In The Memory Of Bachchan Ji...

A young boy who sat at the banks of river Ganges decades ago. A man who travels the world for his business today...Glimpse gets you an exclusive anecdote from Shri Anand Varma, a well established automotive components exporter from the region, who narrates to us, one of the most touching incidents from his life.

I was born in a middle class, educated family of Allahbad. My father, Shri.Ganga Prasad Varma, was the principal of the renowned City Anglo Vernacular (CAV), College of Allahbad, which is honoured to have distinguished alumni in filed of education, literature, civil services & politics, including Shri. Feroz Gandhi (husband of late Mrs.Indira Gandhi). My upbringing was very much influenced by the literary figures & friends of my father, who were frequent visitors to our family. One of the most distinguished personalities, a literary elite, a philosopher, a thinker and a real poet was Prof. Harivansh Rai, popularly known as Bachchan Ji.

Prof.Bachchan, was the professor of English, in the Allahbad University and his writings have had a great influence on me, right from the time when I was a student of class XII. By the time I graduated and joined the post graduate classes of English literature, the writings of Bachchan Ji in Hindi had already penetrated deep into my heart...

Prof.Bachchan's writings are not merely imaginary; they are derived from day to day life of the common man. His creations like “kya bhooloon kya yaad karoon” & “neerd by nirman phir” truly characterized the beautiful saying, “vyogi hoga phele kavi”. Prof.Bachchan pens his feelings and deep rooted thoughts, in his writings in a manner that stirs the soul.

Bachchan Ji's “madhushala”, the unparalleled, unmatched and unforgettable literary creation has touched every heart. From the literary point of view, Madhushala was considered to have started a new Vaad, that is “Hallavaad”. It relates to the tavern, the wine, the cup and the saaki, who is the symbolic representation of the various aspects of life. So high, is the creation of the teetotaler.