Keswanis,
Madnanis And The Nehrus
I
went to Allahabad to be part of a wedding celebration,
but came back
with a piece of history and a string of legacy
Meandering
unintentionally into history can be fascinating as well as
intriguing. There is something about legacy which cannot be
adequately assimilated in the hundrum of daily.life. Legacy is
nurtured just like a gardener nurtures the plants and flowers.
A
recent visit to the historical-political-spiritual land of Allahabad
brought me face to face with history and legacy at different levels.
With
the Keswanis of Delhi I share a bond which promises to create a
legacy of sorts in our personal trees of friendship. Through them I
got introduced and exposed to the Madnanis of Allahabad.
The
Madnanis hold an important place in the modernisation of Allahabad.
The first generation entrepreneurs built a business as well as a
legacy of sorts. Though generations have grown and built their own
personal legacies outside of the original business model, their
community living with over 50 people occupying a common piece of land
is an inspiring story of bonding and trust. It is a case of being
committed and not just different when more and more people are
craving for personal spaces far away from the hustle and bustle of
relatives. Being with them I realised how they have built their
personal spaces - both physically and emotionally - by being around
one another - both physically and emotionally.
A
visit to the Sangam was a given, yet the serenity amidst the human
cacophony was yet another testimony to the spiritual legacy of this
amazingly diverse country.
Allahabad
and Anand Bhavan are inseparable. The Nehrus' personal and political
bastion stands out as a symbol of political struggle at the altar of
huge personal sacrifices. This legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family
simply showcases their share in the national consciousness and their
unique place in pre- and post-independent India.
As
I signed off from Allahabad, known for different things to different
people, I realised how I had gone there to be part of a wedding
celebration, but came back with a piece of history and a string of
legacy.
