The Majestic Cinema

 

For many years when Shri Nathji was in Mussorrie he used to give lecture on His birthday on June 23,  at Majestic Cinema Hall like the years 1951, 1952, 1953 etc. . The function on the 22nd of June 1953 at Majestic Cinema Theatre was an unusual one. There were the bhaktas of Akola, W.A. Sohni being amongst them; there was Shri Vaid Raj Sudhanwa and his family, there were the old devotees of Lahore, Sohan Lal Khosla being amongst them; there was Justice Raghubar Dayal and other members of the bar and judiciary intermingled with the gentry and common folk of Mussoorie.
Shri Nathji gave a brilliant lecture at the Majestic Theatre. His theme was: “A relationship with God”. As his voice resounded in the hall, its echoes entered deep down into the souls of his listeners:
"Have we established any relationship with God, or are we living in this world without even giving a thought to Him?"
Shri Nathji gave the example of a man who entered into a house and began enjoying the things of the house without knowing who the owner of the house was, and compared the situation to the existence of man on earth.

After his speech, several members of the elated audience, amongst which were lawyers and intellectuals like Shri W.A. Sohni, rushed forward with a rickshaw for him.
Despite Shri Nathji's protests, they began pulling the rickshaw to Shri Nathji’s residence, Savitri Nivas, on top of the hill.
Shri Nathji laughed:
"My position in the rickshaw is that of a child in a perambulator!"
Shri Nathji's neighbour, Maharaja Sarila, saw the interesting sight and said to the people pulling the rickshaw:

"Do allow Shri Nathji to walk as well! It will be good for his health! Swamiji ko paidal bhee to chalne do!”
After having reached Shri Nathji to his destination, the devotees said:
"Sir, we want our wages, our mazdoori, for the work we did. We have brought you to your house, and we pray you to carry us to our real destination!"
And Shri Nathji said: “Your faith will carry you there!”
The situation was similar to the one in the Ramayana, in which Kewat, the boatman, ferried Rama across the waters of a river, and, in return, asked that Rama carry him across the waters of the Bhavsaagar–the ocean of life and death.

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The Majestic Cinema was a historic cinema in Mussoorie that was formerly known as the Vasu Theatre or Vasu Cinema, located on the Mall Road. It is now the site of the Ritz Cinema. It is now the only functional cinema hall in Mussoorie.

Doon Studio which Shri Nathji frequented in the same building. and its still been run by the same family.
 

Hakman’s Hotel

 The Hakman’s Hotel on Mall road in Mussorrie was right opposite the short climb leading to Shri Nathji house - Savitri Niwas. So it was very near to heir residence and Shri Nathji visited this hotel and often. When ever there were important guests to tea, then Shri Nathji would lay out the dining table in the dining room very carefully on these occasions, calling for tea and pastries from Hakman’s Hotel for his guests and engaging a waiter from the hotel to serve the tea.

 

Hakman's Hotel on the Mall Road in Mussoorie is a heritage property dating back to 1885. Built by Mr. Hakman with English-style colonial architecture, it is one of the many historic structures that contribute to the old-world charm of the area.  .Hakman’s  Hotel was an institution in Mussoorie and its ballroom was most famouswhich had springs under its huge dance floor.  It also hosted Flower Shows, run by the Mussoorie Gardening Association. Currently the hotel has been thoughtfully restored to blend world-class amenities.

Raja Karan Prasad

 

This is photograph of Raja Karan Prasad of Hyderabad who had great faith in Shri Nathji. As he was himself an accomplished urdu poet, He loved the urdu gazals and sermons of Shri Nathji. As Shri Nathji's birthday came close in June 1953 he received a letter from Raja Karan Prasad. The Raja wrote to him telling him of a complex legal case that was going on:
 He wrote: “I had filed an appeal which has been accepted. My success depends upon your Aashirvad–Blessings. Sorry we cannot come to Mussoorie for your birthday but we have your photograph with us which we shall see on that day!”

Shri Nathji's fame had travelled to all corners of India. From the richest to the poorest, from the greatest intellectuals to the most illiterate of folk, all had found absolute and complete faith in him. They relied on his blessings to see them through some of the most difficult situations in their lives.

Raja Karan Prasad Karan was a famous Urdu Shayar of all times from Hyderabad, India. Most of the time, Urdu poets use a Takhalus (pen name) and Raja Karan Prasad used pen Name - 'karan'. He was born in 1895 in Hydrebad Tenegana. He was from Hyderabadi aristocracy. He was descendent of Maharaja Chandu Lal, who was prime minister of Hyderabad state from 1833 to 1844.  He composed many poems in Urdu and write booksin Urdu like - books – Kiran in 1954 and  Jam-e-Kiran  in 1963.

Bevans, music shop and purchase of the Grand Piano.

Mateshwariji saw a large piano in Bevans, a music shop in Library, Mussoorie. She wished that Pran-Priya learn to play upon it. Pran Nath and Priya Nath visited the music shop frequently and played upon the piano, and grew very fond of it. The desire to bring it home began to grow in them. It would make Mateshwari happy.
 But the grand piano was much too expensive a thing to purchase for the casual pursuit of a hobby. Just then, however, the music shop shut down in Mussoorie, and the owner became eager to sell everything there and shift his residence elsewhere.
 He sold the piano at a very nominal price, almost gave it away to Pran Nath and Priya Nath, whose fingers danced over its keys in jubilation, even as its vibrant notes resonated in the halls of Savitri Nivas, to the joy of Mateshwari. That Piano is still kept lovingly at Saviti Nivas.

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Sardar Pratap Singh was a famous tabla player in Kabul, Afghanistan. The family later (around 1883) moved to Lahore and here they set-up a music store in the bustling Anarkali Bazaar. 1940s was a watershed moment in our history and the period saw massive migration of people between India and Pakistan. The family moved to Mussoorie before the partition and set up a music store (by the name of TE Bevan’s at Mussoorie). The shop was located close to the library area of the town. Eventually, Sardar Gurudial Singh (son of Sardar Pratap Singh) moved to Dehradunin 1949  (It was the same year when they were leaving Mussoorie that they sold their Grand Pianao to Shri Nathji. ) In Dehradoon the opened a new shop my name of   Pratap Music House, which become very famous.

Even the Beatles group knew him well and they even visited Pratap Music House in 1968, the year they spent in Rishikesh working on their superhit ‘The White Album Project’.. John Lennon got his guitar repaired by Ajit Singh whereas George Harrison (who had a keen interest in Indian Instruments) took cognizance of the variety offered by the store. George requested Ajit Singh to prepare a “Dilruba” instrument to be gifted to his then wife (Pattie Boyd) in Rishikesh. Ajit Singh visited the Beatles at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram in Rishikesh to personally hand over the instrument to George and Pattie.

Pratap Music House is now being run by the 3^rd generation of the family (grand-sons and grand-daughter of Sardar Pratap Singh). They are Ajit Singh ji (unfortunately he passed away in 2021), Amrik Singh Ji and Mrs. Brijpal Kaur.

Shri P.C. Mull

  Shri Nathji knew Shri P.C. Mull during His visits to Lucknow. He was a famed photographer of Lucknow and knew Shri Nathji well. He also had a residence in Mussorie by name of to Mull Cottage on Camal’s Back Road. Once in 1952 Shri Nathji went for a walk around Camel’s Back Road in Mussoorie and went to Mull Cottage to enquire after Shri P.C. Mull, The cottage was locked.
 A gentleman in the neighbourhood saw Shri Nathji and was at once taken up by his personality. He came up to Shri Nathji, and, informed Shri Nathji that P.C. Mull no longer lived there. As was his wont, Shri Nathji began speaking to the person with great love. The man was Justice Raghubar Dayal of the Allahabad High Court. He was so impressed by Shri Nathji that he immediately invited Shri Nathji to come inside his house and to sit in his drawing room. As Shri Nathji's words fell upon his ears, a feeling of great peace and solace entered into him. When Shri Nathji finished speaking, Justice Raghubar Dayal said to him:
 “Maharaj! You did not come for P.C. Mull. You came for me! I had lost my son and was filled with unbearable grief, but your words have brought a new life into me.”
 Justice Raghubar Dayal and his wife became greatly devoted to Shri Nathji thereafter, and made it a point to come for Shri Nathji's darshan whenever they were in Mussoorie in the years that followed. Even after Justice Raghubar Dayal had been appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India at Delhi he would never forget to visit Shri Nathji whenever he came to Mussoorie with his family for the summer vacations.

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Shri P.C. Mull was part of the renowned photography studio C. Mull & Co., A family owned studio established in Lucknow in the 1860s. The company was famous for its classical studio portraits and served as official photographers for royal families and significant ceremonial events. The family studio produced classic portraits, preserving the history of many of the city's prominent families and events. It was also known for being the official photographer for the different royal courts of India and other important occasions.

Allen Memorial Boys’ High School

  Pran Nathji and Priya Nathji had studies at Hampton Court for seven years, from 1945 to 1951  but as it was only till 4^th standard, they had to shift to another school for higher studies so in 1952 they enrolled at Allen Memorial Boys’ High School. The principal of the school, Reverend W.J. Biggs, who was an Englishman, unlike the rest of the Anglo Indian staff and teachers of the school. When he first Shri Nathji and Mateshwari he invited them to meet Mrs. Biggs in their home on the first floor of the office building. Both Shri Nathji and Mateshwari were struck by the absolute cleanliness and spic and span décor of their house. Shri Nathji would ever afterwards allude to Biggs house and urge people to emulate such cleanliness and order.Shi Nathji also occasionally invited Mr and Mrs. Biggs to their house for tea.  

 Reverend W.J.Biggs and his wife had developed a great fondness and respect for Shri Nathji. Biggs knew that there was nothing in Shri Nathji's teachings that opposed any religion in the world, and, he, as a Christian, found himself perfectly at home with Shri Nathji. Both Mr. and Mrs. Biggs would visit Shri Nathji's house at Savitri Nivas whenever invited by Shri Nathji and Mateshwari. Shri Nathji would lay out the dining table in the dining room very carefully on these occasions, calling for tea and pastries from Hakman’s Hotel for his English guests and engaging a waiter from the hotel to serve the tea.
 Often during prayer time in the morning school assemblies, Mr. Biggs would ask the school gathering to pray for the recovery of the ailing "wife of a loved friend." He would be referring to Mateshwari who was ill at the time.
 Both the boys had an unusual career at school. They were always at the top of the class in each monthly test, in almost all of the subjects, and first, in the final examination. This continued over the years. It was due to the unusual blessings they derived from Shri Nathji each morning they went to school; and also due to the enormous amount of hard studying they did, till late hours in the night.
 "Why do we have to study so hard to come first in the class, if Pitaji is God?" the children would innocently ask their mother. And Mateshwari would laugh: "God helps those who help themselves!"
 It was obvious that Pran Nath and Priya Nath were not going to derive any special benefits from their father's divine powers–they would have to struggle for success like any other person in the world. Shri Nathji would not be favouring his own family, in preference to the families of the world.  

 Pran Nath and Priya Nath, who had been accustomed to an atmosphere of great love and affection at home, suddenly found themselves in an environment that was hostile and frightening. The soft spoken nuns and lady teachers of Hampton court were replaced by the harsh male teachers of Allen Memorial. These teachers known as “masters” invariably carried canes in their hands and spoke in tones that were altogether imperious and commanding, giving the impression that they hated the boys that they were teaching. There was not a trace of love in them. The boys had to stand up before them and say “Sir” all the time.
 Many of the boarders in the school had become hardened by their contact with such sadistic teachers and were bullies of the worst sort. Allen Memorial had at one time been an orphanage, and the customs and traditions of the orphanage had been carried across to the school as it existed. The harshness and discipline wielded on the students made life a nightmare for them. There were instances of the masters getting carried away by their sense of power and beating the students with their canes with ruthlessness.
 Pran Nath had always been a brilliant student when he was at Hampton Court and stood at the top of his class even at Allen Memorial. However, Priya Nath had never cared to study when he was at Hampton Court, because of the lenient attitude of the lady teachers there. He had always been amongst those at the bottom of the class. However, coming face to face with the male masters of Allen so terrified him that he studied hard for the first time in his life and began topping his class in every test and every examination, thus realising the vast potential for study that existed within him.
 Mateshwari would ever afterwards say that Priya Nath had lost his jolly nature after going to Allen Memorial and had become serious and studious, and that it was a loss. Priya Nath’s humour and childish antics had filled the home with great happiness and made Shri Nathji and Mateshwari laugh in the otherwise silent atmosphere of the house.

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Wynberg-Allen School is a boarding school in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India, founded in 1888. It is located at Bala Hissar in Mussoorie, India. The alumni of Wynberg Allen School are known as Alwynians
Initially started as Christian Training School and Orphanage with Eugenie Catherine West (died 1895) as its first superintendent, later it was named Wynberg Homes and eventually became the Wynberg Allen School.[4] It provided education in the hills for twenty children. It was established as a Non-Conformist School though from the beginning, as far as funds permitted, no child of any denomination was refused admission. In 1894, the school moved to the present Wynberg Estate.
In 1916 the Governing Society was formed. The object of the society was to provide for and give to children, wholly or partly of European descent, an education based on Protestant Christian principles. It was a boys school  but in 1963, the school became a co-educational institution. The school further went through major renovations during the last couple of years encompassed around a vast campus of over 300 acres. This included world-class sports facilities including an indoor swimming pool, basketball courts, tennis. The school is managed by the Wynberg Homes Society, a society registered under the Societies Act of 1860, on inter-denominational lines through a Board of Management. Currently the school accommodates around 900 children.