The Haveli That Waits: Memory of a Revolutionary Writer

In Gudiani, a village in the Jhajjar district of Haryana, there is a mansion currently inhabited only by pigeons. In some areas, old manuscripts were once stored wrapped in red cloth; they may no longer be there, or if they are, their color has likely faded. These days, a spirit visits the mansion and wanders throughout the district before leaving. This spirit belongs to a person who traveled to the mansion by train from Kolkata with an attendant. This event likely occurred around September 13-14, 1907. The person carried a trunk containing books, blank papers, newspaper clippings, two caps, two or three sets of kurta-pyjamas, a small Saraswati idol, a pair of towel-socks, and slippers. Additionally, there was a copper plate, a bell, and an incense burner for daily prayers.

Ever since that person had left Kolkata, he had high fever. His breathing was difficult, and on top of that, the long journey. There was only one yearning that he should reach his birthplace somehow and spend his last days there writing something in his ancestral mansion. But the train reached the Old Delhi Railway Station late. At that time there was no means to go towards the village. The servant somehow brought him to a Dharamshala situated in front of the railway station. But when the manager saw that the person who had come to spend the night in Fatehpuri was gasping for breath, he refused to give him a room in the Dharamshala. By then the winter season had also arrived. The servant with great difficulty made his master lie down in the outer verandah of the same Dharamshala. He covered him with a blanket and at some point that night that divine man breathed his last saying 'Hari Om'. In his half-opened eyes there was a picture of that ancestral mansion, where that divine man could not reach. The next day before dawn that servant took the help of an old-fashioned jeep.

He gave the jeep driver all the money in his pocket and wrapped that divine body in a blanket and brought it to the village. The villagers gathered there on one call, saying 'Babuji, Babuji'. The Panchayat decided that the last rites should be performed as per the rituals. It is not known whether the family members were able to come or not at that time, but the last rites of that divine man, whose pen made even a Viceroy like Lord Curzon tremble, were performed.

That person had given about 16 works, he had edited 'Hindustan' (Kalakankar). He had also edited the biggest daily of that time in Calcutta, 'Bharatmitra'. He had also edited 'Kohinoor' (Urdu paper) and 'Akhbare Chunar' (Urdu) published from Lahore. Apart from 'Shivshambhu ke Chitthe', Urdu Bibi ke Naam Chitthi was also included in his famous works. His admirers included great Hindi scholar Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi, journalist Mahashay Krishna, Urdu writer Manto, poet Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi and Faiz.

Among those who kept the memory of this divine writer Babu Bal Mukand Gupta, who breathed his last at the young age of 42, intact, a research institute was also established in his memory by organizing a dozen Diwans under the leadership of Advocate Naresh Chauhan. The tradition of celebrations twice a year was started. Almost all the Chief Ministers of the state announced to come here and make this mansion a national monument. But except for one Chief Minister, no one else could come. Such divine souls do not curse, but they do come to their birthplace on the days of Shraddha. Sometimes, such expectations from them do hurt.

The name of this divine soul was the famous writer and journalist Babu Bal Mukund Gupta. His family still lives in Calcutta. Babuji's shraddha karma must be taking place but the rest of his wanderings are still going on. If ancestors descend on earth during the days of shraddha, then it should be assumed that the soul of Babu Bal Mukund Gupta, the great hero of Hindi journalism of India, must also be around his slowly collapsing mansion in village Gudiani near Rewari. Babu Bal Mukund Gupta opened his eyes for the first time in this mansion. From here, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, impressed by his talent, took him first to Kalakankar and then to Lahore and Calcutta (now Kolkata). Gupta ji started writing during his initial education in this village and district. When some articles were published, the fragrance of his pen started spreading around. In Kalakankar, he got the editing responsibility of 'Hindustan' published from there and when fame spread, he moved to 'Kohinoor'. The series of articles had started to become a hit. From there, he went to Calcutta when he was offered the post of editor of 'Bharat Mitra' and Bangabandhu. The editing work there was challenging and a lot of expectations were also placed on an editor. In those days, it was the first time that the then Viceroy Lord Curzon had ordered his staff to send him the English translation of Babu Bal Mukund Gupta's editorials and his regular column 'Shiv Shambhu ke Chitthe' on a daily basis. During his stay in Calcutta, Babu Bal Mukund Gupta used to clash with the great Hindi scholar Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi, but on most occasions Dwivedi ji had to give in. Where is the rural young journalist of Gudiani and where is the language-expert Acharya Dwivedi. Anyway, there was a lot of discussion about Gupta ji. Meanwhile, he also started the series of translating Bengali works into Hindi.

The burden of work was soon giving way to his body. Once he felt that he would not be able to play a long innings, he decided to return to his village Gudiani. He had taken leave from Kolkata saying that he would return but there was a fear in his mind that perhaps his body would not be able to bear so much work. For the last few decades, Babuji's fans perform havan in the same mansion every year and then a function in the city. But now slowly the condition of the mansion has started deteriorating and the place where Babuji used to sit and do pen-revolution is also starting to collapse. The descendants live in Kolkata. A great grandson Vimal Gupta is repeatedly requesting the government to take over this mansion and make it a memorial. There are some fans like Advocate Naresh Chauhan, Rohit Yadav, Rishi Singhal, Satyaveer Nahadia and Praveen Khurana who are still bound by their responsibility and attachment.

There are many questions which still need answers. First, why is this mansion not being acquired? Second, is the young generation still emotionally or ideologically connected with this great man of the era? Thirdly, books on Babuji were published but did they reach the educational institutions of this district? Fourthly, research on the circumstances in which Babuji lived only for four decades (42 years). No concrete details about his Mahaprayan are available even now.