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LAL CHOWK HUB OF POLITICS, HISTORY & SOCIAL LIFE In KASHMIR || By Vijay Wattal || LIVE IMAGE |
LAL CHOWK, the very
name creates a sort of sensation in those people who are over the age of 60
years. LAL CHOWK is the heart of Srinagar what Cannaught place is
to New Delhi and Bond street to London. LAL CHOWK got its name after Communist
Leader B P L Bedi came to Srinagar and is considered the founder of Communist
Party of India in the valley. It is synonymous with the RED SQUARE OF
MOSCOW.
It was around 1945 – 46. A hard core Communist he spread his ideology
among the youngsters who by their education had become progressive and
liberated in their outlook.
What was the previous name of LAL Chowk nobody
could answer whom this writer approached.
LAL CHOWK essentially is a
round circular place with a few buildings.Slowly with the passage of time it
was encircled by numerous markets. In this circular area many things have
happened especially after 1947 which have made history.
PALLADIUM CINEMA
Veteran Journalist Late
Sh. S P Sahini , in his book writes That there were only 3 journalists who
would go for the Press briefing of the new Government , namely —– Sh.
R.K.Kak, Sh. N L Wattal besides S. P Sahini.The first vital decisions by the
new government were taken in Palladium cinema.
Palladium Cinema is the
most important landmark of LAL CHOWK.It was owned by Bhai Anant Singh .He had 2
sons Surrinder Singh and Krishan Gopal. Later on Surinder
Singh became the owner and Krishan Gopal became the owner of SHIRAZ
Cinema.It will be interesting for the readers to know when Sheikh Mohd Abdullah
was appointed Head of Administration Palladium Cinema became the office of
Prime minister ( as Chief Minister was those called).
on PUNJAB HOTEL)
A historical fact is
attached to this building.In 1947 while the Indian army was pushing back the
raiders Pt. NEHRU came to Srinagar.
One school of historians
say that it was Sheikh Abdullah who spoke in the United Nations about
PLEBESITE. ( I stand corrected).
The next important
landmark of LAL CHOWK is Punjab Muslim Hotel ( later on Punjab Hotel).
The three storey imposing large building is next to Palladium Cinema. In pre
1947 period it was owned by Non Kashmiri Pujabi Muslim.It is said the owners
were running a hotel.
Besides the Hotel it was the Head office of ALLIED CHIRAG
DIN & SONS ,the main and big transporters who ran passenger bus
service between Srinagar and Rawalpindi.
Sheikh Mohd Abdullah the then head of
administration organised a public meeting in lal chowk . An improvised
small stage nearly 2 storey high was made in front of Punjab Hotel
building with the sole purpose that Pt. NEHRU should be visible to the huge
crowd which had assembled to hear him about the future of Kashmir.
A photograph
of that meeting which has been misplaced shows Pt. Nehru speaking sitting in
back is Sheikh Mohd Abdullah in a chair. Sitting behind Sheikh are two
gentlemen with their attention concentrated on their notebooks noting down
the contents of the speech. The two gentlemen are then Srinagar based
journalists ——– Respected Sh. R K. KAK & Sh. N L WATTAL.
Carried away
by the huge cheering crowd Pt Nehru assured the audience that KASHMIRIS will
decide the fate of Kashmir by PLEBESITE.
The other school of historians says that it was
Pt. Nehru who spoke first of PLEBESITE. The decision is left to the readers. Coming back to the owners
of Punjab Hotel .
With the folding up of the transport business most of the men
and women of the family opted for Pakistan. A young man with two or three
ladies decided to stay back. The young man was a tall six footer always
immaculately dressed and apparently was not doing any work. After sometime he
committed suicide.
CHAURASIA PAN HOUSE
The most vital and important
landmark of LAL CHOWK. This was/is a place where Rich and poor,
bureaucrats and their subordinates , Ministers and commoners , people
irrespective of cast creed and religion would rub shoulders to have PAN . The
shop is corner shop of the line , so small hardly one could sit.
The owners
were either from Bihar or U.P. The owner a dark faced serious looking
person with dark glasses would make the PANS and handover to the Pan lovers
without exchanging a word. It is reported that the owners built a vast empire
on this PAN business.
SACRED RELIC AGITATION
LAL CHOWK became the hub
of SACRED RELIC AGITATION when it was alleged to have been removed from its
place in HAZRATBAL SHRINE.The year was 1962 0r 1963 ( I stand corrected ).
The
removal shook the whole nation .Sh. Lal Bhadur Shastri was flown specially to
Srinagar for this purpose with a big troupe of Intelligence officers from IB
and CBI. LAL CHOWK became the centre of agitation .
A stage was erected and with
it the daylong speeches were made . The speakers were young and old, from
different parties , individuals .It was the beginning of winter grass
chatties ( mats) were spread all over the chowk for the public.
Some of the
journalists who used to cover the proceedings had to sit on the round railing
of City Bus Service stand.It took nearly 3 -4 weeks to find the
relic.
CITY BUS STAND
This landmark of LAL CHOWK
came into existence with the arrest of Sheikh Mohd Abdullah in 1953 and
Bakshi Ghulam Mohd becoming the Prime Minister ( As Chief Minister
was those days called) of the state.
Till then Tongas were the main source of
transportation. The Tongawallas to show their solidarity with Sheikh Mohd
Abdullah stopped plying Tongas as a mark of protest. The city became
handicapped in the absence of Tongas.
This provoked Bakshi who brought out
buses from the Govt. Transport to ply as City Bus service to different
routes from LAL CHOWK.A roofed stand was constructed for the passengers. With
the passage of time the stand was removed and with the city bus service came to
an end.
With the passage of time
LAL CHOWK slowly lost its importance with the emergence of Regal chowk. The
COFFEE HOUSE became the main attraction of young and old , politicians ,
businessmen, intellectuals, journalists, rich and poor .
The COFFEE HOUSE
was a comfortable place with good seating arrangement . Old timers say that in
the beginning Coffee was sold to the customers just for 25 PAISE.
( I stand
corrected).
V.K. WATTAL
(Feedback at: vkwattal1234@gmail.com )
The writer is NCR/UP based and a regular contributor to this Website .
