Dewan House – Rampur

Memories flood in when I remember of those times and it is difficult to chose the good ones as all are dear. Before that I may inform you that when the zamindari was abolished in early fifties, a compensation of 8%  of their total holding was given to the zamindars as compensation. Would you believe the compensation given to DH was  about 4500 acres (an input by Vivek Bahadur which he and my youngest brother Rai Bahadur Khare got collected through a friend posted at a senior position in Rampur), which is huge by any standards. But all of this was usurped by the tillers/crop sharers resulting in lot of  litigation and purchase of bonds at a discount  by them and others.

The following narration is solely my perception/interpretation of the events of those time and anybody does not agree or hurt,my unconditional apologies are offered.

Shri Shyam Bahadur popularly known as Diwanji and our respected Bare Papa was head of the clan after the demise of Dadi. His was the last word in all matters of the family and he had total respect from all of us. He followed a set routine everyday and brooked no interference; Morning snacks, read newspaperor or magazine in humming tone, lunch followed by a nap, come inside have tea or Bhel juice in summers, write letters, sit at the gate exchange greetings with passer-by and give them letters to post, get ready and have his supper and go to club very immaculately dressed. In the forenoon he used to meet people who came and sometimes in the afternoon also. This was his daily routine till I think up to `56 or so. Bare Papa and his brothers were not worldly-wise in today`s materialistic term, never bowed before anybody to ask for favors from anybody. We and all youngsters had the best of grooming under him on how to address and behave with elders and never missed any opportunity to pull us or anybody for any mistake.We had very good grooming under him. All festivals and religious functions like ear piercing etc. were observed with full gaiety and respect when all  uncles and other relation used to gather. A day before Holi was celebrated as Rang Bharni when colour was applied by BP on all by seniority. On Holi day BP used to wear a well starched white Angarkha (A long gown upto below knee well embroidered, what you see in movies worn by Kings and courtiers) and a cap of the same material and play Holi with long brass pichkaris with luke-warm Tesu (pink flower) water. BP used to reprimand if anybody came to play holi in dark coloured clothes and tell them to play it  in whites only. 3 or 4 groups of people from different  hindu localities of Rampur used to come one by one to play holi and enjoy holi snacks. We youngsters used to shower coloured waters with pichkaris and also pump on them. Thereafter holi was played inside the house with the ladies with jolly good exchange of words and repartees, it used to be real enjoyment. In the evening the on platfarm (chabutra) outside the verandah was covered ith durries and white sheets to receive guest for holi Milan, pan and sweets were offered. It was a social event. Akhlas and party, famous qawwals of Rampur told us in Delhi in sixties the he used to go to DH on holi days every year to sing and get the Bakhshish (money). We used to feel proud how all showed respect to BP. All festivals were celebrated with the same fervour. On Diwali Lakshmi puja was done with `Kauris`(dices) to know about the coming year. Please note that liquor was unheard by us in those days and you could not smoke before the olders.

In those days invitation for marriages used to come in a register where all invitees names were written and you were supposed to sign your acceptance. On such a day we all youngsters used to troop behind BP who was given a befitting place to sit on the floor and we all alongside him. Food was served on plates of leaves(pattals) and earthen glasses to drink water. Often BP used to call host and tell him that since he has invited us he should ensure that hot food is served. Only he could say and people used to listen. If any of us was eating to many `papars` he used to reprimand and tell that `don`t fill up your stomach with papars , they are only to keep busy till hot puris come. We all got best attentions when with him.

Once when BP was sitting at the in the evening Mehfooz Ali Khan, Advocate and neighbour and family friend passedby wearing a white closedcollar coat (bandhgala), he greeted BP and talked about the club where he was going to, BP asked him why he got this coat in white colour, it will get dirty fast and he should get it dyed, Mehfooz sheepishly said yes and went away. But the poor chap , whenever he wore that coat he used to take the lane beyond DH. Nobody could tell or retort  out of respect to him, such was his status in the family and the society and he must say what comes to his heart. There are too many incidents still fresh in my memory and I will keep on adding the same.

My father Shri Brij Bahadur (Babu) passed away in 1949 when I was only seven years but I do have memory of those years and also what I was told by others who have been associated with him. All had a good word to say about him, his discipline, upholding his convictions, never lose temper on somebody and instead stopping to talking to him which had a salutary effect, totally raising his hand on the child or anybody and for this reason he never sought tution from Maulvi sahib for his son and for this reason all his children well read and if I remember correctly he insisted on BP that Robi Sahib should not study under him who was legendry in using the ruler, very punctual and evening news from AIR was strictly no disturbance in the house etc.  He was very methodical and we still have registers where he recorded monthly expenses, noted down the birth time and date of each son and daughter. Our bunglow being near the station was always full of people and when others from DH used to come it was all laughter  and enjoyment. Every Friday weekly holiday we all used to go to DH to meet Dadi and others. Once Jiji (Sushila) asked to Babu to stay back on Friday, he replied that you stay with your mother and I will go to my mother. He got me admitted to the newly opened Montessori School in Fort with proper bus service and regularly come to the school but removed me after a few months and got me admitted to the factory school because the Head Mistress told him that I was not mixing up with other children. Babu was at a senior position in the Raza Sugar Factory, a seasonal factory when in operation required many temporary hand and  Babu got many distant relatives and others  known  recommended to him. One such person was Janki Prasad who used to stay DH and work there, a master story-teller. In eighties I met Mr. Nasir Khan City Congress Party President. He told me that Babu gave him his first employment in the factory and he was a man of few wordsbut everybody always remained scared of him and avoided to meet him face to face. Robi Sahib has already written one full article on him.

Shri Partap Bahadur ( Nannhey Chacha) was a tall, heavy fair and smart person but he had a very soft heart and highly emotional. He worked in Buland Sugar Factory but his heart was in music, singing and drama. He was on first name basis will all great musicians of India luckily either born in Rampur or under employment of Nawab Raza Ali Khan. In those you name a famous musician and he must have linked to Rampur. I may mention here that this Nawab had passion to get the best in every field settled in Rampur, be it Khansamas, bakerers (he had sent the owner of Rainbow Bakery in Rampur to Switzerland to learn baking) even washermen from Kashmir. Rampur cuisine became one of top three cuisines of India, other two being Hydrabad and Patiala. For Zulfikar Ali Khan`s wedding reception he had 385 dishes prepared because Maharaja had offered 350 dishes for his son`s wedding reception. Rampur became second largest industrial town of U.P. after Kanpur during his times. Coming back to Nannhey Chacha, he was so soft hearted that whenever he listenedto film Anarkai`s song where she was whipped he used to really weep with pain on his face. Shakuntaljiji told us once that when he watching film Dosti in Lucknow he started throwing up while weeping and crying. He power of narrating a incidents was very dramatic and captivating even on simple incidents, like when he told us that during rains he visited one of the villge in one feet of water, poor nannhey not knowing whether a well or ravine is ahead, his sense of dramatizing was great. Once BP called one of tillers from some place who misbehaving and bullied his to sing some blank papers as per Advocates advice and called NC to sit with this man when he went inside as per his routine. When he returned after half- an hourthat man was missing. BP enquired about that man NC told him that he has gone away, then where are that papers?. NC replied that I give him the papers because he fell on my feet crying. In those days it was extremely humiliating to touch anybody`s feet except your older relatives and Panditji. Those were different times and people had different standards.

Shri Shamsher Bahadur Khare (Shamsher Chacha) was the tallest,perhaps 6`6` and heavy. For appearing in Intermediate exam (12^th class) he went to Moradabad. A maharaj and two servants went with him. He was at one time interest in body building also. He was in the service of Maharaja Scindia Gwalior and quite close to him. When Delhi Gymkhana was built in 1935 all Maharajas were offered membership. Scindia accepted the offer, paid the money but took membership for 5/6 more employees with robust personalities and always took all of them with him to the club so that other members made enquiry about him which will add to his status. These memberships are offered to one`s successors. So Mr. V.B. Khare became a member even though he could have become a member on his  own merits also after  after completing his MBA from Glasgow. Now the membership has come to Vivek.  Dadi had asked him to come back as Gwalior was about 150 miles or so away. Later on he joined Dabra Sugar Factory, near Gwalior a factory of J. K. Srivastava who owns Raza Textiles in Rampur.

Shri S B. Sinha (Shabban Chacha) was soft spoken and fond of technical subjects. In his house in Match factory you could find models made of cards mechanical toys, decoration pieces. He joined U.P. Roadways and had a Dodge Pickup at his disposal and we all had a ride in that many a times, cars were not common in those days. He got a lot of needy and not so well off relatives people employed in Roadways. In later years he settled down with his daughter Indu Krishna in Glasgow and survived by his daughter and grand-daughter.

Shri N. B. Satyawakta (Bhaiya Chacha) was the youngest and more easy to relate to. He would laugh gossip and give good company to everbody. In those days there were no telephones and in our neighbouhood only Seth Ram Rattan aand perhaps Capt. Wajid Ali Khan had the telephones.  Whenever Bhaiya Chacha had to convey any message to BP he used to send a handwritten note in urdu  through Munan( Raghuvansh Bahadur) who was studing in Hamid Inter College roughly 5/6 miles from his house. BP used to read the same and ask him to take the reply while going back. Life was so different from today`s cell phone culture where everything starts and ends with cells.

Culture was totally different in those days. Whenever ladies had to go out , a sheet was tied around the Tonga horse driven carriage , then ladies the ladies boarded and after that the driver appeared. You could not enter the kitchen without taking your shoe off and meat was cooked outside the house. Dadi used to follow Sanatam Dharma and Dadda was Arya SamajiP.

P.S. Rakesh informs me that Gandhiji came to DH in around 1933 so it must have been Nawab Raza Ali Khan., if my history is right. Nawab Hamid Ali Khan never went outside the State as he feared he would be arrest for being at loggerhead with Britishers. Nawab Raza Ali Khan always kept balance between Britishers and the Indian leaders and was the first Ruler to merge with the Indian Union.

In the next article I will be writing on my cousins and Merry-Making Years

From Ravish Bahadur