According to ‘Bhat[1]-Pothi[2]’ an old record of events that used to be written and maintained by ‘Bhats’ in those days, our forefathers migrated to India in 1000 AD from the track around Ghazani in Afghanistan, both as a result of pressure of Islam and in search of better livelihood. As per information passed on by our ancestors four Gotras, namely, Dalal, Mann, Deswal and Sihag or Suhag originated from same parents. Chaudhary Kushal Singh Dalal is the first known person of our family who lived in ‘Garhi Pana’ of Mandothi village (a big village of Dalal Khap) and had two sons Bahadar Singh Dalal and Thana Ram Dalal. So we are descendants of Ch. Kushal Singh Dalal and after his death, both the brothers shifted their residence to the present site, which was named as Mehandipur village. It is not known as to how this name of the village was derived by our ancestors. This migration might be because of better management of their large land-holding.
Chaudhary Bahadar Singh Dalal, who can be said as first known generation in Mehandipur village had only one son Turti Ram. Similarly, Ch. Turti Ram Dalal was also blessed with only one son Sada Ram. Again, Ch. Sada Ram further had only one son named Rampat. It was again a coincidence of single generation further and Ch. Rampat also had only one son who was named as Roop Chand. It was from Dada Roop Chand, the number of children increased and subsequently, the family started multiplying faster and today there may be over three hundred individuals in the family.
According to records of our family, our fore-fathers were very burly and brave. This could be judged from very good physique, sound health and hardiness of Ch. Rampat seen and mentioned by the main Author. The same is true in general the health and physique of all his descendants has been quite sound. Our ancestors were very peace loving, amicable in nature and never indulged in unnecessary quarrels and disputes. They were reputed farmers in the village till late. However, when education started spreading, the families started moving to cities / metropolitans and farming was also restricted to only a few individuals who are still living in the village. However, many family members of the privaar are still keeping a link with those staying in the village and keep visiting during various family occasions like marriages and particularly at the time of sad demise of any family-member of Dada Roop Chand parivaar.
In the family, milk and milk by-products has been the major ingredient of their daily diet. Many of the family members are still strictly vegetarian and teetotaller barring some who are either in forces or big cities. The parivaar has been a staunch arya-samaji family. As such, the discipline and control of the family has been quite strict and no vicious habits developed. In fact, the entire family from the very beginning was brought up in a peaceful and affectionate atmosphere. The members of the family enjoyed plenty of facilities and did not experience scarcity of any type. Like ancestors, their descendants also started leading a simple way of life. In fact, religious feeling and moral training was received from the elders under the guidance of an eminent arya-samaji of that time, namely, Pandit Basti Ram (who was a very learned blind Vedic scholar) and Mahatama Hans Raj, which trickled down in the youngsters.
Traditionally, the family had farming as a main profession till Chaudhary Rampat, which slowly was diversified by Chaudhary Roop Chand, who himself started learning Hindi in devnagri script along with lundhi for maintaining account matters, particularly maintaining Bahi for keeping a record of soft-loan in form of cash / kind. He also learnt the skills of trading aspect as a small village based business activity. It is also worth mentioning that once at Rohtak, Mahatama Hans Raj advised a group of elders of our family to educate the children and more so the daughters. He emphasized that if a boy was educated a single individual is educated but if a girl is educated, the whole family will be educated. This had a great effect on thinking of Dada Roop Chand, who decided to follow these exhortations. Pandit Basti Ram always preached arya-samaj through his sweet ‘bhajan’[3], which carried lot of teachings about better ways of life and serving humanity with love and affection without any personal gain.
Chaudhary Rampat was a great Panchayati[4] and so was his son Roop Chand. In 1923, a big Sarv-khap[5] Panchayat was held in the village Gandhra in which our ancestors adopted late Chaudhary Chhotu Ram as a representative of “Dalal Khap”[6]. It so happened that on first day, Chaudhary Chhotu Ram came clad in English dress to participate in the Panchayat. He was hooted down and the people wanted to know the ‘Khap’ to which he represented. On seeing that, Chaudhary Liak Ram Ziledar, Amir Singh Lamberdar and our great grandfather Chaudhary Rampat asked Chaudhary Chhotu Ram to come in Dhoti-Kurta, the next day and declared that he belonged to the Dalal Khap. Chaudhary Chhotu Ram did the same and thus became a permanent nominee of the Dalal Khap.
Though mostly illiterate yet the older people were quite wise and practical in their outlook and approach. They were very social and always worked for development and welfare of the society. Dada Roop Chand continued to maintain friendly and close relations with late Chaudhary Chhotu Ram. Rai Bahadur Daryao Singh of village Mokhra, Captain Dalpat Singh of village Dighal, Rai Sahib Chaudhary Kanhaiya Lal of village Mattanhail and Chaudhary Ghasi Ram of village Ahulana near Gohana who were popular leaders of a big Khap of Gathwala Gotra.
Such was the background of our family with customary habits and procedures, which are being followed by the younger generations. It becomes imperative to narrate in detail, the life of Dada Roop Chand, his parents and his children as well as grand children who later have done remarkably well in this competitive world.
[1] Professional surveyors (bhat) during those days
[2] Statistical record book (pothi) maintained by bhats during those days
[3] Religious song
[4] One who obeys/honours the decision of Panchyat (a group of senior elderly people)
[5] Meeting of group of sub-caste panchayats
[6] Large group of Dalal sub-caste to represent a meeting of group of panchayatswas also