Friday, January 21, 2022

The tallest leader I ever saw

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan ("Bacha" or Badshah Khan).


 

(c) TS Satyan. Photo found in my parents' album

1969. My mother took my brother and me, catching a bus from Moti Bagh to somewhere in "bungalow" New Delhi (1) where he was staying when he had come for the Gandhi centenary celebrations. She had to hoist me up to see him -- even though he was 6'7", the crowd was so thick I couldn't see him.
When he saw my mother, with two children (~9 and ~6), he walked across the room and took off two large cloth garlands and gave them to us, the tip of his nose touching my mother's head in blessing.

(Written some time ago).

(1) Anil Nauriya informs me that during his 1969 visit Badshah Khan stayed at 5 Rajendra Prasad Road, a building that does not exist any more.

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