Memories associated with PL and
Ganesha go hand in hand thanks to dramas, cultural agenda and non associated
childhood memories. So when this space had to be rebooted let me revive this
with completion of planned series of Ganagot: Memoirs of few real people in my
life who made a special mark. Let me take first step after reboot to complete an
unfinished agenda.
Banyakaka
If any living person can come
close to Haritatya in my life it could be Banyakaka. As PL said he doesn't remember
the day when Haritatya started coming to his house, even I don't recollect
since when Banyakaka started frequenting my house. His name is Prakash
Khadilkar. He lives in my same lane where we used to stay in childhood in heart
of Sadashiv Peth Pune-30. As we all know this address is epicentre of what is
called as Marathi culture which includes art, drama, music, sports and society. Money, Business and political clout
were the only part missing till mid nineties ( post liberalization era). I am
talking about my early conscious life
from late seventies till early nineties till I left for hostel. There were exceptions
like Chitales, Gadgils, Desais, Patankars but very few who did well in
business. Laxmi Rd and east city Peths were the bastion of hardworking Gujarati
and Marwari owners. After nineties though Sadashiv Peth saw migration to
western suburbs (mainly Kothrud, Baner, Aundh, Sinhagad rd while it turned into
an educational hostel and wholesalers hub. So if Pune 30 was epicentre
Banyakaka was the perfect sample of this culture. By profession he is publisher
of Reference books in culture, politics, science, music, sports. His father was
ex army person who wrote a great encyclopaedia on classical music (he himself
played bulbul tarang). He has an elder brother in same setup. His mother was
hard core devotee of religion and very enthusiastic person. May that enthusiasm
rubbed on Banyakaka.
He used to be part of our family
as most of week evenings he would drop in and spend lot of time on various
discussions on various topics including cricket, politics, drama, literature . This part of culture is lost now where people
turn up unannounced. Sometimes those were great habits on a hindsight. These
discussion i think helped me remain
aware on various issues with facts and figures which later translated into some
quiz wins at school/college/corporate/social level and later as well remained
large part of my persona. Out of all these memories most vivid memory remains
is WC83 win. Right from day1 of world cup i don't know how he predicted that we
will win world cup. I still remember him saying 'World cup Dari ala' ( here
comes the world cup at our doorstep). I still remember we call glued to Radio
set on BBC when India were 15/5 vs Zimbabwe. He still was hopeful that Kapil is
still there on crease. And rest as they is history. We saw Greenidge wicket but
then after that there was a news break on DD. We all felt WI will easily win.
He said by the time news break got over they would be 5 down. so it was. Maybe
he claims to know astrology that's what may have helped him know but knowing
thin premises of astrology I doubt. He is also big believer in horoscope. He
came with all funny predictions which could be interpreted anyways. He was big
source of education and guidance for the believers in my family. He used to
know future cricket program even when we didn't have cricinfo. I still remember
him feeding me with underarm bowling inside our house with side of a table as
stump.
Just like Haritatya, he used to be away for few months thanks to
his travels across Maharashtra for publication. He used to carry shabnam bag as
typified by Journalists. He used to volunteer like Narayan for each family
function.
He was our entry point and
reference to discuss everything on poiltics. Being part of right wing he is active
member of BJP (jansangh earlier). He published books on Atal Bihari Vajpayee,
scientists, saints and various books which had reference value. He has good friends
circle in politics, literary, drama and
cinema sector. why he chose to be bachelor
(like my uncle who is his friend) is
still a question which never got any answers when i was young and after that
never thought of asking him so when i grew up.
We keep on meeting on various festivals and
functions. We have a small group of my uncles , one of my cousin who meet few
times. Wishing him good health and success for him.
The last but most important fact
he tought us was habit of reading. He used to gift me and my sister with
variety of books. Once he took me to book shop on my birthday and asked me to
choose books. even last year when i invited him for house Diwali, he got me
very good books. That inculcated habit of reading for me at very young age. Imagine
yourself to do same to nephew of your good friend. We have lost that aspect of
family friend where each friend of member is part of extended family. Life was
so simple those days.
Tambolikaka
Just like Banyakaka, he was
family friend a specie in extinction in modern life. He was classmate of my
father. He was part of family. He was the most entrepreneurship oriented person
i met in childhood. Though i never did understand then what he actually did.
Did got to understand that when i ventured. He was out and out sales/networking
guy. He did things where he was involved for trading/representation to sell
/buy any item under sun, Such was the enthusiasm that at the advent of IT he
even ventured there. He gave me lot of
tips when he knew about my venture. He was the person who visited US by boat,
used to make international calls, buy videogames. And during those days it was superman
like image which i had for him. He was the first one i knew who enjoyed chicken
and chinese.
He used to walk at 6 am in
morning when we housed in small home veryu asleep. He usee to sit and chat with
father till he had 3 rounds of tea. my father and him were opposite poles so
the friendship.
He was part of family in thick
and thin. He advised us when needed and had an aura of wisecracks which could
be very apt yet funny. Largely built he had strong averse for anything in haste
and physical labour. He was the first
one whom i knew whio used to hire driver and car as and when needed
Once he went to Buffalo to visit his son. All
in the family were excited to see Niagara falls. he said ' lets drop the plan, and rest at home. Whats there to
see. Water will falls anywhere in the world from top to bottom'.
Avid tea follower was once frustrated
in Punjab during his son's wedding with Punjabi girl. The girls family being from
Punjab served him lassi at 8 am. He awaited till 10 and there was another
lassi. He got frustrated and said 'please
for god's sake serve me tea'.
Thorough gentleman has social
side too, with his networking he did charities which i came to know later. He
used to have large matrimonial network. Avid follower of drama, his son
inherited that aspect from him.
Another memory of his is that he
was the first person to take initiative from our family side after my parents/sister to visit
my wife;s place on his own to know her and her family. He used to fondly call my wife as Rani
Mukherjee. He had vast friends network and used to get someone along \even for
functions and normal visit without any
qualms.
Now he is no more. We lost him in
2006 due to stomach ailment. Its been decade now , but still wish someone knock
the bell at 7 am in morning and ask for tea and say in typical manner : 'Chyaayla'
