Our team sat down with Mr Subodh Sharma born in 1939; settled in Jaipur his whole life. He and his family have seen the city grow and change. From the olden days when kids won’t be allowed to roam outside the city walls after dark to the hustle-bustle of the sprawling town today. His family has been the custodians of the Champavatji temple in Jauhari Bazar and trace their lineage to Shri Hargovindji, the Rajguru in the court of Sawai Ram Singh. We sat down with him to get to know about his experience in the city and what growing up in Jaipur was like.

Q. When did your family relocate to Jaipur?
A . The princess of Geejgarh was married to the maharaja of Jaipur, Sawai Jai Singh. At that time my great-great-grandmother was her caretaker and a widow. She moved to Jaipur with her son who was young at that time, his name was Hargovindji. He was sent to study at Benares. After the death of the king, the princess, then the Rajmata, made the temple named after her as Champavatji ka Mandir. After Hargovindji came back from Benares, he was given the time to take care of, along with that a few villages were gifted to him as well. This might be the personal story of my family but it would tell you how people were coming from outside and settling in the city.

Q. Where is this temple located and what was the architecture like?
A . The temple was completed in 1839 in the middle of Jauhari Bazar. This was a time when the city was growing and changing. After the temple was completed, Sawai Ram Singh heard Shri HarGovind Ji read Katha in the temple. He was so impressed by him that he appointed him as one of the rajguru’s in the court. We started living there when we were the family of one Hargovindji. He had three sons who lived in that home living at one end in the temple adding rooms when they needed it. At that point in time, there were no houses in the city that opened right in the street. The only complexes opening in the street were the Champavatji ka mandir, another temple close to this one and the home of the then ministers. There are three chowks in the temple. One near the entrance, one on the inside which has the temple called Thakur Ji ka chowk and one at the back. The front chowk had shops that would help the daily expenses of the temple. The space above that was dedicated for the men and the women stayed at the back portions of the temple. The families have now grown to be 170 people. One of the three brothers had shifted to Moti Dongri temple where they act as custodians. Hargovindji’s youngest son shifted to Moti Dongri, he wanted his other son to relocate there but the eldest son was adamant on not shifting as that was a risky place. Even when I was young they would not let us go there on our own after dark as space was surrounded by jungles as there was the fear of wild animals and panthers.

 

A view of the Champawatji Temple from Johari Bazar

Q. What were the responsibilities of the rajguru?
A . The responsibility before independence was to supervise the king and help them in any way possible. There was a team of such men in the court. It wasn’t also strictly hereditary. They would often take the title away from unworthy sons and anoint new people as the rajguru. Family legacies would often die out when there were no more sons. When I was a kid there were five rajgurus. When my father died I was appointed to the position by Sawai Bhawani Singh. Now there are three of us left, all old. I don’t think this tradition would move forward anymore. I have one son and he doesn’t seem interested in carrying this tradition forward nor is there an inclination from the royal family now. All traditions have to sooner or later die. But we still perform any Katha that happen in the family. Now the Katha only happens at the time of someone’s death.

Q.  You are yourself an engineer by profession so have you trained in religious studies?
A . I have trained in Sanskrit and religious studies enough to know about everything. It is enough for me to get by as of now.

Q. Is there a ceremony for this?
A . Earlier they would come home and perform the matmi ceremony where they would anoint us with a Pagadi and a ceremonial robe that was our official dress. Sawai Bhawani Singh was always travelling because of his role in the army. When he came back he held the matmi ka dastoor collectively for multiple rajgurus and heads from different thikana. This was a way to officialize succession. It was also on the discretion of the king, especially in the case of a family where there were multiple sons. The king would choose the son he saw as a worthy successor.

Q. How have you seen the city changed in your lifetime?
A . The city has changed a lot since my time here. When I was in 7th class there was the Subodh school near Sanganeri gate, we would go around playing hide and seek in the streets. We would go to gangauri bazar, cutting short through Jantar Mantar and back home. There was hardly any traffic. You knew which car belonged to whom. This was a change population-wise, earlier there was a population of one lakh and everyone lived inside the walled city.