A filmmaker, editor, playwright, poet, and author, Chandramauli Chopra also known as Ramanand Sagar, is best known for making the television show Ramayan which ran from 1987-1988. The ace filmmaker was honoured with Padma Shri in 2000, for his remarkable contribution to Indian cinema and art. Today, on the occasion of his birth anniversary, we have got you an anecdote from his life that proves his love for his scriptures which he once called his ‘gems.’
This anecdote is from the time of the country’s independence. Ramanand was 30 years old when India achieved its independence from British rule. Speaking of Ramanand Sagar’s family, they had settled in Kashmir many years ago. And while independent India was taking a sigh of relief after its independence, an incident occurred that completely changed the course of Ramanand Sagar’s life.
At the time, Pakistani attacks and the terror of the tribals affected Ramanand’s family badly. As situations took a drastic turn because of the terrorist attacks at the place, pilot Biju Patnaik had come to rescue the author’s family and others with an aeroplane.
This anecdote is from 27 October 1947, when Ramanand Sagar, along with his wife, five children, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his wife, clung to the wall of the old airport in Srinagar for one night. Around the same time, 10,000 Jihadi Muslim tribesmen reached Baramulla, with the help of the Pak Army and cut Srinagar’s electricity supply, leaving the capital dark and gloomy. After this, heinous crimes like that of loot, kidnapping, and rape started taking place. And at such a condition, Biju Patnaik turned up as a hero for the rescue of his people. But on seeing the large trunk on Ramanand’s head, the crew refused to let any family member on board. Willing to board the plane, several refugees forced themselves in the plane, in order to save their lives.
But, Ramanand Sagar had something else on his mind, hell-bent on carrying the trunk with him, he shouted, “This trunk would go with me, otherwise no one from the family would go.”
On observing the situation, a Punjabi Jatni came to his aid, who picked up not only the trunk but also Ramanand and threw him in the plane. She even yelled at the pilot asking, “Don’t you feel ashamed? We have not eaten anything for four days.”
Pilot Biju had calmed down, but he came to the trunk and asked to open it, when the trunk was opened it found notes from Ramanand Sagar’s novel, experiences of partition, and the script of the film – Barsaat.
An emotional Ramanand Sagar, burst out in tears as he showed the trunk to pilot Biju Pattnaik and said, “Yes, these are my diamonds and jewels, which I am carrying.”
On Seeing this, Biju Patnaik too got emotional and hugged Ramanand the very next moment. The crowd sitting in the plane had also cheered for Ramanand Sagar.
Interestingly, Biju Patnaik served as the Chief Minister of Orissa twice. He also became the Governor of Assam and the credit for initiating Indian Airlines commercially also goes to him.
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