Freepressjournal : Latest Indian news,Live updates
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • India
    • Lok Sabha Elections 2019
    • Lok Sabha Elections 2019
    • Elections 2018
  • Cities
    • Mumbai
    • Pune
    • Delhi
    • Indore
    • Bhopal
    • Ujjain
  • World
  • Business
    • Budget 2019
    • Sponsored Content
    • Events Corner
  • Entertainment
    • Hollywood
    • Bollywood
    • Television
    • Regional Film News
    • Movie Reviews
    • Movie Trailers
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
  • Features
    • Infographics
    • Interviews
    • Personal Finance
    • Education
    • Lifestyle
    • Book Reviews
    • Peace of Mind
    • Weekend
    • Whats’s Up
    • Sex and Relationships
    • Food
    • Travel
  • FPJ Initiatives
    • FPJ Roundtable
    • India’s Coastline-Engine and Wheel of Economic Growth
    • IAA-The Gutenberg Galaxy Book Launch
    • Madhya Pradesh Glorious Agri-Revolution
    • India and its neighbours
    • India and the World
    • FPJ FORUM
    • Public Notice
    • The FPJ Management Scholarship
      • FPJ Management Scholarship Awards
  • Epaper

Freepressjournal : Latest Indian news,Live updates

  • Home
  • Opinion
  • India
    • Lok Sabha Elections 2019
    • Lok Sabha Elections 2019
    • Elections 2018
  • Cities
    • Mumbai
    • Pune
    • Delhi
    • Indore
    • Bhopal
    • Ujjain
  • World
  • Business
    • Budget 2019
    • Sponsored Content
    • Events Corner
  • Entertainment
    • Hollywood
    • Bollywood
    • Television
    • Regional Film News
    • Movie Reviews
    • Movie Trailers
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
  • Features
    • Infographics
    • Interviews
    • Personal Finance
    • Education
    • Lifestyle
    • Book Reviews
    • Peace of Mind
    • Weekend
    • Whats’s Up
    • Sex and Relationships
    • Food
    • Travel
  • FPJ Initiatives
    • FPJ Roundtable
    • India’s Coastline-Engine and Wheel of Economic Growth
    • IAA-The Gutenberg Galaxy Book Launch
    • Madhya Pradesh Glorious Agri-Revolution
    • India and its neighbours
    • India and the World
    • FPJ FORUM
    • Public Notice
    • The FPJ Management Scholarship
      • FPJ Management Scholarship Awards
  • Epaper

Letter from the hills: Go for broke

by Ganesh Saili January 13, 2019 6:29 am
written by Ganesh Saili January 13, 2019 6:29 am
Letter from the hills: Go for broke

“Oye! Paise dey!” (Hey! Give money!)

“Withdrawal bharo!” (Fill a withdrawal!) muttered the cashier without even as much as an upward glance.

“Oye! Paise dey!”  Insisted the gruff voice.

The teller looked up – straight into the barrel of a gun. At the other end of the gun stood a man in goggles, hat and trench coat. He looked as if he had stepped out of a B-grade film.  Our local bank branch was having its first hold up.

One look at the chequered history of the years sieved by, reveal that these hills were no place for banks. It began in 1836 with the North-West Bank – a floating treasury of sorts –  was set up for the convenience of government officers and their families.

In 1859, came the Delhi and London Bank; followed in 1864, with Mr. Hobson’s Masuri Savings Bank. Hardly had the heat and dust settled, when the crashes of the Bank of Upper India and the Alliance Bank raised more than dust. Small wonder they said in the old days: “Bank managers were no more than pawnbrokers with a manicure!”

But a manicured dandy had nothing to do with it.  In Jharipani a splash was enough to christen Mossy Falls. Mr. Moss, the banker was out on a picnic when he missed a step, slipped and fell into the gurgling waters.

Of one of the early banks, it was said that those ‘in the know’ were not aware of a new client they accepted at so precarious a time. But to the everlasting shame of another bank, on the eve of its collapse it accepted the life savings of Rs. 64,000/- of an old man, causing him to die of a broken heart.

I am pretty sure my father’s heart was not broken, with the failure of the Mansa Ram Bank in 1955. Not if you go by the stub of his old cheque-book. Balance? Rs. 30.

Lucky him! Luckier than the banker, Seth Chander Sain, who died of heart failure, days before his bank collapsed, saving him from certain ignominy.   Unblemished from 1921, survives the Imperial Bank, a forerunner of the State Bank of India. Set up in 1955, it was housed on the Mall in the Himalaya Hotel. Look closely, you will find the perimeter fence has the legend BUI, when it was the Bank of United India Ltd. But the first floor railings are imprinted VI (Victotia Imperatrix or Empress Victoria) brimming with memories of the Great Delhi Durbar.

And what happened to our bank robber? Well!  Loot in his swag bag, he jumped into his hired taxi, to be driven to the motor-road where he waved down a bus trundling to Dehra. Predictably, the local taxi-driver zipped straight to the nearest police station and the wireless started humming.

To this day, old timers at the toll-barrier will regale you with tales of the police waiting, convulsed with laughter as the bus arrived to disgorge one dumb fugitive.

Ganesh SailiGanesh Saili columnGo for brokeLetter from the hillsLetter from the hills columnWeekend reads
previous post
Carol Andrade Column: Life is mostly grey areas
next post
Agony Aunt: I don’t understand if I recognise myself as male or female

You may also like

10 times PM Narendra Modi broke security protocols

February 20, 2019 12:35 pm

Pulwama terror attack aftermath: 10 things that happened...

February 19, 2019 4:09 pm

Sunburn klassique reveals its artist line-up for February...

February 19, 2019 4:00 pm

Investment Tips: Top Mutual Funds assorted just for...

February 19, 2019 8:45 am

Bombay Lokal, Elsewhere: Rap Gods of Mumbai provide...

February 18, 2019 1:43 pm

Peasants at a Party and Other Stories: Tales...

February 17, 2019 1:34 pm

Game India: Seven Strategic Advantages That Can Steer...

February 17, 2019 8:55 am

L’Affaire: In a unique space of the senses

February 17, 2019 8:19 am

A Hero is Born to Walking in Clouds:...

February 17, 2019 7:46 am

Loved A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s autobiography, it was very...

February 17, 2019 7:42 am

Opinions

  • Coalition arithmetic brings estranged allies together again

    February 22, 2019 9:12 am
  • Working of the registry should be streamlined

    February 22, 2019 9:07 am
  • Changing narratives can blot Rahul’s poll strategy

    February 22, 2019 8:57 am




Web Special

  • Mystery of Zebra stripes solved – they confuse blood-sucking parasites

    February 21, 2019 6:09 pm
  • Missing Day: 10 shayaris that beautifully captures the pain of missing someone

    February 20, 2019 1:56 am
  • Shivaji Jayanti 2019: Wishes, messages, images in Marathi to share on WhatsApp, Facebook and SMS

    February 18, 2019 8:14 pm
  • Who is Harish Salve? Meet India’s expensive lawyer fighting Kulbhushan Jadhav’s case for Re 1

    February 18, 2019 3:47 pm

Trending

  • Watch Kesari Trailer: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra in an unbelievably true story

    February 21, 2019 11:04 am
  • Thane: Leopard at Thane mall, then hotel

    February 21, 2019 6:28 am
  • When will dates of Lok Sabha elections 2019 be announced?

    February 20, 2019 11:42 am
  • Imran Khan’s remarks on Pulwama attack shallow, diversionary: Arun Jaitley

    February 20, 2019 7:55 am

Horoscope

  • Today’s Horoscope — Daily Horoscope for Friday, February 22, 2019

    February 22, 2019 7:15 am




Agony Aunt

  • Agony Aunt: Exploring career options, but I am inducted in family business

    February 17, 2019 6:39 am

Sex & Relationship

  • Sex and the city: My honest husband confessed about incestuous relationship with his sister

    February 17, 2019 6:48 am

What is

  • Gujjar quota stir: All you need to know about the reservation protests in Rajasthan

    February 12, 2019 2:37 pm
  • Mamata Banerjee vs CBI: All you need to know about high political drama in Kolkata

    February 4, 2019 10:05 am
  • New DTH tariff regime: Check full list of channels, package rates

    January 30, 2019 9:45 am

Viral

  • Australian pilot writes ‘I’m Bored’ in the sky during the test flight, picture goes viral

    February 22, 2019 3:04 pm
  • 4-year-old Mahi’s amazing batting skills will make Dhoni proud; watch

    February 21, 2019 12:35 pm
  • Robo anchor: World’s first female AI news presenter is all set to go on air next month

    February 20, 2019 5:30 pm

About Free Press Journal

The Free Press Journal is one of the oldest English Daily newspapers from Mumbai with a heritage of more than 88 years. And yet, The Free Press Journal is a contemporary paper and rooted in current urban realities.

Facebook Twitter Linkedin Youtube Email RSS

Movie Reviews

  • Movie Review: ‘Dev’ is a pointless, boring love story

    February 18, 2019 9:37 am
  • Hum Chaar movie: Review, cast, director

    February 15, 2019 7:23 pm
  • Facebook Wala Pyar movie: Review, cast, director

    February 15, 2019 7:20 pm

Interviews

  • Godrej Memorial Hospital CEO Pravin Swamy: Prevention is key to curb healthcare cost

    February 14, 2019 9:26 am
  • Sancheti Hospital CEO Dr Parag Sancheti: We have created a niche, extended holistic treatment experience

    February 13, 2019 9:33 am
  • Edward I Altman’s Z-score gets rejuvenated for new businesses, even for India

    February 11, 2019 8:11 am
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Authors
  • Careers
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Archive
  • RSS

@2019 - www.freepressjournal.in. All Right Reserved.