TEA PLANTATION AND MY VISIT

I am Nakula Mohlajee- it is actually Nakul with (a) added by Daddy(grandfather) for numerological reasons- son and third child of Ajaya Sharma (Mohlajee) and Meenu Sharma ( Jaitly) born in Hyderabad, India on 15^th December 1990.

I am pursuing B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, second year, from CMR College of EngineeringHyderabad a college of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University.I was wondering about my contribution to this Vast and Grand MOHLAJEEWORLD. Well recently on 10^th July 2009(my fathers birthday), I accompanied him for a brief Holiday to OOTY (Ootacamund) and Coonoor situated on Nilgiri mountain range.

We stopped en route to visit Tea Garden estate(Swamy & Swamy -High Field Tea Estate) of Nilgiris Coonoor at a height of 1800 mt. from sea level-one of the oldest in the region amongst 36 odd such Gardens.(see Pic.1)

(HIGH FIELD TEA ESTATE)-Picture 1.

I wish to share my experience of tea making and little history as told by the guide for all of us. Incidentally I was informed by Papa that Mohlajee’s of Lahore and past, liked to gulp gallons of tea everyday.

Kindly click this link to my blog and you will find detailed article by me

http://nakulmohlajee.blogspot.com

or

click title above

TEA PLANTATION AND MY VISIT

Namaskar from Austria!

Who is who ??? That´s just what I´d love to know. So please dear Mohlajees and friends come up and introduce yourself. Tell me what makes you tick, what moves you the most - everything you like to relate is more than interesting! The Mohlajee Blog is very valuable as are the Mohlajees and their roots. Especially for those of us geographically apart, have come closer and have some knowledge of what our brothers sisters, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews the world over are busy with. I gained insight into the fact that Ajaya is a tea connosieur and that Anjali whom I didn´t even know of can do wonders with old photographs, apart from that she´s charming, saw her picture and my mother told me so.
Thank you Jyoti Mami for having written about yourself and letting me have a peep into your life, your thoughts....
Before I say "Aufwiedersehn" ( Till we meet again in German!)
I introduce myself :
Shivani is my name, ( daughter of Sharda and V.M Kapuria) my husband is André, Priya our daughter turned 20 this March. I´ve been married and living in Austria for the past 21 years. Most of them were in Tyrol, west of Austria. Six year ago we moved home to Styria which is in the South east.
We live in a small township called Veitsch (actually it can be viewed on the web!!) http://www.maplandia.com/austria/steiermark/murzzuschlag/veitsch/It´s 1 1/2 hours away from Vienna. It´s categorized as Healthy Township , so people here are very much into sports, trekking into the Alps, swimming, Nordic Walking, jogging, the list is endless.
Surrounded by the Alps I keep myself happily busy with India - my love. I hold school projects on India, teach Indian cookery......
André an Alpinist is a tour operator. His love of the Himalayas brings all his travellers to Ladakh, Kailash Mansarover, Ganga Valley, Nepal, Tibet.
Priya loves her work at a family hotel, where sometimes Indian guests visit, she excitedly speaks to them in fluent Hindi, but mostly is dissappointed as they mention being from the South of India and not being able to speak Hindi!!!
Namaskar and all the best, waiting to get to know you all ou there.....

Vanshavali Update

Received a mail from Prem Uncle.Before I reproduce the same here we reassure him that the name of Great Great ..... Grandfathers are very much there up till Pandit Nainsukh Mishr who was Great Great Great Great Grand Father of Pandit Madho Ramji Mishr who in turn was the Great Great Grandfather of Mine and Great Grandfather of Prem and Mahender Uncle. It is quite revealing to learn that our ancestors until Pandit Madho Ramji wrote Mishr as Family name and thereafter we changed to Mohle and to Mohlajee. How this transition? and Why? These need answers, if anyone of us has anything to say, please do throw some light.
"Dear Ajaya:
I am glad to read your email and I will tell you about Lord Shiva and Mohlajee's connection. Your auntie is getting better with her three days a week therapy and it will take a few more months to get back to almost normal.

I do want to request you and all Mohlajees to please add the name of Pandit Madho Ram Ji also in the tree as he was our great grandfather. In Lahore we had his picture in the hall of our house and all our elders talked a lot about him, addressing him as Bhayyaji. I can never forget what I heard about him from Baoji and Chotey ChachaJi. He went to his heavenly abode four days before my birth. More about Bhayyaji in my next mail.

With best wishes and lots of love.

Your Uncle,

Prem Mohlajee "

Vanshavali Update

That's great news Anjali. We look forward to assist you in any which way. Ok! This Sunday 19th July, Hyderabad, i went along with my mother(Smt.Sheela) to a temple frequented by Daddy(Shri Chander Shekhar) and met the priest who is one Mr Sharma from U.P. After we gave our names and Gotra "Somastam" to him for Puja, he said Oh! you guys are direct descendent of SHIVA the creator of this world. Unlike other Gotras that originate from Rishis you are direct from the Vanshavali of Lord Shiva. Phew! that was some statement.He said Som-is another name of Lord Shiva and Stambh-pillar. How justifiable i dont know, but surely the evening was made for us. My query was sort of answered after ages since no one could give any reasonable explanation to our Gotra's origin or Rishis we descended from. Any comments? please do forward.

Vanshavali Update

Hello everyone,

Just to update you on our progress with the vanshavali, Papa(Mahender uncle) and I have started working on an electronic english version. This updated version includes women born into the Mohlajee family, those who married into the family and also descendents of Mohlajee women. Hopefully we will have this available for everyone soon.

However we need everyones help filling in and remembering names. So, you may recieve an email in the near future asking for information. Thank you in advance.

Also, Papa and I edited my last post to include captions on the photos :)

Hope everyone is doing well

Hello Everyone!

Hello, I am Jyotsna Mohlajee. Known as Jyoti to most family members. I became a Mohlajee when I married Mr. Amba Mohlajee on the 25 th day of December 1980. We met Mohlajees thru' our then Pandara Road neighbor and a relative of Mohlajees, Mrs. Krishna, Vaidya Shri Haricharan ji's sister. We, the Sharma family met his two sisters a year before meeting his parents, patiently waiting for Mr Right who arrived in India nine days before we got married. His family must have helped him say ,"yes" because he was still jet-lagged to protest.

Happily married for 29 years, we have two daughters, Ambika and Anjali. Ambika is done with school and is training to find a job. Anjali is in the second year of her graduate school, doing master's program in Human factor and ergonomics.

I work with Autistic kids in Santa Clara city these days. I am a Home Science graduate. I love to listen to music, to sew and do some gardening. In my next post I want to write about Mohlajee women I have met or known.
Before I log off, I must congratulate Ajaya, the mastermind behind this blog upon the successful launching of this interesting place where we can find lots of friends and relatives and learn from each other.

What do you want to see in this Blog?

Hi Folks! Shivani has asked "What will be of interest to the blog reader??" Excellent poser.What is the purpose of this blog? Kindly put forward your ideas. What would you like to see or read in this bloq? For example, I would like to hear from everyone as to WHAT MAKES A MOHLAJEE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER'S? WHAT ARE THE CULTURAL VALUES OF THIS CLAN? SUPPORT THIS WITH YOUR OBSERVATIONS OF ELDERS LIKE FATHER,MOTHER,UNCLES,AUNT'S,GRANDFATHER, BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF GRANDFATHERS, GREAT GRANDFATHERS OR MOTHERS. IDIOSYNCRASIES OF MOHLAJEES. SPECIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES. SUCH AS ASTROLOGY, RELIGIOUS CHANTINGS OF MANTRAS, PUROHIT. WHO IS OUR FAMILY DEITY? OUR FAMILY TEMPLES IN LAHORE, AMRITSAR, JALLANDHAR , SIMLA , DELHI OR OTHER PLACES; ANY IDEAS OF OUR ORIGIN-CENTURIES AGO WERE WE MIGRANTS OR SONS OF THE SOIL? SIMILARITIES WITH OTHER CLANS RELIGIONS COUNTRY NATIONALS etc etc. These are few ideas lets hear from you. Let the Blog hot up and hog the limelight.

welcome contributors

Welcome New contributors.

Shivani kreutmayer Kapuria-Sharda aunty's daughter

Jitin Jaitly-Shashi Bhua's son

Nakul(a) Mohlajee-Ajaya's son

We look forward to your active participation in developing this blog. Let your efforts blossom this tree of Mohlajee clan to make it one of the rare sites in world where we link generations past present and future through events, people, descriptions, activities, historical writings, thought provoking issues, vocations, travelogues, landmarks, photos, pictures,movies, tablets, rare manuscripts etc etc.

Happy Blogging Guys

Mohlajee Tree with women

In response to Jyoti chachi's suggestion i had received an interesting mail from Uncle Mahender. I reproduce herewith

"Dearest Ajaya and Jyoti,

Thanks for a very interesting dialogue on the Mohlaje blog for including our womenfolk in the Vanshali.

It has been my intention to include our women in the English version of the Vanshavli.

When Hanu and I met our ancestal Tirath Panditji (Holy Pilgrimage Place Brahmin) in Haridwar, I started a tradition of including our womenfolk's names in his Vahi (ancestory registery). I hope the family will keep itup the tradition with all Tirath Panditjis.

I had Panditji include the names of:

1. Our Dadiji, Karam Devi and Dadaji, Pandit Har Narain ji.

2. Their sons and daughter-in-laws: Pushpa Vati, Sardarni (I did not remember her maiden name), and Dhan Vati (maimo).

3. Their daughters and son-in-laws: Krishan Pyari, Shakuntala, Lali (I did not remember her given name) and 2 Phupadjis.

4. Sons and daughter-in-laws of Bade Tayaji (Shiv Narain ji), Chote Tayaji (Ram Narain ji), and Bauji (Mohan Lal ji). [I missed one daughter- in- law's name].

5. Daughters and son-in-laws of Bade Tayaji (Shiv Narain ji), Chote Tayaji (Ram Narain ji), and Bauji (Mohan Lal ji). [I may have missed a few names].

6. My brothers' sons and grand sons: Ajaya, Atul and Girish and their wives, Ashutosh and Nakula.

7. My brothers' daughters and grand daughters living in the United States and Manasavi. I meant to include others but could not remember their names.[I had forgotten to take my phone log with me to Haridwar]. The youngest Mohlajee, Gia's name is in the Vahi.

Ajaya, my suggestion is that we include as many women folk as we can so that our children and grand children are in touch with one and other so that the purpose of the blog is realized.

I will include my comments on family womenfolks in my additions to the blog.

I would love to hear views of the family.

Thanks again for starting the Blog!

Lovingly,

Uncle"

This sounds very interesting and hope dear Anjali alongwith Tayaji would reassemble this Vanshavalli in English with names of womenfolk included. That would be a huge tree, any guess how it will look like? Sherman Tree i suppose.

Seriously, let this generation do the honour for womenfolk and help the tree develop enlarge.

Old Family Photos

Last year my mom brought back some photos from India including many Mohlajee family photos. I took a step to preserve our history by scanning the photos and posting then on Picasa. If anyone wants to view all of them , send me an email.
Here are a few.

From left to right:Raksha(Lachaa), Bade Tayiji(Pushpa Vati), Arun(Baboo), Shashi and Prabha standing in front yard at F28 Moti Nagar. Photo taken around 1960.

Chander Shekhar and Sheila Mohlajee. Taken shortly after marriage.

First Row from left to right: Bade Tayaji(Shiv Narain), Bauji(Mohan Lal), Rajinder Goswami, Chote Tayiji(Sardani), Chachiji(Maimo), Bade Tayiji(Pushpa Vati)

Second Row from left to right: Chander Shekhar, Vinod Goswami, Rajinder's relatives???,

Dadaji(Pandit Har Narain Mohlajee) Photo taken in 1941 on his retirement

A thought from Jyoti Chachi

We received an interesting and thought provoking piece of writing from Jyoti Chachi. I reproduce her small note

"Dear MahenderBhapa ji and Chiranjeev Ajaya,

Thank you for your efforts to put together and revive the Vanshavali in the blog form. I am glad to be part of the Mohlajee family and hope that by adding to this blog Mohlajee World will get closer. There have been many strong and brave women in the family but sadly enough the old traditions kept them away from from the family tree. I hope future generation will be able to add women as the equal contributors.

Best wishes

Jyotsna Mohlajee"

It surely calls for some ways to find rewarding contributions and acknowledgements of womenfolk in MOHLAJEE CLAN.

Immediate past, present and future names could be added, i suppose. Though it's a good idea i think it may be asking for trouble as who to leave? should we add only wives or add daughters too. If so, then Vanshavali gets mixed and doesn't remain a Mohlajee Clan Vanshavali. Lets have thoughts of others too. So Mohlajee's please come forward and give your valued opinion.

postings on this blog

There was a query from Anjali

"

Hi Ajaya Bhaiya Thank you for forwarding the email to me. I wanted to ask you a few questions regarding the blog Is there a way you can add people to the ownership of the blog or make it so they can contribute? The way it is set up currently. Those of us viewing the blog can only post comments on existing blog entries. I would like to be able to post some photos or maybe even an article i wrote as a child about Papas(Mahender uncles) journey to America. Please let me know if this is possible." Yes! it is possible for all invited to do so. Allyou need to do is, send me gmail/google account of yours and i shall include in the list of authors. Thereafter you can be an active particpant.

Update for Shivani

This is my youngest son Nakula Mohlajee aged 18 years. He studies Mechanical engineering from Hyderabad.

Mail from Shivani

I am so excited today, as i produce mail received from Shivani my sister.

"Hello Ajay,

Sunny greetings from a very rainy Austria!!

This is Shivani writing to you, I am Sharda Mohlajees daughter.

My father ( V.M Kapuria ) redirected the Mohlajeeclan mail to me, I will join the blog, but first I wanted to congratulate you on having created this blog.

Who is Anjali?

Most of us are so wide apart from each other and dont even know or remember one another,so this is a great way of finding

the family and keeping in touch.

I dont have picassa, but window media, can pictures be downloaded on to the blog through that too?

Am sending you a picture of the three of us at the home of a friend last Christmas.

Please send me yours too.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Have a day of peace.

Shivani"

Shivani Anjali is Amba Mohlajee's -younger brother of my father-late Shri Chander Shekhar. I have uploaded one recent picture of my family with Uncle Mahender and Aunt Shyama. Here you see my eldest son Ashutosh and Daughter Manasvi with wife Meenu. The youngest -Nakula is missing in this pic as he was in Hyderabad sitting over his 1st year B Tech exams.

I reproduce your picture with this posting.

Ok you can participate in this blog if you have google account.