HINDOL 9th Issue July 2011 - With Cover

8/2/2019 HINDOL 9th Issue July 2011 - With Cover

1/92


2/92

Hindol

, L

, L ,

0, , 00 448 8 8 0

,

Year 3, No. 2

| 4 8

July 2011

ISSN 0976-0989

Artists:

Raja Ravi Varma

Arup Das

Shanu Lahiri

Pulak Biswas

Sita Ray

Usha Biswas

Prabir Kumar DasBharat Lama (School Student)

Photo Credits :

Dhruva Chaudhuri

Amita Sen

Madhumita Dasgupta

Editorial Team :

Chittaranjan Pakrashi, Jayanti Chattopadhyay,Maitrayee Sen, Ajanta Dutt, Nandan Dasgupta

E-46, Greater Kailash-I,

New [email protected]


3/92

-^ f fl21 , 1319 S [ = ]

-fl fl

, ^ ,, , S, fl

fl Sfl-flL fl fl fl

fl fl fl , fl fl , flflfl fl X fl - fl fl


4/92

1330- fl fl 1354

fl [!] fl ~ fl -

fl fl

fl~fl

fl fl~ Z - -[]-- fl-- fl fl fl-

flfl flflfl---fl / fl flfleflM

flfl fl- - fl fl flflflfl fl flc fl

fl g

[flfl - fl... ]


5/92

S

4 fl

6 S

8 fl

10 fl s f

23 Dhruva N. Chaudhuri A Flight to Persia - 1932

26 &5 fl M fl [7]

SS - ~

37 L A ~ - [1]

48 fl f

55 ~

64 &5 -

70 Bharati Sarkar Kamala Sengupta - A Legend of Delhi

79 Amita Sen The Monumental Bridges of Delhi


6/92

|, 1418

4

w , fl,, flfl, , S SX

fl flc fl fl &

Lfl fl fl ~ fl -fl, fl q & fl ~ fl e fl ~ fl ~. .. [~ ] fl flfl - , ,

flc , fl fl fl - / fl S , fl fl fl

1949

fl fl fl fl , fl fl , fl ,

fl ~ ( q


7/92

|, 1418

5

... [~ { ]- , fl fl fl q fl ~ fl fl fl &

2011 f-ij X s -

+ flf fl e, fl & fl& - fl fl fl fl

s ~ &Q 1911- 12 ~ fl fl = flfl

fl ~ L fl flfl ~ SL fl fl

2011 fl s 1911- 27 fl flfl f fl fl& fl fl

i fl q26


8/92

|, 1418

6

M?,

f , fl f Rfl fl

fl Sfl fl g X fl | fl fl Z fl g p fl fl f L, fl fl fl g fl g

fl g

f fl fl q fl - Q g f y fl fl fl flc fl fl

g fl fl

fl q fl q fl fl

fl fl g , fl q g fl fl fl S fl fl flfl g g fl

fl fl, * fl, & Sfl fl fl fl Sflfl i f fl A fl fl , .. , ,

S


9/92

|, 1418

7

Sfl | S flfl i flfl ffl

fl , , , , KI fl fl fl q fl L flc fl t fl Sfl

fl fl , & & 2 ~ fl fl

Sfl fl fl q Sfl & fl fl fl

P 22.6.2011 ~

Dear Jayanti,

I feel the adda on Ritwik Ghatak was interesting.

At times I wonder why people never think of the effects of partition

on the people who were in Calcutta where the refugees took shelter. I

remember my childhood days - my father a clerk with a meagre income

of Rs 35/- and lots of his relatives pouring into our house. Mother notonly did not get any rest - she could not afford any servant - looking

after her parents-in-law, children and husband but also had to care for

the flood of guests with lots of demands for sympathy, food & shelter.

It was difficult for my parents & grandparents to have anything but

bare necessities; they had to look after their relatives - in most cases so

called relatives by reason of being born in the same village. I suppose

it was all worth it as most of them went on to do well in life.

Krishna Lahiri

11.7.2011 New Delhi

(sent on email from Calcutta)


10/92

|, 1418

8

flfl

5 q Z -

^ a= fl, fl MG- fl, , , e , L fl fl/

M = ? , ,

fl = +

fl L q L U

g+

; , G fl

U

L , L |

fl fl * Mfl ~ ~ fl = U = P

5 fl


11/92

|, 1418

9

flfl fl fl fl e

M fl ? fl

~ ? fl flfl flF fl fl

; fl

| g , , S

,


12/92

|, 1418

10

s + +fl U fl + Z

fl fl U fl flfl fl f ij s ij ij

fl y fl f fl fl fl fl M L

fl + fl L fl s s fl fl fl fl fl

f 26 5 s Xfl fl L fl 26i fl Renaissance flX M MM i

Enlightenment fl &26, fl fl ijM ( fl fl

, fl fl fl fl

s-f

fl M? fl, ~


13/92

|, 1418

11

fl fl ee X, ` fl M fl fl flfl

fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl U fl X fl M, gfl fl fl ^e U S fl fl fl, S fl

fl fl fl MU fl fl Q fl fl fl fl fl (fl fl fl

, fl fl fl e fl fl x fl q fl

f Zfl fl : U fl 26 L fl fl f fl fl fl , fl , fl fl & , fl S fl ...

ij,

s fl Permanent Settlement fl fl fl fl fl f + fl , fl ffl - fl

i fl fl fl , C

fl 2 zL fl ( , L , , , a :LM fl ij + M

s - f


14/92

|, 1418

12

f ij U fl fl fl M

e fl fl s fl fl fl fl Administrative Reform fl fl , AngloHindu Law- fl fl fl GovernorGeneral Lord Cornwallisfl Orientalist M fl :G a fl :

a fl G fl , a fl

henotheistic religion a + LM L a,

fl 5 fl e fl fl , flc fl

fl fl a L fl U fl g U q fl , a Mfl : i fl L fl M

fl , fl, U- -fl flv fl fl

fl ^+ fl fl xenophobia [

fl M] fl fl ij L 26 fl + ( fl flc +

M fl flfl ,

p fl

fl fl X fl flfl ^fl fl

Rfl :

5fl e fl fl

s - f


15/92

|, 1418

13

fl, flfl

fl fl fl fl

fl + M fl e

ee

fl i

+ Z f f +fl f

fl M N fl p fl

zL U ij fl fl fl fl : c , L&fl :

fl fl fl fl a U a

fl + fl V &fl fl + M fl Defense of the Mono-theistic System of the Vedas. Lfl fl fl L

fl fl L fl fl fl Z fl Z fl fl, 26 , Z fl e fl

g fl p flc fl

s - f


16/92

|, 1418

14

p & fl & fl fl p fl , p fl Z

fl Z y , fl Z, fl p

Z + Mfl pfl fl + fl fl + R fl flc & p

+ fl pS fl fl fl [ Gfl ], Z [ ] +

fl [M ] [fl ] fl [ ] y [ ] fl, S fl flfl fl + R fl fl fl pfl fl + , R p

LM, fl fl fl

p fl + fl fl L X M M M 263 c fl fl 'work' ,

fl fl + fl fl fl fl fl

g fl

ffl fl fl L M

fl fl , fl g L x fl Z ? ... fl

... fl fl& X Z + Xfl ... = fl fl fl fl

3 fl... ( L M Ifl ijM fl

[= ] 1318

s - f


17/92

|, 1418

15

f + + ij fl f fl fl

fl, flc fl Rfl fl fl

d Rfl R M flfl R e R fl fl ... flc

R R fl Rfl R fl , fl fl x

p fl unitarian religious philosophy fl, unitarian charch - fl, flc f fl p fl fl

U , X, , i fl M fl fl

fl fl fl Christ X fl p + M M fl

, + fl L fl , + X R R flc , fl , fl , + e

fl fl f fl fl fl, flc

fl S M f fl,f fl fl 1821- Unitar-ian Congress fl

S fl fl fl + f p fl

f p fl

fl fl fl + fl fl

fl , U- + fl fl

s - f


18/92

|, 1418

16

Q fl fl fl

p fl fl flc L

fl fl fl p fl flQ s fl

ZG fl fl fl + fl fl

fl , U- + fl fl - fl LM

Nfl U fl M Jesus Christ Europe

& Asia - fl fl S , p fl Z fl fl fl e p y fl U fl e

fl fl fl M

fl s g fl Z V S fl i

Permanent Settlement fl + flF ^fl fl fl p fl fl fl flfl

s - f


19/92

|, 1418

17

ij a f ij -

fl i fl fl

fl N fl & ( p g fl p Unitarianism- , I , fl f

, fl & fl fl flfl Unitarianmonotheistic God fl S N

fl L fl ( e fl i fl [ fl ] fl Lfl ,

flc La M X flfl

fl La militant Hinduism- ij ideology - fl flG g

p + Hindu militancy fl fl , flc e fl fl f ij

&26 f ij 2

ij p N U Z fl f p fl f ij L p ffl fl

f L U Z y , fl fl fl 3 fl fl i fl fl

fl flfl |X e fl fl f fl fl Z

fl e f S f fl X fl fl -p

s - f


20/92

|, 1418

18

fl fl S f f fl fl fl

- f y fl U

fl 26, fl fl fl 26 p fl fl , fl fl Unitarianismfl officially fl fl flc S fl fl Z fl f U fl

- p fl f & fl fl fl fl 1871

L p , flcf f fl fl L

fl fl fl + ^ fl 26 fl M fl + fl S

^ fl , fl fl ij g flfl fl ^

g fl M t ... fl fl ~ g fl g

fl KI fl fl flcV fl fl fl fl fl

flfl fl fl d flS fl

... fl M &

fl 26 fl fl flG fl fl fl flS fl fl fl V

s - f


21/92

|, 1418

19

fl fl ' flfl L fl '

fl ~ M fl + fl y idle rich

x flfl f ^ fl g fl | M g 2

fl + Mfl L fl S + ..

fl fl g y fl fl... e fl , M

= g X ^... fl , flc fl 5 , fl fl fl fl M fl

f g fl | + fl + fl flc fl fl fl fl R g fl XLfl fl ij

, M L, S , fl S fl fl fl S

f Cultural regeneration- fl Indiarevivalism- efl

fl zL , M

fl fl f fl ij

f +

fl + fl

flcfl

s - f


22/92

|, 1418

20

fl fl fl 26 p flc

fl fl fl fl fl i fl ^ L i fl fl, U fl fl fl fl p , fl

fl ~ fl fl Rfl &

fl , fl L fl

fl i fl flfl ! fl fl fl

fl fl i fl fl fl fl w fl

fli fl fl Z fl La fl R fl fl fl fl Z fl L , R R 2 fl ,

Q S i fl fl :

fl fl fl + fl constructiveprogramme- fl S p

fl fl fl ,

Rfl

fl ~ flc fl fl

p ,fl fl ~ fl fl Rfl &

s - f


23/92

|, 1418

21

fl 2 fl V 26 ifl fl , p

fl g f + fl Sfl fl [1913

] fl i fl , fl fl + fl 26 S R

f fl fl fl fl ? fl L +fl fl fl L M fl N fl L fl M L -p

fl p fl 26 i

U fl fl , efl i fl fl fl fl fl fl i + f U fl fl Lfl fl flfl fl fl

La fl fl fl, f fl

fl 5 fl f i fl fl , flc fl fl

fl fl fl

fl ij y L M fl f fl fl

(humanitarian idealism) Z i 'the gospel of universal love, service to mankind anddevotion to the infinite spirit.'

[fl ~ fl fl]

s - f


24/92

|, 1418

22

fl


25/92

|, 1418

23

One April morning in 1994 when I was returning to Delhi via

Amsterdam after visiting my parents in Oxford, my attention was

suddenly drawn to drawings of two old aeroplanes with three engines

imprinted on sachets of sugar and milk served with my in-flight coffee.

Being crazy about every aircraft old and new and also because I wastravelling by air, it occurred to me that the airline I was travelling with

was one of the pioneering three which used to carry passengers from

India to Europe around the thirties of the last century. I also recalled

that the Poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore had flown to

Persia from Calcutta in April 1932.

One of those planes with three engines was a Dutch Fokker Tri-

Motor which I guessed might have been the aeroplane in which Tagore

had travelled to Persia on April 11, 1932. On cross checking withthe cabin crew, they confirmed that Fokker F-7 and F-12 Tri-Motor

planes were operating in the early

thirties from Batavia, now called

Jakarta, the capital of Java or

Indonesia. These planes flew to

Amsterdam via Calcutta. That

journey usually took eleven daysprovided the weather was fine and

the aircraft worked well.

In his Bengali travelogue "Japan

and Persia", Tagore had described

Dhruva N. Chaudhuri

Faridabad, Haryana

A Flight to

Persia 1932

A Flight to Persia 1932


26/92

|, 1418

24

this air journey in considerable detail, and I had gulped them down

with rapt attention when I got that book as a birthday present in 1944from my uncle Binode Chaudhuri, who was working with Vishwa

Bharati at that time. Tagore in his description of this air journey says

that he was accompanied on the flight by his daughter- in-law Pratima

Devi, and secretary, Amiya Chakravarty. They embarked at the

Dumdum airport of Calcutta at 6 a.m. Around 10 o'clock, the plane

stopped for refueling at the Bamrauli aerodrome of Allahabad, and

after take-off from Allahabad, high up in the air again, the lush green

of the Bengal landscape below was reduced to a tawny picture of theNorth Indian plain along with some visible scratches representing

some rivers.

According to the poet's own description, the aeroplane had six

leather arm chairs for passengers in two rows. Since the noise from

the engines made any conversation with companions impossible, all

that Tagore could do was to stuff cotton wool in his ears, and

contemplate his feelings for this second air journey from his hometown Calcutta, and compare it with the first air trip from London to

Paris, in April 1921.

The poet was really intrigued by a Danish fellow passenger, a

sugarcane planter from Java, who went on munching chocolate, cheese



27/92

|, 1418

25

and bread, and drinking

mineral water, while reading

newspapers and magazineswhich he had brought from

Calcutta. He had hardly any

time or even inclination to

look outside, or marvel at the

sky. While Tagore's thoughts

were bordering on almost

being critical about flying in

a machine, he was quitelavish in his praise for the

four Dutch crew members of

his aeroplane. When he

landed at Jodhpur airport late

in the afternoon, he was

warmly received by the

Maharajah of Jodhpur, a

pioneering aviator. Taking

off early the next morning,

Tagore received a warm welcome in Karachi, and partook of a lunch

prepared with a lot of affection by a Bengali housewife. Finally, after

another night at Jask, Tagore's plane landed safely at Bushire in Persia

on the third day at 8.20 a.m. Journalist Kedar Nath Chatterjee, the

third person in Tagore's party, and who had to fly earlier because of

lack of seats, joined the poet's entourage in Bushire.A few months later during a visit to Kolkata, I managed to look

up the July1932 issue of "Modern Review" as instructed by my father,

the famous author Nirad C. Chaudhuri, and could photocopy a rare

photograph of Tagore having his dinner with a Persian VIP at Bushire.

The others at the table are Pratima Devi, Kedar Nath Chatterjee, and

Amiya Chakravarty.

Tagore's air trip to Persia ended at the Iranian city of Bushire.

The rest of the journey on that historic trip was completed in a carvia Shiraz and Ishfahan. Tagore finally reached Teheran on April 29,

1932, and his 71st birthday was celebrated there on 8th May.

(Dhruva Chaudhuri is a professional photographer)

ij

, fl

fl ij q

, L, - fl

fl ij,

,

fl fl ij fl fl fl fl

fl

, 25 1339



28/92

|, 1418

26

[ - U g fl

fly : fl X Z - X La

- a - P fl fl fl]

y fl {jfl d fl , fl&, fl [ ] fl fl - , flF, fl, flM -

S , fl- Pfl, G fl fl fl P ,

fl fl fl fl [fl Pfl fl pun fl] fl fl , i fl fl - fl flfl

q q fl {jfl fl fl fl

fl fl , flM {jfl fl U i fl M fl flvKI

fl g fl S Jadavpur Journal of ComparativeLiterature : 1990-91) fl ... flM- - fl S ,

fl - fl [ fl flM- ], fl

fl Mfl[7]

&5 fl-1, ~


29/92

|, 1418

27

fl g fl {jfl g fl fl S

, -U, {jfl fl S fl flc U fl ~

U Se flM - Se U 7 flM Se g S fl Ufl f

- U - ^ U f -

flM flyfl fl X L flfl X fl U fl , fl - fl U X X U fl fl : fl,

fl , fl U , fl U L U - fl -U q fl

fl - flM flM [ fl fl] Ufl fl -M , flc fl

e, fl A Study on the Ramayanas- fl []- S fl S fl

Sfl fl fl fl , flc fl 26 U Se fl fl flifl

fl [fl ... fl ] flfl fl fl - fl,

fl g i fl fl

fl fl fl fl fl,flc S-S s fl fl S -P ^

, S G fl fl ,

fl , L flfl {jfl fl I, fl fl f,

fl M fl


30/92

|, 1418

28

fl e, ^, fl fl X

fl

- fl f fl -fl,

Snfl flfl -, fl U+ Sn f+ fl fl fl - fl, 7

fl fl - , , ,

fl , fl - flfl, - fl fl

: : :

gfl fl fl flfl fl fl e - fl fl , q + flfl

fli , fl fl, fl

fl fl fl , , , 263 / / , fl/ 2 - fl, ,

/ fl fl -fl /

: : :

fl fl, fl -P fl fl , -a , fl fl fl fl

fl - fl fl fl fl fl , fl fl ,

fl fl fl - fl ;

[g ; fl

fl M fl


31/92

|, 1418

29

fl M fl


32/92

|, 1418

30

Mfl fl, + , fl ,

flM {jfl fl fl fl Z e fl flc fl - fl

f ]

, f, fl 26 - , fl fl fl fl

, M, P fl , , , fl ,

fl fl q fl fl fl fl, fl fl fl fl - fl fl, fl fl fl

, fl = fl , fl

fl, e fl , , -, fl-fl 2 - , fl , ,

=, M --

Gfl , fl - fl fl - fl

[ fl flM {jfl w | fl fl fl, + , | fl, U , , fl fl, fl

i , fl fl fl , L | fl fl - fl fl,

, flc 26 flfl q fl q fl Sfl fl

fl i fl fl fl

fl M fl


33/92

|, 1418

31

fl 8 fl M5 ! fl - fl {jfl -

fl {jfl ] e, -26

fl fl ^e - e fl q fl ,

- - fl-fl fl flfl fl, ,

Lfl fl fl, fl , , fl fl , fl fl , fl fl fl

fl flifl fl , fl fl 26 - fl, fl 26 fl , , fl fl fl fl , fl fl fl , fl fl q

fl, q, fl -

[ -P fl {jfl -

Sn - fl fl La fl fl G q - fl fl

La fl La G L {jfl fl M fl q fl * 5 , fl + +

- La fl q fl La fl fl

fl flc - fl , X La fl U , flc + fl fl , + fl fl fl

- A fl fl fl

fl M fl


34/92

|, 1418

32

fl flc fl fl fl {jfl fl fl fl fl fl

fl fl , + L fl fl ~, , g fl

fl fl fl fl Sn N fl fl , c fl fl M fl fl , fl fl fl fl

fl y fl fl S {jfl fl fl fl fl fl fl f, , G X g (L fl , flfl , Q fl -fl fl fl fl , fl fl -& flfl ... fl fl q , fl, , -

fl fl ]

, fl fl fl - fl , fl - fl fl

, fl flfl , fl, -

-fl, , / &? , -, , ? - / , ?, y

, - fl P

fl , fl fl, fl fl fl fl q fl fl , , =La fl fl

fl flF fl q , fl fl e flF q

fl M fl


35/92

|, 1418

33

[ Sfl fl fl fl S flG {jfl fl

fl fl fl fl fl ,

, fl fl -fl Sfl S ^ ,

fl fl =Z S fl fl fl, , S 7 fl bL , |L U S ^

fl SX fl flflfl f S, fl LaZ pa fl ;L flfl fl flfl D fl , ( f fl fl fl , i fl fl, flc pa+ fl fl fl

, fl fl fl fl fl] , -P, fl q i , 26 fl fl , gfl

e fl , flc S , fl x ,

, fl fl , , fl, ,

, & fl fl , fl fl , - , /

- /

, = fl fl fl fl ,

fl 7 , 7 fl fl fl

fl fl fl + / fl , X fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl fl X

fl M fl


36/92

|, 1418

34

fl : fl : : |

26 , , fl fl , fl fl flF q

fl 26 fl fl fl X fl fl fl

, q

-, fl , - e, fl

fl : fl , fl fl , fl fl fl , fl fl y

fl, q fl fl fl , g fl fl fl -fl fl , - fl fl

, fl , - , -, fl , fle / , - ( - , -

- -fl

fl , fl , fl fl fl , ) S, fl fl,

fl fl , , fl fl fl

fl fl fl fl fl 26 fl fl , fl fl , fl fl

, S q

fl M fl


37/92

|, 1418

35

, fl L + ( fl ij , ,

fl fl fl fl fl fl fl& fl/ , fl , fl, fl-

fl fl fl fl fl, flc fl

- , fl-, -/ ?/ / fl fl fl ,

[fl -Q fl y fl flflfl fl fl

{jfl flM, S V flflS, X , fl +

fl fl fl fl fl fl S fl

, flM{jfl fl fl fl fl , flM

fl fl fl fl N fl fl , fl flM fl wanted dead than alive

fl fl flfl fl fl (S , fl ]

[S]

^ fl , {jfl , {jfl S &5, fl-R fl

A , , {jfl Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Ramayana

fl M fl


38/92

|, 1418

36

, , - fl fl fl

26 fl, , , fl fl flS fl fl

fl flS fl

,

g fl flfl fl, g fl Sfl fl fl

fl -fl flfl , S i

f fl [RM]

| 1308


39/92

|, 1418

37

fl flc L L g fl :,

fl fl Coronation Park-

fl CoronationPark fl fl S flfl

flfl fl KI fl fl flfl fl S fl fl , fl fl fl fl fl =

flfl fl ~ L fl fl fl M ~ fl fl fl [ fl efl ] 26 fl y =

fl 1967 L G fl , fl

fl , fl [fl ] fl fl fl = ` fl fl

~-[1]

L A fl, ~

~ -


40/92

|, 1418

38

fl

fi8 fl- e flfl flfl &

fl & fl fl

&

y flc fl fl fl

flfl fl 1911 = : fl fl, fl SL fl Coronation Park fl fl fl fl fl fl fl 26 fl

, fl L Gfl fl L

26 L q1911 fl fl fl , fl fl fl fl

2

1877 ^ fl 1857 - fl ~ fl fl -fl fl

? = fl, fl fl fl

~ -


41/92

|, 1418

39

?

~ -


42/92

|, 1418

40

fl fl~ fl y, fl~ fl L = - ,

fl fl fl q fl

Mfl flKI fl L fl , fl

fl fl ~ L, fl fl fl M

, fl flKIKI flfl M Lfl

fl V 1858 , ^ fl fl fl fl fl " S fl flc fl Queen Empress- fl s 26

fl fl fl fl fls fl s , flc , s fl , fl fl --

, fl it was short, sonorous, expressive of the imperial characterwhich it was intended to convey.

fl - ~ fl,

fl fl fl 3fl = , 7 G fl fl M

1903 , fl Q Z ` 5

fl fl , fl fl flfl, fl flKIKI [ ~

~ -


43/92

|, 1418

41

e] ? L flKIKI, k fl L

fl, ~ , fl fl fl fl fl S SM

fl fl S g 'it was a barbaric display if you will but it epitomised the wealth and

significance of the immortal East.'

3

fl fl , flc 1911 flfl fl fl fl fl fl ~ fl &Q

fl afl = d

fl ` G fl 2

1911 C fl ~ - flG -fl fl~ fl

fl , fl , , fl, , fl U fl g fl fl

e fl 12 flfl fl fl~ Ifl fl fl 5

fl = ,d fl CoronotionPark- y fl ,

~ -


44/92

|, 1418

42

Here on the 12th Day of De-

cember 1911 His Imperial Maj-

esty King George V Emperor ofIndia accompanied by the Queen

Empress in solemn Durbar an-

nounced in person to the

Governers, Princes and peoples of

India his Coronation celebrated in

England on the 22nd day of June

1911 and received from them

dutiful homage and allegiance. Solemn Durbar - M ?

- - fl = fl fl fl , fl fl ,

= fl d, ? fl S

flfl fl ~ L fl + y fl fl fl e fl fl 26i fl G fl k i fl KI - fl fl fl

y :5

~ -


45/92

|, 1418

43

, e fl fl fl fl fl fl -P fl,

? 'One of the best kept secrets in history.' fl | S ~ fl

fl y ~ fl fl flfl ^fl Z L, fl ,

, fl 1905 flee = fl

, fl 17 1911 Q fl , S fl fl: : fl fl fl fl ,

fl fl c fl ee e X X flc

` , fl XLfl

flc flfl G fl Sfl y, S, g fl eRfl ,

fl fl L flfl L fl fl eS i flfl fl , fl fl

, fl X , S ? fl fl fl fl ? ,

14

, ? 2 , , fl L XL fl fl, Mfl fl fl ...the man who

~ -


46/92

|, 1418

44

is responsible thus abusing the authourity of the sovereign should

seek some other sphere of influence.

His Majesty's Government-fl H.M.G. fl fl fl 'Hardinge Must Go'

M & fl e Z L fl S fl fl 1911 25 q ? , M fl , S M 1911 M fl

? , 'Should the above schememeet with the approval of your Lordship and His Majesty's Govern-

ment we would propose that the King Emperor should anounce at the

Durbar the transfer of the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. S

fl fl = P fl fl

fl 4

flc fl fl fl M ,

flKI, , - 26 ^ S- fl i

, M , 5 , fl - fl , fl g ,

fl = , L 'My

Indian Years' (1910-16) L ? , "From the top of the hillthere was a magnificient view embracing old Delhi and the principal

monuments situated outside the Jumna winding its way like a silver

streak in the foreground at a little distance. I said at once to Hailey

~ -


47/92

|, 1418

45

(Commissioner of Delhi), "This is the site for Government House" and

he readily agreed

fl fl , S fl V ~ flc P M

fl fl fl fl Afl fl , fl

fl M fl fl - S fl fl L - Delhi- fl Mflfl fl | fl KI fl fl F fl, flfl , , 'it looked like a funeral procession' fl S

fl , M M-fl fl fl

fl fl fl M e fl S fl KI fl L fl fl

fl fl fl fl

L fl flfl , M ~ fl -5 1912 S [ ~ - 5] 1902

flKIKI = fl fl fl , [ ~ -k ] + fl fl , & ~ fl fl

- - fl fl fl cfl fl q fl , , fl =, fl fl M,U L

~ -


48/92

|, 1418

46

5

~ L fl k, ... fl fl

fl fl ? , fl

fl fl fl fl y fl La k g flflfl La fl L ` flKC -

' X k : , fl fl fl KI , , ' 1913 fl - KI - k KI , fl S '

fl fl ' fl k fl

, ? fl 1926 23 fl ~ fl 340 fl, S , fl fl fl i

flG KI fl , 1931 n fl ~- Z fl

(L A fl fl flISBT fl M fl fl fl

fl fl fl fl fl - fl]

~ -


49/92

|, 1418

47

Percival Spear (OBE) came to India in 1924 and joined St

Stephen's College as a lecturer of history. In 1933 he married andwas joined in Delhi by his wife Margaret. He left St. Stephen's in

1938 to join government service before returning to Cambridge in

1945. He passed away in December 1982 after publishing India

Rememberedin 1980, a joint venture with his wife, most of which

is their reminiscences of life in Delhi. An excerpt:

When I arrived the secretariat and the Viceroy's House

were still a-building. These buildings were five milesfrom Kashmere Gate and one of my first journeys was

cycling to see the still shapeless masses of brick and

stone with the long lines of "coolie" men and women

carrying materials on their heads to the tune of dirge-

like chants. At that time, in 1924, only one or two

avenues, like Asoka Road, were inhabited and had

grown trees. A feature of the roads was their vistas.Both the great mosque and the Old Fort, amongst

others, could be seen* from a variety of angles so that

one was never oppressed by the feeling of being lost in

a sea of modernity.. In the spaciousness, the vistas

and the leafiness of New Delhi Lutyens served posterity

well. It will take many years of encroachment to convert

the whole into a bureaucratic slum.. New Delhi inthose years was a pleasant and spacious place to live

in or visit. It was occupied but not crowded; it was

busy but not fevered; it was growing but not out of

control. It was filled with fresh young trees, and

interspersed with parks and gardens. In the hot weather

it was still dead but in the cold season it was a busy

center ablaze with the colours of gaudy flowers, offlamboyant creepers and flowering trees.

* The ramparts of the Fort can still be seen from the top of Raisina Hill. Editor


50/92

|, 1418

48

3 M , , , , , * S , , fl, fl, ,S= Z

, Z ^

SL , afl ,, f S fl , fl flfl

fl fl fl U , M g pS fl O, -fl = 26 , gM M U Z flfl

M i Z

fl Z & X fl Lafl Lafl Z i

fl Z , + fl fl fl

Lafl Lafl M fl G M d fl

fl X : fl ^&fl fl gQ fl , S-, L

f

fl M? fl, ~


51/92

|, 1418

49

La X Lafl La fl La XM Z fl

fl , , G Z fl fl fl, ,

fl Q fl fl fl flS - : fl flS L V q }

fl fl L=fl Q fl fl e fl fl fl G flc fl G U S fl e fl G --fl fl fl Sfl c fl fl G fl

f Q fl36

8

25

Sfl S fl Q fl X fl f fl, fl

fl Zfl fl


52/92

|, 1418

50

fl e fl M a , fl

, flF fl fl p M fl fl G

--fl S fl L y fl fl- Zfl

26 12 p [ q S ^ ] fl fl w fl i

L e gQ fl, Z fl G fl fl , , , fl

fl - fl fl fl Zfl fl ^ e

fl 12 ^ G fl ^ ^ g

^ L ^ S g, ,|nfl , fl |n ij fl fl ^^ flfl e fl fl, G fl fl fl fl M fl fl G fl

fl p , S 5fl= , fl , |n e,

fl : fl fl p G f fl fl

p - fl w a

fl fl ` , fl fl S flfl fl fl a a i V fl flS fl fl G

f


53/92

|, 1418

51

+ ^

f


54/92

|, 1418

52

e fl S w fl fl U fl 26 fl G

(L e fl fl G fl , e , G&

S fl [L, , & ] S fl fl , c , X d q G fl fl, S, U S fl fl fl

& a fl G fl fl , a S fl

fl fl f fl fl fl fl M fl fl e f e M U , flS

fl fl y fl fl 15 G fl 5 fl e fl q S , L - fl

26 fl fl | fl fl , G - fl

- i fl Z fl f fl e fl

-- , , , fl, |fl, PflG, S, M ^y, U i, , fl , p G fl

[fli - , 3 ]

f fl U fl fl

f... , , L fl

f


55/92

|, 1418

53

... ... i ,

fl fl , g fl flfl ... M fl p ... , + fl

fl fl y

f fl d fl 14 d fl M fl fl U fl = fl

fl, fl= , M ^ G

g fli U P fl fli fl L fl Q

fl , fl, , 26, -fl fl fl flfl ,e fl ~ fl Z g

fl fl 26 w , Z , , , |

i p fl M U + fl w fl G d fl M fl, f

M fl G d

fl fl *, fl fl fl fZ f , f fl

: fl flfl f fl fl fl i

f


56/92

|, 1418

54

fl fl w a M fl fl w 7

[ U w ] fl [ ] Z fl fl fl fl S Z fl g [ ] + :

X flfl fl

[fli , , ] fl O- f fl

fl fl U 5 fl fl fl f fl flS &fl flS fl fl f fl fl fl flS Zfl fl f&5 fl fl fl S Qfl fl e Se fl fl fl M fl fl e fl fl fl 26 fl

fl Z fl L V

f-~fl fl f fl fl = flS fl , 8

L fl ,

fl fl

[fl fl]

f


57/92

|, 1418

55

fl ~ ~ fl

f fl M fl

fl fl =G f fl fl fl fl ~ ~

efl fl ~ ~ 1. fl fl ~ 2. w fl ~, S U ~,

e [1723]

fl e fl [1862] - fl,

fl , S-fl-,

Lfl, fl -

fl [1862] fl fl, , , f

~

Lfl?, ~


58/92

|, 1418

56

fl Captive Ladie- [1849] Husteena fl -Round proud Husteena's tow'r crown'd wall.

~ ~ f f M fl - fl ~ fl fl fl ~ fie fl

~

fl, -fl-- fl

~, 5 G ; fl fl2 2y , fl

fl fl ffl fl... , - Mfl !, fl flF 5 - , ... , ... , , fl ,

KI , ! fl & -fl... fl , fl fl ...

~ [L] fl fl g , P, -i fl (

f fl fl 1857 ~ fl 39 f M w -- , ~

~

fl fl , fl fl

f fl fl fl fl fl8

S X fl- 2 X G S fl ,

~ g f M L 1875-

~


59/92

|, 1418

57

1877 - Sfl ^ fl | f fl 26

fl fl fl , fl fl , ,

/ | , fl fl

~- fl f fl g M 1903 fl

M fl fi fl ( M , ~ , ~ , fl fl fl fl KI U fl, ,

fl , fl M- ~ fl fl ,

F fl L fl Z fl , flfl ^ fl fl 263 , , x...

= fl ... fl ~ ~= , fl -Mfl

(L ^ 26 ~ -fl

f

fl e ~ - , i G fl

( & fl ,

~


60/92

|, 1418

58

fl ~

S R fl &

f ~ fl ~ ~ fl, ~ ~ fl + ~ M , ^ p fl L

e fl fl fl fl w |, 26 , , fl S , , flg S , S , 26,

fi fl fl fl , | flfl X fl ; fl

flc : , - -

fl fl, , fl fl ~ ,

fl fl fl ,

, ~ fl fl fl fl , ~ fl |n fl

- ~ fl fl M ~

e 26 fl fl -

~ fl fl ~ , v ~ ~ i Ufl

~


61/92

|, 1418

59

U - q fl fl fl , , fl, fl

... fl e , fl, fl, T

, V fl fl~ = fl fl , , fl, ,

w+fl S fl - |n fl~fl = fl fl fl..

~f S fl , fl fl

fl , fl fl ~ fl fl

~ fl qS fl , ~ fl L

, S+, S... U fl U ? , U - fl fl fl ~ fl

fl e ~ e fl fl fl + ... -k- ~ - L

fi M ffl

fl fl fl fl fl fl~ fl M G flfl ~ S

La fl [flL ] fl~ fl

U fl Sfl fl

Fo fl fl fl 5 fl ~ fl

~


62/92

|, 1418

60

fl ` fl, ~ fl~ 1857 - ^ fl fl

flfl Sfl~ fl

! fl 26 q ... fl M fl 26 ...

fl ~ fl fl fl , fl

, fl fl s fl fl F, fl fl ..

fl~ X fl fl fl~ fl ,

fl fl q

, fl~ ...

fl

&

flc fl fl fl ,fl

fl ~ fl fl-

fl

~


63/92

|, 1418

61

fl-fl fl fl-

fl fl Q, fl L - fl

flc flL flfl Z fl ~ - flfl ~ fl flc S MQ , Z

~ fl

Z X ~ X fl q 26 fl S e fl

L 5 S MM fl 5 26Mfl d- , fl L - , X

fl f - fl i fl,

~ fl fl -- ~ f a Rfl , fl ~

fl ~ fl S

fl fl fl fl

fl ~ e e q v fl flfl flc fl M ~ : fl

fl

fl ~ fl fl fl ... | ~, -, fl-fl , fl fl fl

1946 - e fl fl

~


64/92

|, 1418

62

fl flfl flR fl fl fl fl ~ fl fl q fl

fl fl fl fl fl fl, fl - fl

~ fl ,fl fl fl fl fl q

fl G fl fl fl fl 26

~ fl , fl ~ fl , fl~ , ~ , 26 fl ~, M? fl, fl

~ , M? fl fl fl fl e fl

fl fl L fl

fl fl , ~ L ij ~ fl U =

ij ~ ~ fl ( , ~fl fl e fl, ~ ....flc

[ ~ fl fl]

~


65/92

|, 1418

63

f fl fl [1862-1941] [

] 1874 e= 1885 fl fl ( S [1924]fl -

fl fl fl ,(flfleflfl,

e ,~

~,fl,fl,fl-fl,fl , fl fl fl / e fl fl &

fl fl fli/ fli fl , fl , fl fl fl S fl fl fl , S fl

, ...fl, ~ /fl,flflfl fl fl fl fl fl, ;, efliflflG/,eflflflflS~


66/92

|, 1418

64

1940 ~ flv k , k , fl,

- " L V fl fl fl flv fl [ fl fl ]

fl g flv fl, U fl

fl , fl fl fl freeze fl , , fl

1942 ~ fl fl fl fl fl fl fl [ ] fl -, fl fl

fl / fl fl fl , fl fl

&5 fl-1, ~


67/92

|, 1418

65

fl fl U! - flG

fl` fl fl fl fl

fl fl fl q fl fl fl , , fl , , e , fl fl [fl ] flfl

, U! fl fl fl fl fl : fl

fl , - fl fl G , fl fl

American barracks, , fl fl fl flfl, , fl, fl fl,

fl d, fl, fl fl , reputation - fl , fl fl

fl q fl e fl

fl ( , fl fl S ,

/ ' fl & [ fl ]

L fl - fl flv X fl fl fl

fl fl & fl fl fl [ ] fl fl fl & fl fl fl U, fl fl


68/92

|, 1418

66

& fl ' fl fl fl fl

- fl fl fl ?& fl fl, fl fl fl g fl KI fl 26 fl fl , fl , fl , fl , , fl, fl ,

fl Ufl fl flv ,

fl flv fl` flv fl fl fl fl fl, fl , fl fl Ufl fl , fl flv fl fl fli, fl g fl , fl

fl fl, , fl fl

q fl fl fl ,e e fl fl " fl q fl fl e

L e fl

S fl fl fl = V ? community

fl fl flv, fl I, fl fl flv [ flv ] ,

flv flv fl " flv fl fl fl& &5 k Ufl fl


69/92

|, 1418

67

fl fl fl fl fl

&5 45 fl 46 flfl fl fl fl fl fl

flv fl k" , fl fl , S fl , fl coincidence q , k S, "fl flv

&5 d fl k"fl fl, flv fl

fl fl , fl ,

fl , k" fl fl fl fl fl

[ fl& flc , ] , , fl S fl

q &5 fl fl fl , fl flv fl fl ,

fl fl 7 U, U , &5

qfl

, M , , fl fl fl ,

fl fl g fl

fl fl flflfl 26, fl fl , fl fl


70/92

|, 1418

68

, fl , flfl, flfl KI

, 26 y fl , fl

fl q fl fl 26 , &

fl flv fl you know, how pretty I was looking in my

wedding dress. flfl fl, fl veil- fl 26 fl fl

fl fl y S fl Ly - q 5

flv fl fl q flv

"fl / S fl ^fl fl ' fl, young and handsome.

, Sir, it is such fiiiii..ne day, we don't feel like studying fl alright, alright, let us take thenext lesson. fl fl fl

fl fl, fl fl fl26,

, His father was the Vice Chancellorof the Delhi University. , ,

k fl

fl, - fl fl fl R fl flv

26 , , fl flv fl

&? , fl, fl


71/92

|, 1418

69

, fl fl , fl fl flv ' flv

fl , fl fl fl fl I knew it. She is so quiet and studious. ( flc fl - fl fl flcfl fl , KI flc flv fl /

~ fl fl ~ fl S flv fl fl ~ flv fl, fl 26, fl ,fl fl

U shape- fl , flv [ ] fl U- fl fl vfl

fl fl - / q flfl , fl fl , /

[ &5 Ufl ~ ]


72/92

|, 1418

70

Kamala Sengupta is a legend. Her qualities go beyond generations

as she is embedded in the hearts and memories of students, parents

and others who came in contact with her. She reminds me of a huge

banyan tree, whose main trunk has aged and gone, but the prop roots

have flourished, holding the traditions of Lady Irwin School like acanopy. Students of the school are all over the world - simple and

smart, diligent and confident, communicative and skilful, empathetic

and helpful : in short, complete human beings. Irwinites stand out in

a crowd and are proud of their alma mater. They fondly remember

Ms. Sengupta as a unique mentor. She was like a flowing river,

banging against rocks, making way to surge ahead, overcoming

obstacles, time and again, because her sole objective was to ensure

holistic development of the students. Tender at heart, but rock hardwhen achieving objectives, she was an epitome of mental and physical

strength. Her presence and personality seemed to exude, like perfume,

character building vibrations, creating an ambience befitting the stature

of Lady Irwin School as a model institution.

I feel honoured to have been asked to sketch her life story as the

Principal of Lady Irwin School. We, her students, adored her. There

are endless episodes that we fondly remember about our school yearsand on behalf of all who loved and respected her, I offer my salutations

to her, in this year 2011, which happens to be the year of her birth

centenary.

Kamala Sengupta was born on August 20, 1910 in an erudite family

Kamala Sengupta

- A legend of Delhi

Bharati Sarkar

Chittaranjan Park,

New Delhi


73/92

|, 1418

71

of Bengal. Her father Dr. Shashi Bhushan Sengupta was a medical

practitioner. She often mentioned that her inspiration was her father

she named her house, built in Chittaranjan Park, 'Shashidhara'. Sheheld a masters degree in Mathematics. True to her aptitude, Ms.

Sengupta began her career as a teacher and became the Vice Principal

of Gokhale Memorial School in Kolkata. In 1944, she joined Lady

Irwin School, Simla as the Principal. In 1946, she moved to Delhi

and remained the Principal of Lady Irwin School, Delhi till December

1973. During her tenure, the school rose to unparalleled heights and

got recognized as the best in Asia amongst girls' schools. No wonder,

the Governing Body, in appreciation of her services, passed the

following resolution on the eve of her retirement.The Governing Body of the Lady Irwin Higher Secondary School

for Girls place on record their deep and grateful appreciation of the

services rendered to the School by Miss Kamala Sengupta as

Principal for more than a quarter Century. Miss Sengupta joined

Simla Branch of the School in 1944 and as Principal of this School

in early 1946. She continued to serve with unflagging devotion till

her retirement in December, 1973. It was largely due to her highqualities of leadership that she succeeded in building up a team of

teachers devoted to the service of the pupils entrusted to their care,

in the best academic traditions of our country. The premier position

which this school has attained among the girls' higher secondary

schools in Northern India is a tribute not only to Miss Sengupta's

leadership as Principal but also to her constant upholding of the high

traditions of Scholastic life and her passionate concern for the

maintenance of academic disciplines and standards. On the eve ofher retirement from active service the Governing Body of the Lady

Irwin School conveys to her their best wishes for a long happy and

active life in the years to come and express the hope that her counsel

and guidance will continue to be available to the school and its staff

on all occasions.

Although the school does not today enjoy the glorious reputation

it enjoyed in the past as one of the best in academics, sports and

cultural events, it is still one of the more aspired girls' school thanothers because of the values and traditions it stands for. These were

largely incorporated by Ms. Sengupta into the every day teaching and

learning and have seeped down generations.

Mathematics was her passion. Once in a while she would snatch

Kamala Sengupta - A legend of Delhi


74/92

|, 1418

72

time off her administrative duties, enter the eleventh class without

notice and make Trigonometry and Coordinate Geometry seem so

easy. The number of exercises she would make us solve would faroutnumber those solved by her on the blackboard.

Her worth did not go unnoticed by the authorities. She was selected

as Field Advisor along with four other talented Principals by the All

India Council for Secondary Education, the forerunner of National

Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), where she

rendered valuable service for examination reforms. She organized

workshops and seminars for training Principals, teachers and other

examiners, in framing questions of the problem-solving type, the

questions that we today categorise as 'Application', type and 'high

order thinking' (HOTS) type. She was much ahead of her times in

many ways. Today, educationists recommend the 'constructive

approach' and the 'life skills' approach to education. All this was inbuilt

not only in classroom teaching and learning in Lady Irwin School but

in all the numerous activities that we joyfully carried out from 9 am

to 4 pm six days a week.In 1962, Ms. Sengupta visited schools in London and European

countries on a sponsorship from British Council and brought back

ideas which she took no time to implement for the benefit of students.

She was also associated with the literacy unit of the Bharatiya Gramin

Mahila Samiti and contributed towards literacy of adult rural women.

Those were not the days when sartorial splendour was as important

as today. But we remember that she wore well ironed saris and

matching blouses which were well stitched. She spent her workingyears in a small two room apartment on the first floor of the school

building and took great care of her invalid brother. She was an ace

cook and invited her students with spouses for a meal when they got

married. She was of large frame but her bulky body belied the brisk

speed with which she walked and the colossal amount of work that

she put in. The school in her times had a fleet of buses including a

double decker. Whenever she went out of school she would beconspicuous by being the sole passenger in a school bus.

Madhavi Mudgal (Year 1967), the well known Odissi dancer

remembers her as a visionary and a stickler for discipline. When she

uttered the word 'Now, children' and 'Quiet', to two thousand odd



75/92

|, 1418

73

students assembled for prayers near the gymnasium, there would be

pindrop silence in fraction of a second.

There was no school uniform in her days. Madhurima Bose (Year1974), a wild life photographer recalls how Ms. Sengupta often

justified by saying that her girls in colourful clothes looked like

butterflies in a garden. Also she had the courage of conviction to say

that 'my girls would be identified by their good manners, respect for

elders, helpful nature and the ease with which they would

communicate in English as well as Vernacular'. Kiran Walia (Year

1959), now Minister of Social Welfare, Woman and Child and

Languages in the Delhi State Government recalls an interesting

anecdote. On a cold winter morning, dressed in flared coat, she, then

a fifteen year old, was walking close to the ledge when a flower pot

got knocked down by the ends of her coat. Ms. Sengupta appeared

from nowhere, says Kiran, and took her affectionately to the Principal's

room. She said, 'the

manner in which a

person should walkand conduct oneself

is learnt in school'.

Kiran says she has

not forgotten this

incident even today.

Ms. Sengupta

had an uncanny

knack ofremembering the

names of her

students and

knowing finer

details about them.

Says Ranjana

Saxena (Year1973), Assistant

Professor in Dayal

Singh College,

Delhi University, 'ItKamala Sengupta



76/92

|, 1418

74

is strange how she would take no time to spot each one of the girls

when the respective parents came to enquire about their wards.' In

fact parents had so much faith in her that they would even seek herhelp. In the late nineteen fifties, tight tops (kamize worn with salwar)

became very popular with young girls. Since there was no school

uniform, some girls insisted on wearing tight shirts to school. For three

consecutive days she announced in the assembly that tights were not

permissible in school. A week later, she made the defaulters line up

and used a pair of scissors to loosen the shirts from the sides. Later

she announced that this step was taken at the behest of the mothers

who sought her help in this regard as every morning a lot of their time

was wasted in helping their daughters get into tight shirts.

The importance of a rapport between teachers and parents was well

realized by her. In fact she and Ms. Rajni Kumar, the founder of

Springdale's school were the pioneers of the PTA movement in the

country. Ms. Sengupta was the honorary secretary of the Delhi Parent

Teacher Organisation till the end of her life. Today it is mandatory

for every school to have a PTA. Ours is a government aided schooland so financial crunches are inevitable. But she had such good

relations with parents that she always got help from them in upgrading

the infrastructure of the school. She also involved parents teaching

in the university to be on the interview board when selecting teachers

for the school.

All her students were appreciated for their achievements and

encouraged to do better. Saroj Tuli (Year 1955) relives those days

when after the inter-school netball or throwball match their victoriousteam entered the school portals in the school bus shouting 'hip hip

hurray', Ms. Sengupta would always be there to greet and congratulate

each one individually. She would also be there to cheer up whenever

the team lost which, however, was not very often. Aparajita Agnihotri

(Year 1956), the skin specialist, who stood first among girls in the

Science Stream in that year recalls that Ms. Sengupta had written in

her report book, 'should try to get a position in the higher secondaryexamination' which had boosted her efforts. Even her punishments

were positive. Says Neelam Gupta, the banker, 'One day we were

watching cricket match on the television when we should have been



77/92

|, 1418

75

learning lessons taught through the TV. She caught us unawares, and

immediately asked us to get our parents the next day. In all politeness,

in front of the parents she told us that she wanted her girls to learn todo the right thing at the right time. You were sent to the TV room to

learn the lesson being presented on TV.'

She would try out innovative methods to improve the academic

pursuits of her students. A house with a chemistry laboratory was

donated to the school by a well-wisher. This was in Dagshai in Shimla

Hills, and year after year, students of higher classes were sent for extra

coaching with teachers during the summer vacation. There were no

formal classes on Moral Education in our school but famous orators

were invited to address students. The following excerpt is from a

message for students printed in the diaries.Whenever, we the classmates meet, we relive and revisit our school

days. We remember and salute our teachers and our principal. Last

time when we met we recalled Swami Ranganathananda's visit to

our school. He was from Rama Krishna Mission and our Principal

Ms. Kamala Sengupta had invited him to address all inmates of the

school. We still remember what he told us. He told us what the

vowels in English stood for and urged us to make those a part of

our lives.

A, he said stood for ambition, without which one cannot progress

in life. E, stands for energy which is needed all the time and makes

a good diet necessary. I, is for inspiration, which we need to draw

from great humans, elders, any good act or incident and above all

from nature. O, stands for order which means discipline and without

which time can never be managed. U is for unity without which nogreat tasks are achieved. I share this with you because these values

are eternal.

Ms. Sengupta literally hand-picked the best teachers, and also the

best students who joined mid-stream. Justice Ms. Gita Mittal (Year

1975) revisits the day when as an eleven year old she accompanied

her father for an interview with the principal. Gita was one of the four

who had qualified for admission to class VI out of of 600 odd

applicants, after a stiff admission test. When Gita's father asked Ms.

Sengupta why such a rigorous procedure for other classes and just a

lottery system of picking up chits with names of children for admission

to the nursery, she promptly replied, "Why should I hold an admission



78/92

|, 1418

76

test for the nursery class? What are my teachers worth if they cannot

mould raw innocent, flexible tiny tots into graceful human beings?"

She had the eyes of a hawk when selecting teachers. Sheanticipated the versatility in music in Neel Madhab Sinha, who

recently passed away. Straight from Manipur, Neel Madhab Sinha was

offered accommodation for his family to retain him in school. At

Masterji's (as all of us called him) memorial service, Indu Bulbul Sud

(Year 1954) recalled how Masterji composed the music and the dance

and taught the song "Phaile Kheton mein door talak" to almost one

thousand students because Ms. Sengupta wanted the involvement of

as many girls as possible. She believed in providing opportunities for

holistic learning. This is evident from the PT shows that were held

annually at National Stadium. Ms. Sengupta realized the importance

of physical training and made PT and games compulsory for students

of all classes. She convinced the Governing Body of the school to

send Ms. Uma Guha to Canada for training in aerobics and physical

exercises which Ms. Guha taught us after coming back from Canada,

to the accompaniment of piano played by Ms. Gordon. PT showshelped the school raise money and parents enjoy their daughters'

performance. It was always a gala show and the whole school,

teaching and non-teaching staff and students worked hard for days to

make it a grand success.

Similarly bus loads of school girls were sent to Ramakrishna

Mission for speech, recitation and declamation competitions. A week

before the competition, teachers helped students prepare for the

competition. Today this is thought of as waste of time as regular classeswould have to be suspended. Today, the only competition that is of

importance to teachers is the 'examination' and unfortunately so,

because once examination becomes the sole objective of school

education children are prevented from developing self confidence and

self esteem, building interpersonal relationships and developing

effective communication. In our school these life skills were built in

through co-curricular activities. Inter in-house dramatic competitionswere held in the school itself. Many prizes were won at the Shankar's

weekly painting competition. Our school always exhibited a unique

item in the Republic Day parade. Bharati Das who as a mountaineer

had scaled many heights, was selected by Ms. Sengupta. The bamboo



79/92

|, 1418

77

dance taught by her was considered a real feat of dexterity. But Ms.

Sengupta was always on the lookout for teachers who would scale

up the academic achievement of the school. One such teacher whomshe brought in was Mr. Mulherkar who taught Physics. Our school

for many years had the highest success rate in board exams apart from

position holders in the board like Rama Daga who stood first in the

year 1964 and Chandralekha Mukherji who stood second in the year

1992. In 1966, all those who attempted National Science Talent

Scholarship were awarded the scholarship.

'My girls will be identified by the manner in which they conduct

themselves'. Truly enough, all Irwinites have made a name as home-

makers. They have also made a name in their chosen careers. Apart

from many many medical practitioners and teachers, there are Shaswati

Sen and Bhaswati Mishra (1974) the Kathak dancers, Ranjana Gauhar

(1965) and Madhavi Mudgal (1966) the Odissi dancers, Subhadra

Joshi and Madhumita Pakrasi Roy (1972) the classical Hindustani

Music Vocalists, Arpana Kaur (1970) and Arpita Singh (1954) the

painters and artists, screen actor Suhasini Mulay (1966), architects likeManjari Gupta (1979), bankers like Karabi Banerji (1972), theatre

personalities like Kirti Jain (1965), bureaucrats like Keya

Bhattacharya, college principals like Babli Moitra and Pratibha Jolly

(1968), CEO of Indian Airlines Monju Banerjee and aircraft pilots

like Tanushree Bhattacharya, scientists like Harmeet Rekhi (1972).

There are hoteliers and chefs and theatre artists and educationists.

Think of a profession and it will be represented by an Irwinite. All

the voices echo in unison, three cheers for Lady Irwin School andMs. K. Sengupta.

(Bharati Sarkar (nee Dutt) is an educationist.

She passed out of the school in 1956. She is on the school's

Governing Body and Managing Committee.)



80/92

|, 1418

78

The fast-emerging middle-class India is a country

with its eyes firmly fixed on the future. Everywhere there

is a profound hope that the country's growing

international status will somehow compensate for a

past often perceived as a long succession of invasionsand defeats at the hands of foreign powers. Whatever

the reason, the result is a tragic neglect of Delhi's

magnificent past. Sometimes it seems as if no other

great city of the world is less loved, or less cared for.

Occasionally there is an outcry as the tomb of the poet

Zauq is discovered to have disappeared under a

municipal urinal or the haveli courtyard house of hisrival Ghalib is revealed to have been turned into a

coal store; but by and large the losses go unrecorded.

I find it heartbreaking : often when I revisit one of

my favourite monuments it has either been overrun by

some slum or container park, unsympathetically

restored or reconstructed by the Archaeological Survey

of India (ASI) or, more usually, simply demolished.Ninety-nine per cent of the delicate havelis or Mughal

courtyard houses of Old Delhi have been destroyed,

and like swathes of the city walls have disappeared

into memory.the loss of Delhi's past is irreplaceable;

and future generations will inevitably look back at the

conservation failures of the early twenty-first century

with a deep sadness.

William Dalrymple

The Last Mughal


81/92

|, 1418

79

Bridges are not new to India as references to the Ram Setu of

Tretayug show. Closer in time, there exists near Patna excavated

masonry piers dating to the Mauryan period. Other medieval ones

include those at Machilipatnam, Akbar's 190 metre long bridge across

the Gomti at Jaunpur, the stone bridge at Vijayanagara in Karnataka,Atharanala at Orissa, Sama bridge near Vadodara in Gujarat amongst

many others. In Delhi too, there are several bridges of historical and

archaeological interest, most of which are in disuse, some in a state of

disrepair and some even partly or fully ruined / demolished. We will

take a look at a few of these.

Merely for the fun of semantics, let us first take the three bridges

Satpullah, Athpullah and Barahpullah. Quite apparently, the names

suggest seven, eight and twelve piers (or arches or gates) respectively.Satpullah - This exquisite three-storied bridge once formed a part

of the original Jahanpanah walls of the fourth city of Delhi founded

by Mohammed Shah Tuglak in 1326-27. It now falls in Hauz Khas

district, east of Khirkee village opposite Saket Mall. It is a very

interesting structure built to allow a stream to pass beneath the wall

and provide security to the ramparts at the same time. The stream is

now diverted and runs further east.There are 7 piers of true arches at one level (actually 11, but 7

main ones) and a further set of two more arches at a higher level each

of which leads to a long barrel vaulted passageway. Higher levels are

gates; intermediate level gates are closed on the outside; on each side

The Monumental Bridges

of Delhi

Amita SenSarvodaya Enclave,

New Delhi


82/92

|, 1418

80

of those are fortified bastions containing octagonal rooms with elegant

plasterwork decorations. Each wall of the octagonal chambers have

arrow slots for defence.

Above the culverts and passageways there were platforms at

appropriate levels with access via identical narrow stairs to the latter.

The sluice gates acted as a dam after being lowered into position and

were also used for defence. There are 11 arched openings, the side

walls of which are grooved for sliding gates with which the force of

Satpullah

The Monumental Bridges of Delhi


83/92

|, 1418

81

the stream flowing from south through the openings could be regulated.

The building was once damaged by a flood so a bund was created

further south where the famous sufi saint Roshan-Chiragh-e-Dillibathed and whose waters are still considered to have healing properties.

How to get there : Off Press Enclave Marg opposite the District Court

Complex next to the Saket Mall.

Athpullah - Built during the reign of Akbar (1556-1605) by a local

Nawab, it has eight piers and seven arches. It still functions as a bridge,

albeit over an ornamental pool in Lodi Gardens and not over a Yamuna

tributary as it used to, and is a non-religious beautifully protectedmonument of archaeological value A.

The walls are of dressed stone masonry with a vaulted stone roof.

It has 8 piers and 7 arches with arch breadth of 11 feet and 6 inches,

pillar height of 17 feet and 6 inches, stone length 2 feet height 3 feet

each a parabolic true arch. It is 29 feet across and 2 feet wide on top

of the bridge.How to get there : Enter Lodi Gardens from the north. Athpula lies a

little to the east of the Sikander Lodi tomb. (For the record, Lodi Gardens

was established in 1936 as Lady Willingdon Park.)

Athpullah



84/92

|, 1418

82

Barapullah - Built during the Jehangir period by Mihir Ban Agha

[1611-12] of the Arab serai and Eastern gateway (at Humayun's Tomb

complex) fame, it has ten piers or arches but 12 towers or pallahs. Itis now amidst the fruit and vegetable market behind the Nizamuddin

railway station. This old bridge spans a once tributary of the Yamuna,

now a nala, and used to carry the main Delhi traffic to Agra. In 1628

the road between the bridge and Humayun's tomb was a wide tree lined

path and this was the handsomest bridge of Delhi. An ASI protected

monument (notified in 1916), it has been in use for 400 years.

It is a massive structure made of random rubble masonry with stone

vaulted roofs and 10 feet high minars, one on each side of every arch.

In 1911, the residents of Raisina village were uprooted for the

construction of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and rehabilitated in Bhogal,

just beyond this bridge. The present condition of the bridge is serious

and needs attention.

How to get there : On the road connecting Nizamuddin Railway

Station and Rajdoot Hotel.

Wazirabad - This Feroz Shah Tuglak(1351-88) period bridge over

a Yamuna tributary (now a nala) was notified as ASI Class A in 1918.

It consists of nine pier arches and alcoves with nine bays (5 fully

Barapullah



85/92

|, 1418

83

visible) built of random rubble masonry and lime plaster with a dressed

stone facing, now restored with cement. It is off Timarpur and abutsthe rear corner of the mosque (one with a women's viewing gallery)

of Shah Alam (a well known saint of the Tuglak era) and is about 1.5

km north of Majnu ka tila gurudwara. It is in use as a bridge even

today though in a state of serious deterioration due to overuse and

neglect.

The eastern and western walls of the chamber are pierced by

circular and oblong holes access to which is by a general staircase in

its northern and southern walls. The original paved causeway runs overthe bridge in its entire length and is raised in a series of steps towards

the centre where the height of the bridge is the greatest.

How to get there : Stay on the right (straight) going from ISBT

past Majnu Ka Tila and turn right at the flyover. The bridge is on the

right. Ask for Shah Alam's Tomb.

Old Yamuna iron bridge - Lattice and Girder type bridge builtby the British and opened to railway traffic in the month of January,

1867. The second railway track was laid in 1913. It has a span of 65

metres, twelve piers with rocker and roller hinges. It came up after

tearing down the ancient Salimgarh/Nurgarh original bridge (see

Wazirabad



86/92

|, 1418

84

below). The present bridge has piers built on ten wells sunk 33 feet

below water level to prevent scour.How to get there : While going north from Rajghat, take the road goingalong the electric crematorium behind the Salimgarh Fort.

Salimgarh bridge - As you approach Nigam Bodh Ghat from

Rajghat, you pass under an arch of the railway track coming from

Calcutta to Old Delhi Railway station. On your left is the Red Fort

and what you see on your right are the remains of the Salimgarh Fort

built by Salim Shah Suri, son of Sher Shah Suri. After getting backcontrol of Delhi from Sher Shah, Humayun renamed it as Nurgarh.

Salimgarh Fort was used as a prison several times. Aurangzeb had

kept his brother Murad here before sending him to Gwalior for

execution. He then imprisoned his daughter Zebunissa here till her

death 21 years later. INA prisoners were kept here from 1945 to 1947.

The Fort has been compared to the Tower of London or the Bastille

of Paris. It is now called the Swatantrata Senani Smarak.

As per a marble inscription kept in the ASI fort museum, Emperor

Jehangir built a bridge connecting the Salimgarh Fort with the Red

Fort. If that is correct, this is the only Jehangir structure in Delhi. There

is an alternative theory that the bridge was built by a jagirdar, Farid

Old Yamuna iron bridge



87/92

|, 1418

85

Khan. Prior to that Salimgarh Fort could be accessed only by boat as

the Yamuna flowed there. The Yamuna had shifted considerably to

the east by the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar, as he is said to have been

flying kites on its banks next to the Salimgarh Fort, with a crowd

gathering for his darshan.

The old Salimgarh bridge had five arches which sprung flush from

the face of the abutments. It was strengthened by a series of arched

ribs springing from corbels that projected from the face of the

abutments which gave an appearance of lightness with great strength.How to get there : Same as above, only keep to the left along the Red

Fort.

Pontoon Bridge (Bridge of Boats) - The pontoons 1-7 are all

present but not on the river. They lie hidden in the undergrowth behind

the Indraprastha Metro Station. It has not been reused after the monsoonseason of 2007. Today, in 2011, it may have little meaning but not so

long ago it was regularly used by the drivers of two wheelers and other

light traffic. It must have been quite strong at one time as it bore the

weight of the Meerut mutineers pouring into the city on horseback on

Salimgarh bridge



88/92

|, 1418

86

the morning of 11th May 1857 and then the thousands of the Delhi

residents fleeing the city from the 17th to 19th of September the sameyear. It was on the early morning of the 17th that Zafar himself slipped

away by boat down the Yamuna to the dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya.

There was another significant exodus over the Pontoon Bridge. On

7th October 1858, Bahadur Shah Zafar left Delhi over this bridge in

a bullock cart on a journey that was to take him to banishment in

Rangoon.How to get there : you can see the pantoons behind the Indraprastha

Metro station. The original Bridge of Boats, at the time of Zafar crossed theYamuna at the then Calcutta Gate near Salimgarh.

Khalji bridge at Siri - It is an unprotected monument dating back

to the early part of the 14th century (1304) at the Khaje city of Siri.

It is located within the green cover of the southwest entrance to the

Siri Fort residential complex. It features 3 true parabolic arches. Total

span is over 6 meters supported on a three vaulted chamber, the largestbeing the central one. It lies adjacent to the walls of the fort over a

depression in the land through which once flowed a stream. It is made

of random rubble masonry, belongs to archaeological status B and is

in a fair state of preservation.

Pontoon



89/92

|, 1418

87

How to get there : Coming south from Ansal Plaza, Andrews Ganj, turn

in right at the crossing just before the Siri Fort Auditorium. The bridge is in

the park on the left.

Kamal Ataturk Marg bridge - A colonial period bridge (1930)

near the Race Course, it is located adjacent to the Lady Willingdon

Camp near the Hotel Ashok. It is an NDMC owned unprotected

monument of Archaeological category C built of brick masonry with

true arches and has a span of 20 meters and is open to road traffic.

The status is fair but a similar period pedestrian bridge a further 200

m south along the same nala could no longer be located. How to get there : Near the Samrat Hotel roundabout adjacent to

Santushti.

These were some of the beautiful monumental bridges of Delhi

which are still extant, go out and find them today, enjoy them for whatthey were as they may not exist tomorrow.

(Amita Sen is a paediatric surgeon)

Khalji bridge



90/92

|, 1418

88

Our memories of India together cover half the twenties,

the thirties and half the forties of this century. It is a longtime ago and apart from political changes, others in the

social sphere have been drastic. A new India has

emerged with new outlooks, new stresses, new hopes and

fears.

. Who would believe today, for example, that the New

Delhi of the thirties was one of the quietest, most spacious

and traffic-free cities in India, that the Delhi of the twenties

was still in essence an old-world provincial city, with a

sprawling but empty suburb to the south, and a cold

weather incursion of "high-ups" to the north, longing to

escape from their tents and temporary quarters to the

coolness of Simla each March-April.

. We saw in those years not only the transformation of

Delhi from a provincial city to a metropolis but also the

last years of the countryside as it had existed for

centuries.

. When the first of us came to Delhi in 1924, Mahatma

Gandhi had emerged from his first imprisonment and was

about to embark on his first great fast. When we joined in

setting up house, the Civil Disobedience movement of 1930had collapsed; India was in a doldrums of repression and

realignment. When we left, the British were about to

appear victorious in World War II, apparently, for the

moment, stronger than they had been for decades. Within

these time limits there lies a vanished world.

Percival & Margaret Spear

India Remembered

1980


91/92

, , ,

,

( , , |

, ,

, ,

Bharat Lama


92/92

1. Yamuna River2. Salimgarh

15. Khairati Gate16. Rajghat Gate

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

1718

1920

22

2324

25

26

27

28

SHAHAJAHANABADat the time of Shahajahan

21

Gardens

Havelis

Temples

HINDOL 9th Issue July 2011 - With Cover

Documents

Transcript of HINDOL 9th Issue July 2011 - With Cover