Memories in sepia

“I was 18 when I first met Bapu,” recollects Singh,now 87. She even cooked for Mahatma Gandhi when in 1939 he visited her uncle’s house in Abbottabad in North-West Frontier Province (NFWP),now in Pakistan. “My grandaunt Kamna Devi was politically active and her house in Abbottabad was the headquarters for the Congress in those days,” says Singh,who spent her early days in Lahore.

A couple of years ago,Singh reminisced about life and her experiences in two volumes of short stories in Punjabi,Kanki and Kudrat De Nirale Rang,one of which delves into those three significant weeks when she worked with the Mahatma. “What people don’t know about Bapu is that he had a good sense of humour,” says Singh. “He was austere alright. He used to have mashed vegetables—no salt,no dal,just a spoon of fresh garlic as seasoning. On Tuesdays,he observed a maun vrat (vow of silence),” she recalls. Her story,Yaada Mahatma Gandhiji Naal,also brings alive other characters out of history books and provides a first hand glimpse into some lighthearted moments of those tumultuous times. Kasturba Gandhi,Sushila Nayyar,Mahadev Desai and Pyare Lal make routine appearances in Singh’s stories.

About publishing her stories while well into her 80s,Singh explains how she has always wanted to write,but never got the opportunity earlier. “I’ve always written. When I fought with my husband,I used to write verse to him to make up,” she smiles.

Khushwant Singh,her husband’s first cousin,encouraged her to publish her work and has written the foreword for a volume of her short stories. Singh has lived in Delhi since before Independence and unlike most old timers,thinks the city has improved since her youth. “In the ’50s,it was very dirty and there were virtually no roads,” she says. “It’s more orderly now.”

Singh,a follower of the legendary poet-philosopher Bhai Vir Singh,has come out with two devotional albums based on his verse. She remains active in promoting ‘Punjabiat’ in Delhi. “The Government has allotted funds for a big building dedicated to Punjabi literature near Gole Market. The lane is also named after Bhai Vir Singh,” she says,and is currently serving on their committee.

Ramindra Ajit Singh’s books cost Rs 150 each. For more details call 26176507