03. SHUKLA

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YEAR 1942

CONTENTS

Introduction (message from me)................................................ Page 1

Contents..........................................................................................Page 2

Location Shahlibanda Old City Hyderabad................................Page 3

Birth of Sister..................................................................................Page 4

Back to Jeera Compound...........................................................  .Page 4-5

Games Time....................................................................................Page 5

Chronic Sickness.............................................................................Page 5-6

Furniture..........................................................................................Page 6

Brass Vessels Tin Coating..............................................................Page 6-7

Jeera Compound House..............................................................   Page 7

State Barber Sayanna................................................................... Page 8

LOCATION SHAHLIBANDA OLD CITY HYDERABAD

Life continued with my Grand Father(GF) with daily routine. I still remember him in my heart even after seven decades today with his bright white Gandhi cap, dark  brown framed specks for reading and dark brown sun glasses. His dress was simple and elegant. He wore a good cotton pure white Dhoti not Lungi. Full nine yards wore in traditional style with frills coming out both in front and back.

In those days there were no under wears as on today. He used a long Langoti with sufficient width as was the style those days. These were made of pure cotton cloth. He had adequate numbers to change daily washing the used one with soap. Sunlight soap was his favourite. His banyan was of cotton again not hosiery , a simple inner garment with a small pocket at the bottom left corner.

It was half hand inner garment. He used this even at home after his daily pooja. His shirt was of a kurta with full hands and two side pockets. But it was not called Kurta but Lalchi in those times. He insisted to have a pocket on top left for his fountain pen.

His dynamic personality was a source of pride for me while we walked daily on the streets of Charminar. He was a disciplined person with punctuality as his weapon. Did not tolerate any departure. Thinks were being done clockwise precision daily at home. I inculcate those qualities and still as on today follow and get irritated for any departures.

The school was nearby. There a subject of Marathi as second language and I had to study in class 1 . Though we were Kannada speaking, Telugu and Urdu were local languages, I had to study Marathi language. School timings were 10 am to 4 pm Friday and Sunday holidays. Friday was holiday because of Nizam Government being Namaz day for Muslim brotherhood. Sunday was holiday as weekly off and also for Christian community to go to their Church.

The custom in the school was we have to wear a cap and a coat. I used to wear them which were brought by my GF. It was a pride to go to school with our maid servant accompanying me. 

My GF used to give a hug to me while I go to school which when I remember now feel happy and shed a tear for him. The affection I got was a great asset.

When I come back from school he will enquire about the school activity after I change the dress. I have to wash my hands and feet clean with water and wash my face. He gives a cup of coffee kept ready for me. After maid servant leaves finishing her work we start off for our daily walk.

Birth of Sister

During 1942 one day my GF announced that I am now having a baby sister. My mother delivered a female child. Already I was having an elder brother, two younger brothers  and three sisters. The eldest sisters was already married in 1940. Thus there were 5 children in home apart from me  and a new baby arrived. I was eager to see this newcomer. My GF took to me to my father's house now they were living in Jeera compound house no 32-33. I was very happy to see my cute little sister a few days old. It was thrilling experience for me to take the small baby on my laps as my mother gave her to me . The cute baby with very small mouth, eyes and nose small little fingers and toes a tiny body I saw was an experience in my small heart at that time. She was named Lakshmi by my Grandmother ( mother of my Father ). We returned back to Shahlibanda after a day's stay there. While going to Jeera Compound my GF bought few new clothes, silver anklets for the baby sister from Patthargatti Bazaar and were given to mother.

Back to Jeera Compound

My stay continued at my GF house till academic year till April 1943. My father insisted that I should go back to them after April 1943. Though my GF was not happy to leave me but had to send me back with a heavy heart. During May 1943 I was back to my parents at 32-33 Jeera Compound Secunderabad.

The schools were to be opened in June. My GF came to Jeera compound to admit me into school . As there were no Government schools near by  the primary school near Monda Market was selected for my admission. I Govt primary school was available at Bansilalpet but it was for girls only.

On the first day of school me and my GF went to Government primary school at Monda Market. My GF applied for admission with my transfer certificate obtained from my old school at Shahlibanda. I was admitted in class 2 in June 1943/ This was a primary school with classes 1 to 4 only

Since then I used to commute to the school from Jeera compound by walk. Mother used to give me a small brass Tiffin carrier with a handle with sambar rice and curd rice alternatively for my afternoon lunch.  Here in this school no school dress was prescribed. We used our own dress a half pant and shirt with half sleeves. I used to walk to school alone from Jeera compound as no other children went to that school. Other children went to some other school.

After school ours I come back home wash and have some food and by 4.30 pm I am on the play ground just opposite to me house

Games Time

Here more than 15 children will assemble for different games we played. Games like gilli danda, badminton, chocho, kabbadi etc were played with season in view. some older children were not allowing us to play ball badminton . Games were completed by sunset. All of us will go to nearby Anjaneya temples attend the Aarthi have prasadam and go home.

we were in home by 7 pm. Completing home works had my dinner by 8 pm and sleep by 9 pm.

Chronic Sickness

I used to get sick every month with fever and vomiting for a couple of days. It became a routine. Our family Doctor Dr M K Seshadri who lived in Hyderbasty locality situated between Rani Ganj and Kingsway ( presently R P Road) visits our home in a horse drawn Tonga. After examining me prescribes a medicine a mixture to be collected from his dispensary located in Kingsway. My elder brother would go to his dispensary and collect the medicine in a glass bottle. The compounder of the dispensary pastes a paper indicator showing how much mixture to be taken every time. The compounder was also Kannada speaking from Bangalore settled in Hyderabad. 

 

Our family doctor was also Kannada speaking from Bangalore, a M.B.B.S doctor in those day was charging Rs 5 for his visit and medicine. In very rare cases he used an injection, no tablets or capsules. He told us that my sickness will vanish after 1 am 12 years of age.

I have to add a few points for my family Doctor Dr M K Seshadri. He was a chain smoker. Carried a 50 pack Gold Flakes cigarette tin round in shape. He will never pocket the tin but holds in his right hand majestically. He was very fair soft spoken and had a warm relation with our family. He will send a monthly bill never take money on spot or in his dispensary but only through his compounder.

Yes the Doctor was right these monthly fever and vomiting  vanished by 1947

Furniture

We did not have much furniture in home except a steel cot for my father a single one. At home we all sit on floor with a mat. Even when guests or relatives come we spread a carpet . For important people we use a woollen carpet. During nights we all sleep on floor at our appointed places with cotton mattresses and a bed sheet. A carpet was used below the cotton mattress.

Brass Vessels Tin Coating

Meals and coffee etc were taken by sitting on floor. We had meals plates of brass coated with tinned surface called Kalai to protect against food contamination with brass. The tinned surface wears out and had to be renewed every month. A street hawker called as Kalaiwala  will be visiting for redoing in tinning. My father used to get the materials tin sheet etc. The tin people heat the brass plates or vassals on a charcoal fire using a blower when it is heated apply the tin on to the surface . It melts and it is applied by wiping around the inner surface. After apply the tin uniformly it is put in a cold water bucket. He would charge 3 paise for his labour per item. There were no stainless steel utensils or plates at that time. Either brass or copper was only used.

I as a boy was excited to see the process with anxious looks . When he leaves my mother applies cow dung to the polished surface and clean it with water. Cow dung was used as it protects the surface for long. It was a pleasure on that day to have dinner in the plates as it would look like a silver plate.

Jeera Compound House

32-33 Jeera Compound house has a unique place in my heart. Its small green color artistic  iron gate its rising steps on the left side with two flights. the terrace with no parapet walls adjoining to the neighbours terrace without a gap with a small parapet wall  easy to cross over. the sky light glass embedded on terrace to permit light to a room below, its approach to the next block terraces over a tin shed, the back service road , the huge Lalgee Meghjee compound with very big Tamarind trees giving a partial view of Hussein Sagar lake, in the front side of our house  overlooking the open play ground with a Very Big Tamarind tree in north west corner, Hanuman temple in the north east and a huge sheet rock in the south east corner and Jeera Club on the south side of the play ground. The picture of 1943 is still vivid in my heart. The  road in front of the house on the east side was of much attraction with cinema advertisements displays with a Sikh band  with people in coloured uniform going  was a delight to us sitting on the steps of the gate. The Sikh band a famous troop consist of a trumpet, bagpiper, Clarinet and one big drum and two small drums. Some time a flutist is added. The advertisement displays were on a V shaped board on wheels to move as push carts by hired boys.  These boards were 4 to 5 in number. The matter was written with paint on the two sloped sides of the Boards visible  to us. They used to distribute cinema hand pamphlets in colored papers.  I used to run after them to collect one. There were no other type of advertisements .These impressions in my heart cannot be wiped out. 

Next comes a four wheeled cart pushed by a person carrying fruits mostly Plantains in all seasons and Ripe Mangoes in summer selling. He stops at each house and announces his product with the rate. People buy them after bargaining and he proceeds. Mango carts were plenty in summer almost from month of April to June. My father purchased mangoes almost alternate days. I remember the rate was 60  to 75 paise per sear an equivalent of 0.9 kg. we enjoyed these king fruits almost daily in the summer months. The vegetable hawkers mostly women carry fresh vegetables in the early mornings and also afternoons in round baskets of enough weight to carry on their heads. These purchased at the door steps.

State Barber Sayanna

Sitting on the steps of the gate I watched these scenes in the early mornings accompanied by my younger brothers and sisters. & am our state barber Sayanna arrives with his small steel box with his cap on and his coat unbuttoned because of his big stomach and a white Pyjama. Wears a moderately designed chappals. Give a smile to us and calls our father . My father comes out and sits in a wooden armed chair in the verandah. The Barber gives a small mirror in the hands of my father. Puts a towel around fathers neck. Applies shaving soap around fathers cheeks with a rounded bristles brush using Godrej cup soap. He sharpens his Razor with handle to hold  using a carborundum stone and shaves the cheeks of my father. The cleared soap with hair from cheeks he wipes to a newspaper bits. He takes the second round and completes his job. He trims the moustaches and other unwanted hair on the face making my father look younger by few years. We called him State Barber because he never allowed any other Barber to enter our house. He was only made himself a sole Barber for our family for my father, we all brothers and my Grand Mother (fathers mother) who was widowed at the age of 13 and was clean shaven head as per customs prevailing in 1900s when my paternal grandfather died in 1904.

Concept:  Krishna RaO Khanapur

Graphics Support : Manu Konnur