Roses in December -Dehradun ,New Years and Christmas !!

I grew up in Dehradun (though I was born in Burma )which is a pretty town lying about 240 kms from Delhi  and just 21 kms  from the Queen of hill stations Mussoorie .Haridwar is 47 kms away . It was a town which once  historically was a part of Nepal but was annexed by the British after the Anglo Nepalese War (1814-1816) A substantial number of Britishers and Anglo Indans   settled down  here  because it reminded them of England. At one time ,one could not buy property in certain parts  of  the town unless one was a Britisher or a Anglo Indian .Many  retired people made it their abode-mostly people who had served in the Indian  Railways during the British time  ,tea planters and even some school teachers (Miss Lumsden for sure !!).It also has a huge Tibetan  and  Nepalese  population now .It was called a town of green hedges and grey hair and a town in which more people died rather than got married .I grew up in beautiful, green ,sunny ,mountainous Dehradun .Our house was and is still on the fringes of the Rajaji Game Sanctuary.

Not surprisingly the town had a English speaking culture .The bus conductors ,the scooter richshaw drivers and even some of the old cobblers and mobile bakers , spoke in English –albeit not the way the Queen would speak ,but surely good  enough to be understood .Not surprisingly the town had some of the best schools the country could boast of –St Josesphs (my school), Doon ,Convent of Jesus and Mary,and Welhams leading the pack .We had Irish brothers teaching us and so were our Principals –Irish .Winds of change started  towards the end of the 60s when some home  Brothers started to “infiltrate” into the system .The smouldering embers of colonialism could be felt and seen in the way we celebrated the festivals .I do remember Diwali and Holi of the 60s –but what I remember most vividly is Christmas and New Years  eve .I remember the town being decked and people going around wishing each other  .The festivals were more public than private like we have now .

If Christmas and New Years was such a important event –it stands to reason that the confectionary of the town had to rise to these occasions .Because what is Christmas without a plum cake .!!And I can say with absolute honesty that I have never been able to get the quality of buns ,bread ,pastries and cakes like the ones that we used to get in the Dehradun of the 60s and maybe of the 70s (when major demographic changes started to take place for various reasons –one of them being that the Anglo Indian families started to dissappear either due to death (Lumsden,Messenger,Col Adams ,Flasskett ,Mr and Mrs Monk and many more ),or because they migrated back to their parent country.I have travelled a lot around some of the biggest and oldest cities of the world –but I haven’t ever come across the quality of the confectioners of the 60s in Dehradun .Milkmade (later the name was changed to Elloras),Standard ,Sunrise ,and Grand (in Paltan Bazaar),were stand out bakeries and good old Central Stores dished out the best bacon,ham and sausages that one could ever get .In Scotland about 2 years back I ordered a breakfast with ham and sausages –and amazingly they smelt and tasted like the ones of Central Stores .These days in the age of calories intake –the ham and bacon with cuts of fat on them are hardly available !!

There also was a Club –The Doon Club .It was the only Club during our times and my father was a member of it.Sometimes he would take us to it (though he liked to go alone there because he loved to drink and play “Teen Patti”!!-which he probably thought was a bad thing for children to see !!).It was a typical British kind of Club –a bigger and more elaborate version of a old pub in England .One could get the amazing  aroma which was a mix of cigarette smoke and alchohol(oh I simply love it and make it a point to buy Cigar and Whiskey after shaves and mix them !!) and food !!Old British “burra sahibs”,would enter it and stand at the door while either the bar boys or the valets peeled of their overcoats and hung them on the pegs .But they always removed their top hats on their own .I don’t know what has happened to the Doon Club –but I am sure it must have been overrun by the feisty and boisterous crowd that one gets to see in lets say Chelmsford  or Panch Sheel Clubs  in Delhi .Please do try to appreciate the fact that there is a difference between a club ,a hotel,a restaurant,or a motel .I think if the Doon Club exists –it is a living dead .The clientele that made it so special has long left the world .

Then there were restaurants .Again very British .Royal Café(which used to be next to Orient movie hall and owned by the Pasrichas I think)),used to have a crooner entertain us while we dined .We always asked the beautiful lady  to sing “Qay Surra Surra (Doris Day ).There was a small dance floor –enough for 3 couples to dance ,and mostly  gentlemen cadets or the army personnel would occupy it .And the  music was soft -not noisy .The fastest one could dance –was the “twist”.!!Once in a while we would also go and do the twist !!but mostly it was ballroom music that was played out –“Aaage bhi jaaney na tu ,job hi hai –yahi ek pal hai”.Ah wonderful memories .Apart from Royal Café –there was Napoli where we would go mostly for Noodles .There was also a juke box to entertain you .Put a coin and listen to your favourite number.And of course my fathers  favourite   eating joint –Moti Mahal which was so ably run by the Ahluwalias .It still is there –and must be among the only restaurants that have stood its ground as  brands have sprouted and overrun the city.Fish and chips –typical British meal –was our favourite ,though they also served tomato fish and peas  of high quality .The restaurant is now managed by the son who went to college with me and is a good friend .I had the pleasure of having food in the restaurant a few years back .I was lost in memories .

As Christmas is now in the past and New Year approaches  ,I am tempted to compare the change that has taken place over the decades in the way these days are celebrated  .In many cities in which I lived –these festivities  have got noisier  and unruly .They are celebrated but there is a difference in the way they are celebrated  .Its like the difference between the music which is played by a band in a baraat in a wedding and the music that is played in a concert  in Vienna  .As for me ,I always remember the celebrations in  the last week of the year as we celebrated them in Dehradun  in the 60s and 70s .I know that  they are never going to be celebrated  the way I would love them to be .Call me a orphan of the British Raj in India .Call me anything .But I no longer celebrate these days .Maybe a bottle of wine  with some fish and chips made at home .And  listen to Doris Day and “Aaagey bhi  jaane na tu”.And then drive down to see the fireworks at midnight at Burj Khalifa .I am told they are quite spectacular .

But nonetheless –“Happy New Year”.I hope all of you have a great year and each of you try to be what you are meant to be .Dont try to get too influenced by others and dont compare yourself with anyone .And give a thought to what Bob Dylan wrote many years back
 "All this talk about equality. The only thing people really have in common is that they are all going to die." Celebrate THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE .Accept the good and the bad .Sometimes accept destiny and surrender .Believe me you might feel more liberated .!!