The-Harrow-On-The-Hill

It is an art to effectively answer the questions asked by kids. The message has to be driven and at the same time, the information must be palatable for their age. While telling them real life stories, we happen to get a new perspective ourselves, thus story-telling becomes a great way to learn, unlearn and relearn. I happened to tell one such real story to my son.

The story of "The Harrow". A building situated on a hillock overlooking the picturesque town of Ooty. The building was originally built in the year 1870, by a Britisher who was known by the name "James Saheb" by the locals. He has named the building after Harrow-on-the-Hill, an area north west of London. It was later bought by the House of TATAs and was was made the residence of Sir Ratanji Tata and his wife Navajbai Tata in the year 1900. The couple happily lived there for sometime enjoying the salubrious climate of Nilgis. But as fate would have it, Ratanji fell ill and sailed to London to never return. After he died in the year 1918 his wife Lady Navajibai Tata, decided to make Bombay as her permanent residence. "Sir Ratanji Tata Trust" was established in the year 1919 with Lady Tata as the chairperson. She continued to be the Chairperson till her death in the yer 1965. As the "The Harrow" remained unoccupied it was gifted by the Tata Trust to the Defense Services in the year 1922, to be used as a "Convalescent Home" for all the officers holding His Majesty's Commission in the regular Army, Royal Navy, Royal Indian Marine, Indian Medical Service and Royal Airforce.

After Independence, Field Marshal Km Cariappa approached the Lady Navajbai Tata with a request to allow the property to be used by the officers of the Indian Defense Services as a Holiday Home for which she gave her consent. Thus "The Harrow", became "The Ratan Tata Officers Holiday Home".

Coming back to my son's questions which made me narrate the story, which were "Who are the uncle and aunty?" and "Why are their paintings on the wall?" The story gave him the answer for his first question, my answer for his second question was, the paintings are there as a mark of respect for an act of magnanimity. Now he asked “So if I do something great which will help many people, I will be remembered and my painting will also be on the wall for many years, is that the moral of the story?” That was indeed tricky. There have been many people who have done great service to humankind, but not everyone land up as a painting on the wall. Their selfless deeds have been an extension of their personalities, without expecting an external validation. Here was my answer, “The paintings are the works of some artist who has signed at the bottom of the portraits, and not many notice the name of the artist, but only the paintings. Our work speaks for ourselves. Unbeknownst the artist has won his glory by inspiring a young mind to help others”.