Tackling The Impossible (1944)



Free give away rare book this month for SearchKashmir Free Book Project. This is the ninth book released this year.

A school booklet from year 1944 published by Church Mission School, Srinagar. Among a lot of interesting things, this one gives the story of inauguration of ‘Rainawari Hockey Ground’ in Srinagar, first ever in Kashmir. All girl excursions to high lakes and mountains organised by Miss Mallinson. Also, the story of “The Sheikh Bagh Preparatory School” started in 1939 by Eric Tyndale-Biscoe for primarily for British and other expat boys. Then a bit about the fact that some of the early school songs were modelled on the refrain style of boatmen of Kashmir.

Cover Illustration by Miss G. Palin of Girl’s School

Read and download the book: Here

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Previously:

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and in 1849 the first students at Mission School Lahore were of course…


“The Punjab was annexed April 2nd, 1849. The boy King, Rajah Dhulip Singh, was deposed and given an annual al- lowance of 50,000 pounds. He retired as a gentleman to Norfolk, England.

During these months of turmoil and anxiety, the missionary work continued as usual. Soon after the annexation of the Punjab, a letter was received by the missionaries at Lodiana, sent by Dr. Baddely, a Christian surgeon at Lahore, urging them to move on to the capital without delay, assuring them that every encouragement might be expected from the Lawrences and Mr. Montgomery and others. Accordingly the Rev. John Newton and the Rev. Charles W. Forman were appointed by the mission to take up the work of establishing the mission in Lahore. Accompanied by Mrs. Newton, they arrived in Lahore on the 21st of November, 1849.

As the Christian community had urged the establishment of the mission, an appeal was made for financial aid, with the approval of the Board of Administration and the Governor General. In response thereto, the sum of Rs. 4,238 were contributed. A suitable house was secured in the city as a temporary residence. In this house an English school was begun on the 19th of December. It began with three pupils, all being Hindu Kashmiris, two of them having been formerly students in the mission school at Lodiana. The number gradually increased until it became necessary to find more capacious quarters. Happily a soldiers’ chapel built by an English gentleman at his own expense had been placed at the disposal of the mission, and being well adapted to the uses of a school the classes were transferred to it. The number of pupils rapidly increased until, at the end of the year, the attendance amounted to eighty. Of these fifty-five were Hindus and twenty-two Muslims, and three Sikhs. Racially the eighty ranked as Punjabis thirty-eight, Kashmiris three, Bengalis seven, Hindustanis twenty-eight, Afghans three and one Baluch.”

~ ‘Our Missions In India: 1834-1824’ (1926) by E. M. Wherry.

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First Govenment Madrasa in Kashmir, 1868

Sometime History teases us with waggish little tales that make up this world and its present complexities. In fact, it often does that. You just have to read.

This is the funny little story of how the first government sponsored Madarsa for Kashmiri Muslims opened in the state, a school for the rich; the odd consequence of a Pathan sending his sons to read English language.

The story is told by W.J. Elmslie, the first medical missionary in Kashmir who after facing much difficulties and harassments did manage to operate in the kingdom, and her burning yearning of Christian pity to save souls for heavenly Lord did sow some seeds of good christians in what was then considered most fertile land for such deeds in the Empire. Also, during his five years in Kashmir he discovered what came to be coined as ‘Kangir Cancer’, and driven by his problems at communicating with natives, Elmslie was the first to compile a proper guide to Kashmir Vocabulary for future visitors [published in 1872, here].

The incident of interest happened during Elmslie’s fourth year in Kashmir, an account of which appears in a letter he wrote to his mother and dated 6th May, 1868. The letter appears in his biography written by his wife, ‘Seedtime in Kashmir: a memoir of W.J. Elmslie by his widow and W. B. Thomson’ published in 1875. In the letter he excitingly tells his mother:

“A little progress is being made in the valley. The first school established in Kashmir by the Maharajah has just been opened. Its history is the following. The father of the family of which I have already spoken, was particularly desirous that his two sons, two very fine lads, should learn a little English. He asked me if I would teach them. I said I had not time to do so, for my medical and other duties; but I would allow one of my assistants, who knew a little English, to teach his sons. One of the two lads has been very regular in his attendance, and has made some progress. A report of all this was carried to the Diwan, the Maharajah’s representative in the valley. Thereafter, a vigorous effort was made to get the father to give up sending his son to the mission bungalow to learn English. The effort failed, however. The father, I must tell you, is a Pathan, and is not so much afraid of the Kashmir Government as indigenous Kashmiris generally are. The Maharajah, in due time, received a full account of all that was going on; and His Highness, after some time, gave orders for the opening of a school for the teaching of Arabic, and desired the Diwan to try to prevail upon Sher Ali, my Pathan friend, to desist from sending his sons to the Doctor Sahib to receive instruction in English. In this effort, I am happy to say, the Diwan has failed. The boys came daily to us. This class for Arabic, got up primarily to decoy Sher Ali’s sons away from us, is the first Government school the valley has seen during the reign of Gulab Singh and his son, the present Maharajah. The class, I am told, is intended exclusively for sons of those who may be called the nobility of Kashmir. It is a pity the language was not Persian, and the school intended for any who was willing to attend. This is trying to boil the kettle from above.”

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algebra nay jabar kiya

From an image published in 1952

A popular old ditty from Kashmir on Maths and its mind befuddling mysteries.

Algebra Nay Jabar Kiya
Waqt Ki Rahi Tangi
Kalam Bechara Kya Likhay

Kakaz Rahi Nangi

Algebra unleashed terror.
There wasn’t enough time.
What could the poor pen cover?
Naked, was left the Paper.

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In Kashmir, Kagaz is Kakaz.

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I first came across that ditty thanks to my grandmother who would use bits of it to taunt me while I would fall asleep while reading. Then, recently, I came across two lines in book  ‘Srinagar: My City My Dream’ by Zahid G. Muhammad‘, a complete ‘Kashmir Nostalgia’ trip, (first and only book that someone actually bought from Flipkart based on a recommendation on this blog). Then, today, I came across the full ditty in ‘Cashmere: Kashir That Was Yarbal’ compiled by Somnath Sapru. [PDF download link].

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Jump, the angreez bai are here!

more

A funny little tale from Biscoe about what happened when girls first started attending English schools in Kashmir:

“It was somewhere in the nineties that one of the mission ladies started a girl school in the city; it was of course by no means popular, as it shocked the prejudices of all proper thinking folk in Srinagar. The girls who were brave enough to attend were very timid, and their parents were somewhat on the shake, as public opinion was very much against them. The school continued until the first prize day. The Superintendent had invited some of the European ladies of the station to come to the function, thinking it would be an encouragement to the girls and their parents. All the girls were assembled in the school when, on the appearance of the English lady visitors, some one in the street shouted out that the Europeans had come to kidnap the girls. Others took up the cry, and ran to the school windows and told the girls to escape by jumping from the windows, the man below catching them as they fell. Before the visitors could enter the school the scholars had literally flown; the girls of course lost their heads on account of the shouting from the street. It was terrible moment for the Superintendent as she saw her girls disappear out of the windows, for she feared that they would be damaged by the fall. It is said that one of the lady visitors was wearing rather a wonderful hat which upset the equilibrium of the citizens who were standing outside the school”

~ C.E. Tyndale Biscoe, Kashmir in Sunlight & Shade (1925)

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Summer, 2008

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“In all things be men”. Missionary exercises for Character building in Kashmir.

In response to a comment by Dipen, who I know is still a “Biscoe Boy”.

Dipen pointed out Mr. Biscoe’s campaign of making “man” out of  meek Kashmir. In fact, making a “Man” out of Kashmiris was one of the main objectives of the Biscoe (in particular) and early Missionaries sent to Kashmir (in general). And Kashmiris had to be forced into this new mold. So they came up with many methods and exercises and exercises.

[Image: The motto and crest of Biscoe School engarved on its main gate. Taken in June 2008 while I walked past my old school]

Here’s an extract from “Beyond The Pir Panjal: Life and Missionary Enterprise in Kashmir” (1912 ) by Ernest F. Neve that shed light on how this ‘man-making’ exercise was carried out:

The character of the Kashmiri boy is not good. He is often studious, but is usually untruthful, conceited, superstitious,cowardly, selfish and extremely dirty. The motto of this school is ” In all things be men.” “The crest is a pair of paddles crossed. The paddles represent hard work or strength, the blade of the paddles being in the shape of a heart reminds them of kindness (the true man is a combination of strength and kindness). The crossed paddles represent self-sacrifice, reminding them from Whom we get the greatest example and from Whom we learn to be true men.”

All over the city, boys may be met who wear this badge and they may be appealed to by any one in difficulty, distress or danger, as they have been taught to be ready to render service at all times to those who are in need.

The object of the principal of the school, the Rev. Cecil Tyndale-Biscoe, is to train all his boys and not only those who are clever or strong. In a little book entitled Training in Kashmir, he explains his methods. ” We give fewer marks to mind than body because Kashmiri boys prefer their books to their bodily exercise. Marks in sports are not given necessarily to the best cricketer or swimmer but to the boy who tries most. If we always reward the strong, as is the custom of the world, we discourage the weak and often they give up trying. The energy of the staff is not concentrated on turning out a great cricket eleven, or great anything, for all those boys who are good at any particular sport are naturally keen and do not need spurring on ; where the stress comes, is hi the case of the weak, feeble, timid boys; it is they who require attention; it is they who specially need physical training and careful watching. Of course this system does not make a brave show, for the strength is given to the bulk and not to make brilliancy more brilliant. We are working for the future, the race of life, and must therefore fit all the boys for it, not a few special ones in order to make a show. Then again sports are not entered into for sport’s sake, but for the results. Boys should have strong bodies so that they may help others who have weak ones. Again boys are not rewarded by prizes for sports, as we feel that true sport in the West is being killed by * pot-hunting.’ We pit one school against another, giving marks to the school and not to the boys, and the school that wins the greatest number of marks in regattas and sports wins the challenge cup. In this way we hope to take the selfishness out of games and create a true desire for honour for the school and community, as opposed to the individual.”

The method of marking adopted in this school gives an idea of the thoroughness of the education, and will show the immense value of such an institution, both from a moral and political standpoint. One-third of the possible marks is allotted for moral proficiency, one-third for physical, and the remaining third for scholarship. The advantages of this are not only that every boy has a chance, but above all that the boys are trained to regard conduct and good citizenship as at least as important as book learning, and that sound bodies are as necessary as sound minds. With regard to conduct, it is not passive good behaviour that gains marks, but actual deeds of kindness. The activities of the Mission School are very varied. A large fire breaks out in the city and spreads with the utmost rapidity among the wooden houses, 3000 of which are burnt. The school work is stopped for the day and the principal and boys take along their fire-engine and fight the flames, sometimes at risk to their own lives, saving those of women and children in danger. The protection of women from insult, kindness to old people and invalids, the rescue of those in peril of drowning, and prevention of cruelty to animals, are some of the works of ministry, which the boys are encouraged to undertake. Although Brahmans may not touch a donkey, they may drive it or lead it with a rope. And one winter hospitality was shown by the Mission School to over a hundred starving donkeys, some of which would certainly have otherwise perished in the streets, where they are sent by their owners to pick up food as best they can. Physical training includes gymnastics, drill, boating, swimming, football and cricket, and the aim is to make the boys healthy and strong, promote esprit de corps, discipline, reverence for authority and a due sense of obedience and subordination. In scholarship there is an ordinary curriculum, including daily Bible lessons. Many of the boys are very young and their instruction elementary. Of the seniors not a few have successfully passed the matriculation examination of the Punjab University. In connection with the school there is a sanitary corps, which, armed with pick and shovel, will often give an object lesson to the people of Srinagar by visiting some specially dirty court or lane and showing the inhabitants what is required to keep it clean. Sometimes, too, at the hospital a group of Mission School boys arrives to take out convalescents for an airing on the lake, where they provide tea at their own expense and bring them safely back in the evening.

Most of these stories became part of local legends connected with this fine institution.

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The meaning of motto and crest of Biscoe school in words of Mr. Tyndale Biscoe, from his book ‘Character Building in Kashmir’ (1920):

As some people do not quite approve of the motto for the mission school, let me explain what it means to the staff and the boys, whatever other sinister meaning it may appear to have to others.

I will first say what it does not mean by the following incident. A certain lady, visiting the
schools many years ago, asked one of the little boys what was the meaning of his school motto, and he answered : ” In all things we must not be women.” This lady, knowing only too well the superior attitude taken by men towards women in this country, naturally did not think we had chosen a very gallant motto. As a matter of fact, we mean by men true men, i.e. those who combine kindness with strength. For we have all met the half-man specimen, the kind fools and the strong brutes. The perfect man is after the pattern of the Man Christ Jesus.

The paddles stand for hard work and strength.

The heart-shaped blade for kindness.

The paddles are crossed to signify self-sacrifice, and remind us of the one great Sacrifice for all on that Cross of shame which is now an emblem of salvation, sacredness, and service.

This school badge means service. The boys understand that, if they wear this badge (they may wear black and red rosettes instead if they wish), they must be ready to render service to any one who calls upon them in difficulty and danger, as the people in England look to the police to help them. And I am glad to say that of late several boys have not been called upon in vain. This idea has quite taken on and adds much to their self-respect, since it is a badge of honour which must be lived up to. This service includes animals as well as humans.

[Image: “Second fleet on the way through Srinagar” found in book Biscoe’s “Character Building in Kashmir” (1920). More Old Biscoe images here]
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Ganpatyaar in Photographs

Ganpatyar Temple, Ganpat Yarbal, near Habba Kadal

An ancient Ganesh temple of Kashmir.

Names engraved in stone.

Ancient deities at the door – Bhairav(? Update [2017: Vishnu, one face boar, one face lion, similar found from Martand temple]) keeps guard.

Ganeesh of Ganpatyar.

Wish.Threads tied to the window.

Residents.

Ganeesh Ghat School, right side wall of the temple.
Markings on the window indicate that it’s used as a camp by the security people.
I was told my maternal grandfather studied here till his third or second grade.

Right bank of Jehlum as seen from the Ganpatyar temple (also on the right).

Left bank of Jehlum
Jehlum, as it flows through Srinagar, is lined with ancient temples on its banks. 

An empty house.

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A security man posted at the gate said he’s from Chandrapur. I know the place, it’s near Nagpur in Maharashtra. In summers the temperature can go up to 47 degree Celsius and burn the skin off your back . He knows why he is here and doesn’t mix words while explaining it to the visitors. He said that the day they are out of here,’ none of this would stand’.

As I looked for the ghat, a Sikh security man explained that the ghat isn’t accessible from the temple.

National School, Karan Nagar

 And a cry went up in the mini-van, ‘National School, National School. Kus school ous.What a school, it was!’ A lot of them had studied in this school.

And I turned to see broken window panes painted on red brick walls and a traditional wooden electric pole.
English medium for Boys & Girls’

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