Vasant (Bapu)
Interviewee: Bapu, Interviewer: Rohini, Via: Phone, Date: May 18/11
Today is Full Moon, a very special day for Bapu, my father. Today’s full moon is his 1000th! Thousand Full Moons...What a land mark…I am very fortunate to be able to document one of his happy memories for my project on the actual day of his Sahasra Chandra Darshan (viewing the 1000th moon).
Age: 81 yrs
Birth Place: Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India
Background information: Bapu grew up in Ratnagiri. He, a son of a school teacher, grew up with three sisters. His mother had passed away when he was very young. A self made man indeed! He completed his schooling at Ratnagiri and went to Bombay for higher education. Worked for the defense lab, completed his Ph.D. and worked at a big company in Delhi till he retired. He is certainly a scientist at heart with a variety of other interests. He has raised three children and is actively pursuing his linguistic and literary interests.
Rohini: It’s a big day today, what did you do?
Bapu: I just saw the moon! It has been cloudy thus far, but I had told your mother that I will be able to see the moon and surely I did.
Rohini: Great! So have you decided what story you want to share today?
Bapu: Yes… It was when I had just graduated from college. I had enrolled myself at the employment exchange and was waiting to hear from them. My father Dada said
I should go back to Ratnagiri and accept the job to teach at my school where Dada also was a teacher. He informed me that there was a vacancy and they would gladly offer the position to me. I contemplated for a while and told my father that I will come but with condition, if and when I hear from the employment exchange, I will leave. I even wrote a letter to the school principal. My condition was accepted and I taught for the entire month of July. During the ‘Ganapati’ vacation, I had planned to return to Bombay. But the night before my departure, I received a telegram that my interview was scheduled. That worked out perfect.
I should go back to Ratnagiri and accept the job to teach at my school where Dada also was a teacher. He informed me that there was a vacancy and they would gladly offer the position to me. I contemplated for a while and told my father that I will come but with condition, if and when I hear from the employment exchange, I will leave. I even wrote a letter to the school principal. My condition was accepted and I taught for the entire month of July. During the ‘Ganapati’ vacation, I had planned to return to Bombay. But the night before my departure, I received a telegram that my interview was scheduled. That worked out perfect.
I was interviewed and was selected. My posting was in Delhi! Where I came from, in those days going to Delhi, was like going to the Moon today. The news travelled very fast, “School master’s son is going to Delhi.” As if the Almighty picked me up and put me in Delhi…This was even included by a famous author (PL) in his book…of course in the story the names were changed. Now since I was going to Delhi, one of my aunts, who had been waiting to visit her nephew in Delhi, decided to come with me along with some other folks. When I went to Bombay Central station that day, to leave for Delhi, the entire community had come to see me off…It was a joyous occasion. So many people! I can still see them, I can tell you even now, the names of all those who had come (and he did list many!!!). I can clearly see their faces and expressions…yes it was a happy day…......
We talked for a long time after that…and I became a recipient of a treasure trove of memories…
No comments:
Post a Comment