THROUGH MY JOURNEY TO REDISCOVER THE ARTIST, MY FATHER, LATE MOHAN RAINA,

Yesterday I called Sh. Triloke Koul, an
eminent and a well known reputed
Artist of our state.
He lives at 111/1 , Naseeb Nagar in
Janipur, Jammu with his daughter
and son in law, Dr. Chand Raina. We
have never met before but when he
knew that I am Late Mohan Raina's
son , his response was very positive
and warm. He at once agreed tomeet
me any time according to my own
convenience but I insist that it has to
be absolutely convenient to him.
So, he suggests to meet him in the
morning at eleven on Saturday and
also have my lunch with him. I very
politely refused and thanked him.

Today, I reached Koul Sahab's house
at eleven. He was expecting me and
his daughter very warmly led me to
Koul Sahab's room upstairs.
After exchanging pleasantries and
greetings, I sat down. We started our
conversation over a cup of tea and
snacks which his daughter had just
served. Sh. Triloke Koul tells me ,

" It is very nice meeting Mohan ji's
son whom I knew so well. He was
my contemporary like Sh. S.N.Bhat
and P.N.Kachru. Mohan ji had an added advantage of being Pt. Shiv
Nath Raina's son who was a reputed
Drawing Master and an enterprising
Artist. Your family was well known.
I remember an anecdote when your
grand father , your father and your
uncles together decided to make a
P.O.P Model of Pt. Shiv Nath by doing
a unique experiment. The sons put
a polythene covering on their father's
head, put pipes into his nostrils for
breathing and applied P.O.P paste
upto his neck. POP dries very quickly.
Although they had taken precautions,
his hair got stuck and they had a very
tough time in breaking the POP and
setting your grand father free. Next
time they took extra precautions and
succeeded in doing whatthey wanted
to do. Sometimes I digress and go
into other details because you know
the age factor. I am Centenarian less
eight years. Ha!Ha!Ha! .That is my
self portrait which I have done with
a knife. It was seventies . Those days
I didn't sport a French Cut goatee. At
times I feel like shaving it off but you
too Sudesh ji suggest that it is a part
of my personality and that I shouldn't
remove it. Well I tell you I had three
sisters, no brother .I was very much
attached to my youngest sister.Just
after about seven years of her marriage she passed away leaving
behind three very young children. I
took it as a moral obligation on me
to take care of them, So I kept this
beard since then as a reminder of my
duty. Now, they are all settled but you
are right, I should not shave it off.

Yes, coming back to the subject, I have seen only two families during
my whole life in Kashmir.One is your
Raina family and other one is Omesh
and Bhushan Koul's family. Bhushan
Ji retired as Head of Painting, Inst.
Of Music and Fine Arts.Who so ever
would visit your family they would be
well accepted and would become a
part of the family. Large family with
all members having a strong bonding 
of love, respect, affection and concern for one another. Radiance
of Joy, Zest, Creative activities !!

During the time my father could not
afford my meals, I had to skip my
morning meals. At that time Omesh
Koul's family owned me , fed me and
treated me like a member of the
family. Again, I am digressing, When
I came back after graduatjng from
Baroda in Fine Arts, I was jobless
where as your father ,Mohan ji had
already earned a name. Later I joined
School Of Designs as "Director"and
Mohan ji was already in Information
Dept.I served the School for twenty
three years, but I think I was later
demoted.Why?Because my "Director"
designation was changed to "Chief
Designer"Ha ! Ha! 
Mohan ji would always
tell me that he has official bindings
due to which he can't do what he
wishes to do. He would be in the
panel on all Govt. Committees which
involved Art Work.He was very
fair in awarding job to deserving 
parties. Mohan ji was a lively, good
natured frjend of friends.His huge
contribution to the world of Art can
at no point of time be ignored.
His best was yet to come, which all 
in general and Art world in particular
could not see because of his sudden
and untimely demise.
It is painful to to know that his entire
life time treasure of paintings was
plundered, vandalised and burnt and
that you don't possess even a single
painting done by him. I compare it
with my plight where my work was
not plundered but willfully kept by
some people who were entrusted the
job of returning those to me .Till now
even after decades ,they have not
returned those probably waiting for
opportune time to sell off at a hefty
price. I am quite old now. I do not
paint.A treasure of paintings about
200 in number ! Now I possess just
these four or five. Like you feel that
As if Mohan ji never created master
pieces, I too feel as if I have never
done any painting ."

All along I listened to him attentively
and patiently with a promise to meet
again because he said , 

" I am taking a long time, meet me
again next week, I have a lot to show
you. Now that I have nothing with
me and a treasure is lost, sometimes
I feel why at all did I opt for Art and
devote major portion of my life to it"

I could very vividly see helplessness,
sadness and gloom on his face for
having lost his invaluable treasure .

While I was about to depart, he told
me to sit down and recited a couplet
of Mirza Ghalib,
" ZINDAGI YUUN BHI GUZAR HEE
JAATI, KYON TERA RAAH GUZAR
YAAD AAYA "

Sh. Triloke Koul has retired as Chief
Designer from The School Of Designs. He is a pioneer who has
introduced ,"Modern Art " movement
in our state. Inspired by Late S.H.Raza, he founded " Progressive
Artists Association" ( PAA) and with
other group members introduced and
propagated the movementof Modern
Art in our state.
Look at his contributions !
Doesn' t he deserve sympathy ?
Doesn't he deserve a Padam Shree ?

I wish Sh. Triloke Koul a healthy and
blissful life !! 

( Sudesh Raina )