SGGHS was formed in 1983 when a number of Group Housing Societies were emerging in the city and suburbs. Patparganj was an affordable neighbourhood. Andley Assocites (who are Mathurs and architects, were involved in a number of Group Housing Society projects at that time) initiated the idea to form a group housing society for Mathurs. They shared this idea with the family and extended family and soon the word spread and 113 Mathur families (and 3 non-Mathurs) joined in.

“Owning a flat in the Mathur Society was like a dream come true” feels Venu Mathur who is a co-applicant for this project. Everyone welcomed the idea. Mathurs till this time were used to joint family set ups that were no longer practical. Therefore a community living set up was an ideal option. Children could grow up in a safe environment and not get alienated from their rich culture, it would be like living together in a big haveli with independent bedrooms and toilets, acceptance and active participation in the community were some of the reasons that drove the members to the “Mathur Society”.

Initially people were very close to each other. They did not even need to lock their doors. People entered each other’s houses without ringing the bell or prior notice. All the festivals are celebrated together and everyone participated enthusiastically. However things are changing now. The generation that was born in the Society has grown up. They have demanding jobs (many of them work at call centres) and little time for the Society activities, unlike the earlier generation who mostly had government or bank jobs and took the Society activities more seriously than anything else. After the first bicycle was stolen from the Society in 1992 and another theft later, people started locking their doors. People in the Society still visit each other often, but first they need to call on the intercom. The older generation who made the decision to buy a flat here feels it was a wonderful decision. However the younger generation has mixed feelings.

While the society was formed to recreate the Sheher vibe and ensure the bonds with Sheher never break, this relationship took an interesting turn. When people started shifting to SGHHS, they had many difficulties adjusting to their new lifestyle. The biggest problem was getting their monthly supplies from their trusted stores in the Sheher: shops that sold typical Mathur commodities in Khari bawli, Masale from Kedara (in Kinari bazaar) and Meat from Sharif Halal Meatwala (in Cheera Khana). But after some years a franchisee of Kedara and Sharif opened up in Madhu Vihar (the main market in Patparganj). Now there was no need to keep going back to Sheher every now and then. Slowly Madhu Vihar and the ‘Society life’ (kite flying competitions, the Diwali fete, the gymnasium and table tennis, etc.) totally replaced the “Sheher ki raunak”. Many children who are born and brought up in this 17-year-old building complex have never been to Sheher.