56. Math is Fun, Math is Fun...

Thousand Full Moon: Indumati Sathaye (82+)

Contributed By: Rohini Abhyankar

I went to see Indumati in the late afternoon at her Pune residence. She was wearing comfortable cotton clothing and her hair was tied in a ponytail. A walking cane rested besides her. She shares the apartment with her daughter’s mother-in-law. Both the elderly ladies are looked after by their children and a live-in care taker.

Our conversation began by Indumati talking to me at length about her childhood, her father and how he was loved and respected by his co-workers and the people who availed his veterinary services. Then she turned to her own life and here is what I learnt:

 Indumati completed her college education after her marriage. She attended S.P. College as a science student for first two years and then switched to humanities and went on to earn B. A, B. Ed, and M. Ed degrees. She worked as a teacher for 20 years. In 1983 she was sponsored by her daughter and decided to move to the United States of America. After getting her degrees evaluated by the right authorities she got a job as a school teacher in Philadelphia.

It so happened that the principal of the school that Indumati worked at would constantly keep an eye on Indumati’s class. Always did her rounds when Indumati was teaching. She probably was a little skeptical about this lady from India. The principal would not let up. Initially Indumati did not mind this at all. But as time went on She wanted these rounds to stop. She somehow wanted to assure the principal that she was a competent experienced teacher.  After giving the situation a lot of thought Indumati resorted to poetry! She composed the following poem and presented it to the school principal. It worked like a charm and the principal stopped her rounds of Indumati’s class room.

Here Is her poem…enjoy!

           Math Song

                                                     Math is fun, Math is fun,

It is easy to study and learn

Math is fun, Math is fun

Add, Subtract, Multiply and divide guys,

These basic skills will make you wise

If you don’t think about your future

You will be a dumb creature!

What’s the use of education?

Schooling and taking examinations?

Math is fun, Math is fun,

It is easy to study and learn

 

If you don’t understand

Raise your hand

But do not stand

Or start talking with your friends

You know what makes talking…talking

Talking makes every teacher shaking…

Math is fun, Math is fun,

It is easy to study and learn

 

You know what you do in Math?

When you multiply you forget to carry,

And when you carry

You forget to add

That makes teachers mad.

When you divide and forget to subtract

That makes you flat.

But if sometimes you fall,

Do not feel so small,

Concentrate and try,

But do not cry,

When teacher explains

Pay attention

And do multiplication.

Math is fun, Math is fun,

It is easy to study and learn

In your life Math is every where

In the kitchen, shopping center or elsewhere

You see signs 20% off price

You cannot figure it and that’s not nice.

Teacher…Teacher…Teacher…Teacher

She is the care taker of the future

Discipline and Motivation,

Encouragement and stimulation,

Enthusiasm and cooperation,

With all these features

a teacher ensures your future.

Math is fun, Math is fun,

It is easy to study and learn

Math is fun, Math is fun,

 

55. Why should we live in other people’s country?

Thousand Moon: Lily (Ghanekar) Damle (86)

Contributed by: Rohini Abhyankar

I met Lily Damle at her residence in Pune. She looked bright and cheerful. It was obvious that she must have been a very good looking woman in her younger years. Lily Damle and my father’s eldest sister were good friends. My aunt is no more and since Lily was a close friend of my aunt’s there was all the more reason why I wanted to go spend some time with her.

Lily received me with great affection, asked me about my father and grandfather and my aunts. My grandfather was her teacher in grade school. She told me how my aunts and she would play together. She remembered attending ‘Samiti’ shakha under the chiku tree in Ratnagiri where she grew up. She told me that she got married in 1945 and lived in several different cities as her husband would get transferred periodically through his job with Central Excise. Of all the places she lived at she said she had liked the city of Sangali the most. Of the three sons she had the youngest one was the naughtiest of all, the memory made her chuckle. She told me that her father in law had a big house with many rooms but now she lives in this flat in Pune as it is more convenient. Then she asked me whether I was planning to settle abroad. Before I could answer she told me to return to India. “Why should we live in other people’s country? She asked making me speechless…

It was a pleasure spending the precious half hour with Lily. I had the feeling of having spent some time with my late aunt. As I was taking her leave she invited me and my entire family to the ‘maunda ceremony’ (a ceremony performed when a person becomes a great grandparent) and said, “Tell Mali (my other aunt who is now 85) that Lily is still the same”.

54. If I cannot feel other’s pain I do not have a right to be called a human being

Thousand Moon: Dr. Usha Kelkar (83+)

Contributed by: Rohini Abhyankar

I met Dr. Usha Kelkar at the Kelkar sammelan at Pune in July 2012. She was sitting at the end of the row wearing a light blue sari, resting one leg (that was in a cast) on a chair in front of her, her cane resting by her side.  She looked beautiful, intelligent and much younger than her age.  When I expressed my wish about getting one pleasant memory from her for the blog she promised to call me the following day after giving some thought to what she would say.

We started our phone conversation next day with the usual pleasantries and gradually came to the deeper philosophical musings and her not so pleasant memories. She talked with ease and heartfelt sincerity. I became her writer…

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have always been fond of horses and dogs. The last dog I had was named Dash. I used to come to Pune for work and we used to live in Chinchvad, Dash was a big and strong dog and it was increasingly becoming difficult to look after him due to my travels. On one such occasion when I was in Pune my mother decided to give him a bath but something went wrong there. He had ticks and maybe there was an open wound but when my mother started to bathe him with mild soap (Dettol) and water he was greatly perturbed and since my mother could not hear very well she could not sense his discomfort and eventually he bit both her hands. She fell and became unconscious…

After her recovery we decided to give Dash up for adoption. A famous Rancher came forward and promised to take good care of him. But I regret that decision for I learnt later that he was tortured as a means to get him disciplined. I can feel what Dash must have felt, how he must have been totally lost…animals cannot even express themselves. I still feel his pain and I apologize to his memory and ask for his pardon over and over…

I have yet another prick. I was much younger then and in college. The way back home was by the side of a canal. There would be hundreds of butterflies on the bushes by that canal. I would take pleasure in scaring them by hitting the bushes with a stick. The man servant who accompanied me would plead with me not to do that and would try to scare me by saying that he would complain to my grandmother but I was young and foolish then. I still remember how some of the injured butterflies would flutter on the ground when ants would carry them away…I feel their pain now. I apologize to them and to my own ‘atma’ many times.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dr. Kelkar was speaking very earnestly. She narrated yet another incidence where one of her neighbor’s three year old son got lost on Girgaon chaupati but miraculously found his way back home!

Dr. Kelkar was experiencing the joys and sorrows of the past as she spoke to me. She later told me that now she has turned to spirituality and has written articles and books on the subject. She recommended a couple of books on Upanishads for me to read. And as I was taking her leave she summed up the gist of our conversation in these words, “If I cannot feel other’s pain I do not have a right to be called a human being”

53. Gold flowers were showered

Thousand moon- Shrimati Shantabai Narsinh Fadke
 contributed by - Dr. Raghunath Boradkar

Shrimati Shantabai Narsinh Fadke  81+ lives in Belgao Karnataka. Here she narrates three experiences where she thanks providence for saving her and her family’s life and in fourth she tells us about the moment that gave her the utmost joy in her life. Lets have it in her own words.

I still remember the chill that ran through my spine when I remember this incident. We had returned to Mumbai from a North India tour.  My grand son who was  about two and a half to three years old  used to be with me always. On this tour he was not with us. I was a little uneasy without him so I asked my daughter in law to send him by plane with someone  to Mumbai from Belgao. We  received him at the Airport.

Next day we were to go to Ghatkopar to my niece for lunch. It must have been eleven thirty or twelve noon and the local was not crowded  My grand son was on my lap. The local halted at a station .When I looked out I saw people jumping from the train and running. In a minute or so another local coming from behind crashed in to  our train with a terrific bang. Our compartment was lifted up  and caught between the engine and the girders supporting the electric cable. For a moment my heart stopped as I clutched my grand son. Luckily none of us was hurt. The co passengers who were as terrified as we were. helped us in getting down on the platform . We then just ran to safety even forgetting to thank those who helped us. I still remember them and pray God that they be happy. It was God’s grace that saved us.

The second incidence that I remember happened when we were on a south India tour. In all we were fourteen people  We were going to Bhatkal and passing through a Ghat  when suddenly brakes of our car failed .  My son in law Prabhakar was driving the other car and was following us. He noticed that our car brakes have failed. What he did was very courageous. He overtook our car , went ahead and then managed to throw a big stone on the road. Our car dashed against the stone the petrol tank was broken and the petrol leaked and Balukaka who was driving our car managed to stop it by steering the car in to a mountain side ditch and we heaved a sigh of relief. We then got the people to repair the car and proceeded further. The rest of the journey was uneventful. Again Grace of God.

The third incidence carved in my memory occurred when we were traveling from Kanjivaram to Madras[Now Chennai]  We started sometime in the evening. This time we were caught in a cyclone. There was a heavy downpour  and strong wind that could sweep  anything, Trees had fallen and the electric poles bent.   It appeared that our car was the only car on road, The cyclone raged for four hours. By midnight we reached a small village. The villagers understood our plight and gave us shelter in the village school. Next day we left for Madras again thanking the villagers for their benevolent act.

Nothing can hurt you when the Almighty protects you.

And now the day of utmost happiness and paramount joy in my life.

In Fadke family my mother in law had seen great grandson and they had celebrated the occasion by showering Gold flowers on him in a function called Mavand.

In January 2003 that is after forty years we had the opportunity to celebrate the same function again for my great grandson. There were four generations living under the same roof.

All religious rites were performed. A bowl of Bronze[Kase] was filled with clarified butter[Toop] and I saw the face of my grandson reflected in the Toop. This was a moment of Paramount joy. My eyes were full of tears but they were the tears of Joy.

A feeling that can not be put in to words. Gold flowers were showered as was done forty years back. What pervaded the atmosphere was pure happiness  and for me it was  a moment of glory.

Shrimati S.N. Phadke Belgao.

52. An early “Thousand Moons" Celebration

Thousand Moon: Sulabha Nadkarni

My name is Sulabha Nadkarni.  I was born in Goa and brought up in Mumbai.  At the overripe age of 47, I came to California to join my parents and my husband and kids followed the next year.  Ever since, we are in San Francisco.

I worked in US till I was 73 and after retirement, I have kept myself busy with social work and social life.  I am also an artist at heart.  So I have always kept myself busy in oil painting, Nirmal painting  (a specialty from Hyderabad) and other such things.  Recent passion is making quilts and knitting.

Last seven years, we have been making annual visits to India, meeting our family (more my in-laws) and friends and sometimes visiting new places.  This year, we went to India in January with return tickets for March 15.  Near the end of February, my younger brother-in-law called to tell us that our nephew (who lives near Amsturdam) is visiting Mumbai and we will have a get-together on March 9.  I was thrilled at the idea of meeting everybody at one place before leaving.  My younger sister-in-law asked me if I would sing at the gathering.  I declined to do so as my voice is not good enough anymore.  She also insisted that I wear a saree and NOT a salwaar/khameez etc.  Because, she said they had decided to take a picture of our generation.  My older brother-in-law was coming from Bangalore for the occasion.  I did not smell a rat!

My son took us to Bandra Otter Club, where the party was scheduled to be.  I was happy to see the family, all in-laws, their kids and grandkids.  We were having a good time.  All of a sudden, I was whisked away to another table where my older brother-law and my husband were already seated.  In a few minutes, before my mind could grasp what was happening, out came my beautiful sisters-in-law along with my younger brother-in-law carrying a big tray lit up with lots of tiny candles.  They came to my table and all started singing "Happy Thousand Moons" and then.....my mind LIT up!!!  I saw the candles set up to spell '1000'.  They had already planned to celebrate my 80th birthday (which actually fell on 6th July 2012)  I was offered a bouquet of flowers and a pedha.  Then my sister-in-law applied haldi-kumkum on my forehead.  What a Sweet Surprise that was !  I had never expected this to happen as it was just March.  But the whole Nadkarni Clan was in one room joyously celebrating my 80th birthday.  What better celebration could there be!

I was overwhelmed with happiness and the memory of the event will linger in my mind forever and ever.           

51. Exhibition of the UTTERLY UNKNOWABLE

Thousand Full Moon: Shakuntala Fadnis

Contributed by: Br. Raghunath Boradkar

Shrimati Shakuntala Fadnis is a writer. Her husband Shri S,D,Fadnis [popularly known as shi.da. ] is a well known cartoonist. His caption-less cartoons transcend the barriers of region and language.

 Here she recalls an experience and calls it ‘EKDAM  ABODH ‘  or Absolutely  Unknowable.

                      It was the last week of November 1984. We were in Bhopal. We were organizing our exhibition of cartoons ‘Laughing Gallery’ in Madhyapradesh and the cities selected were Indore Bhopal Gwalior and Ujjain. We booked a hall in Indore and then went to Bhopal.

                       In Bhopal we couldn’t get the hall that was promised as the management had some unforeseen problems. So we started looking for another hall. But in spite of all our efforts we couldn’t get a hall to our liking.  Our needs and their expectations didn’t match. We tried our best but without any result. We were ready to pay more but that too didn’t help. We had total disappointment in store for us.

                         It was 29^th November, my father’s memorial day. On 28^th night I went to bed remembering him. Early morning on 29^th I had a dream in which I saw my father, smiling and his right hand raised as if to bless and that was all. I got up feeling that the dream was a foretelling dream and that our efforts will bear fruit to day and it did so happen. After all my father was a great appreciator of his son in law’s work and he had blessed so everything was to be OK.

                            There was a famous and a beautiful hall in Bhopal and that was available to us. The president was ready to relax and overlook certain rules and give it to us. He needed a formal permission from the trustees and the hall would be ours. The only problem was that the trustees were out of town and were to be back in three or four days.  He assured us and told us not to worry and asked us to come after four days..

 We were to go to Gwalior from Bhopal. We had already booked a hall there and we had just to see it and pay the money. There was no problem in coming back to Bhopal after four days. Everything was really fine.

                               But then something unexpected happened and I was confronted with a different problem. Shi. Da. suddenly changed his mind and said ‘No. No exhibition here and No coming back to Bhopal.’ I tried to explain but he was insistent.  It was now my turn to be surprised. I asked’ What happened? Why are you so insistent on not coming back to Bhopal?’ He had no satisfactory answer and said’ I just don’t feel like.’ I tried to convince him in many ways, told him about the hall and how we frantically tried to get it and asked him ‘Why are you so adamant now on not having an exhibition here in Bhopal when we have got it?’ But he didn’t budge. And so we left Bhopal for Gwalior.

                                  Reaching Gwalior the first thing we did was booking a hall for the exhibition. We were staying with our relatives. We enjoyed their hospitality. We  went round Gwalior  Time just flew and the day foe our return journey to Pune arrived..

                                   We went to the station and learnt that the train was late. We had to wait.  We had to wait so long that the waiting appeared to be endless. Ultimately the much awaited train came and we were on our way back to Pune. We were bored and tired as we had waited on the platform for a very long time so we boarded the train occupied our berths had some  light supper and retired for the night.

                                   I had no idea what time it was when I woke up. But I was feeling very uneasy then. Then I started  getting a headache. I thought I would faint.Later I developed nausea and started vomiting.. I had a very light supper and it was homemade ,so there could’nt have been anything wrong with the food.  As I was wondering as to what must have happened, I started feeling chilly . I put on two sweaters and wrapped myself in a woolen shawl. Later I drank a large cup of hot tea and felt a little better afterwards. In the meanwhile shi.da. started feeling uneasy and complained of headache. He also felt a little feverish. We could’nt sleep and there was nothing that we could do but wait and watch.

                             It was late morning when we reached Bhusaval,  We got a newspaper and the front page news shocked us. The news of  explosion in the Union Carbide factory and the resulting Gas tragedy which later  on came to be known as Bhopal Gas Tragedy was on the front page of all newspapers. It was something terrible.

                             What’s peculiar is that the date of the explosion and the date when we were expected  to return to Bhopal  for booking the hall were same.3^rd December 1984.

The hotel where we had stayed and where we were to stay on returning to Bhopal  was in the affected area.  But why did shi.da. suddenly decided to cancel the Bhopal Exhibition?

What sort of power motivated him to alter his decision? Was it a meaningful coincidence or just a coincidence? It still is a mystery to us. Shi Da himself has no explanation for the

Mysterious coincidence.

                                 Somehow I feel that my father had blessed me in the dream not for  getting the hall , but for saving us from the tragedy that was to occur. We had known that there had been an explosion in Union Carbide factory but had no idea about it’s intensity.

There were no mobiles then. It took time  for the news to spread .The train had halted at Bhopal station for a few minutes and that too 20 hours after the explosion. Even then we went on suffering for about a year. Unexplained fevers  Rashes ,cough. and boils. Things we had not suffered from before. Everything had started after that brief halt of the train in Bhopal

                                 We were lucky that we were saved. But what about those whose lives were shattered or those who just died? We still feel very sorry for them.

                                 Why did shi. da. Felt like canceling the Bhopal exhibition? Still a mystery. EKDAM ABODH.   OR UTTERLY UNKNOWABLE .

                                  Happy to have been saved.

Shakuntala Fadnis

                    

                               

                               

50. Fond Memories

Thousand Moon:  Shrimati Sudhatai Shrikhande

Contributed by: Dr. R. Boradkar

Shrimati Sudhatai Shrikhande [sudhamavshi to us] is 87 years and is fit as a fiddle. She lives in Pune and spends her time with her son and daughters .Her amiable personality has made her dear to all who know her.

Though a cent per cent from Pune [Punekar] now ,she vividly remembers Bhandara a small town near Nagpur where her father had a flourishing legal practice .She also has fond memories of the house [ Wada] and the time she spent with her sisters and a brother, but the way she remembers her mother is unique. All mothers are special but if we put it in the Orwellian logic some are more special and it is definitely so with her mother.

The anecdotes she narrates about her mother tell us about her courage and quick-wit but above everything else they show us the Humane side of her personality. To be Humane is to be human... but it is something that is generally forgotten.

Here are some brief anecdotes and each one shows a facet in her personality that is something more than ordinary.

 *******************************************************************************************************

Once my mother was going to Bhandara. On way she wanted  to spend a couple of days with one of  her relatives in Wardha, So she got down at Wardha station. To her surprise police stopped her from proceeding to the town as there was rioting and it was unsafe.[it was a day or two after mahatma Gandhi’s assassination] She did not know what to do .It just occurred to her then  that the collector of Wardha one Shri Wazalwar was a close friend of Palsules, her family .She approached the police and requested them to convey a message to Shri Wazalwar that his aunt was trapped on the station and so would like to see him.The message was conveyed and the collector personally came to the station and saw to it that she was taken safely to her relative Advocate Bapat.

The second incident occurred when my mother was visiting my sister  in Jamshedpur .Pundit Nehru was then on a visit to Jamshedpur. She wanted to see Pundit Nehru so she went and saw him. He used to travel in an open car and it was easy for her to see. On way back she stopped at a temple where she met a south Indian woman.

The woman who had four kids wanted to see Pt Nehru but couldn't because of the kids. When my mother knew the problem she promised the  south Indian lady that she would look after her kids. She gave her the address and asked her to bring the kids to her daughter’s house. As promised she looked after the kids for an hour or two so the south Indian lady could see Pt, Nehru.

Back to Bhandara now.... We had a neighbor one Mrs Sindhutai Patki  who  was a sort of social out caste because of her marriage to an already married man and that was taboo. But my mother  never considered it so and treated Mrs Patki with compassion .When Mrs Patki was expecting she even performed a Dohale Jevan ceremony for her , knowing that no body else would do it and that too  with an enthusiasm as if Mrs. Patki was her own kith and kin.

Lastly we come to our cook one shrimati Gangubai. Once Gangubai  was not well and there was nobody to look after her.When my mother  knew, she brought her home and looked after her till she got well .It took  nearly eight days for her to get well and then she was sent back to her home .Gangubai grew old in course of time  ,could not work and became penniless. When it was known my mother  started sending two square meals to her hut. Once she got a message from Gangubai that she felt like eating Puranpoli. Diwali was approaching but some how my mother sensed something and without waiting she prepared Puranpoli and sent it to Gangubai’s hut .It was like fulfilling the last wish as Gangubai died in a couple of days afterwards. 

Coming to happy memories of her own, she feels, the happiest day in her life was the day when India achieved freedom from the British., She was in Amravati, studying for Dip.T[Diploma in Teaching] in S.T.C. college. There were about 40-45 girls from all castes and communities. All was well. She remembers that there were five muslim girls who used to wear 9 yard saris for the sake of fun.

On 14th midnight at 12 past 1 India was to be free. The sense of freedom prevailed everywhere. One could feel the joy .that pervaded the atmosphere.. The college had arranged a Flag hoisting ceremony at midnight to celebrate the occasion. The college and the place where the flag of free India was to be hoisted was decorated. A map of free India was drawn on the ground and was decorated with lamps[Panatis].Flowers were placed on the flag and then it was  folded in such a way, that when unfurled ,a shower of flowers [pushpavrushti] would occur  and bathe  the ground. The collector’s wife was to hoist and unfurl the flag. The girls started gathering right from 11-30 pm. The hoisting was to be done at twelve past one. As the mid night hour approached, the anxiety reached its peak. Exactly one minute after twelve midnight the flag was hoisted, unfurled and the moment was carved in history with Golden letters .One could then understand what it is to be overwhelmed [oor bharun yene].

The girls hugged each other, sweets were distributed and they danced the whole night.

It was joy everywhere and it knew no bounds .The fifteenth of August nineteen forty seven  was truly a day of unforgettable joy and happiness.

Time halts for no one; The morning of 30^th January 1948 was like any other morning in the capital city of India, new Delhi. But the evening was pregnant with murder .At ten minutes past five in the evening, the voice that had ruled India and also hailed as the voice of peace in the world was silenced by three bullets. The news was stunning .It left every one shocked all over the world.

After the initial silence there was storm, mainly in Maharashtra there were Riots and arson.

Is it that gloom follows joy and happiness always or is it a human predicament?

Shrimati Sudhatai Shrikhande  Navi Peth Pune

  

49. Her father presented her a buffalo

Thousand Moon: Shrimati Mandakini Dharmchand Gandhi

Contributed by: Dr. R. Boradkar

Shrimati Mandakini Dharmchand Gandhi is 82 years old. Born in Chicholi Taluka Khed District Ratnagiri. Her father was a grocer and a farmer..

She spent her child hood in Khavati a town on Mumbai Goa highway. The town had water shortage and she remembers that she used to get up at mid night to fetch water from the well.

She was married to Shri Gandhi when she was seventeen, and came to Mahad. Her Husband was a clerk in the court. Her father presented her a buffalo. It was brought by two servants through Kashedi Ghat . They had to walk all the way. She has a large family of five sons thirteen grandsons and twenty two great grandsons.,

She remembers the satyagraha spearheaded by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar for water . The tank was known as Chavdar Tale.[Tasty Lake] Now it is a famous place.

The second event she remembers is the death of Martyr Kamlakar Deshpande.  This young man was a victim of British bullets. He had an old mother and her grief must have been heartbreaking. Whenever she recollects the incident she feels very sorry for Deshpande’s mother

.

Mahad witnessed an epidemic of plague in 1940-42. They shifted to a place called Dadli and stayed in small huts.

 She now stays with her daughter in Pune. She is fit enough to look after herself.

She enjoys reading news papers, religious books and watching serials on T,V.

After all what else is happiness?

48. I have pots full of honey at home...

Contributed by: Dr. R. Boradkar

 Shrimati  Kamalini  Kamlakar Natu is 85 years old and enjoys good health. She thanks God for that and also gives credit to Vai’s  pollution free atmosphere, where she spent her childhood and the waters of river Krishna.

A religious ceremony called ‘Roupri shaant’ was performed by her son when she had completed her 85 years.

She is also very thankful to her mother for having told her the stories from Ramayan and Mahabharat  and also for inculcating good Sanskars in her.

As a girl she used to be a member of Rashtra Sevika samiti  and there she learnt Kabaddi[Hututu] Atyapatya Lezim and the art of self Defence. Her name appeared in Papers when she passed her Vernacular Final and for her it was a moment of great joy. Her brother who was stationed in Mumbai used to bring Ribbons and hairpins for them, whenever he visited , and they used to be overjoyed with the presents.

After her marriage to Shri Natu she came to pune. She says she learnt a lot from her husband’s sister Shrimati Bakul Devkule. Shri Natu was in Railways and was then transferred to Dound near Pune. While in Dound  she got a Daughter and that was an extremely happy moment for her. But soon Mr Natu resigned from railways and joined S.T. So she was in Pune again and had a son. In spite of the fact that she had to look after two kids she prepared and appeared for the S.S,C. examination and passed it. This was after a gap of twelve years.  She also learnt First Aid.

Now that she was comparatively free she and her neighbour worked for the Jansangh. She worked as polling agent also during the wars with Pakistan in 65 and 71[Bangladesh] she donated blood and motivated others to do so. Her whole family participated in the blood donation campaign.

She joined uddyan Karyalay and there she learnt Pourohitya [Performing Pooja] and also Shri Sukta and Atharvashirsha and started teaching others.

After retirement of Shri Natu they shifted to Talegaon. She became a member of Chinmay group and started a Devi Study group. She studied Dnaneshvary and dasbodh. She appeared for three Sajjangadh examinations and cleared them with flying colours and willingly provided guidance to others.

She has travelled quite a lot with her husband.

Shri Natu passed away in 2006. The members of the housing society where she was staying helped her to get over the grief. Of course her family was by her side throughout. Her grandsons and great great-grandsons are a great solace to her.

Hers is a story of contentment and happiness  at its best and therefore she quotes Poet Tambe’s song’ Madhu Magasi’ with some changes.

She says:

Madhu magasi mazya sakhya Hari,  madhu ghatachi bharale mazya ghari,

Dhalala re din dhalala sakhaya Sandhya chhaya rizavati majala[hrudaya?]

Aata Prabhuche darshan ghyaya  Aaturale mi kiti antari.

Translation:

Oh dear friend Krishna, you ask me for nectar of life, I have pots full of homey it at home,

The is drawing to a close, the long evening shadows are interesting and amusing

And now I long to meet you.

Shrimati Kamalini Kamalakar Natu

Kothrud, Pune.

47. My grandsons add meaning to my life

Contributed by: Dr. R. Boradkar

Shrimati Gangubai Motiram sheth is 87 years old. She belongs to Gujrati Vaishnav Dashanema community also known as Pushtimargi Vaishnavas. People belonging to this community are supposed to have come to Maharashtra with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. About 500 years back after the raid on Surat.

She is a through and through Punekar born and brought up in Pune and was educated up to third or fourth standard in Pune Mahnagar Palika school no 1.

 She lives in a Wada in Shukrawar Peth . This Wada was purchased by them 60  years back and says that Pune was a sort of village then..There was no Bajirao road, couldn’t visit Bhikardas Maruti after five in the evening and Parvati was too far. and .going to Vthoba of Vitthalvadi was scaring.

 As was customary then she was married to Shri Motiram Bhaichand Sheth at a tender age of  thirteen. She has a large family of four sons two  Daughters  fifteen grandsons and ten grand grandsons.

Her husband was a grocer and was very social and liked socializing .

 Lets see now how she spends her time and what she likes and enjoys .

This is what she has to say and these are her words.

I like reading religious texts[ Pothis][  and I go to a Bhajani Mandal. In the month of Ashwin I go for a Kakadarati in Gopalkrishna Mandir in Bhau Maharaj Bol.

I enjoy preparing food and feeding people. So I try new recipes and serve them to guests and it gives me a great pleasure. We do prepare gujrati food and wear Gujrati apparel. But we speak Marathi.

I am a devotee of Gondvalekar Maharaj   and follow his teachings

My happiest moments are when I am with my grandgrandsons.

They add meaning to my life.