Sleeman
Memorabilia
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This site shows some pictures relating to Sir William Henry Sleeman memorabilia and is conjunct with the web sites related to the book - The Divine Stranglers - A Story of Thugs and Thuggee Sleeman.
http://www.geocities.com/rampalr1/divinestranglers.htm and
http://www.geocities.com/rampalr1/sleeman.htm
This web site shows three types of pictures mainly
SLEEMANABAD
Please see below the 3 photographs the caption for each.
Picture 1 : Sleemanabad railway station. Abad means a habitation or village. The town of Sleemanabad is about 6 Kilometres from the railway station and is located on the highway hence station is termed ‘road.’ It is a small station and only passenger trains stop here. The Mail or Express trains only make unscheduled stops.
Picture 2 : This picture shows the inside of the shrine where Sleeman and wife prayed for a child in 1832. Sleeman had married Amelie Josephine on 14th June 1828 in Christchurch, Jabalpur. They were not blessed with children till 1832. They prayed at the shrine of Baba Haridas, the most famous musician of medieval India (picture on top right hand corner with an aura behind him). Baba Haridas is the Guru of India’s most famous musicians Tansen (Emperor Akbar the Great’s court musician) and Baiju Bawra (The wandering street minstrel who beat Tansen in a musical concert but walked away without collecting any reward)They were blessed with a son Henry Arthur on January 6th 1833. Sleeman settled some landless peasants at this place and donated some money for the shrine. The villagers till today remember Sleeman! The priest lights up incense sticks to pray. Coconut offerings can be seen on the ground.
Picture 3 : Outside view of the shrine at village ‘Koheka’ Sleemanabad. The priest is in the background and the eternal burning lamp lies on top of the shrine – right in the middle –center. It was specially placed here for the purpose of this photograph. It was found burning by Sir Francis Tuker when he visited the shrine with James Sleeman (William Sleeman’s grandson) in 1933. The lamp lies extinguished since 1996 app. The author reached the shrine by referring to ‘the shrine with the lamp’ only. Sir W. H. Sleeman is still revered in this village.
CHRISTCHURCH
There are 4 photographs and you can read below the photographs about each.
Picture 1: The baptism register of Christchurch, Jabalpur. It shows the baptism of Mary Esther d/o Lt. Col. William Henry Sleeman (Bengal Native infantry) and Amelie Josephine Sleeman at Jabalpur on December by Father Dawson. Marriage records of earlier periods were perhaps destroyed in an earthquake. The Christchurch School was a co-educational school earlier but now has two distinct schools –one for boys and one for girls.
Picture 2: Entrance to Christchurch, Jabalpur.
Picture 3: Reverend Thangadurai displays his baptism register for the early 19th century. A very well informed, patient and extremely polished man, Rev. Thangadurai is proud of his boys and girls, past or present.
Picture 4: Christchurch, Jabalpur displays the tablet :
SACRED to the memory of Major General Sir W. H. Sleeman K. C. B. who after an unbroken service of 46 years during which he held some of the highest civiland political posts in India died at sea on his return to England February 10th AD1856 Etat 67.
A conscientious and energetic discharge of his public duties secured him the confidence of the Government under which he served, while his justice and urbanity won for him the love and respect of the natives of India.
This tablet is erected by his nephew J. Sleeman in affectionate remembrance of one he revered and loved
Around Jabalpur
Picture1: The chaunsath yogini temple, one of the three temples in India devoted to 64 deities and their vahans or vehicles in the background. On the right side is the famous temple of Lord Siva and Parvati where the deity is supposed to reside in person. This story is also very aptly described in 'Rambles and Recollections of an Indian Official'. This temple and the countryside around it, is exactly as Sleeman described in his 'Rambles and….
Picture2 : Narbada waterfalls at bheraghat, Jabalpur. A beautiful picturesque spot. Narbada flows through canyons and rises in Amarkantak. The mythical origin of Narbada has been very beautifully described by Sleeman in his Rambles and ……..
General
Besides the above landmarks Jabapur has some very famous wild life parks around it Bandhavgarh (Highest density of Tigers per Sq. Km in the world), Kanha Kisli, etc. If one makes Delhi as a base and travels by road one can visit Agra (Taj Mahal), Gwalior(Fort and Museums), Jhansi(Fort), Orcha, Datia, Khajurao(The famous temples - sculptures of love) and on the way back one can visit Sagar, Damoh, Mathura, Bharatpur(Bird Sanctuary) and Jaipur. This would bear some similarity to the route that William Sleeman took in November 1835 on his way to Simla for 2 years of leave well earned.
For British/European/American tourists there is a private guest house run by a former Naval Officer (Mr Martin Howard and Mrs. Annie Howard)of the Royal British Navy near Delhi. The Howards live there only. Please visit www.tiklibottom.com for more details. A stay there is best for acclimatizing oneself before embarking upon a tour of India.
Author's daughters Shreya and Priya. Renu and Rajesh Rampal
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