I am happy to read your research about Mohlas and this day I am delighted to read respected Sharda Bahen Ji's, email about us being called as Mohlajee. I have known this fact all my life. We were told by our parents that Bade Chacha Ji changed our last name to Mohlajee in Lahore as he was addressed very respectfully as Mohlajee by his Parsi and Bengali friends.
In 1947 when we came to Delhi from Lahore we lived in Kishan Ganj Railway Colony as Baoji worked for Northern Railways. I ran into my best friend and class fellow from Lahore named Amar Chand Talwar. I asked him where did he live in Lahore? He told me that he lived in Mohlian Da Mohalla. Mohlian Da Mohalla was located right behind our house in Sooter Mandi, Lahore. I said, I though he lived in Talwaran Di Gali. He informed me that his grand parents lived in Talwaran Di Gali. You can also read about Mohlian Da Mohalla in the book Lahore- A sentimental Jouirney by Pran Neville, published by HarperCollins, New Delhi.
The mention abour Mohlian Da Mohalla is on page 20 & page 75.
I came home and asked Baoji about Mohlian Da Mohalla. Baoji told me that it was in honor of our Bhaya Ji, Pt. Madho Ram Ji who sponsored to install a very beautiful Shiv Ling in the temple there. It was a small temple there and Shiv Ling was at the entrance of the temple. This was my reason to request you to put our Great Grand Father's name as Madho Ram Mohla and not Madho Ram Mishra.
More about Pt. Har Narain Mohla in my next mail.
Prem Mohlajee
You are right about Mohlian Da Mohalla. When i visited Lahore last year i was forcibly made to drink tea at a shop owned by Pahalwan family right at the entrance of our lane(the steps leading to lane with iron frame), This family had occupied the Haveli wherein now they had a box making unit, ran a school and also reared goats. There he introduced me to a very old person about 90+. He told me if you are Mohla then this may not be your lane as Mohlian the Mohalla was behind. Not very sure which one. So we left the matter at that as the lane where our house was, had more interest for me at that point. Maybe when i visit next-if ever- then i shall find out.
ReplyDeleteAjaya