Mumbai Pravashi Ashrayadata-२ - Tara Datt Jakhmola

Mumbai Pravashi Ashrayadata-2
Tara Datt Jakhmola : Bhishma Kukreti will never forget you
By: Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai/7/3/2009

Tara Datt Jakhmola was one of the great Pravashi Ashrayadata in Mumbai for Garhwalis specially, for the Dhangu and nearby pattis. Born in Jaspur (Malla Dhangu, Pauri Garhwal) in the year 1990, Tara Datt Jakhmola was cousin brother of late Narayan Datt Jakhmola.

The inhabitants of Jaspur , Gweel and Bareth villages were habitual of providing shelters to children of their relatives for providing education in Bareth primary school. This was the only school in Malla , Talla and Bichhala Dhangu around early years of the last century. So, Tara Datt Jakhmola was habitual of providing shelters to the needy ones from his childhood.

He came to Mumbai by the inspiration of his cousin Narayan Datt Jakhmola in 1926. He had experienced the sever poverty and scarcity of food due to low output of agriculture or low out put in agriculture due to either draught, heavy rain or untimely rain in the area. Another factor, which no economist analyzed that Brahmins of Garhwal were not so strong enough to do agricultural jobs efficiently that they could survive in the area where soil fertility was low like Dhangu area. Tara Datt Jakhmola once explained this cultural factor to this author about the reasons behind earlier migration by Brahmins of Dhangu than Rajput and Shilpkars before late Ram Dayal Chauhan of Nagar (Aswalsyun) . Jakhmola and Chauhan also explained to the author that since, the migrated Garhwalis used to hesitate for providing shelter in their houses to shilpkars in pardesh, the migration of shilpkars started very late from Garhwal in low ratio as compared to upper caste. Now, it is clear before us that cultural factor was also one of the reasons for early or late migration from Garhwal to the Indian plains .

Tara Datt as other people had suffered adversities Garhwal. Therefore he wanted to become ‘lakhpati’ and did very hard work for becoming moneyed man.

He learned motor driving , did many jobs for earning the rupia . He started driving taxis around 1930 and around 1940, he was the owner of a taxi. It was big achievement for any Garhwali to own a taxi at that time. In terms of wealth he was the wealthiest man of Jaspur for many decades. Due to his wealth, he was called seth ji . He had properties in Bhabhar, Kotdwara and Jaspur. However , being very far away from Garhwal many people deceived him too and grabbed or misappropriated his properties in Bhabhar and Kotdwara.

He was by heart a shelter provider. He brought tens of people with him from Garhwal , provided them shelter in his kholi at Ramsit Badi ,Dadar and arranged jobs for them. His house in Ramsit Badi was definitely a shelter house for those new comers coming to Mumbai from Garhwal

Tara Datt used to be worried by meeting any unemployed Garhwali in Mumbai. He used to advise the unemployed persons to meet those Garhwalis who were able to arrange jobs for unemployed ones.

This author will never forget Tara Datt Jakhmola for his concern for author getting suitable job in Mumbai. Tara Datt Jakhmola introduced the author with Jagdish Badoni of Lakhan Pal Limited (Murphy). Tara Datt Jakhmola forced Jafdish Badoni for providing job to the author. Because the efforts of Tara Datt Jakhmola this author got job in Murphy radio as sales representative. The help to the author is one of the examples about the helping nature of Tara Datt Jakhmola. People of Dhangu and nearby pattis has many stories about the helps of Tara Datt Jakhmola for many dimensions.

Tara Datt Jakhmola died in 1989 leaving behind his married son Atul Jakhmola and two married daughters -Mrs. Saru Badola and Mrs. Vidya Devliyal. His wife Moonga Devi died a couple of years before him and she was his real partner for helping people. She was a kind lady and was famous for her generous hospitality.

Tara Datt Jakhmola is also famous building a irrigating canal in his village Jaspur on his own money. The building a irrigation canal for his village fellows is one of the examples for showing his concern for developmental works.

Tara Datt was also one of the founder members of Garhwal Bhratri Mandal , Mumbai and Garhwal Housing Cooperative Society Ltd Mumbai.

Mumbai’s migrated Garhwalis and his village fellows will never forget the contributions of Tara Datt Jakhmola to his society. This author will also never forget Tara Datt Jakhmola.

Copyright@Bhishma Kukreti, Mumbai, India