Still some more paintings from ‘The Charm of Kashmir’ (1920) by V.C. Scott O’connor (Vincent Clarence Scott, 1869-1945). These are by an artist named Mrs. L Sultan Ahmad. I couldn’t find anything about this artist. In the foreword to the book, the author wrote:
Like Abanindro Nath Tagore, she would reach the spirit that lies hidden behind the glow of colour and the splendour of the world in Kashmir. In the two pictures she has contributed to this volume, there stand revealed the lustre of Day, when the world is going about its business; and the mystery of Night, when the dark Canals are veiled in shadows. They are symbolic of the East, where Life and Death jostle each other, and Secrecy and
Candour go hand in hand.
Some more paintings from ‘The Charm of Kashmir’ (1920) by V.C. Scott O’connor (Vincent Clarence Scott, 1869-1945). These water color are by Colonel G. Strahan, Deputy Surveyor General, Trigonometrical Branch.
A special from Man Mohan Munshi Ji. I remember that Kul Brahmins used to bring little photographs/painting of goddess on the day of Gour’trie (Gouri-tra-itr ?).
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In good old days while compiling the horoscopes of the family members of their Yajmans the Kul Brahmins(family Purohits) of Kashmiri Pandits themselves draw/paint pictures of the Hindu deities on the top of the Horoscopes which were not in book form but a huge length of paper rolled into a bundle.
Man Mohan Munshi Ji shares a unique photograph that he took back in 1968.
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Shishar ga’nt (Icicles) hanging from the roof of an ice cave of Mushran Glacier located south east and upstream of holy Amarnathji cave Shrine in Sind valley Kashmir.The photograph was taken from inside of the ice cave in 1968.
An incredible collection of rare old photographs of Pandit Nehru sent in by Man Mohan Munshi Ji. I have contributed three images – one that i found in ‘Letters From a Father to His Daughter: Being the Brief Account of the Early Days of the World Written for Children’ and two photographs taken by Homai Vyarawalla that I found in a Catalogue for a Photo Exhibition organized in year 1999 by Press Trust of India celebrating 50 years of its existence.
Update: I am adding some more rare photographs, mostly taken from a picture book on Nehru published in 1964 just after his death. Also I am adding photographs from some other resources too. By the time I am done, this is going to be the single biggest archive of Nehru Photographs on the web. Enjoy!
Yagnopveet (Sacred Thread) ceremony of Jawaharlal Nehru
As a cadet at Harrow
Bar at Law
Behind Bars with Brother-in-Law Ranjit Pandit
After marriage with Kamala in 1916
With daughter Indira Priyadarshani in 1918
Kamala Nehru, Jawahar Lal Nehru and their daughter Indira. Found it in ‘Letters From a Father to His Daughter: Being the Brief Account of the Early Days of the World Written for Children.’
At London with Lord Wavell, Congress and Muslim League leaders, 1946
In conference with Lord Mountbatten, Congress and Muslim League Leaders . 1947
Utterly sad and exhausted looking Nehru Votes for partition, 1947
With Winston Churchill who remarked that Nehru had overcome two of greatest Human failings – “Fear and Hatred”
At London with Vijay Lakshmi Pandit,Indira Gandhi,Feroz Gandhi , Krishna Menon and others
Nehru with Albert Einstein
with Khrushchev
Riding a yalk in Bhutan, 1956
Encouraging trainees at Himalayan Mountaineering, Darjeeling 1957
In 1969 1962 with Jacqueline Kennedy. By Homai Vyarawalla.
At Delhi’s Palam Airport alongside an ironic signboard. By Homai Vyarawalla.
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Update.
Pandit Nehru on board the first BOAC jet plane, on a 45-minute flight to Nanda Devi. Nehru is seen lighting the cigarette of the then Deputy High Commissioner’s wife Mrs Simon. Shot by Homai Vyarawalla . Apparently, the plane burst in midair on it’s second flight. Year, based on the year of the accident, probably 1953.
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Update:
Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor with Mr. Nehru. 1958 by Kewal Mehra. The story of how I came across it here.
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Update:
The following photographs are taken from a rare picture book on Pandit Nehru published in 1964 by Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ltd after Nehru’s death. I managed to get my hands on the book from an ebay seller.
Throwing a pillow at some inattentive colleague during the debate, Avadi Congress, 1955.
Pandit Nehru on his Birthday in U.S.A. , 1961
At a children’s gathering in Bombay, 1954
Showing his skill with cane at a performance by traditional swordsmen
Carrying a Samurai Sword. Visit to a Japanese Film Studio, 1957
Squatting on the threshold to the Banteay Srei temple in Indo-China, 1954
Near Ramboh village in Baramulla District, three miles from Tangmarg, on way to Gulmarg, the shrine of Baba Reshi is situated at about 7,000 ft. The tomb (Ziarat) is of an ascetic actually named Baba Payamuddin (Pam Din) and to whom the Chak Dynasty Rulers of Kashmir paid courtesy visits during the Mughal period.
Born around 1411, he is said to have died around 1480. This Reshi, a highborn son of a nobleman but turned ascetic after observing hardworking ants too closely one day, was a disciple of Baba Zainuddin Rishi (born Ziya Singh or Jaya Singh, some say) of Aishmuqam who was one of the principal disciples of Sheikh Nur-ud-din (Nund Rishi) – the first of the Reshis; the disciples, his four Jewels: ‘Buma’ Baba Bamuddin Rishi, ‘Nasar’ Baba Nasruddin Rishi, ‘Zaina’ Baba Zainuddin Rishi and ‘Latif ‘ Baba Latifuddin Rishi.
In his later years, on the direction of Zainuddin Rishi, Baba Payamuddin moved to village Ramboh, and like others of the order, performed miracles, helped the common people and spread the name. Baba Reshi famously built a daan, a fire place at this place. People came from far and wide to plaster this daan, to offer sacrifices. They still do. All to have their wishes granted.
In the 90s, this place also faced fire.
On way to Gulmarg, I had no idea we were going to make a stopover here. So it came as a pleasant surprise. After visiting the house that wasn’t there anymore, it came as a pleasant surprise from my parents. My mother couldn’t stop gushing about the place. I guess she has inherited the devotion to this place from her mother who must have been here often thanks to Nana’s job at Gulmarg.
Inside the shrine, in the center of the hall, there is some wonderful woodwork around the tomb of the saint. As I walked around the tomb, circling it, appreciating the art, ‘Is it walnut wood?’, noticing something strange, I came to a sudden embarrassing halt. There was something wrong with the place where I stood. One look around and I realized that I had been circling in the outer circle and had unwittingly walked into the women section. There were women sitting all around. The right side of the hall seemed women only. Women praying, crying. Baba Reshi is famous for granting ‘child wish’. According to an old tradition of this place, the children thus born, taking a vow of celibacy is attached to the shrine for life and at any given time forty such saints (Reshis) are supposed to serve the shrine.
I traced back my steps and this time started to walk the other side. My mother took up a corner and did her own bit of praying and crying. I walked into the inner circle, taking a closer look at the tomb, ‘Is it a tomb?’, again I realized something wrong. This time it was the direction. Circling, left to right, I found myself facing a teenage boy coming from the other direction. The boy, praying under his breadth, was cleaning the woodwork using his fingers, measuring the woodwork inch by inch, picking up pecks of dust. An old practice, I have seen Pandits do it at the new shrines of old saints, at Jammu.
After spending some more time inside the shrine, as I started to step outside, I noticed an attendant at the door was handing out something wrapped in Newspaper to the people walking out of the shrine. Prashad? Prasadam?Something sweet? Something to eat?Tabarruk? I too streached my arm for the handout. Walking a distance outside, I opened the paper packet. Inside I found broken down stones and rocks. Others found ash, dust and soot.
Later someone told me a funny little anecdote. A couple of years ago, a small group of Pandit families had come to visit the shine on the urs, death anniversary, of the saint. A group of separatists was also present. After the common prayers, the separatists raised their hands and asked the saint to grant their wish, ‘Kashmir bane Pakistan, Let Kashmir be Pakistan’. The crowd said, ‘Ameen, Amen’. The Pandits shaking their sideways, under their breath added, ‘Zah ti ne, Zah ti ne, never, never’
