RAINA'S DEWAN KHAN AT BADIYAR BALA

When I embarked on my journey along the banks of "VITASTA"(River Jehlum),I began from Badiyar Bala_ my birth place .My interpretation is " Bade _ Yar _ Wala . I say so because I have always found Badiyaris loving, affable and amiable people , hence truly an abode of GREAT FRIENDS ! So far it has been a prelude to what will follow. In the follow up I will do it in segments so that it makes an interesting reading for you. It has already begun and I will talk about my family ( RAINAS Of Badiyar ) in my last concluding segment on Badiyar Bala . Why last ? Because I don't want to sound Holier_ Than_ Thou and comit a Faux Pas. Tomorrow I will talk about "Dewan Khan ", a meeting/sitting room where intellectuals , Poets and Artists would interact. The Dewan Khan had a separate approach through narrow stair case to avoid disturbance to members of a large joint family of eight brothers , one sister and then their families .Life was full of zest and joy ,because all brothers were talented in different ways .Some had carved niche for themselves and some were in the making .The Dewan Khan with wooden staircase had dome like ceiling decorated with wall paper from Britain .Those days British products were available in local market .The pasting and decoration was done by the brothers under the supervision of their father fondly called Bobu Jee. I forgot to tell you that those days Bobu jee and mother Babi were alive and lived with their children. Each meal with all members squatting besides a large "Dastar Khan "(a cloth sheet on which food is kept and served) would be a celebration and party time even though the food used to be very very simple. The ambience and environment would be fully charged and animated because of love and strong bonding between brothers and their sister. Oh Yes! About Dewan Khan , the walls were plastered with Bull Rush (Typha) and oil painted. A perfect place for (gatherings) with a hookah on one corner and a small partitioned box with tobacco and a match box .Perfect, tidy , well decorated room with "gabbas" (flooring made of woolen blankets and embroidary done with woolen thread) So far so much. Bobu ji will be with some one special in his Dewan Khan tomorrow. Watch out .......