The Kashmiri Pandits who migrated from Kashmir in the 19th century were very sought after for their administrative skills and erudition.
Many of them served as Dewans and senior ministers in the princely states of India.
One such family was the family of Pandit Bhola Nath Kak. Hailing from Anantnag disr, he migrated from there to Bhopal in the beginning of the 19th century.
He was appointed as tutor to the Princess of Bhopal.
After he passed away his sons Pandit Shiv Narain Kak and Pandit Shiv Prasad Kak
migrated from the Bhopal state to the imperial capital Delhi and started living in Bazaar Sit a Ram, Both these brothers had their schooling in Delhi College.
Pandit Shiv Narain Kak was appointed as an English tutor to Maharaja Takht Singh in Jodhpur by the British East India Company.
In 1868 Pandit Shiv Narain Kak was appointed as a member of the supreme governing body of Jodhpur by the British govt.
Pandit Shiv Narain Kak also became the private secretary of Maharaja Takht Singh.
Pandit Shiv Narain Kak died in Jodhpur in 1892. He was survived by his wife was Rukma nee Gurtu and .lthree Sons namely Dina Nath, Sukhdeo Prasad and Lasoo Prasad, besides four daughters.
We are concerned about Lasoo Prasad Kak who built an extremely quaint haveli ( which he calls cottage) in 1910 in Mathura near the Bangali Ghat. His principal residence would have been in Marwar.
In the 19th & 20th century many rich traders, noblemen & princely families built temples, ashrams, dharmshalas, and of course havelis in cities with religious affliations.
Lasoo Prasad Kak was one of them.
The haveli cottage showcases the unique era when India was under the British but the Mughal influence was still present.
So we have statues of King Emperor Edward VII and Queen Alexandria, we have Farsi verses and Hindi inscriptions.
And a very interesting shajara ( genealogical chart)
And grateful to Ganga Jamuni foundation and Shagufta Siddhi for taking us on this trip and showing us these havelis
