Ganalal Koul (Naqibe) a Sanatan Pracharak

Late Shri Ganalal Koul(Naqibe) was born in Drabyar locality, of Srinagar Kashmir, having educations from local government schools and college, obtained M.A. B.Ed. as an in service candidate, while working as a teacher and retired as Principal Education Department J&K Government. As an octoganerian he left for heavenly abode just one and half decad ago at Jammu leaving behind his devotees, son and daughters. He got postings in different locations in J&K  state,and remained a dedicated and devotional, ace teacher. He had good command on teaching English language and Mathematics. Also indulged in poetry of highest caliber and order coupled with saintly habits. He was also an epitome of philanthropy. Social causes were always dear to him. He had one son and three daughters. One of the main planks of his activies was to teach and help poor and needy students.

 Lifestyle and important activites

A typical kahmiri pandit lifestyle, attire, food habits and religious outlook were embeded in his personality. Getting up early in morning, observing brahma mhoorat for meditation, preparing pooja room for normal rituals pertaing to diet’s in a pooja room/area burning of Doop bati/Agarbat, placinf flowers upon dieties woul take 2 hours in hid mornig sitting. Pooja rituals were followed by mornig tea, kehwa with bakery roti of home prepared wheat floor roti. After some household work and taking meals before 9 am, he would leave for School duty, carrying a hand bag containg stationary and books. Having interaction with staff members in school and attending morning assembly of students he would conduct classes alloted and teach the syllabus with utmost honesty and dedication. After school hours he would come to his home to change the cloths and take evening tea. Evening time and holidays, were spent in distributing sheets of his leelas/bajans among neighbours, shopkeepers and nearones. While distribution he would ensure to explain the meaning and method of the baja/leela for adoption. After evening pooja/meditation he would join the family for dinner and Chatting followd by sleep. After superannuation, he continued the daily activites and also took tuetion classes free of charges in his home or elsewhere.

Social activity

 Social causes were dear to himInfact it has remained one of the main planks of his activity besides teaching poor and needy students. During the Indo-Pak hostalities od 1965, he was posted at Jourian near battle zone of Akhnor of Jammu Division as Headmaster. The area was facing acute shortage of drinking  water. To help the residents he got a well dug through school children and localise and border displaced people. In doing so he spent money from his pocket towards the cost of roaps, and tools This humanitarians act was haild by people and local press. His clarin call was “Santoshah Param Sukham” Writing poems /leelas in Hindi and English always remaind his passion. Free time on holidays he used to spent in writing leelas and bajans by his own hand, and getting the writings typed  and cyclostyled using his own money and distributing the write-up among his devotees, friend, neighbours and shopkeepers. He used to explain the meanings of the leelas or the bajan as well. The leelas, bajans or poems were mostly related to Maa Gayatri, Shankar Bagwan, Hanuman, Maa Parwati, individually or collectively.

Devotee of Yograj Swami Nandlal Ji

Ganalal Koul Naqibe, was staunch a devotee of Yogi Raj Nand lal ji of Tikker. Yograj Swami Nandlal ji Maharaj was born in Gurgari Mohalla, Zaina Kadal Srinagar into a prosperous Koul family nicknamed as Kothdars. He stayed in Gowri-pora ashram Deewankhan at Bomi Sopore, when Swami Ji was probably the youngest saint to live. Shri Jia Lal Dass, a reputed person of village Bomai was especially attached to young Swami Ji for his attractive yogic appearance and cheerful aspect. Swami Ji changed place of Ashrams from Gowri-Pora village, Hushoora (Budgam) and Tikkar Kupwara. When Naqibe was posted at Sopore, he would often go to Tikkar ashram and seek the blessings from Yogi Raj. Once Yograj asked Naqibe to specify the help he is seeking by visiting the ashram that can easily be bestowed upon him, the teacher devotee Naqibe sought his blessing for the students he is teaching. In response he told him that who so ever you teach the student will pass with flying colours. This gift of blessings has come true with the passage of time when all the students who were taught by Naqibe were very successful in their examinations.

Religious pracharak

Dr.R L Dhar, Professor of Zoology, University of Kashmir Srinagar original resident of Murran Pulvama Kashmir, being a distaunch devotee of Late Ganalal Koul (Naqibe) gave a shape to the precious gems spoken and published by Naqibe elsewhere in the form of a booklet besides writing a foreword. Some of the devotional leelas/ poems written in Kashmiri and English numbering 18, nine in each are placed in a booklet titled “Bhava Kosum” bilingual comprising 22 pages, for easy refrence. The book stands published by Durga printing press old Janipur Jammu, available Shri Ardh Ratri Maharagnia Seva Sans than Trust Bhvani Nagar Janipur Jammu. All theproceeds thus received are donated to the Trust accounts. The booklet contains nine bajans/leelas in Kashmiri and nine English poems like Glory of Gayatri mantra, Destiny. Gayatri Mata, Gayatri in different forms, who is she, Shankar in Gokul, Pangs of separtation, Mind and intellect and Intellect and beauty covering 22 pages. The bajans and leelas written in kashmiri were aimed to be part of Bajan, Satsangh ceremonies followed during marriages and Mekhal ceremonies sung by ladies in groups. Some of the leelas and bujans were also placed in audio casseets,sung by Shadi Lal Sidh ji through Veer House Enterprises Rehari, Jammu.  Important leelas/bajans were subsequently compiled in two booklets like Bava kosum and Bajan Malla. While at Srinagar he compiled the writings named Bajan Malla Second edition of this booklet was published in 1976 throughShali Printing Press,Budsha Bridge Srinagar, extending to 19 pages containg nine very lenghty bajans in Kahmiri. He also published articles on Gayatri Mata and Yoga in Shuddhavidya a Bhagawaan Gopinathji Trust a bi-annual a tri-lingual Journal in English section Dec 2001-May 2002. In addition he also was writing religious write-ups in local news papers like The Daily Excelsior and Kashmir Times.

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Courtesy: DR. B L PUTTOO and  Spade A Spade-2025 MARCH