Aurel Stein had no home in the conventional sense. His living arrangements were simple and frugal. As long he was surrounded by books and papers he felt at home. His simple living requirements however demanded a well equipped tent and enchanting panoramic views. Remote mountain sites and desert wilderness provided for this requirement of his. Stein lived an isolated life but it was not entirely one of solitary study and lonely vacations. He placed great importance on companionship. Though he had no family, yet he was methodical and meticulous in his personal arrangements of his camp life. As a result he picked many people for many odd jobs at the camp, and given his popularity in Kashmir, while selecting them these people almost fought amongst themselves for the privilege of going with him. “May be they hope that I will have the Maharaja give me Manigam as an estate.” recalled Stein once.

Many of them were taken for temporary assignments and yet a few devoted retainers served him almost through out his camp life in Kashmir. Such familiar names included Rahim Pohul, Satar Pohul, Nasir Ali, Pandit Kashiram, Ali Bhat, Mohammed Ismail Ghanai, Pandit Nilakanth, Abdul Ghafur, Pir Baksh, Afrazgul and Ghafar Chapri. Stein had also a long acquaintance with Hatimm Tilawon who identified himself even by other names like Shaban Tilawon and Rajab Tilawon when it came to seek favours from the government about which of course Stein was aware. Also during Stein’s early archaeological work in Kashmir in1891 he engaged many local Kashmiris for the excavation task. Those engaged at Narastan were:

Satar Pohul at Char Chinar, October 18, 1938

Razak Mir, Razak Bhatt, Ramzan Dar, Kadir Bhat, Karim Navid, Gafar Navid, Razak Dar, Subhan Dar, Samad Dar, Rahim Mir, Subhan Hayom, Asad Bhatt, Lassa Bhatt, Rahman Bhatt, Samad Khan, Ghulam Mir, Ramzan Mir, Mohd Sofi, Samad Shah, and Rahim Shah.

Those who carried the task of excavation at Vangath were: Sad Bhatt, Razaq Mir, Abul Mir, Shaban Gana, of the village Baranbug, Ahamad and Lassa s/o Jamala, of the village Kannan, Karim Gujjar, Azim, Balli,Fizla, Sultana, Patta, Lassa s/o Rahima, Lal Bhatt and Nura came from the village of Vangath itself while Sultana and Subhana belonged to village Kachnambal. (Source : Stein Mss 286, Bodleian Library, Oxford.)

Pandit Kashiram at Mohand Marg