Thursday, December 15, 2011

Prime Minister Nehru reads Pajama!

Sham S. Misri

In 1960, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India visited Kashmir, the land of his ancestors. He was accompanied by his only daughter Indira Gandhi, and her two sons. On the suggestions of chief Minister, he was invited by the Principal of Govt. Women’s college to watch a drama. Just before the curtain  was  up, Pandit Nehru suddenly stood up . A hush descended  on the auditorium.  Has anything gone wrong?  Everyone  held  his breath.  Pandit Nehru walked  back down the aisle  and was looking for someone. Moments later, he returned   with his cabinet colleague who had been asked to sit in the rear of the auditorium; thinking that he was not so –VIP. Later on, someone vacated  a seat and Lal Bahadur Shastri sat  down next  to Nehru.  On Nehru’s other side sat Indira, and next to her,  her two sons.  Who would have guessed that the audience watching the drama consisted of four Prime ministers of India that day!

Pandit Nehru, the Prime Minister  of India  liked the drama. He had come to Kashmir to rest and recover in the gardens of Royal Spring of Chasma Shahi.  He was staying at the Government Guest house. Some children managed  to meet Mr. Nehru at his Government Guest House in Kashmir. These lucky children shook their hands with Pandit Nehru. These children had never imagined  that they would ever have  a private audience, least of all be within handshaking distance with Pandit Nehru.

The children still nervous, their tongues firmly glued to the roof of their mouths, still standing in front of first Prime Minister of India. “What is your greatest ambition?” Nehru asked, to help them recover.
Mrs. Gandhi who was sitting nearby smiled and asked these children if they would like some lime juice drink. In a dying gesture one of the children thrust  her autograph book into Pandit Nehru’s hand, and he opened what turned out to be the family laundry book!

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