Calling Jwalaram Jakhmola Family of Jaspur as Saukar Family

(Folk Tales from Garhwal for Management Training Series -137)

(History Aspects of Jaspur series 44)

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Collected and Edited by: Bhishma Kukreti (Management Trainer)

(Folk Story Narrated by late Shrimati Kwanradevi Shishram Kukreti from Jaspur)

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           In Jaspur village (Dhangu, Pauri Garhwal, UK), there is locality called ‘Saukarun Khwal ’meaning houses of money lenders or rich men. Families of late Rewat Ram, Malukram  (sons of Jwalaram) and Govind Ram Jakhmola ( nephew of Jwalaram) lived at that locality (‘Saukarun Khwal’) before ten years. Originally, Jakhmola of Jaspur are from Mitragram (Dhangu).

 My grandmother (father’s aunt) told me story behind calling that Jakhmola family (Jwalaram and brothers) as ‘Sauka’r Family or money lender or rich family.

      Great grandfather of late Jwalaram was Dallaram. Dallaram was brother of Netru Jakhmola who migrated from Mitragram to Jaspur. Jwalaram and his brother were descendants of Dalla Ram Jakhmola.

     Balaram Jakhmola was forefather of Jwalaram (Name differs from real one). Balaram was very hard worker in the village. Balaram Jakhmola cleared forests of Mithal and other places and made the land suitable and fertile for agriculture land.

     Due to hard work of Balaram family, the family started producing highest grain quantity as finger millets other millets, barleys, Ogal ect. in the village. However, nobody called Balaram as ‘Saukar’ or rich man.

      The Khalihan (grain thrashing yard) of Balaram was at Sati Math of Jaspur. There, Balaram family used to thrash all types of grains. Thrashing in Garhwal is done by bulls walking on the ripped crops in the yard. Then the thrashed grains is sieved by big sieves (Matyanl).    

    The custom is that when a man is sieving grains he will not change his position even by an inch and will not come out of yard at all till the job is completed. Therefore, the person who sieves the thrashed grains should be strong that he doesn’t change position from the time he starts sieving till end.

       One year, there was good rain and timely rain and there was double the crops of finger millet for Balaram than past. Balaram family took three days for thrashing millet grains by making bulls walking on cut millets cubs. The raw thrashed grains were ready for sieving on his Khalyan (Khalihan). Balaram took big sieve (Matyanl) for sieving the dusty grains and his family members started putting dusty grains on big sieve. Balaram was sieving grains by Matyanl and family members were putting grains of Matyanl. The production was so much that slowly sieved grains covered Balaram by neck and then head of Balaram was covered by grains. Balaram did not leave sieving and though his head was covered by grains and his hands were up and Balaram was still sieving. After sometime, the sieving was completed and Balaram came out of grain piles. Villagers came to know that Balaram was covered by sieved grains.   Villagers called Balaram as ‘Kudya Saukar’(Rich by finger millet).

 Later on, the villagers stopped calling Balaram family as ‘Kudya Saukar’ but called only ‘Saukar. Still the villagers call family of late Jwalaram and his brothers as ‘Saukar’ family.                  

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, 2017

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