After leaving it halfway ,I wish to shift attention to Dewan Khan where I have already discussed ambience and animated atmosphere. This is because eight brothers had different interests and talents which attracted artistic and literary people to Raina house. They were so attached that most of them became sort of our extended family. Head of the family, Pt.Shiv Nath Raina was an innovator and immensely talented person .I have already discussed about his creation of ready to wear "Tarang" for elderly ladies. His another innovation was a special technique that he devised for plaster of Paris models of human heads upto the neck..I am told that he would not hesitate taking risks for the sake of creating something artistic. Pt. Shiv Nath would ask his sons to cover his head to the neck firmly with a thin sheet of polythene .Two thin rubber tubes through the polythene would act as snorkel for breathing. Then a paste of P.O.P would be put with a great precision and technique over the polythene. Immediately upon drying (P.O.P.dries very quickly) ,the sons on the job would remove the mould which was later finished. It was not always a serious business .Puffs of hooka,a game of chess between friends like Pt.Sarwanand Chiragi,Shambu Nath Matoo,Amar Chand Wali, (teachers and poets) to name a few often enjoyed a game on a chess board specially made of wood which stood on small legs and a drawer below to keep the chess men. Lady of the house,Late Shobawati,Pt. Shiv Nath's wife would take proper care of guests. She would daily buy a huge basketful of green Hakh(saag) which was made as a daily staple food in addition to other stuff. Daily after paying her obeisance at Ganpatyar Temple in the neighbourhood , she would buy saag from this grocer known as "Ali Dandur"(vegetable seller). The house was rebuilt and Dewan Khan was redone. Pt.Shiv Nath passed away in 1961 and later Smt. Shobawati in 1982.(Peace be upon them ). I had grown up .It was new Dewan khan with new visitors now. Gatherings and Mehfils of brothers ! Mohan Raina discussing intricacies of painting with his group. Pointing to one of his canvases they would be busy discussing perspectives and juxtapositions.Omkar Nath with his Sitar accompanied by his brothers, Jawahar on tabla , Tej on Santoor and some one from friends playing guitar. By now I was naturally attracted to all these activities and would observe and listen whenever I had time. One vivid memory is that of Late Sh. Shambu Nath Sopori.I remember he would come on his bicycle .Sopori Sahab had a pleasant disposition and personality. He was tall having fair complexion, light eyes and hair combed backwards. Occasionally his lips would be reddish due to paan(betel) .Sopori Sahab was my uncle Omkar Nath Raina's first Sitar Guru .Later uncle was under the tutelage of Pandit Debu Choudhary . I vividly remember, in one of the Mehfils in Dewan Khan ,Sopori Sahab was discussing about Classical music. He held the harmonium , which of course was there besides other musical instruments and started singing (Like most of the artists he was a good singer too ). Sopori sahib usually sang a composition thay began with words : "Mundhari Ka Kariye Balma ..Mundhari" .Respected Jalali Sahab can through some light on it .May be i am not totally on these opening lines.So far so much . gTill next on some other personality in Dewan Khan (Sudesh Raina) The picture is showing Pt.Shiv Nath Raina working on some model
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