samajkalyansamiti1967@gmail.com
mobile :98354 61558, 85418 83559
mobile :98354 61558, 85418 83559
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Helping Patnaites in Distress
Savouring the pre-dawn sleep in an April morning in 1967, I was rudely awakened by the shrill and persistent ringing of the telephone bell. Wondering who could be in this early hour of the pre-dawn. I lifted the phone only to be told- P. K., "FLORIE MEHER IMAM IS DEAD”. So Ali Imam a close friend and the doyen of the Insurance world in Patna have lost his dear wife - not that it was not expected as she was terminally ill for quite sometime. Ali needed me, not only for succour but also help to arrange for the burial etc. By early afternoon we received the message that the grave is ready and we may proceed. All the preliminary rituals were by then complete and we were ready to proceed to the Graveyard at Pirmohani, a distance of about 3 miles from Ali's Dakbunglow residence. But there was no move to carry the coffin and it was a very rude shock to me to be told that there were'nt enough people to carry the coffin. The shock was more, as all along I had a feeling that people of All's community were very socially minded people particularly in these circumstances, I made no secret of my disappointment and asked all the friends of Ali assembled there, particularly Late Minister Zawar Hussain, S. A. F. Abbas, IAS, S. Q. Rizvi, IPS., and Z. S. Haque, Chief Electrical Engineer; why this rot in their community as well. Nobody answered but Late Zawar bhai said - P. K. no matter to which community they belonged all the urban people are now concerned more about their own self than the society and we are an exception as others. But the coffin has to be carried even if enough pall-bearers are not available. S. Q Rizvi, who was then the D.I.G., Military Police, was good enough to procure an extended jeep on which we somehow managed to carry the coffin to the burial grounds. Having already noticed this lack of response in my community and now in others as well I was greatly exercised about our fate when will be our turn to be carried to the crematorium. The picture of the impending crisis deeply disturbed me. Shall we be dragged by feet like a dead street dog? So, to avoid this catastrophy the only solution to my mind was a proper mode of conveyance for carrying this dead body and a proper Hearse was the only answer; but how and wherefrom to procure one, when the citizens are so apathetic to this crying need. I was at my wits end and there was not even a streak of light to this problem. But now looking back it was nothing short of a miracle when some inner force told me to meet Lawly Sen who was also present at the burial of Meher Imam. Hardly I had entered Lawly's chamber early next day and before I could exchange the usual greetings Lawly blurted out "Now what is your solution to this problem of carrying dead bodies to the burial and burning grounds? What will be our fate when it is time for us to be thus carried? I felt I was under a divine spell and was speechless for quite sometime. It took me sometime to say that I have actually come to him for the solution of this problem. We felt that it may not be possible to procure a regular Hearse straightway and the next best way was to manufacture a Two-Wheeled Hearse carriage which can be towed by a vehicle and even if such a vehicle is not forthcoming, it could as well be pulled by hand. The idea caught on and Lawly envisaged a jeep trailer could be suitably converted into such a hearse. True to his philanthropic nature, Lawly offered to do this fabrication free of any charge provided I can collect and pay his firm Rupees Twenty one hundred being the invoice price of a trailer at that point of time. Encouraged by this princely offer I with the active help of Late Dr. S. M Ghoshal and Shri P. Mukerji, raised this sum of Rs. 2100-from 21 citizens, each paying Rs. 100/-, These 21 citizens along with Lawly Sen the prim benefactor are the founders of the Samaj Kalyan Samiti. The names of these 21 persons with Lawly Sen Heading the list is given separately in the brochure. Henceforth these members will be shown as Primary Founder members with Lawly Sen as the Founder Patron. On receipt of this amount a Trailer was ordered but Lawly clearly told us that unless we make fool-proof arrangement for the housing and operation of the "Trailer-Hearse" he would'nt start the fabrication. So again I and P. Mukerji met Lawly to sort out this question. Our agreed view was that the local branch of Ramakrishna Mission will be the best Institution to undertake this benevolent job as they are dedicated to alleviate the sufferings of human being no matter who and what they are. Lawly desired us to meet the Local Secretary and discuss this offer without his involvement. Accordingly I along with Shri M. L. Sen and P. Mukerji met the Local Swamiji, Secretary of the Mission, at Prince Hotel on Fraser Road, Patna. The problem and solution was explained and the Swamiji readily agreed to do the job but desired that we write officially to him so that he can obtain the clearance of the Local Advisory Committee which is mandatory for him. A letter dated 16th June '67 and signed by about a dozen leading Citizens, including Lawly Sen was sent to the Mission as desired by the Swamiji. Both myself and Mukerji were satisfied but not Lawly, who I felt had some reservation about the acceptance by the Mission. My complacency about the job done was however rudely shattered by another shrill ringing of the Telephone bell this time in an early July afternoon, when I was busy in my office, Lawly Sen at the other end sarcastically telling me about our faith in the Mission and how they have rejected our request to operate the Trailer Hearse. This was an incredible news. How can a Mission dedicated to the service of humanity as enunciated by Swami Vivekananda could refuse this truly humanitarian service to the society. Something was wrong somewhere and to my great chagrin I came to know that the Vanity and ego of a High Judicial dignitary of Patna who was the Chairman of the Advisory Board was pricked as he was not consulted before hand as a leading Citizen. He scared the advisory board with all sorts of imaginary problems that may crop up in carrying dead bodies without proper authorization, particularly if it is a case of murder. Myself and Mukerji as Joint Convenor of the project were again at our wits end, but not Lawly. It was now Lawly's turn to be pricked by this blatant refusal by the Mission for whom he had done so much so as to donate to them the Lawly's building on the Exhibition Road, Patna. In no uncertain terms Lawly told us –“Patna is going to have a fully motorised Hearse-Mission or no Mission in the field' the pre-condition being our being able to organise and set up a proper Association for the purpose. He offered to donate a Ford V-8 Van which will be suitably converted to a Hearse body, if such an organisation could be formed by us. Such chances seldom come to a Society and we readily agreed to form such an organisation within a month. Samaj Kalyan Samiti was thus born then and there. Thus a solid foundation of a positive Institution was laid on the direct-negative attitude of a leading Missionary unit of India. Looking back to-day I sincerely feel grateful to the Mission for their inexplicable refusal but for which Patna wouldn't have been blessed with the Samiti of the citizens by the citizens and for the citizens. Sometimes I wonder how from some absurd negative approach springs forth a positive result beneficial to all. The birth and growth of another leading Cultural Institution of Patna “Rabindra Parishad" is another such case in point. Here again the purely negative approach of Arts & Artists, a cultural Institution of Patna about the utilisation of the surplus fund of Rs. 500 from the All party Tagore Week celebration in 1947 compelled me and some other members to project the formation of Rabindra Parishad which is now the pride of Patna. The inaugural meeting of the Samiti was held on 26th August 1967 and the entire proceeding of this meeting is separately published in this brochure to serve as a record. The Samiti has now proved its worth by providing round the Clock service to citizens of Patna for two complete decades. I have every faith in the citizens of Patna who I am sure will muster strong in joining the Samiti and make it the pride of the State Capital. To end this pleasant walk I may say without the least hesitation that the Ice-casket service of the Samiti is an unique service as no such service exists in any part of atleast Eastern India, not even in Calcutta where static funeral parlour service is only available and not a mobile service rendered by the Samiti. Every Citizen of Patna should be proud of this service of the Samiti. In conclusion, I appeal to all members and through them to all citizens of Patna to religiously follow the sterling preaching of Swami Vivekananda as :-