DEWAN KHAN

In one of my write ups on
Late Sh.Samsar Chand Koul
I made a special mention about
Pt. Shridhar Joo Koul Dulloo. He was
a good friend of my grand farher, Pt.
Shiv Nath Raina. Dulloo Sahab was
a regular visitor to Bob ji's Dewan
Khan at Badiyar Bala. There were
many reasons. One they shared
common interests and second Pt.
Shridhar was Pt. Shiv Nath's "Sandu"
( wife's sister's husband ). Like Pt.
Samsar Chand, Dulloo Sahab was
also quite elder to Bobji (Pt.shivnath)
Shridhar joo was also a teacher and
was posted to Ladakh in late thirties
but whenever he was in Srinagar, he
would visit Bob ji from his Rainawari
residence in Srinagar. Both of them
were strong votaries of eduction to
girls and underprivileged.
During the regime of Maharaja Hari
Singh, a Women's Welfare Trust was
formed under the leadership of Shri
Sri Kanth Toshkhani ( Dr. Shashi
Shekhar Toshkhani's Father).
Reminiscing about Dewan Khan
brings me to another luminary, a
great reformer, educationist who was
much ahead of his times, Late Shri
Sri Kanth Toshkhani. He was the force behind the creation of ,
" Women's Welfare Trust " which
later on was joined by other people
like Shridhar Joo Koul and Aftab
Koul. Sh. S.K.Toshkhani was a
Rationalist in true sense. He was very close to J. Krishnamurty and
was deeply influenced by his ideas
and philosophy. He would not miss
any discourse of Jiddu Krishnamurty
Yes, Toshkhani Sahab was also
influenced by Dr. Annie Besant's
passion for spreading education and
providing education to all. That is
why he named his elder daughter
as " Basanta" after Annie Besant and
later established " Basanta School"
in Srinagar. In Dec.1981, Toshkhani
Sahab came to Delhi to attend a
discourse by J. Krishnamurthy. On
that fateful day ,he slipped off and
sustained serious head injuries. He
was hospitalised but could not be
revived.
A small gesture of Sh.S.K.Toshkhani
left an indelible mark on my memory.
It was mid sixties and I was a young
boy.Those days Dr.Shashi Shekhar
Toshkhani's family and our family
lived in the same house at Chowgan
Salathian in Jammu. Shashi Sahab's
father Sh. S.K.Toshkhani was going
to attend Krishnamurthy's discourse
in Delhi.On the way from Srinagar, he
halted for one night in Jammu. Before he went to bed, I went to his
room and asked, " Tohy Chiv Raatas
Tresh Chavaan, Bu Thavov Tresh
Botal Mahraa" (Sir ,do you drink water during night, I will keep a water
bottle besides your bed).He politely
refused and said ,"I do all my things
and jobs myself ". These words and
his charismatic disposition are still
very fresh in my memory. To discuss
about him is beyond the ambit of
this write up. I will take it up in my
forthcoming posts.
Coming back to Shridhar joo Koul
Dulloo, he was transferred to Ladakh
in Late thirties or probably early
forties. Instead of fretting and fuming he took it as an opportunity
to educate those who he always felt
were neglected.
He worked relenlessly, braving all
odds like difficult terrain, hostile
climate and unfamiliar conditions.
Such was the quantum of his self
less service that the documented
article by Late Koshuk Bakula says,

"Generations Of Ladakhis shall remain indebted to Pt. Shridhar
Koul Dulloo for his remarkable
contribution, pioneering work and
legendary services to this regjon.
He crossed the Zojilla to spread
light and dispel darkness, awakening
Ladakhis from their deep slumber.
My gratitude shall always remain to
this selfless crusader of Modern
Education "
These lines by Late Bakula, who was
India's ambassador to Mongolia sum
it all and say volumes about Late
Pt.Shridhar Joo who eventually
embraced Buddism, adopted a girl
from Ladakh( Dolma )and penned
a book ," Ladakh Through Ages "
He passed away in 1967 at his
residence in Srinagar. May His Soul
Rest In Eternal Peace.

I wish to express my profound
gratitude to Dr. Shashi Shekhar
Toshkhani who spared his valuable
time and shared his thoughts with
me.
This is the only photograph of pandit
Shridhar Joo Koul Dulloo which I
could get hold of.
Till I find another luminary through my journey....

( Sudesh Raina )