Anyone who reads this column will have noticed much about Kashmir in the last year and an interest in houseboats. The Hanji (boatpeople) know a lot about this and keep remarkable records.
Dal Lake, houseboat family 1971 (taken by my aunt)
The same houseboat family in the late 1960’s (from their own family records)
My elder daughter has been sorting some photos taken by my 94 year-old aunt in 1971 and came across this family group who looked after her during a wonderful houseboat visit on Dal Lake. From another blurred photo it was nearly possible to make out the name of boat and this aroused our curiosity. With the help of WhatsApp we sent a few photographs to Yaseen of Mascot Houseboats in the hope that he might know something more. Within 24 hours, he sent a few album pictures, confirmed the name of the boat, and explained that one of the little girls in all the pictures was his cousin’s mother. Unknowingly my wife and I had met this cousin on Nageen Lake at the inauguration on 07 May 2015 of Mascot HB1, a marvellous restoration of a houseboat that I have featured several times in this column.
hi
i am very much glad to see pictures of my grandfather and great grandfather with turban on his head
name of house boat :- NEW DERA
my grandfather (black coat ) black&white photo name :- G.M.DABLOO ( girls are Haleema & saleema ) other black & white phots has same persons with my great grandfather bhind
Great grandfater :- M.Ramzan Dabloo
kids on color picture taken by your aunt are :- my aunts & their cousins 1hanefa 2:- Gulzar 3:-bilal (boys) 3:- haseena
My name is Abid Dabloo
email Id:- newderagroup@yahoo.in
whats app No:- +91-9650337567
i would love to know more about your aunts tour with my family members back in 1970’s
and to know more you .
will wait for your detailed email on given email id
regads
Abid dabloo
i was just surfing on internet with my tour and travel intrest and came a cross these photos and then went on given details
i thank you very much the efforts for making memories and sentiments afresh
hats off
thank you once again
best wishes & regards
abid dabloo
Thank you very much for your interesting comment and names. We knew the name of the boat but not the family name. Do you know the Tuman family on Nageen Lake as I think you must be related? Yaseen was able to identify the people and I have sent him the link to your comments.
My aunt died last last December and the coloured photograph was in her desk. As far as I know she spent two weeks on your family’s houseboat in November 1971 and maybe there is a record. She was travelling with Lady Dorothy Arthur (maiden name Douglas) who was 30 years older. Her father was a widely respected High Court Judge in Calcutta.
My family is now small as all aunts and uncles who had India connections have died. My wife and I have been travelling each year to India since 1989. We have two daughters who work in the arts.
If you look at the NEWS COMMENT section you will find details of Kashmir’s first hydroelectric power station at Mohra. My grandfather was involved in this around 1908 and an uncle was born in Gulmarg in 1910. Hope this is of interest.
I will send you an email as well.