Five Days In Hawaii

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.

My Dream Girl

MY DREAM GIRL

Harvinder Kapoor

'Till We Do Part At Death'

 On Valentine Day 2010

Reclaiming of Lands

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...

© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

Reclaiming of Maru Land

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...

© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

When Harjeet Mehndi sings on Gobind 5th BD

My Mom, BiJi

Youngest of the six 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 too. She would drink a 'Soda Bottle' everyday a luxury in those days. There was no man made manufactured ice available commercially to cool the marble-necked-bottle filled with carbonated sweet drinks which were kept in cold water stored in a big jumbo size earthen pot. She was ever proud of the same and often told the delicious taste to her kids. 

She graduated from a middle school proudly and even knew many English words. Her dad was proud of this fact. Where as he complained that all his four son-in-laws had little knoweldge of English language and were educated not beyond 'TataPur', a railway station falling next to Multan Junction. Being fluent English speaking himself and having served with English officers of the British Indian Army, he was all too dominating. On important occassions, he will dress himself up in full Army uniform with all his accredited medals properly decorated on his front pocket. 

He married off his daughters to the families whose social status was lower than that of his own, so that he could keep all his son-in-laws under his thumb. That's the way it was, as there were more boys than the girls in the close knit family and he did it well to pick the grooms of his liking, as the weddings will be arranged among the family only. bThe women in his house had a big say and it was well known to the entire neighborhood of family.

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 feet while simultaneously playing with both hands. She learnt to play and sing at a very young age. My other uncle, much older to my  mom,  Sunder Lal Kapoor often used to say that Savitri was his teacher who taught him how to play Harmonium. But I oftenly saw uncle Sunder Lal Kapoor who was much adept in playing his hand driven Harmonium while his own kids and other family kids singing to his tunes. But Savitri Devi was  fluent and played the harmonium incredibly. Appropriately, she was gifted the Harmonium in her  wedding dawry.

Her dad also got her a baby deer which she often rememberd and told the kids how cute, cuddling and playful the little animal was. She had a gala fun time in her parents house. 

Finally after the long court battle for a couple of decades between his uncle and cousins, the verdict of case my was announced in favor of my father family. Lala kanwar Bhan went to My grandma Karam Devi to offer the hand of my Mom for her older son Vasdev Singh, my Dad. Grandma jumped upon the idea and the  wedding  took place in 1941 when Mom was 15 years of age and Dad was 22.

The things did not go smoothly for a long time. Savitri Devi was the youngest and pampered child, while my grand mother was a boasting mother supported by two young sons. In mean time Lala Kanwar Bhan's health was detoriating and had worsened his eye sight due to Cataract. 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 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 triffles. Grandma will call  Atam Narayan Singh a 'Kaashid' who was to help her walk to her parents. 

The marriage was in such a sad state of affairs. In a fit of rage, my Mom came back to stay with her parents for about two years. After many swerely faught trifles between the two families, she finally settled down 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 at the times she had no say of her won. She would often accuse my Dad for all the irrational  decisions he took to side with his mother. 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 wedding days

Lala Kanwar Bhan will daily go to Gurdwara and sing "Asa Ki War' in the morning. After the 'Ardaas', on the way he shall always pass through Savitri Devi's In law'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 inlaws house. He was informed that a boy has been blessed to Savitri Devi at around 7.00 AM. He also informed that both the son and his mother Savitri Devi was perfectly normal and healthy. This is how I came into this world.

Lala Kanwar Bhan went back to Gurdwara instead and and did his thanksgiving 'Ardaas' for this greatest gift the God had bestowed on him. My mom told me later that Lala lKanwar 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-Ki-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. He was extremely happy now, the God had filled his lap with enormous wealth of jewels with utmost ease.

There was happy time all arround. My dad was happy, so was my grandmothers on bothside. My uncle Sh Inder Jit Singh's joy was overwhelmingly errupting. 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 newly, born child. My uncle Jai Singh's  brother-in-law was visiting Multan from London.  A first word of the 'Guru's Order was picked up to guide the name as per Sikh rites. Our Aunty's (Jaswant Kaur) brother suggested to my father the name of the newely born Child as 'Preet Mohan Singh' . The suggstion was accepted by all and an annoucement with a loud 'Jaikara' was given, the little infant from now onwards would be known as Preet Mohan Singh. The family affectionately called him 'Preetu'.  

After the partition, my Dad got a Rationing Inspector Job and settled down in Panipat. After initial tough living, soon the comfort zone arrived we had grown up to a big family with five kids of different ages. On one occasion when we had a good crops income from our lands, my Dad presented a Harmonium costing Rs 100.00. 

My mom was an excellent singer herself and also could play Harmonium with both hands. I shall repeatedly pump the harmonium and she will play and sing mostly the songs of KL Sehgal, Srriya and Lata Mangeshkar. She was a leading lady in the ladies sangeet in the Gurdwara at Khail Bazar Panipat every Thursday. She was also adept on 'Dholak'. Without her the weekly program will not be successful. Thus she made lots of friends in the community and was always known hilarious among her friends. 

Oh yes, she was very fond of Movies. On every Tuesday, a special show for ladies will be played and she participated it whole heatedly. It cost only 25 paisa (four Aanaas) each show at the only Movie theater called 'Naval Talkies' in the city of Panipat. Many time she will take my sisters also. Her friends will tease her often that the film show could not run without her participating. She was such a regular. She enjoyed the cinema even in Multan. She told me many times the evolution of cinema and how the Talkies came into existence. Prior to the Talkies, only the moving pictures were shown. She had the privilege of witnessing the first Talkie 'Alam Ara' in Multan. The earlier theaters, therefore, were known as talkies.

We, the kids in early years, were allowed to see one movie each year, that being the award for getting through the final exams. My dad some times will take us to the Theater and after showing the bill boards etc and bring us back. He will, however, get a wrath of my Mom for not showing the movie to the kids and will often complain to her sisters in her next trip to Delhi. Occassionally my Dad had the privilege of free Passes for the movies, at that juncture full family will go and enjoy the movie. I remember to have seen 'Jhansi Ki Raani' on my first such occasion.

Settling in Panipat after Partition

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...

© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

My Second Sister

My second Sister Amarjeet Kaur

Amarjit Kaur

There was a lot of enthusiasm in our family now that one more son should be born to complete a pair of sons. A brother to me was the talk of the time. An associate who will live all along in sorrows and pleasures was a must, as desired by the thought of the family. So my mother got pregnant again in 1948. This was a hard pregnancy. She almost lost her life. She delivered a dead male baby – a boy the family was so badly wishing for.

In the process she really got very sick. Her right leg was in swear pain. There was no relief to her from local doctor. We had a family Doctor Jyoti Prashad. He could not help much. A word was sent to my mothers sister Smt Shakuntla Bai who also reached Panipat in no time. On her arrival, It was decided to call Dr Sri Krishan Dhamija the only MBBS doctor who practiced in the whole town of Panipat. He charged an enormous amount fee of Rs 5 for one visit.

Dr Sri Krishan Dhamija was a very learned and renowned doctor. He was tall, fair and looked like an Englishman. He walked and dressed very nicely. Charismatic as he was, words came out from his mouth very softly. He looked as if an angel had arrived from the heaven. So his visit was half treatment. He inspected her thoroughly, took her blood pressure, checked her lungs with a stethoscope touching on her chest and looked into her mouth for throat infection. After thorough scanning her body, he declared that she was suffering from a disease called ‘white leg’ meaning extreme edematous swelling of the leg following childbirth due to thrombosis of the iliofemoral veins. I got these meanings from the research later, but I remember she was in acute pain and was always lying on the bed. Dr Dhamija recommended that she should be immediately taken to Lady Harding Hospital in Delhi.

It was another problem to transport her at a distance of 50 plus miles. There were no ambulances, no vans etc. So my father being an important government functionary talked to a Bus Company Called ‘The Ithad Bus Service Pvt Ltd’ which used to shuttle between Panipat and Delhi and the company was kind enough to help her in transporting the patient.
A special narrow ‘charpaaee’ was custom built and with great difficulty placed on the top of the backside of three-seater part of the bus and was tied by ropes with the handle bars of the backside. The ‘charpaaee’ took three such three-seaters to accommodate itself. A cotton mattress and a plane sheet was placed before my mom was laid on it. Smt Shakuntla Bai and my father S Vas Dev Singh accompanied her to Delhi.

Me and Bhagwant remained in Panipat, my grandmother Karam Devi was made responsible to take care of us. She would give us baths, oil & comb our hair. She would send me to school. She took pains to take care of us, but aunt Smt Shakuntla Bai and my Mom were not happy. They felt the kids have been badly neglected. Their hair were full of head lices. It took a long time for Mom to clean up our hair and all the times she would be unhappy with grandma.

After a month or so, my dad returned with a healthy mom. We all were happy again now. The doctors in Lady Hardinge Hospital that she should restrain from pregnancy in the near future. As there were hardly any family planning modes, she was strictly asked to come to the hospital for any eventuality.

Life carried on in a nice way for some times. My grandmother Karam Devi used two dwellings one in Simla wth uncle Inder Jt Singh and the other in Panipat wth my Dad Vas Dev Singh. It was appropriately decided that she will move to Simla during the summer while in winter she will have her abode in Panipat thus sharing her intimacy equally with the families of both brothers. Her glands(harmless) in the neck were also surgically removed on one side in Simla and on the other side in Panipat Civil Hospital. But such a microscopic division was not understood by me, when Panipat medical facilities were well known as far inferior.

My mother got pregnant fourth time. She was immediately taken to Delhi for a thorough check up. The doctors advised my dad to bring her to the hospital when near to the delivery time. So in the end of July 1950, myself, Bhagwant, Mom and Dad moved temporarily to Delhi. Savitri Devi was admitted to the Lady Harding Hospital in the last week of August. There were signs of leg pain again. But the medical treatment was on the top it, as this being the top Hospital in the country. So everyday my dad will take both the kids by bus and reach Madras Hotel Connaught Place. All the three would walk down through Panchkuan Road for about one Kilometer or so and reach a big iron gate painted red. There was a small window which was controlled by a security guard. We reached well ahead of 4.00 PM. And waited at the gate holding the iron bars. At this time many more people will join us at the gate to see their patient.

At exact 4 ‘O clock, the guard would let all of go in. Lady Hardinge was a big Hospital only for Ladies. We shall enter a verandaha and pass through a couple of zig-zag buildings before a door with an iron net opened to a big Halls where my Mom was admitted. There were about ten beds on the right and ten beds on the left with full of patients on all of them. My Mom’s bed was 3rd or 4th on he heft hand side. I shall just run fast to be near to her ahead of Dad and Bhagwant to be near Mom as quickly as possible. She will hug both of us. It was at this stage I saw a luster in the eyes of my mother full of happiness to see her children. I liked this in her and still remember the flash in her eyes.

My Dad will immediately open up the home cooked food for her and help her eat. She will also turn by turn feed me and Bhagwant. Bhagwant will jump and sit on the bed, while I was hanging around the bed. My dad will also get some Samosa from the shop on Panchkuan Road for my mom. She will not eat much but feed us all. Dad was very fond of eating and would relish the left overs. The time will fly away like this.

One day as we reached, a good news was broken to us, it was a girl, a new addtion to the family. A very cute little and fair looking girl. We all were excited. Everybody in the family was saying that this girl was fair looking as against the two older kids who were darker and wheatish. A fair color is/was very much liked in our society. All of our kiths proudly said as she was born in an English Hospital and with the assistance of English doctors and nurses, her complexion had a bearing of those people. This happened on September 1st 1950.

Ambu was ever in the lap of Shaanti our in-house neighbor

One sunday morning, the family went to "Khail Bazar" Gurdwara Sahib in Panipat and requested the priest to offer an Ardaas (Prayer) for gettng Guru's order from the Grant Sahib. The first word of the Guru's shabad was a guidance to name the child. This time it was 'A'. My Dad as usual decided to decide the name on the basis of this word 'A' after deliberating with in the family and friends. As the name of "Amarjit Kaur" was zeroed down, a final announcement and again a prayer was done. All of us started calling her Ambu a short of Amarjit Kaur.

As is the tradition, my father went to a local Pandit Ji in Panipat to get a 'Janam Kundli' for this new baby girl who the family had named 'Amarjeet Kaur'. The Pandit Ji was aghast to inform that this girl shall not live beyond 16 days. Even if she survived, she will be living a very sick life and would be no more by the tme she is 16 months. Usually the infants lived unhealthy in those days because of unhygienic and dirty environments. We some how believed that this baby is not going to survive for long. After she had crossed those crucial 16 months, my Dad was asked again to enquire about her welfare fro the same Pandit Ji.

This time the Pandit was perhaps tired of him and told my dad that this baby had a very dangerous combination of stars and was bound to under tremendous influence of evil stars and in no case survive after 16 years of age. With this my dad came back and we were relieved till she reached 16 years and perhaps the Pandit Ji got rid of us for his false prediction for a good 15 years. Most of us laughed on his statement and would inform the Pandit's story to one and all.

While I at times was scared from my inner self and was reminded of Pandit's statement that this sister of mine would be snatched away from us so early. She was hardworking, intelligent, very jovial, organized and had lot of friends. She was southpaw but had a very beautiful hand writing. She was her dad's favorite girl and remained clunged to him after he reached home in the evening after office and would sleep wth him on his bed. When ever some body troubled her, she would retort and say that she is going to complain to her Dad who could fix any body. My Dad was always seen with her in his lap.

Whenever, we had some guests, she would run away to our neighbor's house and stay with 'Shanti'. At times, she would be even fed from Shanti's mom breast milk, as Shanti's younger brother 'Channi' of 5-6 years of age was still being fed on her. She would return to our house only after the guests had left us.

Amarjit Kaur 4 in Simla

My Dad affectionately called her 'Amru Nithawan' just symbolizing the Third Guru Amar Dass ji. Perhaps he was blessing her a long life like Guru Amar Dass Ji. (I am told many Gujaratis are ardent followers of Guru Amar Dass Ji and are keeping his pictures all the times for getting a blessing of long age. Third Guru of Sikhs, Shri Guru Amar Dass Ji is believed to have lived 90+ years). Certainly, she is healthier than other sisters who are younger to her in age though. Pandit's astrology failed against the blessngs of our Dad.

She is the one who first time ever started addressing me as 'Kakaji'. The Kakaji is singular in meaning and is not like Kaka Ji. It is addressed to your elder brothers as per the tradition in Multan. My sisters after her also address me the same way. May be this is the last generation to be addressed like this. This word has since been replaced by ' Vir Ji'.

Only daughter of Amarjeet and Amrit Dhir, Jasleen happily carrying her son Nihal and Gobind who is tilting her neck with his weight. Nihal and Gobind are best cousins ever born. May Waheguru bless them always like this





On the first wedding anniversary of Jasleen

To be continued and edited...

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© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

Gobind walks to Live Oak Elementary School 2008

Gobind walks to Live Oak Elementary School, San Ramon and gets rewarded by the Police Officer with a Police Badge.

Marriage Alliance

Marriage Alliance

One day, I asked my dad(when he was bed ridden during his final Journey) why Sh Sham Dass and Sh Bhagwan Dass did allow Sh Murli Dhar to get exclusive control of prime property in Loyalpur at the first instance. He told me that as the two older brothers were educated and had reached high government positions, the youngest brother will not be doing any serious work. So he was told by his brothers to go to Loyalpur and just manage the property which was a cash cow. They also managed a private privileged job of a manager for young Sh Brahm Dass in Loyalpur so as to attract him for moving to Loyalpur. They, in fact, were initially reluctant to leave a cozy place like Multan where the family had lived for Generations.

Sh Murli Dhar and his son Sh Brahm Dass settled quickly in a place which was recently being developed into a big commerce center. There were a lot of opportunities for everybody. As there was no one to supervise or check them, both father and son became very powerful. Sh Brahm Dass was of very dominant nature, and stopped listening to his Dad. He overpowered his dad and grabbed all the powers in his own hand.

Sh Brahm Dass was very tall, fair and handsome and belonged to a wealthy landlord family. He was the most eligible bachelor and many in the power and established families wanted to have marriage alliance with him. A proposal for his marriage came from Amritsar. Sh Brahm Dass went to Amritsar to have a look at the girl. He got so much charmed and won over by the young and very beautiful city girl from Amritsar, that he wanted to marry her at the spot without waiting for any ceremonies. Many members of the family did not approve the family with the alliance this way. As the alliance was proposed from different out of our 'Biradari', the wiser and old wanted to know more and investigate the new family who looked suspect. Sh Brahm Dass will not budge from his intentions. Finally every body had to accede to his stubborn attitude and the marriage was agreed to.

There was a grand marriage, and many family members came all the way from Multan and Muzaffararh to Loyalpur for proceed to attend the marriage ceremony at Girl's place in Amritsar. The 'Anand Karaj' took place with great great tradition and rituals. The problem started in the next morning, when the bride was ready to go in a 'Doli' on its way to Loyalpur. There was a lot of hush hush and ear talk. The boys family came to know that everything which was offered in the shape of dowry like jewelry and costly silk clothes were found missing during the past night.

On knowing this, Sh Brahm Dass got furious, and asked for explanation from his servants he had brought from Loyalpur and Multan. He abused them and even hit them with a hunter very badly before Sh Kanwar Bhan his maternal uncle intervened and tried to stop him from being so harsh. Sh Kanwar Bhan pressured his mom (his sister) to control and stop him from the madness. Now he had lost everything like the jeweler, the silken clothes, the utensils and what not.

Sh Kanwar Bhan being an army man was alert and found out from his own investigations that the girl's side had malice designs. They had pre-arranged all this and had returned everything to the shops they had bought from. This became a talk of the town in Multan.

To be continued and edited...

© preet mohan singh., all rights reserved.

Historic Court Case in the Family

Court Case In The Family- A Record

My grandmother Karam Devi became widow in her teens. Inder Jit Singh was born posthumously to her in 1920. Hence her sister -in-law Kishoree Bai took upon herself the responsibility of heading the family. She ruled with an iron rod and authority. She fought vehemently against her younger brother Lala Murli Dhar and his son Lala Brahm Dass who wanted to exclusively grab the entire assets of my grandfather Lala Bhagwan Dass. Brahm Dass wished to eliminate the little kids and send back my grandmother Karam Devi back to Shikarpur in Sindh where her family belonged to. 

My grandfather Bhagwan Dass when near to his death, summoned his brother Murli Dhar and gave him clear instructions to take care of his wife Karam Devi and young toddler son. At that time my grandmother Karam Devi also expecting another child. It was left to Murli Dhar to take up the responsibility after his death. He was told to make available sufficient facilities as Bhagwan Dass left behind a big fortune in terms of income from their rental properties and farm lands. As one estimates indicates, there was an income of Rs 700 per month from one commercial property in Lyallpur. For understanding the value of money in 1920, a family could easily make both ends meet with a monthly income of Rs 5. Murli Dhar gladly accepted the orders of his older brother and promised that he shall send his kids to England for imparting higher education. But at the time of Matriculation examination, my father Vas Dev Singh did not have enough money of Rs 20 to submit for examination fee. At this, my maternal grandfather Kanwar Bhan paid Rs 20 for his examination fee as Vas Dev Singh was engaged to his youngest daughter Savitri Bai. 

After the death of  Bhagwan Dass, Murli Dhar and his only son Brahm Dass turned turtles. Perhaps it was the greed of wealth which made them blind to all virtues. Brahm Dass refused to extend any help and will not give Karam Devi any help or money. It was very difficult for them to survive without any finances. He even sent for the poor father of Karam Devi to come and take their daughter back along with her kids. The old father came running from Shikarpur to know what was happening to his daughter and her kids. It is at this time that Kishoree Bai, my Dad's Bhuaa took up the stand and challenged her own younger brother Murli Dhar to part with wealth of little kids.

In mean time Murli Dhar had mortgaged the major property at Lyallpur in the guise of development of the property. Flamboyant as Brahm Dass was, he wasted money. He got into bad habits of gambling. In no time he lost a good junk of money by bidding high stakes in gambling. When asked to hand over the share of income and property to his cousins, he became furious as he was in no position to return the money and get his property back. He had been bragging and boasting lately he was the only heir to the whole of property. So he thought that it would be easier to get rid of these two kids and their mother and grab the entire estate.

The famous Clock Tower In Lyallpur

Sham Dass the oldest brother of my grandfather was posted as Tehsildar when the town of Lyallpur was being conceived. The present day city was founded by the British Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab, Sir Charles James Lyall for whom it was originally named Lyallpur. Prior to the British making the area into an urban center, it largely consisted of various villages. However, the construction of various canals allowed the area to be irrigated. After the founding of the city, people were invited to the city with promises of land if they were to work it. This allowed the city to grow rapidly.

Sham Dass Tehsildar was also responsible for the development of the town. As I was told the town was designed like an umbrella, with a Clock tower in the center and eight members of umbrella as its main Eight Bazars. Sh Sham Dass also purchased a way side pool which became a part of the 'Kachehri bazar' later on and thus a fortune developed. Kacheri Bazar was the top address in a modern town and highly desirable property. Sham Dass had no children of his own and adopted my father Vas Dev Singh as his legal heir to his estates. Sh Brahm Dass will never allow this gold hatching hen to be shared with any one. So the evil ideas started pouring in his otherwise brilliant mind. Instead of using the mind for productive and positive direction, he treaded towards greed and malice. The things actually changed after the sudden death of Sham Dass. As long as Sham Dass was alive, he could not dare to confront or challenge his older uncle, nor his dad Murli Dhar had the guts to utter a single sentence in the presence of Sh Sham Dass who was extremely powerful and strong.

In fact Brahm Dass gate crashed into our house when he came to know that another son was just delivered by widow Karam Devi. He took out the sword from the case to eliminate the newly born. The paramedical help known in those days as midwife ('Daaee') was still cleansing up after the birth of the child. He came and suddenly started shouting and asking for the newly born. But Kishoree Bai, a visionary, always thought a step ahead of his estranged nephew. She pushed my grand mother Karam Devi along with the newly born and older brother through a interconnecting window to the neighboring house of Nanaki Bai ( Kishoree Bai's younger sister Jamuna Bai's daughter) the mother of Partap Singh. Incidentally Partap singh also suffered a similar fate as his entire estate of about 250 acres was devoid of rights by his uncles for two decades. Both brothers Vas Dev Singh & Inder Jit Singh and their cousin Partap Singh had a parallel turn of events in their lives and hence remained close friends also. It was one of the reasons that Partap Singh's younger son Brijbir Singh's wife Bholi proposed her sister's daughter Dashminder for my son's Shivpreet marriage. Our closeness in the family played a big part in making a decision for the marriage alliance.

Kishoree Bai was determined to prove her own brother wrong and get justice by getting the legitimate rights of agricultural and other property in the names of infants of the brother who was no more in the world. She fought a determined and hard courts battle for 20 long years by spending her own money, time and efforts for fighting the costly litigation. Even the court fees for huge assets will run in thousands in 1920-30s. Kishoree Bai mortgaged her own personal assets to make deposits in the courts for initiation a court case for getting justice for her nephews. She often said that she could not allow the infants of one brother to develop like insects in the dirty lanes, while the offshoots of another brother enjoy in palaces.

With a veil on her face and two kids held tightly in each hands, she will go from pillar to post to request the court employees for favors and requesting for a pity on the kids. While her other brother will spend lot of money for getting trifle jobs. He was pretty sure with his might of money, power and authority; he will be able to prove that the kids were having no rights to inherit the left over property with a plea that they were not the legitimate children of his brother. He never wanted to hand over the possession of any of the property in Multan, Muzaffargarh and Kachehri Bazar prime property in Lyallpur at any cost to lowly kids.

photo courtsey: Smt Pushpa Butta Agnihotri and Sh Umesh Agnihotri

Top row L to R: Mohan Lal, Jaswant Kaur, Pritam Kaur, Mahesh Singh.

Standing Lto R: Dharam Chand, Amir Chand, Jagat Narayan, Inderjit Singh, A friend, Mohan Narayan Singh, Atam Narayan Singh, Vas Dev Singh with Preet Mohan (lured by a biscuit in hand, Dad diverted me from crying) in lap, Sundar Lal, Jai Singh with Bhupinder in lap.

Sitting L to R: Gyaan Devi with Manorama in lap, Lachhami Bai, Shakuntla Bai, Joginder lal (Goga), Kanwar Bhan, Pushpa, Kesar Bai with an infant Saroj wrapped in a sheet(hardly visible) in lap, Savitri Bai, Hari Bai, Jaswant Kaur.

Sitting on Floor L to R: Balwant Kaur, Satwant Kaur, Arjan Singh(Boni), Hari Narayan Singh(Groom), Har Kaur(Bride), Jagdish Chand, Anand, Prema, Amrit.(Only two persons were missing, i.e. Harish Chand was unavailable and Prem Kaur expecting a child)

The long court battle went on and on. In a crucial witness, my maternal grandfather Kanwar Bhan played a significant part. He had retired from the army after participating in the World War I. He had many medals which he would display at important occasions. It will be interesting to note here that his real sister was married to Murli Dhar the youngest brother of Lala Sham Dass and Bhagwan Dass. While his own daughter Savitri Devi was betrothed to Bhagwan Dass's Sh Vas Dev Singh. So on one side was his sister and on the other was his daughter. Kanwar Bhan had a big decision to make while appearing as witness in the court.

On a stipulated day, Kanwar Bhan got dressed up in his Army Uniform and decorated it with all the medals he had so proudly won. He went to appear in the court. The Judge welcomed him and took him to the retiring room for recording his statement in person. Kanwar Bhan made it amply clear that the Late Bhagwan Das had actually married Karam Devi and Vas Dev Singh and Inder Jit Singh were their legitimate sons. That vital witness removed the confusion and shortly after some time, the judge announced a verdict in favor of my father/uncle Vas Dev Singh and Inder Jit Singh. I was also told by my Dad that his uncle Murli Dhar in the later stages felt pained and ashamed for what he had done to little kids all those years. But his son Brahm Dass was very adamant and would like to pursue rigorously and was against giving any due rights to his cousins.

Ultimately the court order prevailed. Murli Dhar lost everything he had by of loans and mortgages of his assets. One time a wealthy man with so many assets and property, had no shelter for him or for his four daughters and two sons. Immediately after the court verdict. When Murli Dhar left for his heavenly abode, I am told his sister Kishore Bai also followed him and passed away. The people openly were found making a comment that this sister is going to fight her brother even in the heaven.

Kanwar Bhan advised my father Vas Dev Singh not to be cruel the same way as his uncle and cousin had been to them. So my father and uncle allowed them to own one of the houses in Multan. My father also divided the agricultural land in three parts, one each for Vas Dev Singh, Inder Jit Singh and Brahm Dass.

Good Times came and my father and uncle got Government jobs in Multan District courts before the country's partition engulfed them again. In mean time immediate after the marriage the families got united when Bakhshish Singh the elder son of Brahm Dass was married to my Mom's elder sister's daughter Pritam Kaur (Sindho). Their children and us again began to have very close relations because of double connection and are still very close to each other. We do meet and join on sad and happy occasions from time to time. Their family is now settled in Troronto Canada.

I went to see Bakhshish Singh in Tronto when he was on his last journey. I had a lot of love, affection and respect for him as he also reacted the same way towards me. He always made it a point to see me whenever he visited USA on couple of occasions.

While convalescing in the nursing home, I put up a question Bakhshish Singh with a lot of respect, and asked him if he knew the reason that his father Brahm Dass had lost that all important court case. To which he replied that it was due to some legal technicalities. The case was no doubt fought on strong grounds equally supported by both parties. But in the end justice prevailed. Wish his soul rest in peace wherever it is.

Note and disclaimer (The details are as per the oral stories I heard from my father Vas Dev Singh, uncle sh Inder Jit singh, Bai Ji(Shakuntala Bai), and my maternal and paternal grandmothers. Many other senior family members also corroborated to confirm many part of the stories. If some one has any other opinion to any part, I shall be glad to remove the same from the blog)

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