wanted to go in there and bomb as they always do. They wanted to drop missiles and drop bombs and a number of totally destructive techniques here. But President Obama, perhaps the only qualified member in the room to deal with this, insisted on the Special Forces. No one else thought of that. President Obama. Not a single intelligence adviser, not a single national security adviser, not a single military adviser came up with the idea of using SEAL Team 6 or any Special Forces."

A Stellen Performance in 'Kings Speech' by Director Tom Hooper

2011-02-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

Colin Firth as King George VI

Commemorative Obelisk at Coronation Park, Delhi, erected at the exact place where King George V and Queen Mary sat in 'Delhi Durbar' of 1911 while declaring the shifting of capital of British Raj from Calcutta to Delhi

The Vacant Canopy which hosted the statue of George V

"Kings Speech"

It begins with the fear of a prince and ends with the courage of a King, finding room in between for terrific joy and drama. The King is fittingly played by of United Kingdom George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952). The role undertaken by Michael Gambon as King-Emperor George Pancham (V) 3rd June1865 - 20th Jan 1936, reminds me of many stories my Mom will narrate to us kids, in particular about the 'Delhi Durbar' in 1911. Also known as the Imperial Durbar, it was held three times, in 1877, 1903, and 1911, at the height of the British Empire. The 1911 Durbar was the one attended by the sovereign George Pancham (V), the only chaired in person by the reigning King.

I happen to remember the statue of George Pancham(V) at the Canopy near India Gate, New Delhi. The statue has been removed and is eating the dust at Coronation Park New Delhi. The vacant place was to be filled up with the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi, but the Politicians have not been able to decide on that. It is unfortunate! Make something grand of your own but do not dismentle the creation already made.

"Prince George served for many years under the command of his uncle, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who was stationed in Malta. There, he grew close to and fell in love with his uncle's daughter, his first cousin, Marie of Edinburgh. His grandmother, father and uncle all approved the match, but the mothers, the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh, both opposed it. Marie's mother resented the fact that, as the wife of a younger son of the British sovereign. Guided by her mother, Marie refused George when he proposed to her, she had to yield precedence to George's mother. She married Ferdinand, the heir to the King of Romania.
His brother Albert Victor died of pneumonia, leaving George second in line to the throne, and likely to succeed after his father. Queen Victoria still regarded Princess May (engaged to Albert) as a suitable match for her grandson, and George and May grew close during their shared period of mourning. A year after Albert Victor's death, George duly proposed to May and was accepted. They married on 6 July 1893 at the Chapel Royal in St. James's Palace, London. Throughout their lives, they remained devoted to each other. George was, on his own admission, unable to express his feelings easily in speech, but they often exchanged loving letters and notes of endearment."
-Wikipedia.

Harvinder and me went to see this movie on a cold wintery wednesday evening in Dublin CA, the movie is warm and wisely presented. The film shows staggering emmotions by Helene Carter as Queen Elizabeth I and Michael Gambon as George Pancham(V) who creates a subtle look when playing his part - thrilling to see.

The Australian-born speech theropist Lionel Logue played by Geoffry Rush is a treat to watch when in the begining he calls the king by his nick name 'Bertie' while refusing calling him 'His Highness'. He was able to translate the actions of Lionel to incorporate and help overcome the King's stammer. The King delivers his speech as if to Logue, who coaches him through every moment. The many pauses necessitated to prevent his stammer sound convincingly dramatic, and the speech is a success.

The little 'Lilibet', present Queen Elizabeth II is very impressive and resembles the character.

Movie goers will enjoy.

Jania Just after she turns Five

2011-01-23T18:09:00.000-08:00

Jania

Jania, just after a few days after she turned Five, came to explain herself to me. She said, " I have a dream to keep the Earth clean, and would like to put all the trash away in the bags."

Was She just kidding or really serious, only the time will tell.

New Delhi - My City

2011-01-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

New Delhi- My city

A typical lighting decorations on a wedding

After the Coronation Durbar, Edwin Lutyens (Sir Edwin from 1918) was authorized by Lord Hardinge to proceed with preparing plans for building New Delhi. By shifting the capital to Delhi in 1912, as announced by the King in 1911, the British attempted to erase the memory of Mughal rule. Also, this return to Delhi emulated the practice followed by earlier pre-Islamic and the Mughal rulers who had established their own cities in Delhi, a move meant to increase the British Imperial image.

Bara Darwaja, Purana Quila

Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium

Hammayun Tumb

Visitors on a Sunny Winter day

The foundation stone of New Delhi was laid by King George V and Queen Mary at the site of Delhi Durbar of 1911 at Kingsway Camp on December 15, 1911, during their imperial visit. Large parts of New Delhi were planned by Edwin Lutyens (Sir Edwin from 1918) and Herbert Baker (Sir Herbert from 1926), both leading 20th century British architects, and the contract was given to Sobha Singh (later Sir Sobha Singh). However, the location was later not found suitable for building the Residency for the Viceroy since the area was in the flood prone zone of the Yamuna River. The stone was later shifted to Raisina Hill. Sobha Singh had the foundation stones removed during the night and then take them 11 km across the city and replant them on the new site. The construction of the plans were taken up after World War I (1916-18). The construction of Viceroy’s House (as it was officially called), the present Rashtrapati Bhavan, was started after World War I and completed in 1931, when the City of New Delhi was inaugurated.

Though soon Lutyens started considering other places, and finalized on a site atop the Raisina Hill, formerly Raisina village, a Meo village, for the Rashtrapati Bhawan, then known as the Viceroy's House. The historic reason for this choice was that the hill lay directly opposite to the Dinapanah citadel, which was also considered the site of Indraprastha, the ancient region of Delhi. Subsequently, the foundation stone was shifted from the site of Delhi Durbar of 1911-1912, where the Coronation Pillar stood as well, and embedded in the walls of the forecourt of the Secretariat. The Rajpath, also known as King's Way, stretched from the India Gate to the Rashtrapati Bhawan, was alligned with the ‘Bara Darwaja' of the Dinapanah the present day Purana Quila. The Secretariat building, which houses various ministries of the Government of India, flanked out of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, and the Parliament House, both designed by Herbert Baker, is located at the Sansad Marg, which runs parallel to the Rajpath.

Sobha Singh bought as much land in Delhi as he could. He bought several extensive sites at as little as Rs 2 per square yard, freehold. There were few other takers, and he came to be described as 'adhi dilli da malik' (the owner of half of Delhi). He constructed many residential and commercial buildings, including the Connaught Place market complex, as well as the Chelmsford, A.I.F.A.C.'s Hall, Broadcasting House (All India Radio), The National Museum, Dyal Singh College, T.B.Hospital, Modern School, Deaf and Dumb School, Red Cross Buildings and Baroda House. Outside Delhi, he built the High Court and Government Medical College at Nagpur and the Pasteur Institute at Kasauli.

Thus the New Delhi also came to be known as Lutyenes Delhi.

The above material is collected from wikipedia.

Prince required

2010-11-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

Jania the Princess

Our yet to be five grand daughter Jania is like other girls of her age very found of dressing up as a 'Pricess'. As she usually watches TV cartoons depicting stories on Kings, Queens, Prince and Pricesses. Often goes through various books on the same topic in the city/School Liabrary.

She also understands that all these stories start with 'once upon a time' there was a ... . Suddenly Jania poses a question to her grandmother how she is going to get married as there are no Princes now a days. Her little chat usually baffles me.

Can someone find one for my Pricess?

Visit to Qutub Minar in 2006

2010-11-09T13:49:00.000-08:00

QUTUB MINAR

Islamic monumental history in India starts here.

Qutub Minar is a very impressive and remarkable piece of monument built with buff and red sandstone. It’s nearly 800 years old. Its foundations were laid in 1199 AD, by one of the first Islamic kings in India, Qutbu’d-Din Aibak, who ruled the so-called Slave Dynasty. The tower was originally intended as a minaret, for calls to prayer, according to the Archaeological Survey of India.

The Qutub Minar was being built around the same time that the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa was under construction in Italy. The difference is that the Indian Architects/Engineers got the foundation right and Qutub Minar was built straight!

The Minar currently stands 72 meters high, according to the Archaeological Survey - Government Of India, and that’s after a couple of the top floors of the tower have been struck down by lightning. In comparison, the Pisa tower is just 60 meters high. With a diameter of 14.3 meters, the Qutub is a lot narrower.

Visit to Badbar July 2010

2010-08-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

July 2010 Visit

A very short trip to Badbar. the paddy had ben transplanted and the entre Pocket in 'Nehri Land' was used. I also found a huge building recently inaugurated by Parkash Singh Badal, the Chief Minister of Punjab. This Engineering College is being constructed about 1/4 Kilometer towards the village Badbar from my 'Nehri Land'. My land is at Stone, 2 miles from the village.

Green Lush Paddy Fields standing proud with Harvinder

Government MULTI-TECHNICAL COLLEGE being built in Badbar

Government Multi-Technical College, Badbar

Working on Tube Well.

Adding Floors

On the 14th Death Anniversary of my Dad S.Vas Dev Singh

2010-08-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

Aug 15, 1919 - Aug 23, 1997

On 23rd of august 1997, my fatther S Vas Dev Singh left for his heavenly abode. Known as 'Bhagat Ji' to his near and dear, he truely lived his life as humble Saint. He was a very simple, peace-loving and God fearing man. He had no bitter enemies and no real close friends. I never found him overjoyed with happiness nor drowned by sorrows. When my grandmother died in Chandigarh, he was informed about the death around noon time. He immediately gave the first instruction to my wife to setup the lunch before packing up for Chandigarh. At the time of my wedding, he was found doing day to day chores without asking for any special ritual except inviting the oldest living family member to bless me. Following quote of Bhai Nand Lal Ji Goya fits into his life period, as he left this world:

"Devotion to you, like the breeze, blew me

into the Garden of Existence.

         There was no other urge for me to take birth.

          Happy is the life that is spent in Your worship,

         What else is there to gain beneath the blue dome?

While I inherited his aggricultural and urban property, I have more valuable possessions as listed below

The Passport which was issued in a Single day.

The wallet in which he always kept my picture (1967) and Harvinder (1973)

Tooth brush, Tooth Brush Case, a piece of Soap

A sewing needle and thead

His Eye-Glasses with a Cover from Dayal Opticians, Lajpat Nagar

His 'Kangha' the comb

The hand bag carrying all these articles

The Obituary in San JoseMercury News

His true and perfect life will float down the stream of time and ripple round the spheres.

Guru Ka Lnagar at Hayes Town Gurdwara London follows tradition

2010-08-26T10:19:00.000-07:00

Our Visit to Hayes Town Gurdwara London

As a self made rule, I try my best to visit the Gurdwara Sahib of the city/Town, I happen to visit. The visit gives me a chance to connect to my people and install a landmark on my memory map.

Walk To the Gurdwara

Hayes Town

Harvinder, at The Gurdwara Sahib, searching for humble Donation in her Purse

Recorded 'Kirtan' was being played as we entered the Sanctorum, with one lady on the left found deep in Meditation. The atmosphere was so soothing, peaceful and freshening

There was only one person( he seemed to be one among the Sangat) attending the Kitchen at that time. As we asked for 'langar', he felt so bad because the last bread had been recently served. The person, who looked, pressed us hard again and again to wait for a little while when the fresh 'Rotis' will be cooked in no time and served to us. As we, having a short time to catch the flight for San Francisco, excused ourselves and instead took one piece of sweet and a cup of hot tea. Harvinder grabbed one Apple which we enjoyed eating on our way back. It was so heart catching that even in the remotest corners of the world, serving of 'Langar' is keeping pace with the Spirituality in Gurdwaras.

Bhai Nand Lal ji's langar tradition is being followed at Hayes Town Gudwara, London. May the 'Langar' tradition long live.

The following story is reflective, perhaps, of the time before the creation of the Khalsa and the addition of the name Singh and Kaur. as per SikhiWiki:

After the martyrdom of his father Guru Tegh Bahadur, many people of differing religions began to flock to Sachkhand Sri Anandpur Sahib Ji to be blessed with the darshan of the next Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Rai Ji. Over many years a non broken sucession of Sikh Gurus had started many Langars (free kitchens), which were run by their beloved Sikhs.
Just as it is today the Guru Ji’s langar was served free to all those who came into the house of Guru Nanak Dev.
In the days after the Guruship was thrust upon the young Gobind Rai, Guru Gobind Rai ji had started many Guru ka Langars (free meal kithcens for any visitors to the Sikh Gurdwaras). A Sikh by the name of Bhai Nand Lal Ji was in charge of one of these kitchens. One day, all-knowing Guru Gobind Singh ji decided to visit the nearby kitchens in disguise. Guru Sahib would go to his kitchens a little bit before langar was meant to be served and then he would urgently tell the sevadaars that he was very hungry. Not recognizing their Guru in his disguise they greeted him with courtesy and affection but they would always tell him to return later on when the langar would be served to all. All of the kitchens the Guru went to gave him a similar response.

The last kitchen that the disguised Guru visited, without his Kalgi adorned turban, was the kitchen run by Bhai Nand Lal Ji. Here the unknown guest to the Guru's kitchen was again told that langar was nearly ready. As the Guru turned to leave, Bhai Nand Lal Ji came running after him with what food was ready and began to plead with the Guru's guest to sit down.
Bhai Nand Lal Ji said:

“The home of Guru Nanak Dev Ji is like no other in this world or the next. No one shall leave empty handed.”
The Guru, in disguise, smiled at Bhai Nand Lal Ji and began to eat his langar.
The next day Guru Ji told the sangat the whole story. Maharaj then told his beloved Sikhs to follow the example of Bhai Nand Lal Ji.

SikhiWiki

My Visit to England July 2010

2010-08-04T22:00:00.000-07:00

While transporting between the Terminals at Heethrow Airport, London

Having a walk to the Gurdwara

Add caption

Getting a breather on way to Gurdwara

Back to Comfort Hotel where we had a really comfortable stay

Finally relaxing and waiting for the transport back to Airport

Jania Kapoor Pre School work 2009-10

2010-06-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

To My Brother-In-Law Amrit Dhir - Father of Generic Medicine Marketting in India

2010-05-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

I understand that you will be soon wrapping up your innings after a glorious performance where you almost were a leader in the entire Nation in the field of Marketting Generic Medicine in India. I have seen you closely rising the steps in your profession. I was, however, not able to follow you up that closely when you reached the pinnacle in view of my migrating to US of A. But still I feel with proud that you have done a remarkable job for yourself, your employer and for the humanity. I found you so much engrossed in your work at the cost of your personal interests.

So, now Waheguru has bestowed upon His utmost blessings to you. Now is the time to start fresh for the next innings which I am hopeful that you will come out as masterful and successful. You have to pay back to the humanity for all the goodies offered to you by Him.

Only the other day, I met you for the first time for a lunch at a Vegetarian Shudh restaurant in Regal building to talk about proposal for my sister Amar Jit in the hot summer month of May 1975. From then onwards, we had a remarkable journey of friendship culminating into brotherhood all through. During this period, we stood up to the sad times together and overjoyed happy times shaking the legs on the melodious tunes of Bhangra music, without ever forgetting Him.

I appreciate that you have always given me more respect than it has been due to me during these years. Finally I pray to Waheguru that we continue to have same and even better relationship in your next innings.

May Waheguru bless you even happier, contented and full of opportunities to attain them.

With love, affection and lots of hugs.

Gobind Jania In Hawaii on Spring Break Trip with parents.

2010-04-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

Hundred Flowers

Luau Moments, Courtsey: Shiv

I warned both Gobind and Jania on their Spring Break 2010 Trip to Big Island Hawaii (a Volcanic Island), when I went to drop them at the San Francisco Airport that they are going to miss the grandparents. Both of them were so excited and almost ignored the warnings and instead insisted us to accompany them. The ticket pricing, at the last moment was so high, discouraged us to join them.

3D computerized image of Big Island

The next day we waited for a 'Miss you' call, but hardly there was any call coming from Hawaii. So in the evening, we finally checked to find out what was happening. We were assured that they were having a blast on the trip. Second day, we found out that they had enjoyed themselves in their Resort pool and were having fun of their lives.

As the third day approached, while we were coming back from the Wednesday Weekly Program from the Hayward Gurdwara Sahib, THE CALL came. It was a long one for almost 25 minutes and were pressing to chat with grandpa also, as I could not do so while driving. She continued to emphasize that she wants to sleep on our bed with grandma.

Sleeping Pattern:

This is quiet usual after every couple of days, she would like to go to sleep on our bed. So does Gobind, but Jania has a last say and would never budge from her spot on our bed. Poor Gobind accepts the option to go to his Star-war Room along with his grandpa. Surprisingly they take only 60-90 seconds to go to sleep. Jania is now shifted to her Princess Room for spending the night. If by chance Jania remains on our bed, one of us will have constant barrage of kicks on our bodies, while the other will be used as a pillow. Similarly they throw away their parents from their bed if allowed to use their bed. This is their consistant sleep pattern.

As I parked the car in the garage, the phone was finally given to me. While Gobind was talking on Volcanos, pool and other strange things, Jania grabed the phone. When confronted if she conceded that she missed us. She immediately reacted that she was missing us too much. She further told since only one more day was left and would come back home to join us.

Luau Moments, Courtsey: Shiv

Now I told her to bring one Hawaian flower for me. She spontanously replied that she will bring one hundred of them for me and further consoled me not to worry.

Lehua Blossom, Hawaii

So, my day is awaitng for 100 flowers, may be as shown above.

PS: As Gobind and Jania stepped into the main enterance of our house after the trip, both of them synchronously spoke that they could not bring the flowers as they (authorities) did not allow them to bring. Yes they were absolutely right as no vegetation can be allowed to be brought to the main land by passengers.

A visit by our Jangpura Neighbors

2010-03-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

Jangpura Neighbors

Mukesh, our next door neighbor, recalls his memories of my wedding reception which was arranged in the Park in front of our houses in Jangpura Extension, New Delhi in 1972. He clearly remembers how he, as an eight years old boy, enjoyed the song which I performed on that party night.

He migrated to USA in 1998 and settled down in Houston Texas. Fortunate as he is, Mukesh is running a successful operation of couple of gas stations including a large Shell gas station near the airport.

Presently he is anxiously awaiting to bring the rest of his family to USA. Mukesh had filed the immigration petition for his wife and their four daughters at one go.

For strange reasons, his oldest daughter Pooja was luckily approved by US Government and stamped with an immigrant Visa by the US Counsulate in New Delhi about nine months ago, while the rest of the family still awaits the stamping to have a happy re-union.

So, Mukesh decided to cheer up Pooja and give her a vacation by visiting us in the Bay Area during her spring holidays.

At San Jose Gurdwara Sahib

At Monterey

At Lone Cyprus

At Beach

At San Ramon Water Fall

At Crooked Street

At Pier 39

At Golden gate

One Side Of Papers

2010-03-15T20:28:00.000-07:00

My Desk

One side Of Papers

I normally work from a desk placed in a multipurpose room attatched to my bed room. This attached office has a table, a chair, a treadmill, and walk-in-wardrobe. This arrangement fits into my kind of reqirements. A fast internet with excellent bandwidth is wirelessly available to me on my laptop. I also use extensively the I-Phone which also works as standby tool for my internet reqirements.

Shiv is a great fan of paperless office working. But I continue to tell him that at times the reqirement is essential. At the same time, as a 'green' thing I would like to make the use of paper to the minimum. Hence I have resolved to use the other side of the paper which has been already used on one side. I usually do 'doodling' and throw away the paper in the evening.

The other big use of one side used paper is to fulfill the demands of Gobind and Jania. Every now and then they would make a demand and I would oblidge them with a crisp one side used paper. Initially, Jania refused poin blank and with little pursuation she agreed. Both of them accepted this arrangement solving my problems to avoid wastage.

Today, I got into deepest of troubles. Gobind came in a hurry and demanded three papers as he was required to take them to his Dad for some assignment. As I questioned his requirement, he was blindfolded bent upon to have papers. In mean time, I just got busy in some studies, this guy went to the other side of the desk and grabed 3-4 papers after thoroughly checking that they were used on one.

To my good luck, I happened to check those papers and to my utter surprise those papers were important real estate documents just received in the mail. When I stopped him not to touch them as they were very important papers and I needed them badly for my records. To which Gobind immediately reacted, " these are one side used papers, grandpa."

How can I expalain to him now!

Panipat Zila Karnal

2010-03-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Our house Number 391, W-12, Kalandar Chowk, Panipat. This is the front of our house where we spent 25 years after partition. The house, with multi owners, has been redone by the builder who built many appartments by merging neighboring houses. The picture is courtsey my niece Simer Chhabra who joined all my four sisters in March 2010 and revisited the place where we grew.

Young and talented Simer Chhabra

Bhagwant, Amarjeet, Mohinder and Tripat on their recent visit to Panipat March 2010

Bhagwant in our courtyard with a Portable 'Tandoor' in the background

Panipat Zila Karnal

It was quite often when our family will meet over a get together, I being a four/five year old will be made a focal point of attraction. My dad will call me, while sitting among his group of friends and ask me to narate the same few lines on Panipat.

We were lust in the process of settling down in Panipat immediately after the partition of the country. Most of our other members of our family was settled in New Delhi. One evening we had got together for a wedding dinner and squatted on the floor on the roof of a dharamshala in Rohtak in connection with the wedding of Mr Atam Narain Singh (my mothers eldest sister's son).

I was summoned by Mr Dalip Singh( Dad's budy and his bench-mate) to bully me and asked me to sing that by now infamous naration about our new abode. As I sang, all the people around me would jump to thundrous laughter and will join me in singing alongwith while I was seriously doing the song. Obviously I was thrilled by the attention I got from all near and dear, while all others had real hearty fun.

The lyrics are given below, I do not know whether it attracts the same attention or not:

"Panipat zila Karnal,

No Koi Roti, No Koi Daal,

Bhukhe mar gae Bachche naal"

'There is a town called Panipat which falls under the district of Karnal,

There is hardly any bread or butter/dish available at that place,

How do we survive, as We and kids are dying out of hunger.'

This was just a pointer to my Dad, being a grain producer himself, till the other day owning 100s of acres of aggricultural lands, had to make his both ends meet with utmost difficulty to take care of the needs of his kids.

My Dad joined his kins without a wrinkle of worry on his face though and just laughed it away.

When my Grand Daughter Jania Speaks

2010-03-08T11:40:00.000-08:00

Jania is full of life and always chattering goody goody things. I am amazed if I was knowing even ten percent of the vaccubalary she knows. May be TV shows and exposure of developed nation are the factors giving rise to this level of information. I thought whynot to document her trifle titbits. She is another inspiration for me use my time in a fruitful and positive way.

Lesson of Love

Yesterday after dropping off Gobind, we straightway proceeded to Acorn Learning Center Daughtry Valley, where she is having her second year pre-school activities. While sitting in her car seat, picked up a Lolly Pop and give it to me, but she wanted to give the same to Dadi Ma too. Next what she did has touched my heart too much. While putting her right hand on my left shoulder and left hand on Dadi Ma's right shoulder, She pushed both of us towards each other saying that this candy should be shared by us both as we both love each other.

My Grandson and Me

2010-01-19T15:54:00.000-08:00

Our Relationship:

We treat each other as most cordial friends. He will like to instantly churn out all happenings during his day in School as I pick him and walk him to the parking lot.

Makes me Special:

Being the first in hierarchy of my next generation, he is the Star of my eyes. I like him to be naughty & graceful.

Enjoy About:
I would like to enjoy and be with him all the times playing numerous games which he exclusively plays with me.

Do Together:
Enjoy more with outdoor /indoor Activities

I wish him to grow a great human being to serve the human race in any field.

About my Childhood.

I am Preetmohan Singh Kapoor and being the father of Gobind’s dad, a really proud one.

With six decades removed, I grew up a toddler to witness a mass immigration in the history of human race from one place to another on grounds of religious demographics when about 25Million people were displaced.

Photo of a Railway Station in Punjab, India. Many people abandoned their fixed assets and crossed newly formed borders.

Life as a Child

Under the circumstances, my Mom started teaching me at home, while my Dad had to look out to earn for bread for the family. I had to wait to be five years of age to get admission into a Government run Primary School in a small and uprooted city of Panipat in the outskirts of Delhi the capital of the Country. But my Mom had already taught me good enough to be in the Second grade, so my Dad had to bribe Rs 1 to the Head Master Mr Sat Pal who allowed me get entry into the school even with a younger age.My First School

Our school was at a stone’s throw from our house. I shall start from the house only after listening the school bell. We had to squatter on a cotton carpet full of filth and sand along with our Slate for writing on with a Chalk, a small 8-page book and a wooden hand board for using the same again and again with black ink and a bamboo pen. (for reusing the wooden board again it had to be washed and given a fresh coat of a fuller’s earth every evening so that the same board would get dry and ready for use next morning).

The small book would contain the Alphabets, numbers, and one story at the last page with a hand drawn picture of a cat acting as Judge holding a two pan balance for equally dividing a piece of loaf between two monkeys. She continued eating the extra on either side till the loaf piece was completely consumed by her. Moral: do not fight and decide it between yourself, otherwise some body greedy like the Cat would grab the share of both.

The teacher had a portable Black Board only for the 3rd grade and above class. There was only one section of 30-40 student in the class. There was only one examination for promoting to the next class at the end of the year culminating in March of each year and the result was announced on First of April. All the kids would line up with a Marigold Flowers garland in their hands and would place the same around the neck of their respective teacher as the result of being successful was announced. Yes, a few were unlucky who could not be promoted.

Games I Played

We had two months of summer holidays, but usually they got prolonged as in our area it rained for Four months in a year and the roofs of the school were not able to handle the heavy and prolonged rains and the rain water continuously leaked through them all the times. All of us were extremely happy to get a school day off on such occasions. That was the funniest thing to happen. This will give us a chance to hang around and play marbles, Gulli Danda ( a local famous game played in south Asia). My dad got a good Job in the city Rationing Department and was paid reasonably well. He got me a rubber Ball which would attract many friends of mine who remained glued to play with me. In fact a small vacant place surrounded by row of houses came to be known as a play ground after my name.

I wish I could have my old time back, that would not happen. But while seeing Gobind passing a similar time in better environments and conditions, I feel so much elated and contented.

Here is how he sings the 'Mool Mantra'

Memo.m4a (1060KB)

July 10, 2009

Drop Off and Pick Up From school

Gobind gets badge for 'Walk To School' from an officer of San Ramon Police Department on the Black Top

Gobind school starts at 8.00 AM, while Jania's Pre School Learning Center admits her at 8.15. So it works really well. We fill them up with lunch packs in their backpacks for Gobind & Jania and start the morning journey at 7.45. That is also the start of first fight. She would like to go to her school first, and would strongly argue as to why to go to Gobind School first. Neither me nor the grandma has been able to convince that hers starts late. As I, being on the passenger seat, am spared the onslaught from her.

Any way, Gobind and me get down from the car by 7.55. I carry his bag on my shoulder, walk him to the Row Number 27 marked in white on the Black Top. There are 40 rows meaning the number of sections for grade 1 to grade 5 in the Live Oak Elementary School in San Ramon, Ca. Black Top is a huge tar suface of about 5-6 Acres meant for games like tennis, soft ball, Basketball courts, and lots of swings in one corner. It is a treat to see the hustle and bustle both at the time of drop off and pick up of kids on the Black top. Mostly kids are accompanied by one adult member of the kids family usually by one of the grand parents or non-working mothers.

You will see a diversified section of folks of all color and creed in the True America style here. There are Cacaseans, blacks, Chinese, Vietnames, Phillipinos, South Asians, and Africans mingling with each other due to the necessity of imparting best education in the best environments. Being a practicing sikh, Gobind has four more co -Sikhs to his advantage.

As the bell rings, various teachers of all the classes will come forward and lead their sudents in each row to their respective class rooms. It is interesting to see Gobind holding a big size back pack and walking in a disciplined line, following his teacher Mrs Boreman through hoard of mates. At times he lags in his walk feeling still sleepy.

Mrs.Boreman's Gobind Teacher in the First Grade introduces herself

My name is Jennifer Boreman. I am a newlywed living in San Ramon with my husband of 11 months and our two dogs. I am originally from New York which is where I obtained my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education and Psychology. I have been living in California for six years and have had the opportunity to obtain my Masters Degree from St. Mary’s College. I have been in the education field for eight years teaching in New York, San Francisco, and Pittsburg, California. I am very excited to be part of the Live Oak family.

I relax at the Soccer Coaching Play Ground by the side of Black Top

Playing Facilities

2008-10-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

5 DAYS IN HAWAII

A View from The Hotel Balcony

Harvinder was so much tied up with the daily chores on account of little Jania and dear Gobind, she had planned a vacation to a far away place so that she was able to switch off her brain circuitry and become a normal person. We tried small local trips that hardly made any virtual effect to reverse the brain clock. Our 10 hour daily help was ineffective in reducing the type of pressure on Harvinder and me.

As Harvinder is an expert in catching fantastic deals from the tel-marketers and it took almost 10 months to effectively materialize the whole trip to Hawaii. So it was finally a win-win situation, we had to shell out a two grands though. We were finally happy that we could make this trip.

We landed at Honolulu international Airport at local 5.30 PM - 3 hours behind California Pacific Time. the airport was not very big and grand but there was warmth of local people all over. They were holding colorful flower circular garlands for their respective guests.

Near the Front Desk of Hotel

Our host was to meet us at the Hotel Aqua Palm at Waikiki. We took a shuttle and reached the Hotel in 30 minutes. We went straight to the front desk and registered our selves and were allotted a suit on 5th floor. We were fresh from the journey. The weather was neither warm nor cold but a little humid.

We quickly washed and changed and were eager to have first hand communication with the locals here. We asked for a good restaurant for having a dinner. We were relieved that we had similar American food available near by. There were Italian, Mexican, Thai and an Indian restaurants available. We had as a supplement got some home made 'Paronthas' also.

Next day we just wanted to have look at the area and the city and planned for various guided trips. We went to the Expedia desk in the corner of our Hotel at an appointed time met one Mr Sean who was very cordial and welcomed us to the island. with in next two hours we had planned the entire trip as per our tastes and requirements.

In the afternoon, we went to the beach near by and went to Hilton Hawaiin Resorts nearby. As we enterd, we became the integral part of the village. This is 22Acre facility just on the Ocean. They were lot of restaurants, Pastry shops, jewellary shops, famous articles of world renown, Antiques and lots of tourists services. It was really a fun to walk along the small lanes among the mixture of various people got together from all over the world. If in a lift, you will never find two people from one place. All people of race, color, religion were seen walking , talking and having fun together. It is amazing to see all this.

Island of Oahu

More than you imagined,more than you expected, Oahu is a rich and rewarding destination. Beyond the turquoise waters, pristine beaches, and razor-edged mountains, you'll discover a legacy rich in history and influences from all corners of the Pacific.

Oahu, the sun and fun capital of the Hawaiian Islands, is awash with as many activities as there are hours in the day. Enjoy hiking through rainforests, biking along mountain ranges and swimming in the azure waters of the Pacific.

Getting AroundGetting around Oahu is fun and easy, whether it's two wheels, four wheels or otherwise. You can circle Oahu in less than three hours by car. Or you can take TheBus, our public transportation system. It's one of the best ways to experience firsthand, the local communities and people.

Taxis are plentiful and easily available. Or, if you prefer, there are a number of two-wheeled options, like motorcycles, mopeds or bicycles.

To get around, There are three major freeways, connecting you to all points of the islands. And just so you know, going east is called Diamond Head direction; west is Ewa direction; Mauka is toward the mountain; and Makai is toward the ocean.

Things to DoOahu's long-held position as the most popular of all the Hawaiian islands is due in good measure to the incredible variety - and quality - of attractions on this island. There is something exciting fascinating, and fun for every age, every interest, and every budget.

There are historic monuments like Punchbowl National Cemetery and Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor which you can visit on official Navy tours. And there are historic Hawaiian sites like 'Iolani palace, America's only Royal Palace where Kings and Queens of old Hawaii once ruled. Oahu also has Hawaii's largest collection of museums where fascinating exhibits and demonstrations let you learn about everything from how ancient Polynesians navigated the Pacific in outrigger canoes to how Nantucket whalers fashioned harpoons.

The city of Honolulu is a diverse and ongoing attraction itself with distinct and intriguing districts like the thriving downtown/Chinatown business district set alongside busy Honolulu Harbor.

Oahu also boasts dozens of attractions that are simply pure fun vacation experiences. Luaus, Polynesian shows, dancing dolphins, sunset cruises, submarine rides, a world class zoo and aquarium, garden tours, "ghost walks"... the list goes on and on. This is the Hawaiian island that can fill all the days and nights of your vacation with fun and fascinating new experiences.

© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

2008-08-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

MY DREAM GIRL

Harvinder Kapoor

'Till We Do Part At Death'

On Valentine Day 2010

2008-08-22T15:46:00.001-07:00

Reclaiming of Maru Land- Part II

Continued from: Reclaiming of Land-part I...

Harvinder With Jania and Preet Mohan Singh on Maru Land as developed today

Harvinder and Jania enjoyng the hard bed

I shall pick up the bi-cycle and immediately ride it to Nehri land and make round of my fields and on the way talk to the neighbors and our cultivators and get all information. Poor people will give me very honestly all the details and their advice which cost me no penny. They will meet me with folded hands. And when an old man also bowed to me with respect, I felt embarrassed and awkward. Some times I shall have a cup of tea or a rural food with them. Believe me that the food was really tasty.

After a flash visit in the Nehri land, I shall pick up my bi-cycle and ride it further one &1/2 a mile on the road and before reaching Hari Garh Canal, I shall make a right turn along a culvert which was formed on the rain-drain. I shall go for another 3/4 th of a mile and reach 'Maru land' all along the side of the drain. While doing so , I shall pass my uncle's land which was now converted to a awfully green patch. I would make a wish here, If I could also develop my piece of land on same or even lesser level.

So, Charanjit Singh was my Chief of operations. He advised me to start grading the land at the top- most point near a grown up tree on the top of hill which I had named it as 'Mount Everest'. When I reached at the site it looked as if Charanjit had done nothing during the past week. I just gave him some encouraging words as a matter of routine and felt he had a whole awesome work to do in leveling the the big hilltop. After discussing a few things for a while, I came back the Badbar bus stand.

I had to take stock of the development work with my other cultivator and spent about one hour with him and promised to come again after a week. I shall take a Haryana Roadways Bus which will go back via Patran, Nirvana, Jind, Rohtak and reach Delhi Inter State Bus Terminus at around 9.00 pm. My help would load some bags of grocery etc at Badbar, and now on return I shall take Auto Rikshaw and pay about Rs 17/- and reach Jangpura Extension home where Our servant Kamal Bahadur 'Kancha' will take care of the same and store it where ever Harvinder would desire. I would also invariably share that grocery with my sisters.

The trip to Badbar was very quick, effective and very successful. Next day I shall take rest or attend some social gathering and was fresh to attend office in time on Monday. So it was a ritual every week for about months.

Quickest Trip.

One day the trip was really short and quick. As usual I left the home with fresh & cold mangoes and food and reached the Delhi Railway Station on time. Jummu Tavi train was parked on the allotted Platform. I just checked it with the ticket collector after saying hello to him and did not need to check the departure time as it always started late. He welcomed me and told me to occupy the sleeper comfortable. As I laid down on the upper deck of the bunk, I went to sleep pretty quickly. I slept really deep. In mean time the train were still shunting and consolidating the buggies. At one stage, as the engine came with a push to connect itself with the rest of the buggies, it made a lot of hard jerk and loud thud. This made me to get out of my slumber. I had presumed the train was running and was almost near to Sangrur as I had slept for over two hours by now. But when I checked from my co-travellers who were resting on the lower berths, they started laughing. They spoke out sarcastically that the train was still at Delhi and had not even steamed off. I checked up my watch and noticed that it was around 5.00 AM.

With new schedule I had no chance of returning the same day, while I had to attend some thing urgent on Sunday in Delhi. I decided to abandon the trip and return. I returned the ticket and took the bus back to Home. As I knocked the door bell, inquest enquires came from inside, as who the hell it could be so early in the morning.

Harvinder was excited to see me back and asked me how come that I was back so early. I told her that earlier I was making quick back and forth trips and today it was the quickest of them all. I narrated the whole story to Dad and to my sisters and everybody had a hearty laugh of this so called quick trip to Badbar and back, as I might have had a chartered plan to undertake this.

Coming back to my development of land project. Next Saturday, When I reached Badbar bus Stand at around 7.30 AM. To my pleasant surprise, Charanjit Singh was there to receive me with our tractor at the Bus Stand Badbar. That was nice. I felt flattered. I took a comfortable seat near Charanjit, and we started going to the fields on the same tractor. What a Treat. I felt as if I was not sitting on the tractor but on the top of the word. Many known fellow villagers would wish Charanjit Singh and would also turn towards me to offer their wishes. I was a new kid on the block.

Charanjit Singh, on the way, would narrate me report of happenings during the past one week. He told me this time that although he worked very hard, but the progress was very meager. His neighbor had remarked that with such work load, Charanjit was asking early departure to Almighty. with the deployment of one tractor, there was hardly any progress and it will take many many months of exclusive and dedicated use of one tractor.

I asked a solution. To which he said that we will have to deploy 10 tractors all at once for consecutive 30 days to make a little dent on the progress. He had already talked to some owners of the tractors and wanted me to talk to the Sarpanch for helping the project. The Sarpanch will easily manage the arrangements of tractors and Diesel, labor and spare parts. While I was the one to make available the finances. The persons on Job will have to be provided with food and drinks which will be arranged by Charanjit while I shall again fund the expenses. My Dad had already cautioned against provision of manual help for this, as we and our woman folk can not do and manage such huge village cooking. The village woman folk are very capable and do such assistance admirably.

So on our return from the fields, we had decided to see Sarpanch, whom we met at the Bus stand Badbar. He greeted me with a big and tight hug and offered me some cold drink, which was smartly arranged by Charanjit by ordering to the near-by shop. In came the cold drinks, while we talked. The Sarpnach was more than happy to provide his help and services. He would be glad to voluntarily lend his own tractor on exchange basis and our tractor will go for the same period of time for doing Job for the Sarpanch on exchange basis. That was fair and fast. he even postponed his own work for a few days and promised to send the tractor next day in the morning.

Charanjit Singh with the help of Sarpanch arranged ten tractors in all and deployed them from Monday to push up the work. Charanjit Singh's wife along with other woman folks got busy to cook food at the site. The little kids will doing so many chores. In turn, I promised that I shall materially and financially support when his daughters get married. Which I did when his first daughter got married.

When I came back from Badbar that week, my Dad and Harvinder had a lot of questions. Dad would come to my bed room and sit there to ask the progress. He was also very happy to learn that such a large scale development was being undertaken during his life time. It was he who encouraged me to take this bold step. None of my cousins, although who had been solely doing the farming work, would dare to undertake such a huge development work at this level.

My cousins later approved of my action and praised my dad for encouraging me. Dad was a visionary and was passing on the baton. This was risky but I was as usual in my positive state of mind and was pushing ahead with unprecedented thrust shown by my Dad. This is often done by the farming community and not by a landlord.

Charanjit had taken a promise from me that after the development of the land, he will be exclusive contractor for that part for a minimum period of three years. I had also agreed keeping in mind that he deserved even more. As he intended to earn from the wheat crop next year, The present year paddy crop will be hardly produce any thing worth since it being the first ever crop from a new land.

So, we prepared ourselves and laid down lots of gypsum and graded the land, made aqua routes for irrigation of the crops for Paddy. The water from the new well was gushing out and it was thrilling to see Charanjit very happy while showing me the preparations for "paneeree" a process when seeds are sown in a small portion of land. As the seedlings were growing up by 3-4 inches, the spot was visible from a distance as green, lush and vegetating. A special treatment of fertilizer and care made this happen. As the rains start and water is clogged in each Acre, the transplanting of the seedlings are done by expert labor usually from Bihar. It is a treat to see this being done.

To be continued and edited...

2008-08-19T22:54:00.000-07:00

Reclaiming Of Maru Lands

Shivpreet Singh with Gobind Singh at the Tube-well

S. Preet Mohan Singh, S. Gobind Singh, S. Shivpreet Singh, at vast leveled Maru Land

S. Shivpreet Singh, S. Gobind Singh, Srdn Dashminder Kaur, and Jania Kaur

Maru Land 14+ acres Parcel, As It Looks today

My father had also owned about another 25 Acres of Maru Land (a short name for Marusthal meaning desert). The crops from this part of parcel of land always depend upon the rains. The land was full of hilltops all around and hardly any two acres were at level which is the prime condition of fruitful farming. There were sand and pebbles all around. You will not be able to see a tree for miles. The water level available was very deep and if available it was very salty, sour and of inferior quality. At times when God was pleased, we used to have some crops of ground nuts or corn on a few spots. Most of the times, it will not rain for years, and when it rained, it rained excessively resulting in floods which will create havoc. All the lands around will be seized by water and nothing else.

The Government tried to take measures to control the floods but was not very effective due to paucity of sufficient funds. And even these reforms would never reach to the parcel of land we owned. A brick lined canal was laid down, which did help us a little during the floods. But the sub soil water level raised to a very high level and the land almost converted to marshy conditions. One could easily dig a few feet to reach the water. The irrigation department of the Punjab Government planned a Open Rain drain and constructed the same through our Parcel. Thus about 8+ Acres were on one side of the drain, while 14+ acres came on the other. The drain consumed about 2-3 Acres of our land and we were nominally compensated. to prevent the soil erosion, they planted 'kikkar trees on either side of the drain. We did use this 'kikkar' for brushing our teeth free - another perk for owning lands.

The land of 8+ Acre was better leveled and cultivatable, and a few people got interested to rent the same for cultivation. But we hardly made any money, it was just negligible. While on the other side, the 14 + acres were either hill tops or deep slopes. To make it worst, during the rainy season, the flooding water will bring lot of pebbles and loose soil and sit on our part of land. After the floods, the land will become so hard that no cultivator will dare to plough the land and only a paste of white 'shora/Cullar' will cover the entire land.

I remember my Dad will bring that 'shora' from his lands in a Jute bag from all the way to Panipat and we shall use the same for washing utensils. It was really effective on them. It was in great demand by friends, neighbors and even relatives who will not mind to take the so called 'shora' to Delhi for such a use.

After the death of my Mom in Jan 1985, my Dad started showing less interest in lands and one day handed over the charge to me. But he wanted me to give him Rs 10000/- per crop ( two in a year) from the income of lands. Major part of the job was to pay for the expenses being done during the cultivation process. Our persons will normally take the money from the 'Aarati' while I shall pay back to the 'Aarati'. I shall keep the accounts as being done by my father. That is the way my Dad taught me everything just giving me free hand while supervising me.

I made many visits to this parcel and tried to study to rectify the problem. I found that some cultivators who had migrated from Distt Ludhiana had stared improving their newly purchased lands. That was a good sign. I consulted my cousins who had been doing farming all their lives. I found that the migrant cultivators had sold out their lands in Ludhiana at exorbitant prices and with the same money they had acquired larger parcels here in Badbar and were cash rich. They used that cash on the improvement of lands by way of spending on equipment like tools, tractors, trolleys and fertilizers and labour. The land sold by my uncle Sh Inder Jit Singh was simply converted into lush green crop yielding fields.

On every visit, I was pleasantly surprised by the new environment and tried to mingle with village folks and often praised them for their hard working habits. When asking for an advice, the learned friends and relatives will make a fun of me as they were sure that a white collared bureaucrat like me was only walking in the dark. They remarked that how could I be successful while sitting at a distance of 250 Kms in Delhi. Many times it took me more than 12 hours to reach my village Badbar, besides I had a regular government job to attend to. Now a days, he will only direct me from Delhi and teach me the tricks of the trade. While the people in charge will hardly listen to me and would most of the time pass me off and leave the decision to check from the Dad before really initiating any action.

So I made a plan to reclaim the land and reluctantly went ahead to discuss it with Dad. I knew he had worked all his life on farming and knew every ins and outs of the industry. I told my Dad that we wanted to dispose off the oxes as we could not maintain them, while the servant's animals were all fed on our lands and our animals were week and died every other year. We had to spend to buy another set of oxen and would continue to lease one acre of land free to the servants. Thus a lot of revenue was bleeding in the process. On the other hand. the cultivators will not undertake to cultivate our lands. We were so much dependent on them.

We, the people from city, will not dirty our hands and dare to plough ourselves. We had never done this ever in my last ten generations. To do physical work was really very difficult and arduous. Hence I felt, we were so much influenced by them that we carried on to do the same way for ages. How can we be slaves to their backward habits for so many ages, I cried again and again. I tried to study the history and found that we were following the same process of farming as being done since the Akbar era. In other words, we had not moved forward at all for hundreds of years.

Now the times had changed, new technologies are being developed and have been proven for progressive farming. First suggestion was to buy a tractor. That is good, my father reacted. Where will you get the money, the driver, maintenance and running expanses and day to day supervision. I had the answers to all of them.

The plan was like this:

To dispose of a part of land.
Invest this money on development of land by making two -three overall levels by dividing into various pockets at ONE GO.
Get rid of the animals, engage sub-contractors for seeding and deploy harvesting combines on hire.
Buy a Tractor in partnership with the cultivator.
Give the cultivator more responsibilities.
Get a deep tube well.
Get the fruits in three ears.

My Dad reacted, that this was only a plan which will be successful in the dreams. Who was going to buy this rotten land. I immediately replied him that there was a customer who wanted to buy our 8+ acres parcel of land. This was a pleasant surprise for him. Two years back, my uncle Sh InderJit Singh had sold his part of land in the Maru for Rs 13000/-per acre and my father had arranged the customer a cultivator from Ludhiana. He was so thrilled to get that rate and was feeling elevated to have won the lottery. So he allowed me to initiate the negotiations on my next visit.

I pre-poned my visit the following weekend. I had couple of meetings and pressed the customer to offer Rs 27500/- per Acre and promised to close the deal after consulting my Dad next week. My Dad would not believe that the offer was actually there. As promised, I took Rs 1000/- as advance came back happy after clinching the deal of selling of 8+ Acres, the balance money was to be paid at the time of next harvest in April, 1988.

The hectic project of improvement of land started immediately after the Crops harvesting. I bought a Tractor in partnership with one Charanjit singh, a very honest and hardworking ex-army man from Ludhiana. He badly needed a tractor, as he had lost the rights of owning the tractor his brother on distribution of his family assets. He had his own land also besides he worked for us. I asked him to get his1/2 acre mortgaged along mine 1/2 acre. We became the proud owner of new Red Coloured Fergusan tractor after buying it for Rs 140000/-(through loan). He arranged all loan papers and finalized the deal with a Tractor Dealer in Sangrur. He also purchased a trolley and many other associated parts etc.

Charanjit singh was a crack shot for me. after using the tractor for my Nehri land and also lending to others started making money. This money was used in buying some accessories for tractor. Now the need for the animals was eliminated. After the leveling and consolidating the various acres into bigger lots, our tractor worked wonders in the Nehri land. suddenly my status of a farmer was upgraded to a progressive former.

now the plans of developing the Maru land were drawn and we were waiting some rains to start so that the digging and grading works can be smoothly done on a wet land. I decided to visit the land every week end not to check Charanjit singh but to give him moral and financial support. Part of the money received from the sale of land, I purchased a two bed room flat for Rs 145000/ - Sidharth Extension near Bala Sahib Gurdwara and rented the same for Rs 800/ pm.

Normally after dinner on every Friday, I shall take a DTC bus to Delhi Railway Station and catch a Jammu-Tavi express which was scheduled to reach 5.30 AM at Sangrur. This train was typical, it never started on the same date. As the schedule time to start was 11.50 PM, it never ever will stream off that day. Invariably it will start 2-3 hours late. There was hardly any rush, only a few business man with goods from Delhi will use this train.

It was summer time, some times very hot and sultry. But being the mid of night, it was a little consolable. Harvinder will give me some package of lunch and mangoes for my consumption the next day. That was the only luggage besides a inflatable pillow. I shall go to the conductor and take his permission to use one sleeper. He was always glad to accept the offer, meaning that he will wake me up a station called Tiwana and we shall take a cup of tea and I would pay him Rs 5/- for allowing me the luxury of sleeping without booking. The journey was in a way comfortable.

I shall reach Sangrur early morning depending upon the mood of the driver, guard or the system. From Railway station Sangrur, I shall avail a morning walk for about half a mile and reach the Bus stand to catch a Punjab Transport Bus for going to Badbar at a distance of 10 miles. Most of the time I could take the very first Bus starting at 7.00 AM and was there in Badbar by 7.30 AM. On the way came important mile stones like Badrukhan. Badrukhan is about 5 km from Sangrur, the district heaquarters, on Sangrur-Barnala road. There are two versions about the nomenclature of the village. One is that it was named after Badru, a pandit of this village, by Raja Gajpat Singh. Another version, which is more believable is that when Raja Gajpat Singh took control of these villges,(Vada Agwarh, Vichla Agwarh, Dalamwal, Dhaliwas and Thagan wali Patti) at that time very big trees Rukh were standing here on the basis of which it came to be called Badrukhan.

The present village Badrukhan consists of five small villages, which, daring the times of Raja Gajpat Singh, were amalgamated and came to be known as Badrukhan. Prior to it, these villages were in Badbar thana and were being ruled by Nawab of Malerkotla. The residents of these villages were feeling insecure on account of the dacoities committed by Muslims. The leaders of these five villages, under the leadership of Pandit Badru, approached Gajpat Singh, the Maharaja of Jind, for their security and gave him 1700 bighas of land. Maharaja Gajpat Singh amalgamated these villages and named it Badrukhan. In 1763, when Gajpat Singh captured the town of Jind, Badrukhan was made the capital of Jind State. He also built the fort here.

Badrukhan is believed to be the birth place of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Raj Kaur,daughter of Gajpat Singh gave birth of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on 13 November 1780 here. Maharaja Hira Singh of Nabha was also born here, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Harbaksh Singh (Vir Chakra). Major General Gurbaksh Singh (DSO and OBE)-and Major Rajnit Singh also belong to this village.
In the village, there exists a smadh of Baba Guddar Shah who is said to have taken out the body of Raj Kaur, daughter of Maharaja Gajpat Singh buried in the large earthen vessel. Maharaja Gajpat Singh distributed large sweet thick cake of bread. Every year on the anniversary of Baba Guddar Shah, large sweet thick bread is baked and distributed as prasad.. Then comes a a very famous place called 'Mastuana sahib' which has been developed a great place of learning for college going students of the area. Mastuana Sahib, established in 1923, by Sant Attar Singh, is not a historical shrine as such hut a prestigious institution for training young scholars in the theory and practice of the Sikh faith. It is a vast complex comprising dormitories, rows of cubicles, a dining hall, an agricultural farm and a magnificent Gurdwara with a large assembly hall. All these shrines, other then Mastuana Sahib, are under the management of the Sh - Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee, which took over control in 1963 from the family of the - Captain Ranjit Singh of Shahzadpur. My dad and my grandmother will visit once every year in April and present the first harvest to the Gurdwara Saheb.
I used to pray here to the 'Waheguru' while sitting in the Bus for giving me strength and vision to be successful for this project. I would love the view on both sides of the road. The air was cooler and fresh and scent of wheat smelling all around. In late fall, it was all smelling rice, as if the almighty was cooking the rice in His kitchen for feeding his subjects. The views had various rainbow colors at various part of the year. It was a wheat green in January, dull brown in march and glittering gold on the ground and deep blue in the sky in April, dark grounding black in May/June with some patches of soft green and red blood sun set in the evening, lush green in August/ September and smoggy purple & green in winter. My grand mother and my Dad and my uncle will inhale in this fresh and unpolluted air and at times, I would smell them in the same air and at times, I would also smell of their bodies cutting across the fresh breeze which passed, jumped and crisscrossed through the fields laden with various crops at all the times. I thanked Almighty for the fresh air, developed in these fields, which kept my Dad and his mom and his brother safe and healthy. I myself felt invigorated with this scented air while thinking all this. By the time it was 7.30 am and I would reach Badbar. What a change from a polluted air, contaminated atmosphere, and foul environment of a city called Delhi.

Somebody had pushed me into a heaven called Badbar.

to be continued and edited...

2008-08-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

My Mom Shrimati Savitri Devi

Savitri Devi at 14

Youngest of all children, my Mom Savitri Devi was born in 1926, hence being the favorite of her Dad Lala Kanwar Bhan. She was in a way pampered. She would drink daily a 'Soda Bottle', (the bottle with shut off valve of reusable marble) filled with carbonated sweet drinks which were kept cool in a big jumbo size earthen pot full of cold water and ice. She was ever proud of the same and often repeatedly told the delicious taste to her kids. She graduated from a middle school proudly and knew a few English words. Her dad was proud of the same. While he complemented that all her daughters were decently educated, his all four son-in-laws were only educated in English up to 'Tata Pur', a small railway station falling next to Multan Junction. With this, he kept them under his thumb, that's the way it was. However, It was women Power in his house as was known to the entire neighborhood.

Lala Kanwar Bhan brought a German built Harmonium(Petti) on his return from the World War. He taught her youngest daughter how to play the same by pumping it with legs and playing with both hands. She would play and sing at a very young age. My other uncle Lala Sunder Lal Kapoor often said that Savitri was his teacher who taught him how to play Harmonium. But I oftenly saw Uncle Sunder lal Kapoor playing his hand driven Harmonium when his own kids and other cousin kids singing to his tunes on Harmonium. But Savitri Devi was adept and played the Harmonium incredibly. So Harmonium was gifted to her in the Dowry.

She had also a life size Doll brought from Europe by her father. Her dad also got her a baby Deer which she often remembered and told the kids how cute, cuddling and playful the little animal was. She had a gala fun time in her parents house. She had also possessed a costly imported lady wrist watch, but I never saw that working. My mom will all her life ask my dad to account for Rs 1000 which was gifted by her father like the same way to other three older daughters.

Finally after the court verdict of my father was announced in his favor, Lala Kanwar Bhan went to approach my grandma Smt Karam Devi to fix the date of the marriage. Grandma jumped upon the idea and the marriage took place in 1941 when Mom was 15 years of age and Dad was 22. Hence my mom being 18 years older grew together with me and Bhagwant.

The things did not go smoothly for the marriage for a long time. Savitri Devi was the youngest and pampered child, while my grand mother was a tough, hard boasting mother supported by two young sons. In mean time Lala Kanwar Bhan's health was detroiting and had worsened his eye sight due to Eye Catrat. He felt alone and would request my grandma to send Savitri Devi for a visit to her parents. To which Grandma invariably refused. I am told Sh Atam Narayan Singh who was of my mom's age and a nephew to her would be sent to bring her to her parents house. This often led to trifles. Grandma will call Sh Atam Narayan Singh a 'Kaashid' who will help her walk to her parents. At other times, another little kid Surinder Butta will be asked to call my Mom, but he would come back complaining that there was always a big fat Buffalow standing on the way to her house and was restricting him from doing so.

The marriage was in such a state of affairs that my Mom came back to live with her parents for about two years. After many severely fought battles between the two families, she finally came back to stay with her in laws. It looks she was a like a goat who would be tied to a peg, the place of which was decided by the owner. Unfortunately in those times she had no say of her own. This factor had always troubled my Mom who will never forgive my Dad for the mental torture he had conflicted on her in her early marriage days.

Lala Kanwar Bhan will daily go to Gurdwara for normal routine and recite "Asa Di War' for the morning session. After the 'Ardaas', on the way he shall always pass through Savitri Devi's house and enquire about her welfare. One Saturday morning on 29th July, 1944, as he was on his way to his home, he saw some hectic activities in Savitri Devi's in-laws house. He was informed that a boy has been blessed to Savitri Devi at around 7.00 AM. He was also informed that both the son and his mother Savitri Devi were perfectly normal and healthy. This was the most pleasing surprise of his life. Obviously, he was expecting many hardships for her little daughter. The Almighty, however, had solved all the miseries in one go.

Lala Kanwar Bhan went back to Gurdwara and and did his thanksgiving 'Ardaas' for this greatest gift the God had bestowed on him. My mom told me later that Sh Kanwar Bhan was very happy as the God gave him the news of the birth of a son suddenly, he did not have to listen the pains(labor) of his little daughter when he was busy praying for her welfare while singing "Asa-Di-War'. And at the same time, he was not himself as active and healthy to be of any help at this stage of his life. Never in his life he had felt so week. So he was very happy and grateful now that the God had filled his lap with enormous wealth of jewels with utmost ease.

Preet Mohan in Karachi in 1946

There was happy time all around. My dad was happy, so was my grand mothers on both sides. My uncle Sh Inder Jit Singh's joy was overwhelmingly erupting. The sweets were distributed among the near and dear. A date was fixed with the consent of all to do "akhand path' and announce an appropriate name to the child. There was a family of Sh Jai Singh's in laws visiting him in Multan. A first word of the 'Guru's Order' was picked up to guide the name as per Sikh rites. Our Aunty's (Jaswant Kaur wife of Sh Jai Singh) brother suggested to my father the name of the newly born Child as 'Preet Mohan Singh' . The suggestion was accepted by all and an announcement to this fact with a loud 'Jaikara' was given with a loud cheer. The little infant from now onwards would be known as Preet Mohan Singh. The family affectionately called him 'Preetu/Peetu' till his elementary school days. My Dad would like him to be called as full name and initiated to call me Preet Mohan, and hence everybody started calling me Preet Mohan.

"Shaneechar Balli, Kull Ballaa Tallii" was born as my Mom used to tease me day in and day out.

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To be continued and edited...

2008-08-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

Settling in Panipat

When my uncle Sh Inder Jit Singh left to join his job in Simla, we decided to leave Faridkot and headed for Delhi. As our train halted at a station named Panipat, it did not move further for a couple of days. It looked it stopped for good. We came out of the station and camped outside at a huge open space. The city was about half a mile away.

There was shortage of literate people to run the government machinery. The Government was looking for people who could help them to restart and construct a newly formed country. During this period, one of the first priorities of the Government was to meet the requirement of basic food for its people. To organize that everybody gets his/her share equally, the government opened a Rationing Department. My father applied for one of the openings of a rationing Inspector. He was selected after an interview. He was posted as a Rationing Inspector in the city of Panipat.

He started going to the city making a round after round for his job and doing the inventory of the houses. He helped making a data base of the people living in the city. He was also given an official Identity card which will allow him to move around the city during the prevailing curfew conditions. The city was divided in Wards. He was allocated for doing the duties for Ward 9, 10, and 11 . He was a given 4 in by 3 in black painted iron plates( very thin like used in bill boards) which were nailed on every house that existed. A house number in white paint was marked on the iron plate on each house that existed.

Camping at the railway station Panipat, two more families were set up near by. One was Master Ganpat Rai and his wife with their three sons Sita Ram(from first wife), Yudhishtar(Banna), Bala and Tulsi. They were from Multan. The second family was from Shorkot. Lala Ganesh Dass and his wife(a jeweller) from Shorkot had three daughters Krishna, Kailash, Shanti and three sons Hari Krishan - Nathu, Ramesh and Chander. They had an older daughter Kushalya married to Bhuvnesh working for courts at Pipli, but were living separately. My father will leave my mother, grandmother Smt Kesar Bai and us two kids in their supervision and go for his job the whole day. The families became friendlier day by day and decided to live together in the city. As my father had a Government pass to move around in the Curfew conditions, was asked by these two families to locate a good house where all the three families could be accommodated and live together.

The newly formed alliance rejected many houses which my father proposed as they wanted to live in a place where security was at the top priority. So finally a big house number 391 in ward 12 was selected and my father being in the government job and influential and got the house allotted in all three names. My father got the best and bigger house which had a plateau as a Veranda and a big room with another small room with in the room. The inside room was so dark that we did not use the same for many years. My Dad selected this part and occupied. While Sh Ganesh Dass got one big room at two ft lower level. And we were separated by a brick compound to be commonly used. The entry was through another room called a 'Deuarhee' a nearly unusable room which opened to the outside street of about 70 ft leading to the main bazar. Master Ganpat Rai was adjusted for one room at first floor as Barsati. He had to go to his Barsati by going through ‘Deuarhee', brick compound, raised plateau and then the stairs for reaching Barsati' .

To be continued and edited...