Accepted - After 12 Years continues.......

My mother had been at Sujanpur, her parental home, but had hastened to her husband’s side on learning the news.

The headquarters of the district were now shifted from Dharam- sala to Nurpur. After his recovery, my father made Bhadwar his headquarters, and attended courts at Nurpur, Kangra, Palampur and elsewhere.

After my accidental escape from death in the earthquake, I matriculated from the Central Model School, Lahore, in 1906. I had always taken interest in hockey and cricket. Hockey had been recently introduced in schools. I now joined the Government College, Lahore, which was then under Principal Robson, a great disciplinarian and educationist. I enjoyed my stay at the Govern- ment College thoroughly. For a very short period I was a resident student and lived in the Quadrangle.

But for the greater part of my four years at the Government College, I stayed with Bakhshi Tek Chand in his house at Hospital Road. There used to be a Halwai (sweetmeat seller) in Anarkali close to the house where Bakshi Tek Chand—who had by now started his own practice as a lawyer—lived. While on my way to college I invariably spent a part of my pocket money on the Halwa from this Halwai.

The confectioner was an expert in Halwa making. He only made one big plateful of Halwa early in the morning. When it was sold out in a couple of hours, he went home, content with the money he had made. Students in those days loved Halwa, Kulfi—ice cream and milk sweetened with rose sherbat.

The Government College led in games. The University Hockey Shield became its monopoly for some time as it emerged winner in the hockey tournaments year after year; and the Cricket Shield too. The Forman Christian College kept the football Shield for a time. I played hockey, tennis and joined in athletics. I ran cross- country, relay, hundred yards and obstacle races and became secre- tary of the hockey club. I represented the college in hockey during my last two years at college.


To be continued.....