Letter to Wife :(Year: 1902)

My Big Grandfather’s (Hira Lala Ghosh) letter to my Grand Mother (His wife). “KAHANI PURI FILMY HAI, BUT PURI SACH HAI” 🤗

A story 119 Years Old!

PREFIX OF STORY.

As told to us by Mrs. Nishitarini Dasi: My grandfather’s Aunty (Bua). This lady was our story teller, as to how & why we Shifted from Halishahar, Hoogli, 24 Parganas, West Bengal to Lahore now Pakistan and lived till 1947 and many other stories of our family.

My Big Grand Father (Hira Lal Ghosh) was elder brother of my Grandfather (Moti Lal Ghosh), living together in a huge joint family, at Lahore now Pakistan. So born and brought up in Punjab Pre-partition.

As was the system on becoming matured, Hira lal was married and Joshomati (wife) entered our house. Though as per bengali system, wife goes back to her parent’s home after eight days, but as travelling was an issue during those days, so was done as and when it was possible.

So after some time our Big Grand Mother Joshomati went to her parents. It was natural in those days for the girls to stay for moths with their parents.

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Light side of Life:
🌹🌹Letter to Wife 🌹🌹
(Year: 1902)

So days & months went by, and then a letter came to Hira lal’s father from the father of Big Grandmother complaining that his daughter is very much disturbed, cries all the time and is taken ill. After lot of persuasion by her mother and sister, we sadly came to know that Dear Hira Lal, our son-in-law has not written a single letter to her. Therefore I humbly request your good self to advice your son, to write my daughter, and thus provide her the happiness, to recover from her illness. I remain etc. etc…….

Our house, as any of big houses of those days had “Ander Mahal & Bahar Mahal” (Inner & Outer House) i.e. Men’s area and Ladies Area. The Karta of House, Dr. Brij Lal, immediately summoned the Head Sardar (Chief Of, domestic help) to inform Maa (Lady Head Of The House), his wife; for an immediate audience at inner chamber.

The wife of Dr. Brij Lal, was Promodh Kumari daughter
of Haldar Mittra, younger brother of Raja Digamber Mittra of Kon Nagar, West Bengal, A very strong lady with iron grip on total house, nothing could bypass her, rather no one dared to bypass her. Meet was short to the point, dispersed.

She summoned her son for immediate audience and dressed him upside down for non compliance of duty of a married man towards his wife, as a result The Dignified House Of Ghosh Parivar, faced most dishonored situation, and has to accept meekly the insult instituted by his father in law. The Man Hira Lal Ghosh stood standstill and took all the bashing silently. Then she commanded him to write a long letter, asking the pardon of his wife and also request her to get well and take care and he will soon be coming to take her. Letter must be finished tonight and handed over to her in sealed envelope to her; which she will get posted herself. Meeting over Hira Lal dispersed.

As per command letter was handed over to her, which she handed over to Rai Bahadur Dr. Brij Lal Ghosh. Letter was hand carried by a harkara (Courier), along with another covering letter, pacifying Grandmother’s father with apology, on behalf of his careless son.

The letter was delivered to Joshomati’s father, and duly delivered to Joshomati with lots of teases from youngsters. She took the letter with glow of blushes and ran to her room and locked the doors. Everybody sighed a relief with girl’s happy mode.

BUT! Oh yea, but sooner than later come the howling cry from the Joshomati’s room. Everybody came running to her door and started shouting, pleading, perusing her to open door, but no she won’t; over and above her howling volume increased much louder. The father was informed at outer house and he was ferocious and gave all what situation required; to the Harkara, who stood still. Not knowing what was the matter.

Well father reached girls room and commanded her to open the door at once. During those days words of Karta of the house had epitome of finality. No if, No buts. She meekly opened the door crying and in distressed condition.
& WHAT! the whole crowd saw….. !

Whole room was scattered with pages of long sheets letter from my Big Grandfather. The Mother of the girl took her in bosom and started soothing her. They were trying to think what my grandfather must have written to make their child howl in sad cry.

And the father gathered all the pages quickly, murmuring all sort of things. Then suddenly he stop short to have look on letter, then for a moment he was bewildered, then he busted to jovial loud laughter. His wife came forward and asked what are you laughing about, while my girl in having such a pain; he showed her the bunch of sheets to her, and she went through sheets after sheets and joined her husband, then everyone saw and hell got loose with laughter.

Why?

The long letter WAS WRITTEN IN URDU.😂🤣

My grandfathers didn’t know how to write Bengala.

A molvi was duly arranged along with a translator, with Molvi & Translator at one side of Pardha (Curtain) & Grandmother along with other on other side, and soon others has to leave as soon as poetic love language was translated ………….

Who was telling the story ? And whose story was it anyway ?
The words fluttered and flew in the wind.. Listening with blushing shy face and being teased……