THROUGH MY JOURNEY TO REDISCOVER THE ARTIST MOHAN RAINA

Yesterday, during my meeting with
Mr.G.R.Hasrat Gadda,I was pleasantly
surprised to know that he is a real
store house of information involving
activities in the fields of Art, Culture
and literature.
Mr. Gadda has a collection of about
One thousand books including rare
manuscripts and literary works.
He has some paintings done by Artists like S.N.Bhat and Mohan Raina in his personal collection.
I give full credit toMr.Gadda for having been able to successfully
compiled poems of Dina Nath Nadim
in the form of a book which was
released last month.
Gadda Sahab also gave me a book
On renowned artist , G.R.Santosh as
a compliment. The book done by him
contains some rare pictures of the
Artist.
Mr.Autar Mota's suggestion to meet
this person seems to have taken me
closer to the Treasure Trove of Art
and literature.
ON THE OTHER HAND INSPITE OF
MY REPEATED HUMBLE APPEALS
NO ONE HAS COME FORWARD TO
POST ANY OF MY DAD'S WORKS
WHICH HE / SHE MAY BE HAVING
IN PERSONAL COLLECTION. I
REITERATE THAT I SHALL HAVE NO
CLAIM OR RIGHT ON THE ORIGINAL
PAINTING.
Today I met Sh.Mohan Lal Tickoo,
who was a Saffron dealer having
his shop at Kral Khud in Srinagar.
He used to learn Flute from my Late
Uncle, Omkar Nath Raina in our
Badiyar Bala house. He told me;
" Once I visited your house at Badiyar
and met your father, MOHAN JI.
As usual I had to see Bhab(Bhagwan
Gopi Nath Ji) and while leaving I
asked Mohan ji whether he would
like to accompany me. He agreed
and we went to Bhab's Ashram which
was close by. After sitting there for
a while Mohan ji took out a small
piece of paper and pen from his
pocket and while looking at Bhab, he
quickly drew some lines and we left
after paying our respects.
When I visited your place after a few
days, I was joyfully surprised to see
a Life Size Portrait Of Bhagwan
Gopi Nath Ji. Mohan ji had trans
formed few scribbled lines into a
Life size Portrait full of life .Such
was your Dad !
Out of innumerable portraits done by
him , I vividly remember those of
LALDED; JEEVAN SAHAB; RESH PIR;
SWAMI HARE KRISHEN; POET SAMAD MIR; GURU TEG BAHADUR;
MAHATMA GANDHI; JAWAHAR LAL
NEHRU(probably put at Teen Murti
House in New Delhi ); SHEIKH MOHD
ABDULLAH to name some and
remember these do not include the
Ones which he has done for his
friends. How is it possible that no
One is in possession of any of his
works ? Bhagwan ji's Ashram in Srinagar was plundered and vandalised and all the belongings
including Cash Chest and Portrait
were looted "
I would like to mention that the Tickus
are ardent and staunch followers of
Bhagwan ji and are our family friends
WHAT GRIVES AND SADDENS ME
MOST THAT NOT EVEN " KAULS "
HAVE RESPONDED TO MY APPEAL.
I AM PRIVY TO IT AND WITH OUT
AN IOTA OF DOUBT THAT DAD'S
FRIEND, LATE SH.GIRDHARI LAL KAUL HAD TAKEN DOZENS OF DAD'S
PAINTINGS WHICH ARE WITH THE
FAMILY.HIS ELDER SON RAKESH IS
IN CHANDIGARH AND THE YOUNGER ONE SANJAY LIVES IN
THE U. S. I ONCE AGAIN THROUGH
THIS POST MAKE A VERY HUMBLE
APPEAL TO THEM TO PLEASE BE
KIND ENOUGH AND POST THE
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THOSE
PAINTINGS WHICH ARE IN YOUR
POSSESSION. I SHALL HAVE NO
CLAIM OR RIGHT ON THOSE
PAINTINGS.
With Mr. G.R.Hasrat. Gadda at his
place in Poonch House.
( Sudesh Raina )