Yash Malviya is a renowned Poet, Songwriter. Live near Rasoolabad Ghaat and has known Maharajin Bua closely.

Yash Malviya used to live near Rasoolabad Ghaat and has seen Maharajin Bua closely and also could remember many interesting incidents related to it. A lot of interesting information was achieved from this interview.

Interview highlights

• In 1982, we came to this house and which is near Rasoolabad Ghaat and from around 1975 Maharajin Bua started this work.

• Father used to go in the morning to buy vegetables and then my father introduced me to Maharajin Bua and told me that she is doing work that even men would think about once.

• Then after that every day I used to see her. And even on Ghaat, while doing the last rituals, she used to celebrate life. One day she said, you will see that, this Ghaat will one day be crowded with people and for that, I had to fight a lot.

• And her relationship with a common man was very special but not much with rich people.

• And there was a famous person Munshilal Sharma. So there was a cremation and Maharajin Bua said that it will require “Nau man” wood. And they said that “Saat man” will be enough but then the pyre was burnt with “Nau man” wood but Munshilal still said that it wasn’t required then Maharajin Bua got irritated and said if you think it’s more, then you can lie down too.

• She was very angry too and she was to run behind dogs and cows wearing north star canvas shoes.

• When we went to Mahadevi Ji’s last ritual and when cremation was done she was very excited and used to say that Mahadevi has done a lot for women’s freedom.

• Mahadevi’s incident.

• One day no dead body came to the Ghaat. And she said God, somebody at least should come to Ghaat.

• One time due to hot weather, many bodies used to come and it would become hard to manage and then I asked to pass time that “Maharajin Bua, why do they put cotton in the nose” and she said that’s done so that the dead won’t rise again.

• From the earning, some part she used to give in the temple.

• She used to celebrate death it felt like she could hold time.

• There is a temple, where Mahapran Nirala wrote a Ram Shaki Pooja’s part.

• Many big lawyers and writers came to this Ghaat only.

• Two events I never forget; I have seen her crying a lot over my father’s death.

• She was there till 2:30 on Ghaat when my brother died. He was a social worker and Maharajin Bua used to know about it. She came back with us from the Ghaat.

• Remembering her Allahabadi Tewar it feels like that time when women empowerment started and that women were doing this too earlier and now she is too ahead.

• She used to become angry too when somebody used to bargain. I have seen her in both ways.

• But when she died in 2002, I remember that whole Allahabad was sad. And she was a lady who was leaving with a manly manner.

• She wasn’t educated but the experience she had, she was like a moving book and was full of stories. My mom also died on the same Ghaat and she used to even console the families too.

• When we remember her, it’s like remembering a life.