By Col JC Sindhwani (Retd)
The month of October in Dehradun is a month full of multiple activities and celebrations. During this time of the year, besides the festivals like Dusshera and Deepavali and associated celebrations, it is a period when number of other events also line up to give the Doon Valley a non-stop back-to-back celebratory mood. Some of these events include Sports, Fetes, the Virasat Mela, Founder’s Days of a number of schools, Literature Festivals and so on. There is never a dull moment for the Doon Party – Festivities enthusiasts.
Our Garhwal Post covers all such events, and more with details and colourful pictures of all these. Besides, of course, the political happenings and their pictures too. So the reader is updated on all that goes on in the state. Today I am going to take our readers on a memory ride of some such events which will rake up recollections of those from around my vintage. My own cells got activated after reading about all the founder’s days/sports events of various schools.
I will start from the time I first went to school at St Joseph’s Academy. It was 1949 or 1950, not sure exactly, but I remember the Principal was Brother O’Brien, who was in the process of handing over charge to Bro CP Burke. I was therefore interviewed by both after the school Head Clerk, Mr Chakravarty led me in with my application. Got my admission to upper KG. Among the first to shake my hand and welcome me was Jeewan, who rang the bell to announce periods. He also carried the register of events to all classes which the class teachers would read out to students. From those early years I will mention some events at random which left a mark on the memory board.
One main event was the Annual Sports. We had a banner competition in which the best made class banner, its get-up, its caption etc., were evaluated and awards given. Sports events like the sack race, wheelbarrow race, spoon race, three-legged race and, of course, the track and field events, were all for us to take part in, and make our mark. There were also the District Football matches in which all local schools sent their teams. Our school team had an outstanding full back in Shashi Shamshere Rana, who would not allow any one near our team’s goalpost. Rana later went on to establish a new school, Cambrian Hall, near The Doon School. He was assisted by Mr Manwarring, who was a prominent staff member. He managed catering of boarders, the NCC Junior Division troop and many other portfolios. He was assisted by Mr Cottee, Mr BS Rawat and more. For our NCC Camps, we went to Jamnipur complex on Chakrata Road. And for the outstation camps we went to Lucknow camping sites like the Campbell Lines and Kitchner Lines. The other schools which sent their troops to participate in the camps were St George’s College, Mussoorie, and La Martiniere College, Lucknow. There were tough competitions in various events.
For some time, I was also a boarder. Our matrons were Mrs Rebelo for Junior Division and Mrs Charles for Senior Division dormitories. She was also incharge of our school medical room. Her standard punishment for any boy misbehaving anywhere was a dose of Castor Oil. Among our other teaching/supervisory staff were Brother Donovan, with a perpetual smile and accompanied by his Alsatian dog. Brother Duffy, Brother Mohany, Brother Fitzpatrick are some other names which come to memory. Then, of course, Brother Dooley who took over as Principal from Brother Burke. One event we as boarders looked forward to was the screening of films by Mr Rick on his 8mm projector every Friday. He carried his projector and a folding screen on his bicycle and was the most sought after person. Before any movie, he would show us popular Cartoons of Micky Mouse, Laurel and Hardy, Tom and Jerry, Marx Brothers, and so on. Then on certain days we were marched up to the good old Odeon Cinema, in proper squads, for regular movies. These were memorable classics. Some names which come to mind are Ivanhoe, Gone with the Wind, Ben Hur, The Robe, Dimitrious and the Gladiators, Ten Commandments and a whole lot of those hits in years gone by.
Wow, what a journey to the past on the wagon of the Mind, which stores so many memories. They come back from hibernation when raked up either when sitting with old school friends or reading about them. Also, when one gets to attend discussions at Literature Festivals or such events. I hope some old timers of that time would have identified with some of my memories numerated above. I end this journey here with fond regards to my Alma Mater.
(Col JC Sindhwani, Retd, is a resident of Dalanwala since Partition, whose family migrated from Sargodha. He was educated in SJA before joining the Army and retired in 1992)
