80. A NIGHT FLIGHT

Thousand Moon: Mr. Ray Jonas

Contributed by: Steve (Ray’s Son)

Mr. Ray Jonas was born on November 12th, 1922.  He currently resides in Phoenix Arizona.  He flew in B29's during WWII as a top gunner stationed in Dudkundi India and later Tinian Island.  After the war he worked for en electrical contracting company and learned how to fly small aircraft.  The following narration about his training was written by him some time ago and was sent to me by his son Steve.

A NIGHT FLIGHT 

Did you ever consider what gives your life character?  Certainly it is many things.  The education you receive from every person and every incident brushed on the canvas of your consciousness.  Some incidents leave a clearer and more lasting imprint than others.  Such an incident is a night flight I experienced on November 26, 1951.

I was nearing the end of my pilot training program at a school at Sky Harbor Airport.  The Commercial license which was my goal required a night flight.  There were two of us making this night test flight and each was accompanied by an instructor.  The other fellow with Mike, and I with Martha, his soon to be bride.  Mike and Martha operate an impeccable shop, and then as now, I had complete confidence in them.  We preflighted the airplanes, checking each item on the checklist, including fuel and fuel cap security.  The airplanes were a very popular training airplane of the day, Cessna 140 “Rag wing” tail draggers.  Still a fine aircraft but there aren’t many around now.  We had no landing lights.

I pulled the starter knob which engaged the starter, and the 85 horsepower engine came to life with a mighty roar.  We taxied out, zigzagging between the lights on the taxiway in order to catch glimpses of what lay ahead, as you couldn’t see over the nose with the tail on the ground.  It was a lovely clear starlit night, no moon.  After permission to takeoff was gained from the tower, we taxied onto the runway, applied full throttle, and we were on our way.  The tail came up.  Guide the little jewel down the runway between the lights.  Then, when sufficient speed is attained gentle backpressure on the wheel allows the aircraft to gently step into space.  The earth falls away.  A southeasterly heading soon has us over the desert. 

We are floating on a black velvet blanket sprinkled with little firefly pinpoints of light which are on the road below.  Except for the lighted objects, earth contact was lost before 50 feet separated us from the ground.  It is beautiful.  The stars above are clear.  The occasional light on a building or cars scattered on the highway, plus our radios, were our contacts with reality.  Martha was quizzing.  Why did you do that?  What would you do if?  Where are we? 

The lights of Tucson shone in the distance and the white and green rotating beacon of the Tucson Airport on the other side of the city blinked, beckoning.  It was great, but a strange uneasiness pricked my consciousness.  The airplane didn’t feel right.  I checked the gauges, fuel quantity, mixture control, carburetor heat.  The carb heat was ‘off’ and there was no reason to think it should be otherwise.   I told Martha the airplane didn’t feel right and did she think carb heat advisable for some reason I failed to detect?  No, she didn’t.  I called our compadres in the other aircraft.  “Were they experiencing carb ice problems?”  No, they weren’t.  Martha said this was a test and I should make the decision.  RPM was fine and she wasn’t too worried.  My decision was to apply carb heat.  I did it.  Then the engine quit.  Mister, that really wakes you up! Martha was more involved now too and we both checked everything 3 more times.  Then the engine started---and stopped---and started---and stopped.  The net result was a 500 ft. per minute descent.

Quick calc showed we didn’t have enough altitude to cross the city to the airport, however there was a gravel strip with a building on it and a rotating beacon on the building.  The beacon didn’t illuminate the ground, except a few treetops, but we knew there was an airport there which had a lot of old airplanes parked on it.  The strip was equipped with lights but they were off.  The chart said “call Tucson Tower to have the lights turned on”.  Mike did this from the other airplane for us so we could give full attention to our airplane.  NO LIGHTS.  So I called the tower myself.  They said---“We have been calling them but they don’t answer the phone”.  After telling Martha how I would like to have a parachute even though all that cactus was down there, we started circling over the airport.  It was call Gilpin then.  It is freeway airport now.  A few more turns and we would have lost enough altitude to make an approach into that black hole, hoping we would make a good guess at the location of the strip.  Then the runway lights came on!  There were only about 8 of them working, but it looked better than O’Hare.  Martha was flying now.  That old jazz about a test doesn’t fly when you have only 1 shot, and she had loads of experience in military and civilian aircraft.  The touchdown was, of course, smooth and we  rumbled to the side of the runway.  Mike landed behind us.

Examination of the carburetor filter bowl showed lots of gunk which was apparently picked up when the airplane was refueled at Yuma the day before.  It so restricted the fuel flow through the filter that the engine could operate only ‘part time’.  Those airplanes typically didn’t have quick drains, so after running more fuel through the line at the filter, it was reassembled.  Mike borrowed a flare gun in case it happened again and the flight was completed without incident.

79. I completed the Wari because of my Guru’s blessings

I met Shrimati Usha Paranjpe in Baroda. She was living with her son and daughter-in-law at the time. When I asked her to narrate a pleasant event from her life she narrated her “Pandharpur Wari” experience.

Thousand Full Moon: Usha Paranjpe 

Contributed by: Rohini

Usha Paranjpe (82), was born in Baroda, Her father retired as a station master in Indian Railways. They were six sisters and one brother. All the immediate and extended family is now well settled. She completed her primary education in Baroda while living with her grandmother.

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I was 66 years old then and living in Pune. I had deposited 600 Rs. with the Deshmukh Wari. You were required to take your basic medicines, water bottle, bedding with your name written in bold letter as it would be transported in a truck with the entire group’s belongings. We would walk 10 Kilo Meters every day. We would get breakfast and lunch on the way. We would rest in a field if we got tired. All the arrangements with water and food were excellent. Everything would be very clean no dirt anywhere. Where ever the ‘Palakhi’ paused we all would pause there. We were required to clean our own utensils. No hot water there…we would bathe with cold water. If there was no time to dry the clothes then we were required to take the wet clothes and pack them up and take them to the truck to be carried to the next stop. We had a Muslim woman in the neighboring ‘Dindi’ she was a Vitthal devotee and she would do ‘Kirtan”. There were 200 ‘Dindies’ with 5 Lakh devotees in the entire Wari. All we would see were Warkaris everywhere! all going to Pandharpur. Some women had Tulsi or Urns on their heads. It was an honor to carry one of those. The Bhajans they sang at the evening Ringan were extremely melodious. Majority of the Warkaris were farmers or laborers. We were only 500 people from Brahmin families in the Deshmukh Wari. I was able to complete this Wari at my advanced age because of Kshirasagar Maharaj’s blessings. I could not have completed it without my Guru’s blessings. He was a great saint. I had gone on a pilgrimage with my daughter, that is when I received the blessings from him and so I could walk and complete the Wari. You should see the horse and the way he runs in the Ringan and the way he bows down to the Dyaneshwar Paduka. It is a mesmerizing experience. 

When the Wari reaches Pandharpur every one gets the Dwadashi meal. My husband along with others had come to receive me at Pandharpur. They had brought the car and that is how I returned home.

78. First permanent job as a school teacher

Thousand Moon: Sushila Vishnu Biwalkar (82).

Contributed by: Rohini

I had planned to visit my Kaku (aunt) who lives in Malad, but the heavy rains during my India trip made me alter my plans and I had to be content with the phone conversation. 

Thousand Moon: Sushila Vishnu Biwalkar (82) 

Sushila Vishnu Biwalkar, was born in Medhegao, Kulaba in 1931. She comes from a big family of 13 siblings, seven brothers and six sisters. Her father was a school teacher. She was raised in Girgaon and got married at the age of 16. After marriage she and her husband lived with her husband's maternal uncle at Dadar in a small two room flat. When her first child was born she and the baby had to go and live with her mother-in-law in their ancestral village Asud. She wanted to be with her husband but could not due to a shortage of space at Dadar in a small flat. She and her husband were able to get a place of their own in Malad when her son was three and a half years old. She has lived there ever since.

A very joyous day in her life was July 24^th 1967, the day she got a permanent job as a school teacher. She had done teaching jobs at several different schools but they were all temporary positions. She was happy to get a permanent position as she was able to help out financially in running the household. The Primary Teacher’s Course training that she completed while raising three little boys, while staying up till two am to finish her college work had finally paid off. 

As she had gotten married early, her education at the time was only till 9^th grade. After 16 years of being away from education she went back and got her matriculation. It was not easy catching up on all the course work after such a long break. But she was determined. Her primary goal was to pass the exams, which she did. The education streak continued. She did the Secondary Teachers training course and went on to get a BA degree at the age of 48! 

Her husband worked for the Indian postal service and also acted in Marathi Theater. She narrated yet another incidence that gave her a lot of joy and contentment- Her husband was rehearsing for a play produced by Chitralekha. After one particular rehearsal the entire cast sat down for drinks. Her husband did not join them as he was a teetotaler. But the cast and crew insisted that he joins them that night or else he would not be considered a part of the team and will have to quit. He chose to quit and came home to her and the family. That was a memorable and gratifying event for Kaku…

We chatted for a long time that day as I realized that each life is like a river. It has its rough and turbulent times and calm and tranquil times. The river must flow till it reaches its destination.

77. Seniors’ associations are a need of the day

Thousand Moon: Shri. Anant V Nashikkar

Contributed by: Dr. Raghunath Boradkar

 

Shri. Anant V Nashikkar is 84 years old. He belongs to Gondia a far eastern part of Maharashtra and erstwhile Central Provinces and Berar [Madhyaprant and Warhad].

He regularly takes morning walks practices Yoga and Pranayam to keep himself healthy and fit.

He worked in the Sales Tax department beginning his career as a sales tax inspector. He appeared for the various departmental examinations and was promoted first as class two and then as class one officer. He was transferred to different places every three years as a sales tax officer he came in contact with tax payers in different cities and had to participate in the raids conducted by the department. He therefore had to be alert all the time.

In June 1988 at 58 he retired as an assistant sales tax commissioner and settled in Pune where his son had a job. He is happy that he settled in Pune. After retirement he and his wife have traveled nearly all over India.

In 2009 he was bereaved. His wife Sou. Nalini passed away and he had a difficult time .As theirs was a joint family and he had a large friend circle he could over come the grief. He also started going to a Satsang and that too helped him .Various thoughts expressed by the saints are valuable, he feels. He also attended a six months course conducted by the Homeopathic Association and the knowledge he gained helps him and his family. He firmly believes that he has learnt a lot about life from the senior citizens organizations. This is what he says in his own words.

 We joined Kothrud senior citizens association [cosca] as I knew accounting I accepted the responsibility of Treasurer-ship of the association. I attend every function arranged by the association. In 2013 the association celebrated its Silver Jubilee. I have worked in various capacities and have participated in all projects undertaken by the association like computer literacy, consumer protection, adult education, various surveys and Visava Kendra.

I have also worked as a secretary of all senior citizens organization of Pune [ASCOP]

In 1999 the organization held an International conference for seniors and I had enthusiastically participated in organizing it. In 2008 I was given a certificate of honor by COSCA. I consider this as a recognition of my social work. I was also awarded a cash prize by the government for efficiently handling a tax evasion case. I consider this a moment of great satisfaction.

Because of increase in longevity, I feel seniors’ associations are a need of the day. Pune has 150 such associations. They provide you with a platform to voice your views express your hidden talents in various art forms and of course help you in gaining friends. The associations entertain and also look after your physical and mental health.

I stay in Woodlads near Gandhi Bhavan, Kothrud. In 2004 I started a senior citizens club there and I am happy it is still functioning. The seniors gather together in the evening and spend their time chatting and sharing each others Joys and sorrows. This is our Sayam Katta.

Lastly I would like to narrate a humorous episode. Once I received a phone call from someone telling me that so and so has passed away. He gave me a surname that is very common in Maharashtrians and I knew many persons with that name. I thought that a person very well known to me by that name must have passed away. So without thinking much or inquiring further I started for that person’s house. I even thought of purchasing a garland but could not get it. When I reached the house everything was quiet there so I went to the flat. The door was open and the person known to me was sitting there. He called me in offered me tea. I was flabbergasted and at my wits end. I sat for a while and finding an excuse left hurriedly

.As I had forgotten my mobile at home I could not call and inquire. On my way back I met the friend who had called. He gave me the name and address. But I did not know that person well enough. Still I went to the given address and paid my respects.

 Back home I told this to all. They laughed to their heats content. They made fun of me and I had to keep quiet. I still do not understand how it happened but it did.  Lucky I did not get a garden or else I would have been a laughing stock.

76. At the age of 80 I won a prize for completing 44 Sun Salutations in ten minutes...

I received this narration from Mrs. Vinodini Yardi as an email sent by her son. Her level of dedication to physical fitness and desire to learn new things is awe-inspiring. The original narration was in Marathi. Here is the translation…

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Thousand Moon: Vinodini Raghunath Yardi.

Contributed by: Vinodini Raghunath Yardi

My name is Mrs. Vinodoni Raghunath Yardi. I completed 81 years in May 2013. I am in good health for my age. My maiden name was Vinodini Trimbak Dhume. I was born and brought up in Pune.  We were six siblings, three girls and three boys. Now I have two sisters. I live in Kothrud. On my husband’s side I have three brothers and three sisters in law. I was the youngest girl among my sisters and the eldest daughter-in-law.

I did my schooling till the 10^th grade. I liked physical exercise since my school days. I have won prizes in acting, ring tennis, and Sun Salutations in school. In Kothrud where I live, there is an exercise class for seniors every morning at 6:30AM that I attend regularly with my sister. We also go for walks in the evening regularly. I can still do 108 Sun Salutations continuously. Last year a competition was held on Ratha-Saptami day and I won a prize for completing 44 Sun Salutations in ten minutes.

Before coming to Kothrud we used to live in Mukund Nagar. We have been with our son in Kothrud for the past five years. While in Mukund Nagar I used to Parvati with my friend every day at 5:30 AM. I adhered strictly to this daily activity for the 25 years up until coming to Kothrud. At Mukund Nagar I conducted classes for knitting, painting, crochet, shuttle, and embroidery. At the age of 70 I learned to do pencil sketch and I still like to learn new things.

My husband is a retired Income Tax Officer. We have one son who is a chartered accountant and has his own practice. Our daughter-in-law has a very caring temperament. She has a degree in home science and is an excellent cook. I have a friendly relationship with my daughter-in-law. I have two grand children who are also very caring and affectionate. My son and daughter-in-law look after us very well.

My in-laws were very nice people. I am glad that I was able to care for them in their old age. It is because of their blessing that we are leading a happy and peaceful life.

Since completing 81 years I consider each day now as a bonus. I have fulfilled all my responsibilities. What more do I want? I am fully content. I just pray to the almighty to keep me in good health till the end.

-Mrs. Vinodini Yardi