Aspect of Jainology Part 1 Lala Harjas Rai

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain
Publisher: Parshwanath Shodhpith Varanasi

Page 26

LALA HARJAS RAI: LIFE AND IDEALS
S. L. Khanna
It has given me immense pleasure to learn that P. V. Research Institute, Varanasi, is planning to bring out 'Shri Harjas Rai Commemoration volume. That I should be called upon to record my reminiscences of my association with Harjas Rai, gives me added pleasure and I consider it a privilege.
One is tempted to use superlatives when one writes about men of the calibre and stature of Harjas Rai that such men as he still lived in our midst, must be regarded as a blessing.
I came in contact with Harjas Rai, for the first time, way back in 1915, when he, from Amritsar and I, from Wazirabad (Pakistan) migrated to Lahore (Pakistan) to join the Govt. college for further studies after Matriculations.
Both of us were outstation students so we sought accomodation in the boarding house commonly known as 'The Quadrangle'. Harjas Rai was allotted a seat in dormitory number 1 and I got one in the contiguous dormitory number 2. Each dormitory accomodated eight students in those days. Harjas Rai was a vegetarian and because I was a non-vegetarian, we joined different messes. He had taken up Arts and I had taken up Science subjects. Our contact during the first two years, therefore was limited to only two periods of studies a day at college. After college hours however, we were invariably together every evening playing Hockey at the playground, close to the hostel. We were both keen players but not good enough to be inducted into the college eleven. Both of us were gifted with powerful vocal chords and we made full use of the same, urging coaxing our playmates to mount an assault on the opponents goal.
After passing the Intermediate examination in 1917, I also took up Arts subjects in common with Harjas Rai and as luck would have it, we were both accomodated with two more students in the same room in college hostel known as 'Sheesh Mahal'. We stayed together in this hostel