QUAINT STREETS OF JAIPUR

 

Jaipur, the ‘Pink City’, needs no introduction. Perhaps everyone reading this has been there at least once. I, of course, proudly belong to that City and like to spend as much time there as I can.  Its history, palaces, forts, monuments, gardens and museums are well known to all and its ever growing tourist industry is busy adding exquisite hotels and lovely cafes by the day. But the soul of the ancient pink city lives on in its quaint streets.

Jaipur lays claim to be the first planned city in the world in the modern era. It is a grid of wide roads connected by a number of narrower streets. The roads have interesting names like ‘Johari Bazar’ meaning a market of jewellers as they set up their business there from the time the city was built. A parallel road is ‘Chaura Rasta’, literally meaning ‘Broadway’, a wide road even by present day standards. At the risk of being termed presumptuous, might I suggest that the Broadway of New York City took its name from here. After all, Jaipur was built in early 18th century and New York in late 19th.

Connecting Chaura Rasta and Johari Bazar is a comparatively wider street named ‘Gopalji Ka Rasta’ so named because of an ancient temple of Lord Krishna known in childhood as ‘Baal Gopal’. In the ‘50s, we could easily drive our Ford Prefect right upto the shops well inside the street. Apart from jewellery shops, the street has been housing ‘halwai’ shops known for fresh milk sweets like ‘kalakand’ and ‘misri mawa’ ever since we came to Jaipur and was the main source of ‘bhog’ offerings for Mataji’s ‘mandir’ at home. 

Right opposite on the other side of the road is Haldiyon Ka Rasta. I do not know how it got its name as ‘haldi’ actually means turmeric while the street has been famous for being home to many jewellers including their doyen, the late Bhuramal Rajmal Surana, who has a haveli there. Originally, that was his family’s residence which I visited often as his second son, Vimal, was my classfellow at St. Xavier’s. The original Surana showroom was also located in the haveli and is now home to artisans as the Surana sons have shifted showrooms and their residences outside the old city.

Just outside Gopalji Ka Rasta, on the main road is the entrance to ‘Purohitji Ka Katla’. ‘Katla’ means a portion or slice and the small area is full of shops selling wholesale dresses for weddings and festivals at bargain prices. It is a favourite haunt of Akhila to buy gifts for relatives and friends.

The next street down south from Haldiyon Ka Rasta is ‘Gheewalon Ka Rasta’. More than ghee, it is famous for special sweets such as ‘Gulab Sakri’ with its unique yummy rose flavour. Next to it is ‘Dhadda Market’, a centre for homeopathic medicines, both German and Indian. On the other side of the road is Laxmi Mishthan Bhandar which lays claims of being the most popular eating place in the old city.

Moving north towards ‘Badi Chaupar’, just short of it after Purohitji Ka Katla, one can see rows of typical multicoloured Jaipuri ‘safas’ and ‘pagris’ displayed on the rooftop of shops. These turbans form an essential part of the formal attire for weddings and ceremonial occasions.

Beyond ‘Badi Chaupar’ and the iconic Hawa Mahal, we enter the palace compound through a gate named ‘Sireh Deori’ and on to another one, ‘Dhundhubi Pol’ also called ‘Naqqar Khana Ka Darwaza’ where in days gone by the playing of Shehnai and Dhol (drum) preceded announcement of the Maharaja’s daily schedule. And so we arrive at ‘Jaleb Chowk’. In Persian, ‘Jaleb’ means ‘soldier’ and the site was so named because the Maharaja’s Army used to carry out its drills there. Later it became popular for being the abode of the sweet ‘jalebi’ which was exclusively prepared here. Pitaji was very fond of jalebis and used to send someone from his domestic staff to fetch hot and juicy ones fresh from the ‘kadhai’ to be had with hot milk for breakfast on Sundays.

A gate to the west leads to the City Palace and Jantar Mantar while one to the north opens the path to Govind Devji Mandir patronized by the Maharaja. It is said that the Maharaja could have his daily ‘darshan’ with powerful binoculars from the Palace’s balcony across the vast lawn between the temple and the Palace.

Now for some interesting names of streets in the old city. Off Chaura Rasta, there is a lane called ‘Lal Ji Saand (bull) Ka Rasta’. The story is that Lal Ji, son of Maharaja Madho Singh from a concubine, used to reside here. He was of a huge build and fat, hence the name. 

Then there is ‘Jat Ke Kue Ka Rasta’ off Chandpole Bazar. I suppose it took its name from a well belonging to someone from the Jat community although the ‘kua’ must have been covered long ago. In fact, in my readings, I have come across ‘Bhoot Ke Kue Ka Rasta’ although I couldn’t find one on the map. However, Nahargarh Fort and Jai Mahal Palace are supposed to be haunted. 

Off Badi Choupar, there is a ‘Chatouri Aurton Ka Chouraha’ named after women who used to gather there to indulge in devouring delicious street food. 

An interesting site is ‘Barah Bhaiyon Ka Chouraha’ (twelve brothers’ crossroads), on Nahargarh Road where a dozen friends of different religions and castes used to meet regularly in a show of solidarity. There is a unique Ganesh temple here with one Ganesh idol on top of another. Presently, it is famous for speciality Jaipur bangles and cosmetic items. There is also ‘Bagruwalo Ka Rasta’ in Chandpole area so named for shops selling Bagru fabrics. ‘Bagru’ is a form of hand block printing, an old tradition of over 300 years.

Off Chandpole, there is a ‘Khajanewalon Ka Rasta’ which takes its name from caretakers of the Maharaja’s vault. The ‘khajanchis’ have long gone and now it has shops selling exquisite statues in stone, marble, plaster of paris, etc., as also garments.

A street named after artisans is ‘Thateron Ka Rasta’ in a locality known as Modikhana in Kishenpol Bazar. ‘Thaterey’ are utensil makers and the clan is as old as the city itself. 200 families of these artisans were invited by the Maharaja in 1727 to shift here from Amer out of which 80 still exist. They make household items like ‘lota’ for storing water, ‘paraat’ for kneading flour dough and items for storing food, out of a mix of brass and copper called ‘peetal’. The beating of the metal with a mallet to give the desired shape makes a sound which gave the name ‘thatera’ to the artisans. 

There are many more and this list is just indicative of what makes the pink city streets so interesting. In a small way, modern Jaipur is keeping the tradition alive. At the junction of Prithviraj Road and Sarojini Marg, there is ‘Aunty’s Café’ followed by a number of vendors of street food. Thus that end of the Marg is now popularly known as ‘Auntyji Ki Gali’. And right across on Prithviraj Road, just after the Statue Circle roundabout, there is a stall boasting of ‘Uncle Coffee’, hot or cold. 

WHAT IS 'OLD'?

 

“Old age isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative”- Maurice Chevalier.

On the golf course the other day, my partner and I were taking a coffee break when someone came to me and asked how old I was. When I gave him the number, he said I was an inspiration to him. Mindful of the ‘nazar na lug jaye’ syndrome, I quickly pointed at my partner and said, “He is 91”. The inquirer duly bowed and touched my partner’s feet.

We got talking some more and my partner said, “Marshal Of The Indian Air Force Arjan Singh was playing golf twice a week at 98. I told them of my father-in-law’s good friend, Shri Dharma Vira, who played till his end at 94.

Back at home, I happened to remember the ballad ‘What is Youth’ sung by a troubadour in Franco Zeferelli’s 1968 brilliant movie “Romeo and Juliet”. That led me to wonder ‘What is Old’ and I decided to look for the answer in what some famous persons have opined.

Jules Renard said, “It’s not how old you are; it’s how you are old.” Or “Age  is a question of mind over matter; if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter” from Satchel Paige. The legendary boxer, Muhammad Ali formerly Cassius Clay, declared, “Age is whatever you think it is. You are as old as you think you are.”

Ingrid Bergman said something sweet, “Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath but the view is much better.” A contribution from Eleanor Roosevelt, “Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.” On a truly positive note, a quote from ‘Unknown’ goes, “Age is simply the number of years the world has been enjoying you.” 

Getting back to golf, I like playing fast and often get frustrated by a slow, doddering foursome in front. I used to curse calling them ‘old fogeys’ till it occurred to me, hey, I am not so young myself. So I was encouraged by Francis Bacon’s lines, “I will never be an old man. To me, old age is always 15 years older than I am.”

Also relevant is an excellent one by the great George Bernard Shaw- “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Michael Pritchard put a spirited spin on this by substituting ‘laughing’ for ‘playing’.

I don’t know what alternative Chevalier was referring to but Daniel Francois Espirit Auber said, “Ageing seems to be the only available way to live a long life!” Of course, in the delightful musical “Gigi”, Chevalier is content singing, “I’m Glad I’m Not Young Anymore”.

There are many songs about old age but for me the perennial favourite will remain Nat King Cole’s “You Will Never Grow Old.” His counsel as in the opening and closing lines-

‘You will never grow old, while there is love in your heart,

Time may silver your golden hair, as you dream in an old rocking chair.

So keep my love in your heart, remember the love tales we told,

For with my love in your heart, my darling,

You will never grow old, you will never grow old.”

To all my dear old ones, ‘Stay young’! 

NANCY-THE LESSER KNOWN SINATRA

 

Frank Sinatra was a legend even in his lifetime. It would be well nigh impossible for his daughter to reach those heights. To her credit, Nancy, his eldest child, did achieve a fair amount of fame with some unforgettable songs.

She came into the limelight in 1966 with the number, “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” the disc of which sold more than a million copies, earned her two Grammy nominations and became popular for what enthusiasts called its iconic ‘Swinging ‘60s Look’.

Nancy’s best years were from 1966-68 when 10 of her songs were in the top 40 of US Billboard’s Hot 100. She acted in films such as “Speedway” with Elvis Presley and “Marriage On The Rocks” with Frank Sinatra in the roles of father and daughter. She was also sought after on TV.

In mid-‘70s, she slowed down on music and gave up acting to concentrate on looking after her family. There were some releases though including “Kinky Love” in 1976 which had controversial lines and was banned on radio till she revived it in 1998. A big recognition came in 2006 when she was honoured with a star on Hollywood’s Hall Of Fame.

Before I come to her outstanding numbers, those familiar with her would have heard other popular ones such as “How Does That Grab You Darlin’”, “Bang Bang” and “Sugar Town”. She also did many duets with her songwriter Lee Hazlewood including “Jackson”, “Did You Ever” and “Some Velvet Morning”. 

Now, to my ‘four fab’ which I consider as good as any by more famous and prolific singers. We start with her first hit I mentioned earlier, “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’”, which topped both the US and British charts and in many other countries. Songwriter Hazlewood was inspired by a line that Frank Sinatra used in a movie and Frank suggested to Hazlewood to give the vocals to Nancy. The lyrics are about a girl who feels that her lover is taking her for granted and is fooling around with others. She warns him that ‘these boots are made for walkin’, and that’s just what they’ll do. One of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you’. Towards the end of the song, that day has arrived and the girl asks the boots to start walkin’ accompanied by simulated sounds of boots stomping presumably all over her cheating lover! 

After considering many established artistes like Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey, the famed composer John Barry, on Frank’s suggestion, decided to give the theme song of the Bond film “You Only Live Twice” to Nancy. She sang it brilliantly guided by Barry and accompanied by his superb orchestra. Many critics rate it in the top three of Bond themes and that’s an achievement Nancy can justly be proud of. I personally consider it as perhaps second only to Louis Armstrong’s “We Have All The Time In The World” from “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” revived recently in “No Time To Die’. 

Nancy did a lot of duets with Hazlewood the most popular of which is “Summer Wine”. The two singers combine beautifully in the role of the girl eyeing the silver spurs of the man and tempting him to drink more and more of her ‘Summer Wine’ while he gets drunk and awakens hungover to find his spurs and money gone but still craving for more wine! A delightful song.

And finally, a Frank and Nancy duet , “Somethin’ Stupid” which was a major international hit including the top in US, UK, Australia, South Africa and many European countries. It invited some silly criticism of incest as a father and his daughter were singing a love song but the beautiful rendition made listeners dismiss any foul thought and just enjoy the music. The lyrics are touching with the singer trying to think of something clever to say but ends up ‘’And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like ‘I Love You’” and repeating ‘I love you’ over and over again.

Not as high as her father, but Nancy was tall enough.

JERRY LEE LEWIS - LAST SURVIVING PIONEER OF ROCK 'N ROLL PASSES ON

Jerry Lee Lewis, last surviving pioneer of Rock ‘n Roll music, breathed his last a few days ago.

Rock ‘n Roll music had its origin in the early 1950s. It was derived from jazz, rhythm and blues, boogie woogie, honky tonk, etc. Most people credit Chuck Berry as its inventor. But it was Bill Haley who brought it global recognition and popularity. His group, Bill Haley and his Comets, produced the first big R ‘n R hit with the release of ‘Rock Around The Clock’ in early ’55.

The timing coincided with my joining the NDA and I was captivated by the rhythm, beat and tempo of R ‘n R which helped relieve the tough grind of NDA life.

Right on top among the pioneers and my favourites was Elvis Presley. Who hasn’t heard of him! His singing style, thumping guitar, gyrating and hip-swinging performances made him a cult figure and he soon earned the title of ‘King of Rock ‘n Roll’. ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was his first hit in January 1956 rapidly followed by ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘Hound Dog’ , ‘Don’t Be Cruel’, ‘All Shook Up’, and the lovable, cuddly ‘(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear’.

He also had three hit movies in that time filled with his numbers including the title songs, ‘Love Me Tender’ (which though was not rock but a straight love song), ‘Jailhouse Rock’, and ‘King Creole’. In ’58, he was drafted for military service and I to the Navy.

Meanwhile, Bill Haley and his Comets continued providing hits notably ’Shake, Rattle and Roll’ and ‘See You Later Alligator’ which became a popular parting greeting and perhaps still is. Memories of a movie, ‘Rock Around The Clock’, featuring Bill Haley and his Comets, reminds me of the frenzy of the music of those days.

Next pioneer on my list is Little Richard. His unusual style of singing with raspy, shouting vocals, screaming and frenetic piano playing earned him the sobriquet of ‘Architect of Rock ‘n Roll’. His ‘Tutti Frutti’ was more flavoured than the ice cream itself! Sample the lyrics:-

‘Wop bop a loo bop a lop bom bom,  

Tutti frutti, oh rootie (5 times)….

Wop bop a loo bop a lop bom bom’, and then on to ‘I got a gal named Sue, who knows just what to do’, and Daisy, ‘she almost drives me crazy’. His other hits were ‘Long Tall Sally’, ‘Lucille’ and ‘Good Golly Miss Molly’. Too soon, he went into religion, Christianity, and gave up singing which saved us from being driven completely crazy.

Gene Vincent with his group The Bluecaps produced a smashing hit, ‘Be-bop-a-lula’. The breathless vocals backed by fluterring echoes made for a catchy song that became immensely popular. Vincent came up with other hits including ‘Bluejean Bop’ and surprisingly, a plain, emotional ‘Unchained Melody’. Drugs and alcohol got the better of Vincent and he died young unable to ever match the success of ‘Be-bop-a-lula’.

The genial Fats Domino, second only to Elvis in Rock ‘n Roll, captivated rock fans with his smooth, slightly nasal, rounded and rolling delivery, accompanied by gentle piano playing.  Singing in a honky-tonk mode, his most popular number was ‘Blueberry Hill’ and, of course, he had a large number of other hits. After ‘Blueberry Hill’, my favourites were ‘Ain’t That a Shame’, ‘I’m Walking’ and the pleasant and lilting ‘I Want To Walk You Home’. As against most R ‘n  R singers, Fats kept free of controversy and had a full life of 89 years. He passed away just 5 years ago on 24 October 2017.

A singer whose life was cruelly cut short was Richie Valens whose R ‘n R adaptation of a traditional Mexican wedding song, ‘La Bamba’, was loved by all and remains popular todate. Alas, he died in an air crash at the age of 17!

An R ‘n R movie I recall from those days was the musical comedy, ‘The Girl Can’t Help It’ starring the buxom blonde Jayne Mansfield. The film featured a number of pioneers of R ‘n R including Little Richard with the title song and ‘Ready Teddy’, Gene Vincent with ‘Be-bop-a-lula’, Fats Domino singing ‘Blue Monday’ and a comic ‘Giddy Up A Ding Dong Giddy Up’ by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys. The movie was a treat for R ‘n R fans. My best song of the movie though was one of my all-time favourites, Julie London’s ‘Cry Me A River’, a non-rock emotional number.

And so, back to where we started, Jerry Lee Lewis. He firmly got on the road to fame with ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On’ closely followed by ‘Great Balls Of Fire’. His style was in the boogie-woogie rapid fire genre and his piano playing was outrageous which would have had Chopin and Liszt turn in their graves. He would pump the piano keys hard with his left hand providing a fast tempo and the frenzied right hand going all over the keyboard rapidly. He would sometimes pound the keys with his feet, sit on the keyboard and stand on the piano. All this with his good looks and enticing voice earned him the nickname ‘Killer’ and he was often referred to as ‘R ‘n R’s first great wild man’.

At the height of his popularity, he fell in love with his 13-year old cousin and married her. He himself was just 22 and already twice married. This caused a huge public uproar and Lewis fell from grace. Some years later, he made a comeback but in Country music where he again made a name for himself. In fact, he kept singing well into the 21st century and in May this year, was inducted into the Country Hall Of Fame.

Once he had reestablished himself, he did make a partial comeback into R ‘n R and I loved his ‘Chantilly Lace’. He continued to perform in public and what caught my attention the other day was a video on YouTube of an old performance in company with Tom Jones in which the latter seems awestruck by Lewis. In fact, Tom Jones has spoken about his admiration for Lewis and his desire for 'Great Balls Of Fire' to be played at his own funeral! 

In my NDA years 1955-58, these pioneers of R ‘n R provided me with much needed comfort on many hard days’ nights.

SARONIC ISLANDS

Demis Roussos, Greek, and Udaipur, travel destination, brought to mind a visit to Athens in 2014 and the delightful boat trip to three islands in Saronic Gulf. I had written about it in a piece published in Outlook magazine which I am posting here for those interested and who might not have read it earlier. 

                                                          

                                                       SARONIC ISLANDS

During a trip to Athens this summer, my wife and I decided to take a day’s cruise to the picturesque Saronic Islands that one had heard so much about. 

Our yacht departed from the port town of Piraeus at 8.30 a.m. and set course for our first destination, the island of Hydra or Idhra as the Greeks call it. We were soon into the Saronic Gulf which was blue, serene and calm and the weather was clear with the sun bright but not too hot. A cap and sunglasses were nevertheless desirable. The passage to Hydra was about two and a half hours which passed very quickly as apart from taking in the beautiful scenery all around us, there was a two man combo on the upper deck playing and singing nostalgic old songs including the ever popular and appropriate Zorba the Greek!

All too soon we entered Hydra harbor which is shaped like an amphitheatre or a crescent moon. Greystone mansions are constructed on the slope of a hill dating back to the 17th and 18th century. Hydra has been a favourite resort of the international jet set since the 1950s when it was popularized by Henry Miller’s Colliseus of Marousi. Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd have all rubbed shoulders with the average tourist here. The Monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary with a marine museum is right on the waterfront as you disembark from your boat. Hydra permits no automobiles on the island but boasts of over 500 donkeys which help the locals transport heavy loads. The waterside is full of busy cafes and boutique hotels and shops selling souvenirs, clothing, silverware and other handicrafts. You can venture inside the meandering, narrow cobblestone paved lanes for better bargains. 

It was time to embark and proceed to the second and the smallest of our three islands, Poros. This was a shorter passage of about an hour. Somewhat like Venice, the town of Poros is on a little strip uniting two minor bays with a small canal separating it from the rest of the island. In ancient times, Poros was actually two islands, Spheria and Kalavria, till the explosion of a volcano in 273 B.C. gave Poros its present shape. It has a distinct appearance with its white houses and red tiled roofs. On a hill is a prominent clocktower inviting tourists to climb up for a breathtaking panoramic view.  Poros is famous for its seafood and the yummy gelato which we could have only two of as the time on the island was restricted to 45 minutes!

Back on board and heading for our third island, the Aegina, which is towards Athens, it was time for a sumptuous buffet lunch. It was a mix of Greek and Continental food with rich desserts accompanied by live music. A sip of coffee and we were at Aegina which has a neoclassical and modern look. Due to time constraint, we were given the option to take a drive around the island or go for a swim on one of its famous beaches. We opted for the island trip. 

Close to the harbor is the ancient temple of Aphaia dating back to 480 B.C.  We were shown the house where Nikos Kazantzakis wrote Zorba the Greek.  A brief stopover was made at the majestic Church of Agios Nikolaos, the saint protector of fishermen and sailors. But Aegina is most famous for its pistachios. My wife and I had never seen a pistachio tree but here we saw them in thousands as they are abundant all over the island.  The harbor is full of shops selling pistachios and we bought a lot for family and friends. 

By now, it was 7 p.m. and time to sail back to Piraeus, a 75 minute ride. Durimg this passage, a memorable song and dance session was organised with full audience participation. We were literally pulled out of our chairs by the performers inviting us to join in the Greek dances including the Zorba once again! A great time was had by one and all and the cruise was by far the high point of our summer tour.

UDAIPUR 1949-51

 

The Rajasthan High Court was inaugurated on 29 August 1949 and Pitaji was sworn in as a High Court Judge at a ceremony in Jodhpur and transferred to Udaipur to head the bench there. First week of September, Pitaji, Mataji and I took the long overnight metre gauge train journey involving two changes to Udaipur. We were initially put up in Laxmi Vilas Guesthouse perched on top of a hill close to the City Palace and overlooking the Pichola lake. 

Udaipur, capital of the old Mewar Kingdom and founded in 1553, is a picturesque city located around a number of lakes, Pichola and Fateh Sagar being the main ones. For us, it was a welcome change from the dry and dusty Bharatpur. One of the first things I noticed, there were no fans anywhere. When I asked I was told that Udaipur, with its temperate climate as a result of water all around, was classified as a ‘hill station’!

Two islands on Pichola with impressive structures were visible from our Guesthouse. I was keen to visit them and luckily, Pitaji himself had tourist blood in his veins and we went to the islands on the very first weekend. The first was Jagmandir named after Maharana Jagat Singh I and completed in mid-17th century. It was the Lake Garden Palace of the Maharanas. It is said that Shahjehan, then known as Khurram, took refuge on the island during the fight for Jehangir’s successor and the unique floating marble structure of the Palace was his inspiration for the designing of Taj Mahal.

The second island we visited was Jag Niwas built by Maharana Jagat Singh II 1743-46 as his summer palace. This lavish piece of marble architecture with its terraces, gardens and fountains is now the Taj Lake Palace Hotel.

Udaipur is a tourists’ paradise and our weekends were all taken up by seeing new places. We visited the City Palace where I was amazed to see a garden on the rooftop of the 5-storey, 100 ft high monument. Then there was the Saheliyon Ki Bari, an ancient park with colourful fountains and marble elephants. Located on a hill by the side of Fateh Sagar was Sajjangarh, the Monsoon Palace of the Maharanas, which afforded a bird's eyeview of the entire city. An hour’s drive away on the winding road through Aravali hills, we visited Jaisamand which is the second largest artificial fresh water lake in Asia.

We are devotees of Lord Shrinathji whose idol is housed in the famous temple at Nathdwara, 48 kms. north-east of Udaipur. Shrinathji is a ‘swarup’ of Lord Krishna as a 7 year old boy who saved a village, Goverdhan, near Mathura, from torrential rains and deluge by holding up a hill with his left hand to provide shelter. Actually the idol was initially installed in Goverdhan but moved to Nathdwara in 1672 to save it from destruction by the Moghuls. A special ‘rath’ was constructed from wood without any nails for the transfer of the holy idol. The ‘rath’ has since been kept on display inside the temple complex. 

We first visited the temple during Diwali holidays that year. During 'darshan', one was being constantly pushed from side to side. On enquiring, I was told that it was done intentionally to simulate waves of the river Yamuna, the river passing through Mathura, birthplace of Lord Krishna. Another custom was a pujari standing and hitting devotees as they passed him with a knotted sheet; that symbolised cleansing one of one’s misdeeds by striking them out of the body. 

On Annakoot, the day after Diwali, the temple authorities had prepared more than 50 items of 'prasada'. I was awestruck to see a ten-foot high mound of cooked rice placed in the 'aangan' of the temple for distribution to the devotees.

The Udaipur area has its own ‘char dham’ for Vaishnavites and we visited all four many times during our stay in Udaipur. 42 kms. from the city is Eklingji worshipped as the ruling god of Mewar with the Maharana as his Dewan. The next is Shrinathji in Nathdwara followed by Dwarkadhish in Kankroli, next to the serene Rajsamand Lake. Completing the ‘char dham’ is Charbhujaji which is 112 kms. from Udaipur.

Near Charbhujaji, we also visited Ranakpur Jain temple famous for its fascinating architecture.  

Haldi Ghati, scene of the famous battle between Maharana Pratap and Akbar’s forces led by Maharaja Man Singh I of Amber, lies a short distance away between Eklingji and Nathdwara and was, of course, on our touring list. Visiting the historical site and standing by the Chetak Smarak, memorial to Maharana Pratap’s famous steed, one could visualise the battle in one's mind.

Chittorgarh, about 80 kms. from Udaipur and home to a huge fort, also invited a couple of trips from us. Apart from the fort, I remember visiting the Vijay Stambh and Rani Padmini’s Palace.

If my account of stay in Udaipur reads like a travelogue, it should surprise no one. The area is rich in history, monuments and lakes and a paradise for tourists who flock there in lakhs every year from thousands of miles away. And we had the luxury of living there visiting the sites at our leisure over a long stretch of time. 

Pitaji was allotted a government house next to the High Court enabling him to walk across for work. It had a big lawn with elevated levels on the sides. I remember this specially for one incident. Mummy, who was still teaching in Bharatpur, was on a visit and we were out on the lawn when I decided to run up and down the slopes. Mummy also got in the mood and joined me but slipped and fell on her face. Fortunately, she escaped with minor injuries but I considered myself responsible for the incident and felt very guilty about it. 

For my schooling, Pitaji had already planned to put me in a unique institution founded by his friend and well-known educationist, Shri Mohan Singh Mehta. I went into Class VII at the Vidya Bhawan, a school much ahead of its time. In an orthodox and conservative state of Rajasthan where women covered their faces with long ‘ghoonghats’, the School was a co-education one. It followed the objective of overall development of a child and not just academics. I went to School at 7 a.m. in a tonga accompanied by 6-7 other kids and returned almost 12 hours later. On reaching School, we started with physical training followed by breakfast. Classes were from 9 a,m. to 1.30 p.m. before the lunchbreak. Then for one hour, there was a compulsory siesta where we used to spread our bedroll kept in lockers on to the verandah. Up and into hobbies like carpentry and foundry and Indian dance lessons like Kathak and Ghoomar by Shri Devi Lal Samar who gained fame later by setting up his own Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal and was awarded the Padma Shri. Finally, we played games like Football, Hockey and Volleyball before catching the tonga back to home. On days of pleasant weather, students could opt to visit a nearby village or farm.

At home, we had two living-in staff to help us with domestic work. One of them was a boy in his late teens or early 20s and I used to play with him. One day, I took a bet with him and lost. I stole a five-rupee note from Mataji’s purse to pay off the bet. I felt extremely guilty about it but was afraid to tell Mataji as Rs. 5 was big money in those days but I learnt my lesson not to repeat such promises unless I personally had the required funds!

Months went by and we were feeling well settled when in May ‘50 came the order abolishing the Udaipur High Court bench. Pitaji was transferred to Jaipur where we reached end-May. We were put up in the State guesthouse called Khasa Kothi. It was the height of summer and a regular feature was a dust storm in the afternoon. The only variation was that it could be a ‘kaali aandhi‘ or ‘peeli aandhi’ that we could see approaching from the west. 

Meanwhile, Mummy was selected to do a year’s B.Ed. Course in the Vidya Bhawan Teacher’s College in Udaipur starting July. As the institution was close to my school, it was decided that I should accompany her and continue for another year in Vidya Bhawan. A special permission was taken for me to stay with Mummy in the Ladies Hostel where we were allotted a small room in one corner. I had lots of Aunties and Didis around me for company!

With Mummy busy with her studies, there wasn’t much of interest happening. For practical experience, teachers undergoing B.Ed. were at times detailed to conduct classes in our school. Once a Maths lady teacher who I knew well from the Hostel came for a Geometry lesson to our class. Introducing us to Pythagoras’ theorem, she said, “A suker plus B suker is equal to C suker.” Nobody understood what she meant despite a number of repetitions. A classmate got up and asked her what was ‘suker’? This enraged her and she said that she couldn’t believe that students of Class VIII didn’t know the term and were just ridiculing her. Finally, she wrote on the blackboard, “A square plus B square = C square.” The class burst out laughing and the teacher thought we were being naughty and reported us to the Headmaster for appropriate punishment.

Apart from me, the only other males in the Hostel were the Warden and his two nephews in their 20s. In a large room next to ours, one of the occupants was a young, attractive lady in her early 20s, fresh out of college. The younger nephew and the young lady were attracted to each other and would meet surreptitiously. There were times when my School closed earlier than Mummy’s College. The young lady would skip classes and come back to the Hostel and ask me to keep a lookout while the nephew and she spent time together in her room. This went on for some time when one day, the young lady’s roommate came back early. I must have been sleeping on my watch as I failed to warn the couple. All hell broke loose and my role was exposed too. The nephews were banished and I got a sound thrashing from Mummy, second only to the combined one of Mataji and Mummy when I bunked from School in Bharatpur at age <6!

Days then rolled by normally and I busied myself with studies. Mummy was quite fond of movies and that was our main entertainment. I distinctly remember two unforgettable ones. ‘Mahal’, said to be Bollywood’s first horror film, had the glamorous Madhubala’s ghost flitting  all over from a swing on the lawn to inside the large mansion singing ‘Aayega, aayega, aayega, aayega aanewala, aayega, aayega’ (Lata Mangeshkar’s launching superhit), and haunting her target, the bewildered and dazed Ashok Kumar. The other movie, ‘Andaz’, was the deeply emotional story of a love triangle with Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Nargis. The music by Naushad and songs sung by Mukesh in his deep, mellifluous voice with beautiful piano accompaniment were outstanding and hearttugging. The three best were, ‘Jhoom jhoom ke nacho aaj, gao khushi ke geet, aaj kisi ki haar hui hai, aur kisi ki jeet’, ‘Hum aaj kahin dil kho baithe, yunh samjho kisi ke ho baithe’ and ‘Tu kahe agar jeevan bhar, mein geet sunata jaoon’. 

Came May 1951, I passed my VIIIth, Mummy successfully completed her B.Ed. and was transferred to Jaipur and we moved to that city. The ' Jaipur- Vaipur’ prophecy of the 5-year old had come true in 7 years.

IT'S A LOVELY DAY TODAY

 Woke up today to a beautiful morning. Hint of rain to come or maybe it has rained in places nearby. It was cloudy with temperature around 26* C., and a gentle, cool and pleasant easterly wind blowing at 10 knots. So an old song hummed in my mind. It’s an Irving Berlin composition featured in the 1953 movie, “Call Me Madam”, sung and tap-danced brilliantly by Donald O’Connor and Vera Ellen. Without further ado, the song, “It’s A Lovely Day Today”:

‘It’s a lovely day today

So whatever you’ve got to do

You’ve got a lovely day to do it in, that’s true….

And whatever you’ve got to do

I’d be so happy to be doing it with you.

But if you’ve got something that must be done

And it can only be done by one

There is nothing more to say

Except it’s a lovely day for saying

It’s a lovely day.’

What lovely lines!

Going further down memory lane, echoes Rodgers and Hammerstein's number from "Oklahoma":

'Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh, what a beautiful day,

I've got a beautiful feeling, that everything's going my way.'

In the same vein, sing along another lively number “Beautiful Sunday”, by Daniel Boone:

‘Birds are singing, you by my side

Let’s take a car and go for a ride

Hey, hey, hey, it’s a beautiful day….

Ha, ha, ha, beautiful Sunday

This is my, my, my, beautiful day

When you say, say, say, say that you love me,

Oh my, my, my, it’s a beautiful day’.

Today may be Thursday but I’m getting the car out!