2 minute read
Picnic spots near Mhow
from MHOW Cantonment
by Chandra Nath
DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR AND MHOW
Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's father Ramji Maloji Sakpal was a Subedar Major—a VCO or Viceroy Commissioned Officer (the equivalent of a JCO)—in a battalion of the British Indian Army's Mahar Regiment. The Mahars are an oppressed caste from Maharashtra state of India and are part of the Dalits or downtrodden and untouchable people of India. Dr. Ambedkar had fought on behalf of the Dalits and is a very honoured figure in India today. He and hundreds of thousands of his followers had converted to Buddhism as they claimed disillusioned with Hinduism. A memorial to Dr. Ambedkar in the shape of a Buddhist stupa is being built at a spot where his father's quarters used to be. It is located by the Agra-Mumbai Road and is very near the temple, gurudwara and mosque of the Infantry School Mhow.
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RENAMING MHOW AFTER AMBEDKAR AND THE CONTROVERSY
Mhow has now been renamed Dr. Ambedkar Nagar in honour of the father of the Indian constitution, who was born here. The renaming has not been without controversy. Many claim that it has been done due to the compulsions of vote bank politics. The new name is used for official purposes and has not been widely accepted. Ambedkar was born in Mhow as his father Subedar Major Ramji Maloji Sakpal - a VCO (Viceroy Commissioned Officer) of the Mahar Regiment - was stationed here. He had nothing to do with Mhow claim opponents of the renaming. They also claim that the name Mhow has a history of its own and is a name which the Indian Army and civilians are deeply attached to. These are also the views of many who say that they have nothing against Ambedkar or the Dalits but are attached to the name Mhow. Opponents of the renaming claim that Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, has not been renamed Gandhinagar and Jawaharlal
Nehru's birthplace Allahabad is still Allahabad and not Nehrunagar hence it is not necessary to rename Mhow after Ambedkar. The Dalits claim that this opposition is mainly due to the ingrained bias that upper castes have against them. The controversy refuses to die.
REFERENCES TO MHOW IN THE WRITTEN FORM.
Some books about Mhow include:
Diaries and letters from India, 1895-1900 by Violet Jacob; Non fiction Last Post At Mhow by Arthur Hawkey; London: Jarrolds, 1969; Non fiction Chinnery's Hotel by Jaysinh Birjepatil; Ravi Dayal Publishers (India); 2005; fiction
There are references to Mhow in the works of Rudyard Kipling.
(i)His poem "The Ladies" (ii) A reference to the train from Ajmer to Mhow in Chapter 1 of The Man Who would be King and (iii) A reference to Mhow in chapter 11 of Kim.
MHOW AND BOLLYWOOD
Actors Pooja Batra and Celina Jaitly who are born in Army families have Mhow connections. Both of them are the daughters of retired Indian Army Colonels who have settled here.
SPORTS AND EMINENT SPORTSPERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH MHOW
Shankar Lakshman, Indian hockey goalkeeper from Mhow (Indore).
