TheTurban of My Grandfather

Sardar Sardul Singh & Sardarni Surjit Kaur at Mansurpur Home

 

The COVID pandemic changed the world in 2020, specially for those families who live continents apart. I live in California, while my younger brother is settled in UK, but my parents chose to stay in India - Muzaffarnagar, a small town in Western UP, about 65 miles north of nation's capital - Delhi. Two long years of the scare of COVID virus, we were concerned if and when we will be able to meet our parents, highly vulnerable due to their age - my parents are in their 80s. Thanks to the global vaccination program, it was made possible, finally.

My parents were flying to San Francisco via London after meeting my brother there. They were bringing a special memento for me ... the turban of Bauji, my grandfather.

Bau ji - Sardar Sardul Singh

Sardar Sardul Singh moved in 1928 as a founding member to establish the first cane sugar mill at the rural location of Mansurpur in the district of Muzaffarnagar in Western UP. Sir Shadi Lal retired as the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court between 1920 and 1934, the first Indian head of an Indian high court. He was awarded the grant to set up a cane sugar mill in UP as reward for his service to the British judicial system. The land was purchased from the erstwhile Nawab of Mansurpur and a new railway station was constructed. 

When he visited the site, the retired judge was dismayed with lack of infrastructure and availability of educated middle class and semi-skilled workers he would need to run a large sugar mill. Even the local farmers were not experts in sugarcane farming. Sir Shadi Lal turned to Punjab for help - he invited the skilled and semi-skilled worker to migrate to Western UP. Cane sugar plantation was establish to produce initial crop in the Sir Shadi Lal farms with the help from Punjabi farmers. This plantation farm was used to educate and encourage local farmers to adopt sugarcane farming .

Mansurpur Sugarmill Staff with Farmers - 1932 (Sardul Singh sitting on chair, far right)

 

 

 

 

 

Sardar Sardul Singh had ancestral connection to sugar industry. His grandfather Gurdit Singh Chhabra was a wholesale merchant of sugars from Punjab to NW Frontiers, Afghanistan, Persia, and Armenia. The family had owned this business for centuries distributing Indian sugars - Shakkar, Gur, and Khand from Punjab to the West. 

Young Sardul Singh in Lahore 1930s

Sardul Singh grew up at his maternal grandfathers home in Wazirabad, West Punjab. His maternal family were educated and leading lights of the small town with deep roots in Northern Railways. Sir Mool Singh, his uncle (brother of his mom) was a highest ranking Indian officer of Northern Railways. He was bestowed the title of 'Sir' in gratitude for his services in developing Indian Railways in the North India - Punjab, Haryana, and Western UP. He is credited for establishing the railway station at Muzaffarnagar and the Sikh Gurdwara next to the bus station nearby.

Young Sardul Singh started as the project manager for the construction of railway bridge over the river Chenab while his older brother Sardar Sham Singh became the first Indian "Guard" of Northern Railways,  a role held by British officers in the past. Sir Shadi Lal met with Sardul Singh encouraging him to leave the railway job and help him establish a sugar mill in Mansurpur. 

The Management and families of sugar Mill Mansurpur 1936

Sardar Sardul Singh arrived in Mansurpur in 1928 with Sir Shadi Lal and once the colony was established, his wife Surjit Kaur (nee Gian Kaur Kharbanda from Duska, Lyallpur) joined him in 1932.

My Grandparents in late 1940s

The Sugar mill at Mansurpur was established as a colonial 'mini city'  and soon became the most sought after job destination due to high lifestyle and benefits. This 'mini city' had everything you need including housing for all employee grades - 'Kothis' for the senior officers, middle class houses for the management, apartments for clerical staff, mechanics, and electricians, and bunkers for seasonal worker mostly from Bihar and Eastern UP who stayed there for six months of sugarcane harvesting and milling season.

My Grandparents with me on the lawn with our two dogs

 My grandfather played many roles in the establishment and management of Sir Shadi Lal Sugar Mill at Mansurpur in district Muzaffarnagar. He managed the project of constructing the sugar mill, then transitioned into the chief procurement officer with additional responsibility of managing supply stores, and the accounts payable team.

Bau ji Sardar Sardul Singh with His Staff in Mansurpur

On January 19, 1965, he traveled to Delhi to purchase essential parts for the sugar mill. He would do such business travel twice a month as routine. He was 59 year old at that time and not looking forward to his retirement as he loved his work and worked hard all his life for it. Like his other visits, he stayed at his sister-in-law's home at Conought Palace in the heart of New Delhi. On the morning of January 20th, he had a heart attack while talking on phone and passed away before medical aid could arrive.

M Block Connought Place, New Delhi

My dad, Sardar Manmohan Singh was his only child and succeeded his father as purchasing officer/ Store Manager at Sir Shadi Lal Sugar Mill. He had preserved the turban of his father out of respect and love. I had faint memories of this turban from my childhood. So I requested my father to bring me that turban as memento. I was his first grandchild and two years old when he passed away. 

Old Memories of Mansurpur

I took possession of the turban from my dad but hesitated to touch the old turban which was 57 year old, fearing it could be damaged. ht was still rolled up and tied the way he wore it on January 20, 1965. After my parents went back to India after staying with me for six weeks, I finally found courage to open the turban and see how it could be preserved.My son Hansraj helped me in this task. We unraveled the folds of the mint green turban. It was well preserved with structure based on the starch used in the 60s to maintain the shape of the turban by urban Sikhs working in military, railways, and other services.The color was faded a little on certain edges of the folds.

Bauji's Turban

We decided to wash the turban with mild detergent in a cold wash and then dry it under sun just the way my grandfather would have done 57 years ago. This task would have been performed by Manphul Dhobi, our family washer. Manphul would come weekly to our house and take soiled clothes for washing. He would wash them, iron them, and starch the turbans of my grandfather. He had done so for over twenty years, and his father before him. To our surprise, the turban emerged back in its past glory with mint green color glistening with mild starch that survived the wash. Hans and I folded the turban exactly the same way as my grandfather would have done. 

Then we tied it on my head imitating his style of tying turban. His turban was tied in the typical 50s style of Sikhs serving in professional services - mildly starched and folded straight, and held together with use of a small pin with colored head. He only wore pastel colors - beige, fawn, military green, or mint green.

Me wearing Bau ji's Turban

It was a special moment for me as I tied this turban on my had. I felt emotionally connected with my grandfather and my dad. It's hard to explain this emotion but I felt strangely connected to my ancestral lineage and his turban was that momentous link that bound us together. 

Bound by Turbans - Me and My Brother Manmeet with our dad

I hope one day, after my departure from this world, my turban would be that link between me and my future generations.

Next generations bound by our Turbans