After Partitionin year 1948 to 1954 and 1959 hardships at KABRASTAN CHAMELIAN AND BARA HINDU RAO MANAKPURA

Continuing the link of old memories when we stayed at Kabrastan chamilian and Manakpura we all were passing the difficulties to make both ends meet we had started to do stitching work of card board boxes at one of the rooms in our house .Our eldest brother used to sit on stitching machine and I along with brothers and sister s would fit the boxes and tie them in stacks and I along with my sister used to deliver them to the workshops.Mostly we used to manufacture the cartons of metallic toys of aeroplane and supplied these to the manufacturers of toys in SHIDIPURA near Manakpura.Our Bhapaji Late Sh.Sohan Lal Sethi and Late Sh.kishan Lal bhapaji also did the family work of cartons.There was no electricity in the house we used to the work at night with the help of kerosene oil lamps.Our childhood was passing and no play at all .We used to go to the school and after the school all the family members used to make the cartons and after that we could get the meals.After primary school I was to be admitted in 5 th class in Ramjas Higher Secondary School No5, Karol Bagh New Delhi 110005.Our Bauji took me to the school and test was conducted but as I was confused and I could not pass the test .My Bauji told the the Principal that I stood First in primary and if I was admitted I would stand first in future also.Any way I was waiting outside the room of the principal along with my father all

of a sudden the principal announced that those whose brothers were studing in his school could be admitted.As my brother Sh D.V. Sethi was in that school I got the admisson.I used to run to the school after crossing the Kishan Ganj and Ganda Nallah DCM Ram Lila park Jeewan Hospital and then to Ramjas Road daily.Sometimes the Ganda nallah was full in rainy days and I used to walk on the boundary wall carrying the basta on my shoulder.Once it so happened that my bag slipped from my shoulder and fell and I still remember that I any how stepped down on the slope by placing steps firmly and catching the grass and lifted the bag.While coming back to the house again I used to come back home and used to cross the nallah if dry and then to AjmalKhanPark through Tibbia college.Some times I used to stay at Ajmal Khan Park and used to study .At the evening I used to go to the park just for evening walk .I along my friend Uday chand used to listen the bhajans and Ramayan .At the evening I remeber that so many groups of elder people used to sit and listen bhajans and other spiritual debates. We used to distribute water to those who were partcipating in the Bhajans and worship sessions in the park.bb One day a Swami Satya Devji visited the park and I listend to his lectures.Sawamiji was belind by birth and he told that he had visited the whole world and gave his devine messages all over the world.He told that Garlic could be used for healing of so many deceases like heart etc.It can cure the skin deceases etc.Swamiji used to stay at the Kapoor Dharam shala and Ashram near the park.Our Bhapaji Late Krshan Lal ji used to attend the Kabadi matches and he used be raferee. One day I remeber that a fraud person tried to misguide me and I remembered that my father had gave me instructions not to believe strangers and did not accept any thing or gifts from them .This advice saved me and I ran towards my house and that stranger could not be seen later on.I still had the old memories of school days quite clear in my mind.Later on as my studies at the school was going on our family shifted to Alias Building Nai Basti Bara Hindu Rao.New Delhi.Here we shifted in year 1955 .Here our house was 5th out 11 houses on the first floor.These houses were consisted of one big room only with small kitchen and a small bath etc .All the ground floor was occupied by shops of old tyres and scrap dealers.All the 11 houses had same terrace.This building was called ALIAS BUILDING near Shafeeq Memorial School.and in summer vacation I used to go this school for studies as there was no space in our house for studies.I prepared a small shelter on the terrace for studies also.Here also we used to work in our printing press and studies.I had a great memory and usually I learnt about 30 essays and noval in english.Our teacher in English used to give 20 words each day and ordered to learn spellings My English school teachers name was Guru Datt and he had written English language guide.When I stood First in 10th class I still remember one Physics book was given to me as a prize by the then LT Governor of Delhi.In those years the boy of Ramjas School No.5 used to top in Delhi higher secondary exam.I cannot forget that when I was to appear in the final exam and an unfortunate happening took place .My eldest brother all of sudden fell ill so seriously that he could not accompany me to school at Ramjas NO2 situated at Anand Parbat.As I was ready in the morning at 8 am and the paper was of Physics .My Bauji accompanied me to Filmistan and tried for Taxi but could not get any.My exam time was sheduled for 9 am sharp and it was 9 and we were at Filmistan taxi stand.I became nervous and then all of a sudden my Bauji met a friend and he was on the bicycle.He was requested by my Bauji that I might be dropped to Ramjas no 2 and that I had a exam.As I was not knowing the driving of cycle I sat on the bicycle at the back seat.On feeling that the old man was not cycling fast I requested him to be fast he replied like this ." Kaka Itne Jaildi Ha to Khud Chala Lo' On finding this reply I jumped from the back seat of the bicycle and ran from Ganda nallah to the Anand Parbat school and as I reached exam hall I was gaspping and I was nearly at stage of collapsing.At that time almost half the time was over.The invigilater took me to the examiner and he inquired me what was the reason of being late to this I replied that the bus no 27 was late that it came from the route of Bara Hindu Rao.To this he told me that he would write to DTC bus authorities whether the bus in question was late .To this I begged the examiner that the reply would come late but the exam would be over in 2 hours.I also uttered the words " To err is and to forgive devine'On hearing this he gave me the question paper and one our teacher I supposed Sh Bhatnagar also tried to convince the examiner that I was a brilliant student of school and that I might get position .But all was finished as I was not sure how could I get position.Later on When the result were declared I got only the 1 division and no position.When the results were going to be published I was not going to purchase the news paper as I was disappointed.After this I got admission in Delhi Polytechnic Kashmere gate and passed the exam of PRE ENG in 1959. During the Pre Engineering classes I used to go to Kashmere gate by bicycle and used to wear Khaki dress during workshop periods and uptil pre Eng I used to wear Shirt and nicker etc.I had a stand in front handle of the bicycle for carrying my books and bag etc.After higher secondary It was my aim that I should learn bicycle as it was the great draw back due to which I lost the position .
While remembering I rec0llect that Swami Satya dev ji used to say that "Life is an art shaped by a man who lives it"Swamiji had also used to distribute the books like " LASSAN KA BADSHAH" and others.Unfortunately I lost those books .I have lost the track of my old friends of my school days.Some of my friends I still remember were Sh. Ranbir Singh sethi,Sh Uday Chand Jindal,Sh Subhash sahni ---and some of my friends during Pre Eng classes like Shyam Sunder ,Sh Ashok Malhotra Sh Ramesh Sabharwal Sh Uday Chand Jindal etc.Some the teachers at Ramjas whom I respected most were Sh Anant Ram Chadha our Maths Teacher.Sh R S Bhatnagar drawing teacher, Sh.Sanyal another drawing teacher Sh Mohan Lal Our English teacher when I was in 6 to 8 class and sh Guru Datt ji who had written an English Guide for Higher secondary in those years .He taught English subject in 10th to 11 th class.I still remember the shop in Karol Bagh from where I used to purchase the old and new books for our school.Its name was Rattan Book Depot and it was near Roxy Dry Cleaners Shop.I still remeber some of the books which were difficult to understand .One of such book was The MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE and this book was regarding describing-the theory of relativity by Albert Einstein.My favurite subject was machine drawing and workshops I appeard in all India engineering tests of Roorkee.I I T and School of mines Dhanbad after the Pre Engineering exam.
in 1959.I also applied in all other Engineering colleges.I along with my elder brother went to Jabalpur (M.P.) for getting admission in Engineering college but we could not get admission in Engineering college there.During interview I was asked to notify my home address.I replied that I lived at Deihi .The principal of the college sh Chakraborty rejected us on the plea that we had no domicile of M.P.As good luck would had it I was selected in the Roorkee University and got the 13 th position in the competition.When the time for sending the fee for Roorkee came there was a great discussion as to how to manage the amount?.At one time it was being resolved not to send myself to Roorkee for studies due to financial hardships.I remember Mr Gulati who was running the business of opticals near our factory,told my Bauji and eldest brother that they would commit a great mistake if they did not send me to Roorkee.He then offered that he would bear the expences of Roorkee and the matter was solved.Had that noble person was not there I would had not been a civil engineer and life would had been a different one?.I have learnt now that Mr Gulati had expired long back as such I send my heartfelt condolences to the noble soul.and may God give his family to bear the great loss My brother studied B Sc and later on worked as rubber technologist and enjoying his retired life in Faridabad . May God give him a long prosperous life along with his family.It is our wish while writing the diary.

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