Four months after undergoing surgery for a mid-foot fracture, I celebrated my 78th birthday by walking with normal boots. Overjoyed with my progress, I decided to share a video clip of this milestone with my dear friend and former colleague, Arvind. Our recent exchange of letters revolved around the fascinating subject of history and its connection to our lives.
History, is a captivating subject that encompasses the past, present, and future. It unfolds in the present, is about the past and documented in the future. However, the events and individuals that will be a part in written history remain uncertain, like the future that lies ahead.
In my letter to Arvind, I recounted the events that transpired in 1949 and shared my grandfather’s stories about the Ram Janmbhoomi temple. These tales had deeply resonated with me during my early teenage years. Intriguingly, Arvind’s response to my letter brought forth a fascinating story from his own hometown, Amroha. He shared a captivating account of a rail bridge on the river Sote that mysteriously. Arvind and I hope to continue this conversation and share more such stories. That is the reason I added -1 to the title of this blog.
Readers are welcome to share stories about their home towns and life events. Please share your write ups with me by email at sk@vrikshamandir.com
SK to Arvind -1
Dear Arvind
hope this email finds you well. I wanted to share a fascinating story that my grandfather used to tell me about a remarkable individual he would call “Nayyar Saheb,” who was the Dy Commissioner and Collector of Faizabad, known for his courageous actions in relation to the Ram Mandir.
Despite facing immense pressure, he refused to take action to remove idols that were placed on the night of December 22-23, 1949, ultimately leading to him losing his job which he got back after intervention of a court but did not join service after winning the case.
Interestingly, I recently discovered that the hero my grandfather admired was not a Punjabi Nayyar, but rather a Nair from Kuttanad, a small village in Alappuzha, Kerala. I found this revelation quite intriguing and wanted to share it with you.
I hope you enjoy reading about Nair Saheb and his remarkable story.
Warm regards,,
Shailendra
https://www.pgurus.com/k-k-nair-the-unsung-hero-of-ayodhya-ram-mandir-movement/
I met Prof. Arvind Gupta first while I was with the National Dairy Development Board(NDDB). His wife Neela too was an employee at the NDDB. We became colleagues, neighbours and close friends for over four decades.
Arvind to SK -1
Dear Shailendra,
Your video about the first walk after 4 months was like Neil Armstrong taking first steps ever on moon. This image came after such a long lapse of time.
Budhapa asar dikha raha hai!
Hope the doctor has given all OK signal after your last visit. Do share. G
My mail today is about history.
Amroha is a very old town. The oldest reference I found was about the Battle of Amroha in 1305. The Delhi Sultanat imposed a crushing defeat on the Mongols. Otherwise our history would have been very different.
A rivulet named SOTE passes near Amroha. It flows to Sambhal, another very old town, and beyond. Over the years this rivulet had completely dried. The river bed had been silted. People from surrounding villages took up the task of re-digging at their own initiative. Last monsoon water flowed once again.
This was acknowledged and lauded by our PM a few months back on TV, as people’s initiative for development.
All this is mere warming up. The real story I want to share follows.
A very small railway bridge, almost unnoticeable, has been built across the river. Quite some time back there was an accident on this bridge.
As children (say when I was 9 years or so) we always talked about SOTE being very deep and dangerous. A version that had been dished to us suggested that the engine that fell into the river could never be retrieved despite best efforts by the British. It just disappeared. Our surmise was the river is so deep that it goes upto ‘Patal’. The engine must have reached ‘Patal’ and hence could not be retrieved.
On our way to our family’s orchard called ‘Bada Baag’ I would be very careful while crossing the river on foot, lest I slip and land up in ‘Patal’. To the best of my memory, the water was never more than ankle deep except during monsoon!
Soon after our PM mentioned the local people’s initiative on TV, I had an occasion to speak to one of my cousins, the eldest in our generation, nearing 90.
I told him about the river being deep and dangerous going all the way upto ‘Patal’!
And you know what he told me?
He confirmed that some time around 1932 or so there was an accident. One bogey got derailed and detached and fell by the track . No one bothered about the bogey lying by the railway track side.
However, after quite some time when the authorities woke up and decided to retrieve the bogey, their people reported that there is no bogey. It has disappeared!
As per my cousin, it was on account of people’s initiative! They had dismantled or broken the bogey and taken away every piece and used it, leaving no trace.
I recalled this after reading about ‘swayambhoo’ appearance of Ram bhagwaan’s murti in 1948!!
Thought I will just share this from my interesting childhood at Amroha and the history of people’s initiative for local DEVELOPMENT.
With fond remembrance and much love.
Arvind
SK to Arvind -2
Thank you, Arvind, for sharing such an interesting story. Your town of Amroha never fails to amaze me.
I would like to suggest that you consider writing a series of childhood stories and stories about important individuals with roots in Amroha. It would be wonderful to upload these stories on Vrikshamandir 😀🙏
I propose titling the series “Stories from Amazing Amroha of Arvind” or “Amazing Amroha of Arvind”.
With your permission, may I upload this story on Vrikshamandir with suitable edits?
On another note, I am happy to report that my foot is healing. Although the outside temperature is currently ranging from -18 to -22 with wind chill, I am able to walk inside the house. I am also continuing with physiotherapy, which has been beneficial. बुढापा तो आ गया दोस्त अब वृद्धावस्था की ओर कदम उठ गये हैं।
Nitya kindly drops me off at the library and picks me up. I spend my time reading newspapers, borrowing books, or using the computer. It’s not a daily routine, but only when she runs errands in the direction of the library, which happens a couple of times a week. I recently accompanied Kiran and Nitya to the Indian store as well. I can feel myself slowly getting better.
Sharing pictures I took of yours truly at the library. Warm regards to both of you and please send my love to Ravi.
Shailendra
SK to Arvind -3
Dear Arvind,
I forgot to add these two pictures from the Indian store. While Kiran and Nitya were busy buying groceries I found this!
If you enlarge the second picture you can read clearly that this Dhara bottle of groundnut oil is not for sale outside Gujarat.
No doubt how, why and what for this edible oil bottle landed here in Canada at an Indian Grocery Store is a matter that has many explanations.
However, there is no doubt that entrepreneurship of a Gujarati businessman cuts geographical boundaries.
Reminded me of the liquor bottles in Gujarat with a statement “For sale in Punjab only” !
Warm regards,
Shailendra
Arvind to SK – 2
Dear Shailendra,
Thanks for your mail. You were looking good in the picture. Nice to know that you are able to walk. With passage of time and physio’s help it will become better. You can start planning your trip to India in the near future.
I was happy to note that Dhara as a brand is still alive though many tried their best to kill it. It means your Oilseed project is still going on, though one hears little about it. Anand union continues to survive with strong asset base and meager operations. Their cottonseed oil under Anand brand is very much visible in Anand town.
Reg. the story, I am happy that you found it interesting. You may edit it, change it or do whatever you deem fit (including publishing it in Vrikhhamandir). As regards the other stories/personalities from Amroha, I feel I am poorly equipped. Still, someday I will certainly write about Neela’s vehement opposition to naming our Diwalipura house Amroha. She almost threw up a fit when I decided to put a plaque with Amroha name outside. I found her reasoning hilarious.
More later.
Meantime, take care and stay fit.
With much love to all of you.
Fondly,
Arvind
