The Birth of Sacred Heart Convent School, Jamshedpur

World War II had ended in the early 1940s. This was followed by severe depression all over the world including India and certainly in Jamshedpur. It took time for the country to start rising again. Yet, Jamshedpur grew. By 1945 it had the R.D. Tata School, K.M.P.M. School and a school for English speaking Anglo-Indians started and run by Mrs. Rosemeyer, in Sakchi. A few years later this school shifted to Bistupur and went on to become the present St. Mary’s English School. Many students were privileged to have studied in Mrs. Rosemeyer’s school. 

However, there were many families that wanted a better education for their girls, which was not really available in Jamshedpur. So they sent their children to St. Joseph’s Convent in Cuttack. My aunt Ulrick went there in the mid 1930s and so did many others around that time. Other popular schools were St. Helen’s, Kurseong, and Loreto Convent in Asansol. All these were actually hostels and parents had to be able to afford to send their children there. In this situation, many families felt the need for a good missionary school in Jamshedpur.

1944 – A group of five Goans and Mangaloreans – socially active citizens of Jamshedpur who realized that their children, especially the girls, would have to leave the city to study – got together to look at the possibility of producing a school that would provide the education they wanted for their children. This group consisted of –

         1      .      Mr. Joaquim Dias – Superintendent of Plate Mill, TISCO

         2      .      Mr. Eddie Gomes – Manager, Electrical, TISCO

         3      .      Mr. G.F.L. Rebello – Manager & Expert in the Rolling Mill, TISCO

         4      .      Mr. T.B. Domingo – Administrator, Town Office

         5      .      Mr. John P. D’Costa – A1 Civil & Fabrication contractor

All had daughters and, in fact, Mr. Dias had already sent his twin girls to St. Helen’s, Kurseong.

The next step was to decide which missionary group should be invited to start their school in Jamshedpur. Initially it was suggested to approach the Sisters of Loreto from Ireland who had prestigious institutions in Calcutta. As the cry for independence was coming loud and clear, it was unanimously agreed to invite the Apostolic Carmel order from Mangalore. An added advantage was that Mr. G.F.L. Rebello’s sister-in-law, Sr. Theodosia, was the Superior General of the Congregation.

The Carmelite sisters accepted this proposition and made history by agreeing to stay at the Boulevard Hotel when they first set foot in our city.

Having identified a place to start the institution, the sisters asked for at least 25 students to begin with.

This loyal band of five went from house to house requesting that the family send their four year old daughters to the proposed school. The families that agreed requested that the children be picked up and dropped off. Once again, the band of five rose to the occasion – and the first phase of this epic journey began.

The school shifted through several places including 5, Beldih Triangle, CNR Club (Chhotanagpur Rifles Club), Dhatkidih High School and Dalma Villa.

The CNR Club was finally given to Loyola School.

  

Lady Roshan Ghandy

Lady Roshan Ghandy intervened in this search for a permanent site and encouraged Sir J.J. Ghandy to allot a large plot directly opposite their bungalow.

Sir J.J. Ghandy laid the foundation stone for the current site on 7^th May, 1949.

Unfortunately Lady Roshan Ghandy fell sick just before the inauguration. On the 12^th of January, 1952 – the day of the inauguration – the preparations were already in place. Mr. Eddie Gomes, the electrical engineer, produced a simple mechanism that could electrically move the curtain hiding the marble plaque. The switch operating the motor was set up in Lady Ghandy’s bedroom. At the auspicious time she pressed the switch. The signal was conveyed to the device set up at the entrance of the school, the motor started and it pulled the curtains apart declaring the school open.

Architecturally the elevation has an open, welcoming look. Two arms extend from the middle as if to say “Welcome” to all who enter !

Thanks to the group of five, girls like Rita, Ratna, Rita Mukherjee, Adele Domingo, Zabita Saldanha, Philomena Gomes, Celine D’Costa and many others never had to leave town to attend school.

In 1968, Bishop Lawrence T. Picachy recognized the contribution of this group of five and recommended to the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI, that they be recognized for their service to the citizens of Jamshedpur. On the 22^nd of October, 1968, Pope Paul VI bestowed the Papal Order of St. Gregory (Knighthood) on –

·         T.B. Domingo

·         John Peter D’Costa

The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice was conferred upon –

·         Eddie Gomes

·         G.F.L. Rebello

·         Joaquim Dias

#jamshedpur#sacred_heart_convent#sacred_heart_convent_jamshedpur#Pro_Ecclesia#Knighthood#St._Gregory#john_dcosta#picachy#dcosta#Rosemeyer#St Mary's##Sr_Theodosia

Bharucha Mansion, Jamshedpur

K.M. Bharucha, 1908 – 1952

A strikingly tall, twenty four year old, dressed in a conservative suit, was sitting at the Taj Mahal Hotel looking at the Gateway of India. He had returned after spending 6 years in Yokohama and Shanghai. The major trading centres of the East. It was strikingly adventurous for a young Parsee to have set out to seek his fortune when he was 18 years old. He had returned experienced in the ways of the world and thought that he would work in India’s best hotel which had already introduced lifts and electricity.

Just a chance meeting with Dorab Tata, J.N. Tata’s elder son, and he accepted a new challenge and adventure to help build a steel plant in Sakchi, Kalimati. Along with a hardy group of about 6 Indians, they formed the local backbone of the Tata Iron and Steel Company and were rewarded by seeing it thrive through several situations including two World Wars.

Khorshed Maneckji Bharucha dug his heels in the environment then known as Sakchi. He was responsible for the handling of the cash and therefore the labour payments. This was an important responsibility since at any point of time during the entire construction period, weekly labourers could go up to 4000 ‘rejas’ (female workers) and ‘coolies’ (the males).

Weekly payments began on Saturday morning and went on till late evening.

Khurshed Maneckji Bharucha ceremonially made himself comfortable in front of a table, impeccably dressed in a suit as if he was still at the Taj Mahal Hotel. He had a loaded double-barreled rifle resting on his chair. To add to his reputation as a dog lover and as a tough and sometimes erratic man, there would be two large dogs lying on either side.

Cash payments were complicated since calculations involved 4 pies equalled to 1 pice, 4 pice equalled 1 anna and 16 annas equalled 1 Rupee.

In the early days, very few weekly wages of labourers reached even one Rupee payment and were mostly in the annas and pice. KM Bharucha was unable to give the last bit of pies due to lack of change and this remained in a kitty.

When he walked back home, he distributed these to the beggars on the road as recalled by Adil Gazder, his grandson. Another not so favourable legend suggested by a very senior retired TISCO manager suggested that the takings from the kitty subsidized the Rs 4 lakhs required to build the Bharucha Mansion.

Khorshed, the first Indian Chief Cashier at Tata Steel, had a vision to provide accommodation for young Parsees who came for jobs in the company. In the early 1930s he got permission to build an 11 storey structure. It was of a unique polygonal architecture and design. TISCO had left over girders and beams from the Howrah Bridge which were offered to the employees. Under the leadership of architects A. Dinshaw, a Parsi, and C.C. Bayigle, a British, the building was constructed. It took three years to complete.

The structure was made of steel and clad with bricks and the partition walls were created with “Surki” – limestone and brick mix, quite similar to the design of the General Office.

It needed courage to build such a huge structure in 1933 which was then a lonely area where only the Bank of India, Burmah Shell petrol pump and Tiwary Bechar stood. The general manager of TISCO inquired whether he would like to change his mind and build instead in the “occupied” part which was probably what is now the Circuit House area (old). The determined Khorshed stuck to his decision and left behind an inspiring landmark for our city.

Today, Bharucha Mansion stands like a colossus welcoming those entering Bistupur from Northern Town. This brave, adventurous man took a gamble, and won. He left an edifice to inspire the citizens of our city to dream and create, boldly risk and be rewarded.

A few years later, along with Minoo Patel a prominent businessman, he opened the first cinema hall in the city. REGAL TALKIES, with its large welcoming lobby, heralded the latest entertainment that captured the imagination of the world. 

Although K.M. passed away in 1950 at 66, his wife actively took up the reins of running the mansion and the cinema hall. She inherited some of KMs adventurous spirit. She was the first lady to have a driving license and owned a Plymouth. They had only one son, Fido, a bachelor, who retired from TISCO and was also the secretary of Beldih Club. 

KM again showed his concern for the Parsee community by actively searching and creating the ‘aramgarh’ at the edge of the riverside.

He rose to be a ‘Worshipful Master’ in lodge Darius and like most distinguished citizens of the town, was a member of the Indian Auxilliary Force in existence from World War I with Sir J.J. Ghandy being the Commander.

He is a part of the spirit of our city, a disciplined, erratic but kind soul. He struggled and lived the first few years in a tent around the CNR Club but, in his time, strove to make our city a better place by dreaming to gift an edifice that has become the best known a landmark of Jamshedpur called Bharucha Mansion or Regal Mansion.

We salute this pioneer today.

Credits :

Adil Gazder (grandson of KM Bharucha) for very relevant information on Mr. Bharucha, Dr. B. Master for sharing the book ‘Parsees in Jamshedpur’, Dr. J.J. Irani & Dicky Mody for their illuminating insights.

Illustrations by Shania Silver, Std. VII, Sacred Heart Convent School

#Bharucha#Regal#Parsee#Khorshed#Kalimati#Mansion#Jamshedpur#heritage##1950#jamshedpur_heritage#Bharucha_Mansion

Jamshedpur Heritage

 

The importance of the Beldih Baptist House, Beldih Triangle

Hundred years for an Indian city is not remarkable and our city, Jamshedpur, is the younger progeny of Chaibasa, Chakradharpur, Seraikela and even Sini.

And this is a story of how a young, persuasive, Irishman convinced the early planners who had already put their stake to set up the Tata Iron and Steel plant in Sini to shift less than thirty kilometers to the East to what he described as Utopia for an iron and steel plant.

John Lawrence Keenan in his book, “A Steel Man in India”, introduces V. P. Piggott, who was sent to India in desperation by his “wealthy land owning parents” to make his fortune. 

He heard about three consultants who were deciding to set up the proposed Tata steel plant in Sini.

He located their tent and stood outside in his old Khaki shorts and his dirty shirt. Charles Perin’s men – geologist C.M. Weld and Srinivas Rao – ignored this dirty ragamuffin loafer and called him in after a long time.

He convinced them to take the train to Kalimati station where three horses were waiting for Weld, Rao and himself.

They rode to where the two rivers, Kharkhai and Subhanarekha, meet, rode to the highest point of this shrub-filled land, Sakchi village.

They were told that he, V. P. Piggott, owned this initial 25 acres of land of the Midnapore Zemindary Company and could be leased for $ 31.25 (Rs. 125) a year.

The representatives of the Tata were treated to a sumptuous lunch with long cooling drinks and the deal was confirmed with Piggott.

John Keenan states “I lived in a bungalow on the site of that lunch”. This is the Parson’s house of Beldih Baptist Church, opposite Beldih Club.

John L. Keenan who retired in 1935 as General Manager with the Tata Iron and Steel Company lived in this spacious house till 1922. When he returned from long leave he gave up his dwelling to the Pastor of the church and moved to a D/6 type bungalow opposite the Beldih lake and next to Lawrence Durrell – the dynamic contractor who played a major role in the first “great expansion of Jamshedpur” (1918–1926). His son, Gerald Durrell, proudly claimed that he was born in Jamshedpur. He went on to be an internationally famous author, and his most famous book is “My Family and other Animals”.

This heritage spot changed the thinking of M/s  Charles Perin, C.M. Weld and Srinivas Rao, our early planners, and this spot must be marked as our first Heritage Site.

Fortunately, the current occupants have not modified the original elevation and must be urged to honour the spot.

Ref. : 'A Steel Man in India' by John L. Keenan

Illustrations : Shania Silver, Std. VII, Sacred Heart Convent, School, Jamshedpur

#Jamshedpur#heritage#Beldih#John#Keenan#Lawrence#Durrell#Piggott@Jamshedpur

Valley of Flowers trek - August 2018

No doubt we would not have attempted this difficult trek if it was not for Blue Poppy. They reassured us, guided us and helped us to decide to take this arduous trip.

They were very prompt in their replies and gave us very practical suggestions. There were a lot of horror stories from well wishers about landslides, torrential rains and a very tedious trek.  But we decided to go.

 

Our group leader Ronny

The entire experience was from 2^nd August to 12^th August.

We left Tata on the 2^nd of August by Rajdhani at 4 pm and reached New Delhi the next day at 11 am. The Jan Shatabdi for Hardiwar left New Delhi at 3:20 pm and reached Haridwar at 8 pm. As per the terms with Blue Poppy, the package started from accommodation at the hotel in Haridwar. Therefore, we had to find our own way at an exorbitant cost of Rs. 1,000 in an Innova for a 7 km ride !

 

Stop for breakfast

A Landslide

However, the hotel – Clarks Inn Brinjal – was comfortable though there was a slightly musty odour. However, the rooms and linen, towels, etc. were clean. We were served a wholesome and satisfying vegetarian dinner that made up for the expensive ride.

The next morning our tour vehicle – a Tempo Traveller – was ready for departure at 6 o’ clock. We left for Joshimath at 6:10. A journey which would normally have taken 8 to 10 hours as we were told, took us 14 ½ hours with two stops for landslides to be cleared (during one of which we had our breakfast) and another stop for lunch. Since we were already late at Joshimath – 8:30 pm – they decided that it would be better to travel another one hour to reach Govindghat. That made the entire journey one of 15 ½ hours !

We were checked into Hotel Badrish which was very comfortable and had running hot water ! A vegetarian buffet dinner was already served for all the tourists – Blue Poppy as well others.

Ready to start

View from outside our hotel in Govindghat

On the morning of the 5^th, we awoke to a clear sunny day and were prepared for the long trek to Ghangaria. We set out at 9 o’clock driving towards Pulna village – the furthest point accessible by driving. However, the sound of a helicopter distracted us. Being a clear day, the helicopter service was operating ! Our guide offered the option of a helicopter ride (at extra cost, of course). It turned out to be Rs. 2,850 per person. Without hesitation, we decided on the chopper ride ! The necessary formalities took barely ten minutes – the weight of each person was checked, the money paid and we were ready to board. The maximum number of people allowed on each flight was five and each person was allowed upto 5 kg of luggage.

We were more than compensated for the long, tedious bus ride of the previous day. In less than ten minutes we were at Ghangaria – an exciting flight weaving through the gaps in the mountains, looking down at the river wending its way through the valley.

We landed in Ghangaria at 9:30 and trekked up half a km to our hotel – Hotel Preetam.

Though the entrance was not very attractive, our rooms were spacious and comfortable. Steaming hot water came in a bucket when requested, as much as and at any time we wanted – early morning as well as at night. Blankets were sufficient. A tip...lay out one on the bed and get in and cover yourself with the other – advice from a Sherpa.

We spent the rest of the day getting familiar with our surroundings, the shops, and enjoying the views of the mountains from the other end of the village. The Uttarakhand Tourism Office offers a half hour curtain raiser video on the valley of flowers for a small charge.

Books on the flowers are available and recommended.

Ponchos and a walking stick are a must and can be purchased from Govindghat. So is rain protection for your knapsacks.

On the 6^th of August we trekked to the Valley of Flowers. We started at 7:00 am. By eleven we reached our destination. We spent 90 minutes of pure ecstasy in this environment – a green carpet with a bed of flowers – pink, red, yellow, blue, maroon, purple !

Now the trek up is not easy. Mules are not allowed in the valley. For the strong hearted – you can sit on a chair strapped to the back of a Sherpa - Rs. 2,000 (suggested), or on a palanquin with four carriers – Rs. 7,000 (suggested). But first test yourself out and, like me, avoid the temptation and you will be so pleased and proud that you made it !

Looking back, I would like to have gone up twice – the second time, maybe on a ‘pithu’ (one man chair).

We skipped going to Hemkund Sahib and left Ghangaria a day earlier. Our objective was VOF.

Ghangaria is damp, humid and cold – about 7^oC. Clothes do not dry. Carrying a hair dryer is highly recommended to combat the dampness in the air. There is a facility that dries shoes and clothes around a fire for Rs. 100 - 300 a piece.

Meals at the restaurant, though vegetarian, are fresh and tasty, and also reasonably priced. Eggs can be ordered separately. We loved the tomato soup, served with croutons and cream…yum.

The meals included in the package were served at Hotel Priya next door. The breakfast, lunch and dinner were tasty and wholesome.

The township is at 10,200 ft and the valley is at 11,200 ft. We needed to carry a warm jacket and a water-proof jacket with a hood over it. Those who didn’t could hire one at Rs 250/day from a shop opposite Pritam hotel.

The plastic ponchos available are flimsy and tear easily. The next time I go trekking, I would invest in a warm water-proof hooded jacket from Quechua (and they are not cheap !) and quick drying trousers from brands like Colombia.

Shoes must have the feature of letting the water out, and be rugged since we will be walking up and down at many places at 45^o to 60^o angles. Some ladies used plastic rain shoes which were very comfortable and easily withstood the arduous climb. We carried an additional pair of closed sandals in our knapsacks. Carry a 500 ml bottle of water as you will sweat profusely while climbing. We didn’t see the necessity of carrying any snacks, although we did carry some.

Taking photographs is a problem throughout the trek as it’s almost always drizzling. So we used a hybrid system. My MOTO G phone is water resistant and more so with its plastic back cover. It’s easier to manage, too.

Next, I loaned my Canon Powershot  SX710HS to a companion. This was very convenient and could be taken out of our pockets easily.

Cameras and photographs are extremely important to make us re-live the journey.

A Rainbow says au revoir

Some after thoughts…

Overall, on the way back, we should have arrived in Haridwar early morning and taken the train immediately, or used a hotel at Haridwar – like Hotel Shivmurti at Rs. 1,200 per night for one room.

We would have been better off carrying an extra hair dryer, plastic rain shoes (fancy climbing boots get wet and soggy) and a rain cover for our knapsacks.

Flip flops and sandals important.

A warm rain jacket which is a two in one would be better than a poncho.

#Valley_of_flowers_#Govindghat#Ghangaria#jamshdpur#dcosta#trek