58. I have always treated my guests like God

Thousand Moon: Mukta Vishnu Apte (81+)

Contributed by: Rohini

A couple of days before departing from India, I learnt that Mukta Apte’s “Sahasra Chandra Darshan” (Thousand Full moon) celebration was scheduled for mid August. I scheduled to meet her to hear some of her prominent memories. 

When I was climbing the stairs to the 1^st floor, Mukta Vahini’s (as she is called) door was open and she was sitting in a chair facing the door. She was wearing a red blouse and a bright yellow sari with gold thread. She reminded me of the Aiyappa temple that I had visited the day before and how as I had climbed the stairs I had gotten to see the idol clad in bright garments.

After initial pleasantries, Mukta Vahini shared two of her prominent memories with me, one dark the other bright adhering to the fact that those who have seen a thousand full moons have also seen a thousand dark nights.

Mukta Vahini got married in 1952. She came from Pune, a big city, to Agashi, a small town. Since she did not have a mother-in-law she was required to shoulder the responsibility of running the big household of 25 people right away. Her father-in-law was very fond of her and would pamper her like his own daughter. During the seventh month of her pregnancy a traditional ceremony (dohale jewan) was planned and elaborate arrangements were made for the big event. Thirty two (a big number for the small town) ladies were invited. But tragedy struck and just before the ceremony her father-in-law became very ill and passed away in a couple of hours. The flowers that had come for her dohale jevan got used for her father-in-law's funeral!

Mukta Vahini transitioned from the dark memory to the happy one with the ease of an experienced navigator who is skilled at taking all kinds of life experiences in a stride. 

Mukta Vahini kept the Hindu principle of “Atithi Devo Bhava”(May the Guest be God) as the motto of her household. Of the innumerable times when guests have come to her house, she remembers that one day when after feeding everyone in the house she had set her own plate and Anant Rao Devkule (a prominent  Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh pracharak) walked in saying,” A guest has come to your door, a guest has come to your door”. While setting her plate aside Mukta Vahini asked him what he would like to have and he said he was hungry but only eight mouthfuls would satisfy him. She cooked a full meal for him and he blessed her after being content as he took her leave. 

Mukta Vahini narrated another similar incident when the famous Marathi writer Go. Ni.  Dandekar honored her during a gathering by specially mentioning her for providing an excellent meal for him at her house.

Mukta Vahini never made an issue of the heart condition she suffered from the age of 35 and fulfilled all her duties with a smile on her face.  

As I left her room I felt like descending the stares in reverse as per the tradition of the Aiyappa temple I had recently visited. This custom allows the devotees to depart without turning their back to the revered deity.