My Freedom Fighter Heritage
My grandfathers from my mother’s side were deeply involved with the
freedom struggle movement. It is my privilege to share rare pictures of my own
Nana, his brothers, and their illustrious contribution to the freedom struggle.
Let me begin with my Nanaji whom we all affectionately called
Lalaji. I have very fond memories of him. He was called Lalaji even by my
mother, Jiji. When he was fifty nine years of age he died of cancer. His name was Kanhiya Lal ji. He was second of
four brothers, who lived in a joint family in a house appropriately called Sri
Prem Bhawan in Hapur, a town 40 miles from Delhi.
Lalaji’s younger brother was Sri Sarju Prasadji, whom everyone
including me called Pitaji. He was the intellectual of the family and joined
the freedom movement in his youth. He was the secretary of the Reception
Committee of the 54th Session of the Indian National Congress held
at Meerut in 1946.
He had sent a letter to Acharya J. B. Kriplani, the president of
the 54th Session of the Indian National Congress. In the letter
written by him in his handwriting to J. B. Kriplani he has mentioned the date
and his designation.
Mosi
Sheela, who was the daughter of Nana Sarju Prasad ji, recalls that she had gone
with her father to the Congress Session and was on the dais with dignitaries.
There was some confusion at the end of the function. As Sarju Prasadji was
occupied on the dais, Nehruji took Sheela in his lap to protect her. She
recalls this incident as though it had occurred recently. As photography was
not common then she regrets she cannot show me the picture of her sitting on
Nehruji’s lap. She also remembers she went to Sevagram, Gandhiji’s Ashram, with
her father and had lunch with Gandhiji.
The entire family of my mother was followers of Gandhiji. They spun
the Charkha each day and wore only homespun khadi clothes.
Spinning of Charkha I have seen myself as I lived with my Nana – Nani in my
childhood.
There is a second write-up about him, which is reproduced below.
Mosaji,
Dr. Raghubar Dayal Maheshwari, died in a tragic motorcycle accident when he was
under 30 years of age. I have vivid memories of my last meeting with him. I met
him at the Delhi Railway station as I was escorting mosi Kamla
Maheshwari and my 3 year old cousin Yogi to Simla. We were spending, I think,
the Dussehra Holidays. The year was 1959 and I was 16 years old.
The following picture is of mosi, Kamla Maheshwari.
This picture perhaps is of the period either before her marriage or soon after
it.
