A TRUE STORY AS TOLD - GRANDPA'S TIMES!

A TRUE STORY OF A MAN, namely Mr. Rana Singh (in Beggar clothes), WHOSE MEAT RAW / MEAT BONE WAS NOT COOKED BY ANY ONE, WHEN HE WAS HUNGRY for past few days. HIS ALL REQUESTS TO COOK when failed, he requests Almighty to >>>, AND HOW GOD HELPED HIM?

This it how the story goes:

My grandfather, Late Lala Ishwar Dass Talwar, after his retirement from Railways, he opened a Cloth Merchant shop in Lahore main market, to keep lively hood as his youngest son, i.e my father was still not on his own legs. He still had to support himself and his extended family. 

One fine morning in Lahore market, where he along with so many other retailers were running there business from there small / big shops etc. Life was as usual, with people doing there brisk trade in what ever business, like food shops, butchery shops, cloth merchants, gold jewelers, sweet shops etc to name a few,  they were in.

It was summer days, shop owners used to open there shop early so that they could leave for there homes early evenings than late nights. My grandfather being elderly person, while he used to come on that street, used to get lot of respect from neighbors, passerby's, who new him and many others whom he will daily greet on his way from home to his shop etc.

The poor man, with torn clothes, namely Rana Singh (not a real name), who was very hungry, begged from every shop if people could help him to eat food, as he had not eaten for past few days and he cannot withstand any more hunger.

Well, his request was fulfilled partly, when a humble owner of butcher shop handover in his begging bowl a piece of raw goat meat / raw goat meat bone. He the owner, said to him that he wished he owned a food shop, wherein he would have got raw meat cooked, but told Rana Singh, he may try some other shops if they could help him to roast the raw meat piece.

Sad story ahead, Rana Singh, thanked this butchery owner, and started moving from one shop to other, as he had to get his raw meat roasted on the fire. His requests were very much terminated, by only getting refusals, possibly he was in torn clothes and that he represented as a beggar. Not knowingly, that this Rana Singh could be a great saint of all times.

Any way, after all his requests failed and from morning 6 am to almost 11.30am, when he could not  withstand his hunger any more.

He (Rana Singh), stood in the center of an open square with bowl of raw meat in it, and placed it over his head. Thereafter started praying God Almighty and telling Him that he has been hungry for past few days and can no longer bear severe hunger. He no longer could bear pain due to severe hunger, and requested God to fulfill his last wish, of cooking the raw meat, so that he has his last meal and take him to his arms as he has no more desire to live.

His last wish, God Almighty came to help him from the heavens. It was a cool day, with winds flowing, northerly - easterly bringing lot of cool air from Himalayas, the temperature started going up. 

As what has been expressed by my Grand Pa, that whole of the sky was like a red hot iron with sun showing no mercy, as all the population in and around that man, while he was praying for his food was getting cooked in the bowl, who witnessed could not stand near him now ran a mile away from him.  Common man started running away, people started closing there shops to witness what was happening out side. This story became talk of the town and hence was always discussed in each other homes, to which I call now will be a legend of those times.

Rana Singh stood there, his raw goat meat started getting cooked, in the bowl with sun red hot rays. In the next few minutes, he ate that, and vanished within the crowd, possibly to heavens as no one ever saw Rana Singh again on the streets begging. His last wish was granted by nobody less than God Almighty.

But for few days, including that day when people witnessed this saga, no body could believe that this can happen and people started cursing those shop owners who could have helped this poor man.

There is a saying, never treat, under privileged in a manner that his dignity , his hunger which he was telling be treated or taken lightly etc. 

God can visit you in all different forms, may be to test you, see where our world is heading to >>>. 

Updated on 15 05 2011 

A TRUE STORY AS TOLD - GRANDPA'S TRAIN GUARD.

My Grandfather stories as narrated to me through my parents, regarding his fellow colleague -Train Guard:

Lahore Railway Station

My Grand Pa, was Lahore, Railway Station Master, where during his working days this all happened.

One fine morning as usual, all guards after they report for duty, flag off there train, to next destination, it may be train starting from that station or en - route to other via Lahore. One guard, (Mr. Sharma - not a real name, as I don't have it), came to my grandpa, and told in a humble voice, please:

1. That he absented himself for past two weeks, and God only knows how time has passed away and how my trains must have left. I am surprised, that no summon either have been sent to my home.
2. Do not remove him from his job.
3. That he was serving devotees, who came to my home for a shelter and food etc.

My Grandpa was surprised, with his morning tale, remarks etc and then told the following:

1. You had been daily logging my register with your attendance, so how I am to believe?
2. That every day trains, left on time, so again there was nothing which warranted him to call his home etc.
3. When Train Guard, said he was not the guy, at that time my Grandpa showed him logging register, which showed his signatures and that he countersigned him off.
4. This baffled Mr. Sharma, who kept on repeating that he did not report for duty.

And then, he realized, that it was act of God, these devotees, were in fact God's men, coming from Heaven and he and his wife got great privilege to serve them. He felt happy, lost, and told my Grandpa, I have received my Honors in God's Kingdom, so allow me to stop work from today. He will go and  serve God from today.

He (Mr. Sharma) left Lahore Railway Station, never to be seen again, possibly left for Himalayas where devotee's get there freedom, and nearness to God.

My Grandfather kept that register, for a long time, and wished that if he knew, he would have kept 'The New Guard' in disguise, who acted on behalf of Mr Sharma was in fact God only. His eyes baffled, how that can be truth.

But it was Truth, as his family were very much devoted to preachings of God and remaining life they left to serve God.

STORIES AS NARRATED TO ME ABOUT OUR "GRAND FATHER"

A TRUE STORY ABOUT GRAND FATHER MARRYING THREE TIMES, & THREE WISHES GRANTED TO HIM.

1. He had no children, and after his second marriage failed to bring any off spring, he decided to kill him self, and was wandering in jungle for a place.
2. In that wandering in Jungle, he came across, a HOLY PRIEST or devotee of God, who told him, by reading his face, his anxiety, and that he has a cure.
3. He was told to live in his THATCHED HUT for next few weeks / months I do not know how many? But once he is happy with his service, (day to day chores of helping Priest) Priest will let him know, what next.
4. On the dedicated service of our Grand Father, as devotee, one day Priest told him to get ready, next morning at 4 am, before sun rise, have a wash, have morning prayers, and then they both will go to near by HOLY PEOPLE TREE, which is considered as auspicious in our Hindu customs.
5. This was done, and on that morning, when they both were near, the trunk of people tree. Prayers as per Vedas were recited by Priest, and later came forward, and gave him the "THREE WISHES", and told him to take all of them
6. First wish was obvious, that he should have a family, so it means he will marry again. It was granted by placing a nail with a hammer on the trunk of the holy people tree.
7. Second wish was to see, his Talwar dynasty to move forward, and that will yield children male in particular. (Later he had three sons and one daughter). His second wish was also nailed with a hammer on the trunk of the holy people tree.
8. Third wish - when he was asked to exercise his right for third wish, he touched PRIEST feet, with words I have got every thing, and hence no more.
9. But, he was coaxed and was given lot of leads, like wealth, fame, could be many more, it took him another 2 to 3 HRS to think what is right for him. Priest said I have to give, but finally surprisingly, what he asked>>.
10. He told Priest, that although, I am humbled but since you are asking me, he said to Priest, that some times I get pain in my Teeth, for chewing sugarcane for its juice. So I would like to have my teeth in good health. He was given lot more time to think>>>.
11. But finally, he was granted this by nailing on the holy people tree trunk his third wish.
12. As per my Dad and his eldest brother, our Grand Father had all 32 teeth intact, even when he had his last breath for heavenly abode. 
13. I do not know exact age, but was told he lived 70YRS. My dad was 17yrs of age then, i.e. 1915 +17= 1922, so he left us in the year 1922 / 23 approx.

Other three stories, as listed below, I will write separately in my next blog.

• A TRUE STORY ABOUT HIS TRAIN GUARD.
• A TRUE STORY OF A PERSON (in Beggar clothes), WHOSE MEAT PEACE/BONE WAS NOT COOKED BY ANY ONE, WHEN HE WAS HUNGRY for past few days. HIS ALL REQUESTS TO COOK when failed, he requests Almighty to >>>, AND HOW GOD HELPED HIM?
• A TRUE STORY OF LION CAGE MAN, WHO BROUGHT LION BACK TO CAGE (ZOO) LIKE A PET DOG, WHEN HE WANDERED OUT OF CAGE, AND WHOLE CITY WAS PANICKY.

Arun Talwar

My Father's Profile and some of his memories!!

My father Late Roshan Lal Talwar was born on 04th Sept 1915, and left us for heavenly abode on 25th Dec 2006.

Early child hood:

He was brought up, by his dad, my grand father, from age of two years as his mother died. He was youngest of three brothers and a sister.

He was seventeen, when he got his first job to work in in Army and when his first salary came,  his father passed away, to whom he could not give his first pay packet, as his wishes.

He had a great career in army, and when India wanted freedom, and all Indians were playing there role, he joined Netaji Subash Chander Bose army, as Captain and took there oath at Singapore when INA was formed.

On return to India, from Singapore via Burma, he and all his fellow army soldiers were made prisoners of war, and had court battle at Red Fort. He had privileged to travel with Netaji in under water submarine etc, while they were on war, against British/Colonial rule.

On 15th Aug 1947, India got freedom, but INA freedom fighters were never honored, till 1977. I would write his history as narrated to me later.

Any way, where head of the family, has to place food on the plate, he worked in Independent India at:

1. M/s. Pearey Lal & Sons Pvt Ltd, CP, Janpath, New Delhi as stores cum sales person, bringing imported cars for the company from Bombay. He worked there from early 1948 to 1955 or so.
2. Later he joined M/s. Saran Motors, CP, Janpath, New Delhi in better position and carried on till 19th Oct 1957.
3. On 20th Oct' 1957, he opened his own show room, namely New Delhi Motor Agencies Ltd, Karol Bagh, New Delhi selling motor parts for Austin, Chevrolet, Plymouth and other imported cars, until era of Birla's, Land master to Ambassador cars came in.
4. As per his promise/ his initial intuition / prediction, with few setbacks, due to partnership problems etc, he finally closed /sold his business on 10th Oct 1977, 10 days before 20YRS. He did added one more show room in South Extension, New Delhi, during those 20YRS. 
5. In Oct' 1977, when our show room was first opened with full fanfare that he will run it for 20 yrs only, on the assumption his first son would have started his job, by then. He helped family to uplift with best of education, built family home etc, during his life time.
6. My dad wish was that when I get employed, which I did on 01st Jan 1972, that if I will give my first salary to him, minus my second month expenses. He used to always say, I (my father) could not fulfill his father (my grand father wish) as he passed away while his first salary had not arrived.
7. I was lucky, that I could fulfilled his wish, but sent him my full wage, when I got it on 05th Feb 1972 to him by bank draft through State Bank of India. (My first wage was Rs.450.00), equivalent of NZ15.00 in today's value.

His Departure:

1. He got permission from God Almighty to leave on 25th Holy day, as his first grand daughter's Gitanjali birthday was on 24th Dec, which he always fondly remembered. 
2. A night before his departure, he did come in dreams of his grand son, gave all of his blessings. He was telling him that he was feeling very cold. My son Arjun, as per his narration of his dream, he placed all quilts, blankets on him and sat with him to hear, before he finally bid good bye. When actual news was broken by my wife, nest afternoon, he could not believe and was shocked, as he loved him most as we all miss him today.
3. On that 24th night after I finished my daily work (those days I was running my Video Ezy Store, here in Auckland, New Zealand), that when I placed my mobile near my bed, I was shaking in myself, as if my hearts was with my Dad as if he was talking to me, and saying to me, that I am not with him physically, but emotionally I was. I am pretty sure I slept around 1 to 2 am Auckland time. I was just praying I should not get any call or news from home, which was from my younger brother whom we fondly call Kuka. But as what was to happen happened, my Dad had his last breath, and I got a call in the early hours of 25th Dec 2006.
4. No tears could make or console me or my family. I could not attend to last rights, as in our customs, body is cremated before next sunset. Did leave to new Delhi next available flight, completed all the rituals back home, and came back with heavy heart.

His memories, we still cherish, that to be honest, humble with people in all walks of life. Be happy by giving than in taking anything from anyone.

Arun Talwar