“With floors of dedication and walls of perseverance,
Ceilings all bedecked with love and laughter,
Mantels of mirth and merriment,
Doors and windows of pious thoughts
That was the abode of my Tauji,
The great Roshan Lal Mathur”
Multi faceted personality Roshan Lal Mathur (1899-19081),had built a sprawling double story building cum bungalow at 13/9 Western Extension Area,Ajmal Khan Road New Delhi before his retirement in the fifties of previous century.
Tauji had ten children (four sons and six daughters) and he was the eldest amongst his siblings of four brothers and three sisters.
Fascinated by the memories of the days spent in that house, his grand children and children of the collaterals have named the whatsapp family group as 13/9 as an ode to the sprawling house.
Standing tall at 6 feet 2 inches,Tauji was an electrical engineer by profession whilst also being a great theatre artist, Urdu poet , literateur,singer, player, social activist and what not.
Legendry singer and cine artist Kundan Lal Sehgal was his friend and there used to be singing sessions between both in thirties and forties at his official bungalow in Lutyen’s Delhi.
Elders in the family had told that few days after his marriage , he had enacted the role of ‘Surdass’ in a play with so much realism that watching him act like a blind man, the newly married my Taiji (Sarswati Devi) was in tears.
He was born at Quetta (now in Pakistan) where our grandfather Lala Chandu Lal was posted as treasury officer and later had shifted to Delhi where Tauji spent his formative years.
His sense of responsibility and devotion to the family was so great that besides the marriages of his children, he had performed the marriages of his three brothers and a sister from his house.
Scores of his cousin brothers and sisters from outside Delhi used to come and stay in the house whenever they had work in Delhi.
Cook and maids were permanent with food and tea for all always flowing.
At one point of time somewhere in fifties and sixties, his three brothers including my father lived in close vicinity to each other in Karol Bagh and every day was a fun filled day where all festivals were celebrated together.
Summer vacations were real festive when daughters children would come, the rooms would be over crowded but love and laughter reigned .
On every ‘Raksha Bandhan’, Taiji’s only brother celebrated Hindi poet Girija Kumar Mathur (known for lyrics ‘Hum Honge Kamyab Ek Din’) and his poetess wife Shakunt Mathur would also come.
All his four sons Mool Raj Mathur, Ajit Mathur, Harish Mathur and Ramesh Mathur were married in Delhi’s reputed Mathur families and at one point of time, in early seventies, all four including their wives and children were staying in the house in complete harmony.
Later they moved with their families to different places like USA, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh .
To augment the income, Tauji had made seven showrooms on the ground floor of 13/9 and living area was on first and second floors.
His nephew Lalit Mohan Mathur aka Naboo who also lived in the house for many years, informed that Tauji had not taken take any ‘Pugri from the shopkeepers and the rent was also nominal adding that then there were only kiosks on the now bustling Ajmal Khan Road.
He said that ‘ we used to buy milk from the dairy across the road and we used to play cricket , Gulli- Danda and fly kites on the empty bye lanes.
Indeed Tauji was such a pious soul and towering personality and even after forty years of his death, he is revered ,fondly remembered by all his descendants numbering more than 100 who are spread all over the world and excelling in their respective fields .
All his children were highly educated and the product of Delhi’s elitist instituitions.
Tauji was a strong votary of modern and technical education and always encouraged everyone to acquire professional qualifications.
I still remember him driving his ‘Baby Austin’ on Delhi roads in forties and fifties. He was a true star of the community and hats off to Taiji for robustly standing by him in all circumstances during their married life of 62 years.
Great Article Anil. Thanks for sharing it.
I just want to summarize some of Bauji’s ( thats we called him) qualities/achievements:
-He had very strong principles
-Believed in dignity of labour
-Treated everyone with love & respect
– Enjoyed the company of relatives and friends
– Respected all religions.Was invited at Nizamuddin Aulia, New Delhi, regularly
– Partipated in Urdu Mushairas.
Wrote shairi at short notice for others u, sometimes same day
-He used to go to Hanuman Mandir Everyday,when he worked at N.D.M.C,New Delhi
He also did Arti every evening before dinner
He studied at F.C. College in Lahore &
Thompson Engineering College,Which is now Roorki University( thats what he told me)
I will add more if I recall some more points
Wonderful article ,Anil Mama.You took me back the memory lane and nostalgia gripped me.I had stayed with them for about six months when I was in class five in Lady Irwin School and there was no bus in our university area .Nanaji naniji Dolly Mausie and Bina Mausie gave me such a good time that though I was very young and small yet I stayed there happily visiting my parents on weekends.Who can forget the Lovely sweets and Chola bhature and Dosas from South Indian hotel
The parties at 13/9 were enjoyed by all ,where Nanaji served delicious sumptuous food with a lot of gana bajana and masti.
These memories are so lucid even now
Great write up on tauji it brings back vivid memories of the time when after our marriage we went to Delhi to attend choto jijis marriage.here I met tauji and taiji for the first time. I saw how affectionate and loving a person he was and was amazed at his knowledge of literature,when he learnt that l was masters in literature Tauji recited numerous extracts from Shakespeare s plays I was very awed and undoubtedly impressed
Remarkable times and equally exceptional personality. I remember visiting the house though must be very young and the fun we had with so many people around.
Very well written ,legacy write up for all the younger generation.
Beautiful write up!! I wish we can go back to the times we had never lived and cannot imagine to be a part of it.
Reading the article created a picture in my mind and I want to read more and more chapters of it.
I never knew that Delhi has so much memories of our past and never thought that those lyrics were written by Mathur’s.
Feeling so proud ❤️
Thanks for this Article and tagging me that I got a chance to read it.
Memories that will never fade away. Thoughts expressed very well.
Well written Annie! Brings back beautiful memories. It is nostalgic to go back in time and relive the childhood. I had such fond memories of growing up in Karol Bagh, saw ups and down in my life and that of my siblings.
Can’t forget the walks on Ajmal Khan Road with Baby, Naboo, Chotuo, sometimes Nimmo, Beena and others, will go to the Shiva Mandir on Mondays and then we will all have Aloo Tikkies on our way back. Remember, Roshan Di Kulfi and the Gol Gappas.
Those were the days when life was simple, carefree and blissful.
Time and tide waits for no one, 13/9 has left a rich legacy, we may not have the place physically but we have it in our heart and soul and none can take that away. That was the place where brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles and aunts laughed and cried together, shared happiness and grief and felt blessed to be a part of the family. Those precious moments will be cherished in the years to come.
Bless Annie and all who have contributed to this article.
Please continue to add you experiences to make this article more memorable and meaningful.
Bless all those who have left us and bless all the upcoming generations that will carry the baton and pass it on to the next generations. Life must go on. The tree that is planted grows, withers and then the new leaves emerges.
This is Dolly Swarup Raja – youngest daughter of My father – Mr. Roshan Lal Mathur – the Lion of 13/9.
Bless you all.
Thanks Dolly jiji . You have added lustre to the article by your comments .