My Grandfather-Some Recollections:(English) Author: Deepak Budki
My grandfather, Pandit Neel Kanth Nehru, my mother’s
father to be precise, lived a life of an ascetic and a true bhakt of the
Supreme Goddess, Ma Sharika whose abode is in Chakreshwar temple, Hari Parbat,
Srinagar, Kashmir. Right from his childhood he was devoted to the Mother
Goddess and often walked the distance of 5-6 kms from his residence in
Chandapora, near Gadood Bagh, Habbakadal to the temple of the Hari Parbat, the most
venerated place in the city. This distance was beside appx 2-3 hundred steps to
be climbed to reach the temple and the Parikrama (appx 2-3 km) to be performed
around the hill after performing pooja in the temple. He had inherited devotion to Mata Sharika from his father Lal Chand Nehru who took him to the temple at the age of 11. In his later life he shifted to Sanat Nagar from where his visits were occasional.
The legend behind the formation of Hari Parbat is
available in the history texts of Kashmir. It was formed by a Mynah (Haer in
Kashmiri) which threw a stone carried in her beak in the great Satisar lake,
hence the name Hari Parbat, the hill made by the Mynah. During the Mughal
period, a fortress was constructed on the hilltop with a surrounding wall around
the hill in order to defend the city from external aggression. A few gates were
provided in the wall to suit the direction of marching troops. The Chakreshwar
temple is below the summit of the hill yet there are numerous steps to be
climbed to reach the actual temple. Pt Neel Kanth Nehru even in his nineties
would climb these stairs without any external assistance. Except for a few
years when he had to reside in Baramulla due transfer of his son, he would regularly visit the temple, especially on Saturdays. On the intervening nights of Saturday-Sunday, he would
attend the temple and stay awake organizing pooja and bhajans in the adjoining
hall of Chakreshwar Mandir. He himself had an impressive and resonant voice and
would often recite mantras and sing bhajans during the night. We used to hear his devotional songs
at our residence about 3-4 km away from the foothills and my mother used to
say, “Tatha Ji (His pet name) has come to the temple”. At times while on his
way back to his house, he visited our house at Maharaj Ganj.
Pt Neel Kanth was a member of the Chakreshwar temple
trust and worked as its President for a number of years. His grandson, Sanatan Nehru specifically says the period was about 60 years. It was due to his
efforts that a beautiful white marble Mandir was constructed on the top of the
Sharika Devi. Mata Sharika had appeared in a dream to him while he was fast asleep in Pokhribal temple at the foothills of Hari Parbat and questioned him as to why she did not have a cover overhead and proper stairs up to her abode. I am told by my cousin, Sanatan Nehru that it was on his instance
that the festival, Zang Tri, was organized every year, and all married ladies
used to carry the Zang (Salt) to their in-laws house as a good omen. This was
particularly reassuring for those who did not have anyone living in the
parental home.
He once shared his experience of 1947 when Pakistan Tribals (Qabailies) had invaded Kashmir and reached Baramulla besides indulging in loot and rape. He visited Hari Parbat early in the morning as usual and saw Mata Sharika Devi on a lion moving from her abode towards the north of Kashmir ie Baramulla. He asked her, "Mata, what are you up to?" She replied," Some miscreants have invaded this Reshwaer (the land of Rishis) and I am proceeding to halt and clean them up (The word used was SAMHAR) before they reach Srinagar. As per him the next day i.e 27th October 1947 the Indian troops landed in Srinagar by air and the advance of the tribals was halted and reversed.
Nehru Sahab had knowledge of Persian, Urdu, Kashmiri and English and was working in the State revenue department. He had a very good knowledge of astrology and would often
read the horoscopes of people. It is said that he had foretold the death of his only daughter and elder son long before they actually died. He was revered as a spiritual seer by most of
Kashmiri Pandits but he never used his position for any personal gain or derive
any service from any of his followers. He once confided in me that he did not
allow women to touch his body under any pretext. My Mama Ji used to often tell an anecdote about his father. He once asked his father, "Tatha Ji, how is it that you take dinner at 9 pm and go off to sleep without any delay and you are up and awake in the morning at 6 am?" His father answered, "Dear, you keep reading too many books and I suppose must have read hundreds of books which give you sleepless nights because you get confused by different ideas put forward by different authors. On the contrary, I have read just one book, The Bhagavad Gita all my life without attempting to understand the meaning of the same fully, not to speak of the philosophy contained therein. So I am not at all confused like you. That is the secret of my getting sleep comfortably." Moral: This is the spirit of Bhakti Marga, Ignorance is bliss, and faith in the Almighty is supreme.
Neel Kanth Nehru was well built and had a charming and
glowing face till his last breath. He lived a simple life and used to wear a long smock, called 'Pheran' in Kashmir throughout the year. He used to smoke a Huqqah and did not like cigarettes. He would never recline with any wall or
pillow while sitting or smoking Hubble-bubble and would often scold me for adopting
a reclining posture. He remained active all through his life. Nehru Sahab lived a
family life till his last breath but was totally detached a person. He had
three sons, Shambu Nath, Jawahar Kaul, and Makhan Lal besides a daughter,
Kamala. Late Shambu Nath had sought employment in Delhi as a School teacher and
settled there permanently. He died prematurely at the age of 50 when he was likely to be promoted as Director in the Education Deptt in Delhi. Late Jawahar Kaul (originally his name was Janki
Nath Nehru as I had learned but I am not sure) was his second son who had been
given by Nehru Sahab to his friend, Mr. T Kaul, for adoption since he himself
was a knowledgeable astrologer and found the course of adoption as a way to
ward off evils of destiny to the boy and the parental family. Surprisingly,
Jawahar Kaul made it to Bollywood and not only acted in several films like
Kathputli, Dekh Kabira Roya, Daag, Bhabi, Ek Shola, Adalat, Sahib Bibi aur
Ghulam, Pehli Jhalak, Sheesh Mahal, etc. He also produced the film, Agni Putra. His
daughter, Shabnam Kapoor, and son-in-law, Lalit Kapoor also produce films. His
son, Ajay Kaul is a social worker and an educationist who runs his own school/College in Versova, Mumbai. A road has been named in honor of his wife, Clara J T Kaul
in Versova itself. The third son was Late Makhan Lal who was serving in State
Forest Department, he was married to Uma Nehru, a State Best Teacher awardee in
1980, and left behind a son, Sanatan Nehru working in Mumbai and a daughter,
Sushma Nehru alias Simran Maehar who is working in health services in Sydney,
Australia. Kamla Nehru, Pt Neel Kanth Nehru’s daughter got married to Radha
Krishen Budki, my father, and acquired the name Somawati Budki. She bore four children.
Pt Neel Kanth faced several tragedies in his life, the
accidental death of his wife, Lilawati, about 25 years before he himself
attained nirvana, the death of his daughter at the age of 40, and the death of his
elder son at the age of around 50. But Neel Kanth had unflinching faith in
Goddess Sharika, he took all such
happenings in his stride besides overcoming the grief due to the said
misfortunes. He attained his moksha at the age of 94 as far after
a short stint of illness. All my life I had never seen him falling ill or
going to a doctor. For minor ailments, if any, he would use indigenous methods
of cure.
It was my fortune to have a grandfather with such
spiritual power and devotion to the almighty yet unassuming and down to earth.
May his soul rest in peace.
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