When Vajpayee became a fan of Umrao Jaan and kheer in Kolkata

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A former Jan Sangh member, Beriwala would host Vajpayee at his 167, C R Avenue residence whenever the leader came to Kolkata, prior to becoming the prime minister.

“He has seen my family members grow. He has been to this house so many times that he became one of my family members… He chaired so many important meetings in our drawing room and we always reserved a bedroom for him. He used to sleep in that room after having lunch and dinner with us. He considered us his family and we did the same. This continued for over four decades until he became the PM when he could not stay here anymore because of protocol. But even after becoming PM, he used to spend some time with our family at the airport or Raj Bhawan,” said Beriwala.

The room the former PM used to stay in. (Express photo/Partha Paul)

Beriwala had met Vajpayee in 1952 in Delhi at a meeting of Jan Sangh workers, and over time, they became close friends. “It was in 1956 when he first came to Beriwala House, as there was a norm in the party that a member of the party — while visiting another city — will stay at the house of another member… He used to eat homemade food and loved sweets. He used to ask my wife to cook something for him and he loved to eat golgappa and kheer,” said Beriwala.

Following this, Vajpayee would visit the house twice or thrice a year. Ghanshyam’s son, Kamal, said crucial meetings would be held at the house after the formation of BJP.

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“Those were closed-door meetings and we were not allowed inside the drawing room. Once the meeting was over, he never discussed anything political with us and always talked about normal things. He was a great personality who inspired every member of our family,” said Kamal, now a national executive member of BJP.

Vajpayee’s last visit to the house was in 1996. “My father had undergone bypass surgery for the second time and Vajpayee ji, who had then resigned as the prime minister, had visited him here. That was the last time he ever came here,” said Kamal.

While Beriwala House had hosted numerous leaders such as L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and others, the family was of the opinion that no one was quite like the former PM.

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“His simplicity and down-to-earth nature made him stand out from the rest. We also had gone out to watch movies in theatres,” recalled 83-year-old Shanti Devi, Ghanshyam’s wife.

However, the family had not met Vajpayee in the last few years as he was not keeping well. “In the last ten years, my father had once gone to Delhi to meet him. He was very ill then, but he had recognised my father and asked how he was,” said Kamal.

As television channels aired news of Vajpayee’s demise, Ghanshyam retired to his room, taking an old photo album with him. “At last, he is relieved of his pain. May his soul rest in peace. His memories are all that are left with us now,” he said.