It would be prudent to recall My Father's Life Journey as it has been exactly one year since he left us. My Father G S Rajhans (Gouri Shankar Rajhans)'s Life Journey was woven around a fabric that was strong and steady cruising at a speed that irked none and mirroring enough dollops of patience, perseverance and promise. When faced with odds he had a knack to raise wall of success thanks to long spell of fortitude and fervour at every deciding moment. Born little before India Gained Independence he was second among four brothers going by the names Dr Shiv Shankar Rajhans, Dr Gouri Shankar Rajhans, Karuna Shankar Rajhans and Gyan Shankar Rajhans and each recording a feat in their respective sphere that was hard to erase. The bonhomie shared by four brothers was time and again recalled by elderly in the streets of Sultanganj and beyond. From Sultanganj in Bihar State In India to Safdarjung Enclave in New Delhi the life journey had its share of ups and downs. Life is a journey of evolution, spell of defeats and spell of merriment are part and parcel and one has to see this all with feet firmly on ground was what nudged him to cover varied chapters of life. The fire in the belly was hard to stop and that led him to acquire prominence in fields as different as Writer/Novelist, Polity And Diplomacy.
Sojourn In Kashmir To Stay In South India
From sojourn in Kashmir to stay in South India all proceedings were well and truly recorded in different novels that he time and again penned. He was a source of inspiration for many including those on the margins of society and this was duly noted when he was an MP from a constituency in Bihar with extempore speeches goading many into action. He taking his constituency people to medical centres in New Delhi every now and then and addressing the grievances of those who came for relief were high points of his Parliament Days. The air service going by the name Vayudoot in the '80s and hellish journey experienced by many saw him raise the same in Parliament and that won him more admirers. As a diplomat in Laos and Cambodia he shined and was in constant touch with his brothers who were proud of strides he had recorded. Anecdotes of Asian Nations diplomats from Philippines to Indonesia to Vietnam he cherished much and I being in Cambodia in October 1995 to January 1996 had seen it all. He giving farewell speech for US Ambassador Charles H Twining I can recall. During his stint I had the opportunity to travel to Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia (Angkor Wat Included).
Well Read And Well Travelled
My Father G S Rajhans was a well read and well travelled man having been to North Carolina University At Chapel Hill in the capacity of a Fulbright Scholar, having touched patches of Europe during this stint and later having travelled across Turkey, Mainland China and Hong Kong as part of Parliamentary Delegation. Tales of emancipation that emerged from such visits were duly recorded by him in different write ups at different point of time. Dislocation in life is something each one of us goes through and here he essayed a narrative that respect to all and respect to one should guide us through irrespective of how deep is the pain and how long is the suffering. Hardships of commoner he understood well and his writings are a true reflection of that.
Two Incidents Of My Visits To South India And West India I Recall
Two incidents come to my mind while recalling my association with My Father. It is December 29, 2001 and I leave by G T Express Train for Gudur to reach Tirumala In Andhra Pradesh State In India. Having reached Tirumala and stayed there for almost a week my interactions with My Father was through landline and he took pride in the fact that my stay in Tirumala was minus hiccups and truly rewarding and this spiritual centre too had been visited by him in the early '80s and later in the '90s. In January 2007 I am in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra State In India and here too we interacted through landline and here he put in a word that I should put in a prayer for my two sisters as well. My stay in Ahmednagar was well over five days. These two visits saw me come into my elements and I still vividly recall my interactions with My Father.
Coaxing Me To Go Through Editorials
During my school days My Father often persuaded me to go through editorials of Hindustan Times each day something that would bring clarity and chiselled thoughts. His stint in Hindustan Times though a mixed bag but definitely a stepping stone to gain traction in life. My Father had seen it all I traversing Nashik to Nathdwara, Somnath to Srisailam, Rameswaram to Madurai in different parts of India with a mission to explore the country I am in. He would often prod me to go through each chapters of Discovery Of India book to know the thought process that led India to gain Independence. He shared camaraderie with leaders cutting across party lines be it UPA or NDA Front. His writings mirrored the narratives the two fronts worked with. His narration of tales of Freedom Fighters Of India to his Father Jaideo Rajhans and he recalling those moments are still fresh in my memory. Whenever his younger brother Gyan Rajhans visited him he looked back at the days spent in Sultanganj and untiring efforts put by parents Jaideo Rajhans and Kiran Mai Rajhans in raising the four sons. He rose to excel and with a mission to bring before the powers that be the adverse circumstances that a commoner has to put up with. And in this endeavour his stories showcased a country that aspired to gain prominence in the comity of nations.
A Prayer To Him Is A Prayer To Lord And Wherever He Is He Would Guide Us.
YEDU KONDALWADA VENKATRAMNA GOVINDA GOVINDA
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