From ‘Alle-Dul’ to ‘All-Good’ Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad: Memories of a People’s Prime Minister Live On in Kashmiri Households
‘How Kashmir Prime Minister brought a smile on the face of poor Tonga Walla’
“When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.” For many in Kashmir, the late Prime Minister Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad is more than a political figure from history. He is remembered as a leader who mingled with ordinary people, listened to their problems, and extended a helping hand where it was needed most.
Even today, photographs of Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad hang proudly in the homes of elderly Kashmiris. These portraits are not just framed pictures but reminders of a time when, in the eyes of many, governance was personal, accessible, and deeply humane.
Bakshi, who served as the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 1953 to 1964, passed away on July 9, 1972. Belonging to the National Conference, his tenure is often associated with ambitious development works, reforms in education and infrastructure, and an open-door style of leadership. Among his admirers, he is fondly remembered as the “people’s Prime Minister.”
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A memory relived
Muhammad Sultan, a respectable figure from Srinagar and a senior Congress leader, recalls one particular incident that, for him, sums up Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad’s compassion. The episode, Sultan told news agency Kashmir News Trust, unfolded in the early 1960s, possibly in 1961 or 1962, during one of Bakshi’s famous public darbars.
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Held in the premises of his private residence — the site of today’s Banquet Hall in Srinagar — these darbars would draw hundreds of people who came with grievances ranging from financial distress to family disputes. “Bakshi Sahib would listen patiently to everyone,” Sultan said.
On one such day, a man arrived with his tonga — a light horse-drawn carriage — pulled by a frail, underfed mare. Known mockingly as “Alle-Dul” for his weak frame and miserable condition, he was often ridiculed by shopkeepers and avoided by passengers. “Badshah-ho, Badshah-ho,” the man cried, addressing Bakshi directly. “Nobody rides my tonga, they all taunt me. I am starving. Please help me.”
From ridicule to respect
According to Sultan, the Prime Minister smiled and reassured the man. “From today, you will not be called Alle-Dul,” Bakshi declared. “You will be known as All-Good.”
He then summoned Abdul Ahad Khan, president of the Tonga Drivers Association, whose office was in Maisuma. Without delay, Bakshi instructed him to arrange a brand-new, colorful tonga and a strong white horse. Payment was made instantly.
The new tonga and horse were brought before the gathering, and Bakshi himself asked “All-Good” to take him for a ride around the TRC road. The ride ended with cheers and applause, as the once-mocked tongawalla beamed with pride, now the owner of a respectable carriage and horse.
Bakshi also ensured that “All-Good” was given a fresh set of clothes — kurta, waistcoat, trousers, and shoes — so that he left the darbar not only with a new livelihood but also with renewed dignity.
More than a gesture
The story did not end there. Bakshi went further, arranging a scholarship for the education of All-Good’s son. Years later, the son became a lawyer and eventually settled in London, a testimony to how a single act of kindness altered the course of an entire family’s destiny.
Even when “All-Good” insisted on keeping his old mare, calling it loyal, Bakshi respected his attachment and let him keep it. “Anyone who insults you again will be dealt with,” Bakshi had told him with a smile, cementing his place in the hearts of those who witnessed the incident.
A leader remembered
Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad’s tenure remains a contested chapter in Jammu and Kashmir’s political history. Yet for many who lived through that period, his human touch overshadows the political debates. Roads, schools, and bridges built during his time may fade into statistics, but the stories of his personal interventions endure in oral memory.
For people like Muhammad Sultan, recalling these anecdotes is a way of preserving a legacy. “Bakshi Sahib gave respect to the downtrodden,” he said. “He made ordinary Kashmiris feel seen and valued.”
In living rooms across the Valley, where faded portraits of Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad still hang, these stories serve as gentle reminders of a leader who is remembered not just for the offices he held, but for the lives he touched. [KNT]
* Muhammad Sultan passed away during Covid in 2019. May Almighty bestow Jannah to him
Bakshi at a glance
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Full Name: Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad
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Born: 1907, Srinagar
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Office: Prime Minister of Jammu & Kashmir
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Tenure: 1953 – 1964
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Died: 15 July 1972
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Legacy: Remembered as a people-friendly leader, held public darbars, and expanded schools, roads, and healthcare infrastructure in J&K.
“Rare photographs of former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, shared with Kashmir News Trust by his son, Mr Javid Bakshi.”
