Baramulla Papers II...

Memories of my days at Baramulla, Kashmir..........Part II

I am going to visit the places again maybe next year. I hear things are getting better:
Especially today's news:

Farooq dates wife Moily at violence-prone roadside restaurant


I still remember my friends' homes there and I shall surprise them one day.

BTW are there any old teachers still there ?? ( I named some in my earlier post) .

Is any of you guys currently living in Baramulla ?? I have many questions to ask. Please post some current pictures of the town. I remember the sweet shop in the main bazar which was always crowded - there used to be Bindru Medical Hall owned by my friend's dad. A lot of Punjabis used to live there mostly business men. There was our school clown Shamma.

We had the first ever Dusshera celebration at Baramulla during that time , complete with Ravan effigy burning. They had one at Srinagar also this year also:

Amrik Singh, Bikram Singh (His dad was a forester), Ichpal Singh ... I remember you all - It is surprising that I am not able to get in touch with any of them at all. I have been scanning the Internet for my old buddies. I was able to trace one of my classmates - Rakesh Markandey 's brother who is in Australia.

I remember the beautiful riverside bungalow we used to live in near the power house between our school and the Match Factory. One had to get on a Tanga (horse carriage) from town towards Khoja Bagh and on the way we would get down at the Bijli Ghar . There were a lot of staff quarters built there for the Lower Jhelum Hydel Project.

During some season we used to relish the water chest nuts sold by road side vendors.
Our school used to attend the Diwali Mela organised by the Army there, a mammoth celebration ending with a grand finale of Fireworks, I wonder whether it is still held??

As a member of Boy Scouts I would go camping with our Scout Troop : One such Camp at Gulmarg lasted seven days. At the end , a walk from Gulmarg to Baramulla lasting a whole day. I wonder if it is still done??

Baramulla Papers...

Memories of my days at Baramulla, Kashmir..........Part I  

Remembring childhood....

I would like to share my memories of SJHSS - St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School  (name at that time)  Baramulla - Ours was that batch ( was in 8th ) I think 1972-73 when they started enrolling girls in the school. The overflow from Malinson Convent next door ( was upto 6th gr.) was directed to our school. We had two girls in our class, one was Deeba Thakkar and the other's name I forgot.

Jim Broost was our vice - principal, Mr. Noorudin / Bashir Ahmed were PT teachers. Mr Tirath Singh was a teacher I remember. Mr. M.M.Mir was our scout master and once I received a thrashing from him. That same year they has started a tea stall inside the school next to the Bogs ( toilets). There was one well we used to drink out off. Our fee was Rs. 5/month.

I was once caught and fined a princely sum of Rs. 10 for plucking apples from the sister's orchard.

My batch mates were Laiq Parvez (his dad was a DFO) Wattali (his dad was a SP) Javed A. Mir ( his dad G.R. Mir was an advocate in High Court) - was my best friend and I still dream of meeting him. Earlier there was a newly opened tea stall outside the school and we would sometimes pay for tea to be brought in for our teachers during exam time. Further down the road there was a South Indian shop selling Dosa etc. Had my first south Indian snack there.

There were two theaters : Regina and the army one. I learnt how to ride a bike during those days and I was the proud owner of a Speedking ( the only racing bike in town).

I would love if anyone from that time would share some more information.  If anyone wants to communicate with me directly - My email ID: prince_raj@yahoo.com.

I very much want to visit Baramulla and St. Joseph again. Maybe in 2010 summer.

Love