Khanna, and he had a special forte in this field. Without fear of contradiction, it can be claimed that no other actor has had a greater number of beautiful songs picturised on him than Rajesh Khanna.
After a long and successful career in cinema, this legendary actor died on 18 July 2012. When a famous actor dies, his or her fans often feel that an era of their own lives has also passed with their death. Rajesh Khanna was one of those actors whose death truly marked the end of an era. Many famous actors of the 1950s and 1960s have passed away in recent years, but none drew as much attention as the news of his death. It was Breaking News and made headlines for many days. Even the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Raja Pervez Ashraf, sent a message of condolence on behalf of millions of his fans on this side of the border.
Rajesh Khanna died in Mumbai. But the question arose: where was he born? I knew from my earlier readings that he was born in Amritsar on 29 December 1942. But then, a startling piece of news emerged—he was actually born in Burewala, a small town in Pakistani Punjab. Naturally, this news was of great interest to me. It was reported in the media, including on the website of the Times of India, that his father, Lala Heera Nand Khanna, was the first headmaster of MC High School, Burewala, and that Rajesh Khanna was born in H Block of Burewala. A picture of the house was also shared, and it was claimed that the words "Jatin Bhawan" were engraved on it. Jatin was the original name of Rajesh Khanna. I decided to investigate further at the first available opportunity.
So finally, on the morning of 23 March 2016, I found myself standing in front of the house. Due to the early morning hour and the Pakistan Day holiday, the shops were closed and there were not many people around. However, the young men in the street had no doubt about the location of the house. Indeed, it was the same yellow-painted house that I had seen on the website of the Times of India.
But soon, doubts began to arise in my mind. Fortunately, I can read a little Hindi, and I clearly read that the name engraved on the front door of the house was Jetendra Bhawan, not Jatin Bhawan as claimed. Because it was still early, I decided not to disturb the occupants. Besides, I had a deadline to meet as well. (Location: 30° 9'29.91"N, 72°40'59.80"E)
श्री सत्य नारायणजी की कृपा से श्री जुगल किशोरजी के पुत्र श्री जेतेन्द्रनाथजी ने बनवाया
I took some pictures of the house and then went to see a Hindu temple just across the street. It is a large complex that now houses many shops, a mosque, and even a police station. I entered the police station and, after getting permission, took some photographs.
The temple itself is in very good condition. In fact, the Hindus had to leave it just before its completion. The spire still shows signs of unfinished work, but all other sections appear to be complete and well preserved. Remarkably, even the paintings of Hindu deities are in excellent condition, especially considering the long passage of time. (Location: 30° 9'30.97"N, 72°40'59.32"E)
So far, I was not satisfied with the results of this research. My next destination was MC High School, Burewala. I was not very hopeful of getting any concrete information from there either. But when I entered the school, the first pleasant surprise was its very beautiful garden.
I spoke to some teachers, and they took me to the office of the Deputy Headmaster, as the Headmaster was away on an official visit. The Deputy HM immediately confirmed that Lala Heera Nand Khanna was the first Headmaster of the school. Despite it being a busy day — as they were preparing for a function in connection with Pakistan Day, he was very cooperative.
So where was Rajesh Khanna born, in Burewala or Amritsar? I think only his family can confirm it. However, one thing is clear: he had a strong connection with this place and most probably lived here for a considerable time during his childhood. His father was the headmaster of this school until 28 March 1947, so the family was here until just a few months before the Partition.
Rajesh Khanna had two daughters, Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna, both are actresses, and their mother, Dimple Kapadia, is also a well-known actress. Twinkle Khanna’s husband, Akshay Kumar, is himself a successful actor.
I kindly request my readers to share any information they may have on this subject.
Tariq Amir
November 20, 2016.
Doha - Qatar.
