Looking Back continues....Chapter 1- I am Rejected at Birth


Sometime in the years 1866-68, James Lyall, who later on became the Lt. Governor of the Punjab as Sir James Lyall, came to Tika Nagrota as the Settlement Officer of the district for making revenue assessment on the lands of the village.

He told Chhajju Shah that he was prepared to settle on him 200 acres of forest land at a nomi- nal revenue assessment. The generosity of the offer had no effect on the Shah. He was content with his sahukara business and had no interest in land, which in those days, was more a burden than an asset.

Even when Sir James explained to him that in days to come each pine tree would sell for at least a rupee, thus earning for him lakhs of rupees, Chhajju Shah was not persuaded. Lyall then entered about 20 acres of forest area as Chhajju Shah’s pro- perty which now serves as a grazing area and meets the fuel re- quirements of his descendents.

The Shah had money-lending dealings with a rich and influential family of Pathania Rajputs living in a village nearby. The head of this family was a former palace guard of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. After the death of that great Maharaja, when loot, murder, arson and anarchy reigned supreme, the Pathania Rajput also did his bit in collecting booty. He brought to his village lots of gold, silver, coins etc. Having settled in his village, he began to run through his treasure by spending it on village feasts and the like.

On all such occasions when thousands of rupees were spent, Chhajju Shah was his financier and manager. It is said that Chhajju Shah, who had the good of the prodigal’s family at heart, ventured to suggest to the Mian on one such occasion that he should not squan- der away his wealth in this manner.

This roused the Rajput to such ungovernable fury that he unsheathed his sword to chop off the head of the Shah, a lean, short-statured individual who was no match for the hefty Pathania Rajput.

To be continued....