Hira Lal & Girdhari Lal

Hira Lal and Girdhari Lal were combination of the opposites. Hira Lal is extremely, gentle, god fearing, religious minded and above all a simpleton and a docile. On the contrary Girdhari Lal is active, cunning and fraudulent in dealings. Hira Lal had a shop named Hira Lal & Co. allotted in his name at Exhibition Ground Srinagar. Its annual rent is Rs.180. The rent includes free electricity for one electric bulb besides, watch & ward. 

Girdhari Lal managed to influence Hira Lal for sublet of the shop to him. For some years Girdhari Lal managed the shop and paid a little commission to Hira Lal. The owner of the shop Hira Lal worked as assistant and salesman for Girdhari Lal. During winter season, Hira Lal would accompany Girdhari Lal as an assistant for Exhibition at Gwalior and in other states.

By1975, Girdhari Lal prepared ground for taking over of the ownership of the shop. He influenced Ghulam Mohammad Malik and Arjan Nath Parimoo, the then President and Vice President respectively of the Stall Holders’ Union.

Girdhari Lal pretended loss of one bundle of shawls and saris in transit while on way to exhibition at Gwalior. The President and the Vice President already influenced took over custody of the shop and asked Hira Lal to meet the losses before he was allowed entry to Exhibtion Ground premises.

My eldest cousin the late Pundit B B Kachroo, father of Hira Lal sent a word to me for my intervention.

I sought advice of my Phlour trained friend B L Kaw the strategist. My elder brother Girdhari Lal came to know about our secret meetings. He apprehended my quarrel with the Union leaders and the claimant Girdhari Lal. He opted to deal with the situation  

I held a number of meetings with the Union President, Vice President and other Union dignitaries but failed in my mission. Finally the Union leaders agreed to our plea that the shop due to disuse needed immediate renovation and maintenance. Permission for renovation was granted with riders.

Custody of lock and key of the shop rested with G M Malik, President of the Union. Every morning his man would open the lock and let the show go on. In the evening after day’s carpentry, the key was deposited back with the president.

Professor Bushan Lal Kachroo, the youngest brother of Hira Lal Kachroo agreed to assist me. The show continued for a couple of days, until taking and depositing of the key became a routine matter. Confidence of the Key carrier was gained. Now he would not come to lock the shop in the evening. Professor Kachroo would rather go and deposit the key with the Custodian. This practice continued for a couple of days.  In the meantime Professor Kachroo lost his patience. He was groom of the year. The bride was expecting her groom to spend vacation with her at his in-laws at Jallundher. Delay of each day was nothing short of Kashmir Issue for Professor Kachroo.

One day as per our plan, Professor Kachroo was sent to Amirkadal market with the lock to get another of the same shape, same mark and size that were like in shape and size but differed only for their respective keys.

That evening, we replaced the lock and deposited the key of the old lock with the custodian and smuggled the old lock beyond the walled area.

A few days later when their key failed to work the opposition realized our trick. I was summoned in the Union office. ‘Punea tulie dinjie te denjie tulie pun’ the meeting flopped like that of Swaran Singh & Marshall Ayub’s. Finally the President lost his cool and threatened me that he would take my pants off at Chotta Bazar. I mocked at him and told him that if he does the same to his son Nazir Malik (Retired SP), he could try his valour.

‘Hunie kheie bustea khalear’ The next morning Professor Kachroo left for Jallundher to enjoy honeymoon.