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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Me and Four Girls!! Life teaches in beautiful ways!!

Life is a beautiful teacher. It keeps on teaching us many things by placing us in many odd and unique situations. On Teachers' Day I learnt a big lesson - about person, about life, about attitude and about how important understanding is in-between two people. I am sharing it in the following blog. :)


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5th September, 2013. Two big events – Teacher’s Day and Pola - an Indian festival in which bullocks and oxen are worshiped for their rigorous ploughing in farms. Next day follows a ritual where children have to carry a pair of clay bullocks and worship them known as tanha-pola. Many of us shall have very nice memories for this day. Being the only day where we earn more money to purchase chocolates for next few weeks (obviously hiding from Mon-Dad). Visiting each home and borrowing money. With the cutest face possible. Meticulously checking the wallet and expected money to be lent to us. And it was the same day!

I was sitting in my room. Working on my seminar presentation and report. Someone slammed door. I was distracted, the pen fell off my hand. Hold my chair back and opened the door in distress. All I saw was a cute girl standing with a clay bullock in her hand. And then followed her other three girls; running and huffing came upstairs in my room.

She – Dada! Bailachi puja karayala alo ahe. Puja karal?? : We have come to worship bullocks! Will you please bother worshipping our bullocks?
Me – Areee bapre! Me ta room war rahto. Mazhya kade pujecha saman nahi ahe kahich. Me nahi karu shaknar puja. : I am a tenant. Henceforth, I have no commodities which are required for worship. I am sorry, I cannot worship them!
She – (All four girls giggling) Aree Dada, puja mhanje tashi puja nahi. Paise dyawe lagtat. Mag karal kaa puja? : Puja means not like actual worshipping. You are just required to give us some money. Will you worship then?
I was aware of what ‘Puja’ meant here. But I am kind of person who has tight hand over money; if the next person is not worthy of it. And these girls were surely weren’t. But still I saw a glimpse of hope in their eyes. Cute eyes they were. Children always do! That shine made me rethink and I checked my wallet. I substitute myself in their position. But awfully I was lacking the change as Puja.
Me – Kiti paise dyawe lagtil?? : How much expected money??
She5 rupaye dile tari chaltil pratyekila. : Rs 5 for each will work.
Me – (taken aback) 5 rupaye???? : Rupee 5?????
Astonished. Watching me in shock another girl handled the situation pinching girl's hard standing next to her – Nai dada ewdhe nako. 1-2 rupaya dila tari chalel. Jashi tumchi iccha : Not this much. 1 or 2 rupees to each is also sufficient. As per your will.
Me – Mazhya kade 10 Rs chi note ahe. Pan jarka ti tumhala dili ki tumhi bhandal. :  I have Rs 10 note. But if I give it to then you shall quarrel.
Pointing towards other three girls one of them spoke – Ho dada! Rahu de. Nako deu. Hya saglya bhandatil. : Very true. These girls might fight over that Rs 10 note. Don’t give us money.
Me – Mazhya kade chocolates pan nait tumhala dyayala. : I even don’t have chocolates to give you. I murmured. She had a nice pair of ears and she iterated – Rahu de dada. Amhi jato. : Thank you! But no need of it. We shall leave now.
Me – Tumcha kade chillar ahet ka? 10 che chilar dya koni ek jaan mala. Ek gamat karu apan. : Give me the change of Rs 10 and we can have fun over it.
Eldest girl; who pinched another girl handed me change of Rs 10 against Rs 10 note given by me to her. She was like that person who is most excited to come on stage when magician asks for a volunteer to perform a magical act. Excited and mysterious!! Apparently all of them smiled, Rs 10 being a big amount for them. They had came visiting many houses before arriving here. But here they were confronting a different person. But they were unaware of what my neurons were calculating. And at what juncture they shall stop!
They handed me change as four coins of Rs 2 and two coins of Re 1. Then I asked all four of them to divide this amount equally among them. And as they answer it, they will be heir of money.

Suddenly too many question marks appeared on their head. And skin accumulated over there forehead as their eyebrows propelled up. But one girl was sharp enough and had guts to answer this TOUGH question. And uttered abruptly – 3-3 Rs each. I tried to control my laughter. But then I showed her how it can’t be divided into 3 Rs each. They were back on thinking about it. The way they were counting made me remember my First Year Engineering days when after every paper I was calculating marks. To make sure I am scoring marks enough to get passed.
A girl – Aathane! Aathane! : 50 ps – 50 ps.
Then again I explained her how she is wrong! It was their rampart point. Breaking down in disgrace one girl said – Jaude Dada! : Leave it!

I tried insisting them to solve the puzzle. But she was firm over her decision. With many efforts I at last convinced them to wait for answer. I was playing role of Tom Riddle a.k.a Lord Voldemort from movie Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets rearranging ‘TOM MARVELO RIDDLE!’ anagram to ‘I AM LORD VOLDEMORT’.
I told them how Rs 10 has been divided into Rs 2.50 each. They understood it and smiled. I handed all Rs 20 to them and wish them best luck bidding adieu. Turning their back they went downstairs. I turned out to be their teacher on Teacher’s Day. I went back working on my seminar report.
Someone again knocked door. The same girls were standing holding the Rs 10 note. With an I-am-helpless look. I asked her reason for coming back, in reply she said – Ti tai nai mhanta ahe. Ti mhanat ahe ki wapas de paise. : She is saying no to this. And asked me to return it back to you! A cute smile was still prevailing there. May be she was not that fold of money.
I thought they were playing with me now. But very soon realized that they were serious. I forced them to go home and divested myself of holding the note and those Rs 10 change as well. Intimidatory I said her that I will tell this to their parents that they are lending off money. But no change! She was resilient to accept.
Me – Asaa ka? Me tumhala dile ahet. Thewa tumcha jawal. Dada cha gift samjun. : Why so? Keep it to you. Assuming it a gift from elder brother.
Sticking to her stance she said – Tila sang dada.Ti ragawat ahe. Deun ye mhane waapas. : Tell her then. She is scolding us. And insisting me to return it to you.

With all hard work I managed to return money back to her. But she kept the money on doorsteps and eloped. I felt bad for everything that was happening. With all might I tried to convince them that whatever I did was to show them how important education is and can be.  I remember exact words from her; the eldest girl who was scolding other to return money – Dada amhala raag nai aala! : We are not in anxiety.
The way she said it was bit convincing. It was polite. Serene. Sober. But she didn’t utter a single word after that. Tilted her head straight. And disappeared, along with other three!
I kept looking at that money placed on ground. Dust was gathering around it. I picked them up and kept in a box to avoid them getting browner. I was disheartened. Felt ashamed! By the time I was banging door I heard someone shouting - Dada! Dada! I went outside to acknowledge it and was astonished to see same girls moving their hand back and forth with radiant giggle on face. But not all of them were happy. Only three were and the fourth one was still a Mysterious Girl for me.

Over the balcony I kept watching them until they past the horizon. Leaving me with many questions – What did I did wrong? Three of them understood my intentions, whereas one didn’t. Even she was eldest among them. Was I bit too harsh? Or was I supposed to give money without any quiz?

But then I thought of something else. We have numerous people in our life. Many very close to us. Some do understand us, some don’t. How hard we try. Limitless efforts we induce to make them understand that what we did was right. Not in current span. But in future context! But instead of feeling bad we can be happy that out of four different people we know that other three understands us.
But sometimes we want that one person to understand us more than anyone else. Teacher Day left me with a great lesson to learn from.

Happiness can be found, in the darkest of time!
If one only remembers, to turn on the light!
-          Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban


Thank you life!! Thank you Four Girls!!

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Keywords: amravati, bail pola, four girls, life teaching, tanha pola, teacher day, undrestandingrajapeth,  rajkamalsanket thodge, children, girls

Saturday, August 3, 2013

चिंटु-एक सखा!!

आज शनिवार, Hitavada मध्ये Twinkle Star म्हणुन एक छोटीशी पुस्तक येते। मला ती वाचायची सवय खुप आधीपासुन, हौशिने वाचायचो। ती घ्यायला आज पाइ-पाइ राजापेठ चौकात पोहोचलो, “Hitvada आहे का काका? असेल त द्या।” मी त्यांना बोललो। त्यांनी थोडी तपासणी केली आणि नकारार्थी उत्तर दिले, “आज इंग्रजी paper संपले। मराठी पेपर आहे”। मी विचार केला ‘मराठी पेपर मध्ये काय भेटणार; तेच राजकारण, खुन, बलात्कार, चोरी, paid news आणि लाचखोरीच्या बातम्या।’ वर्तुन चिल्लरचे वांदे। आज तो खाली हाथ ही जाना होंगा मूझे।
पण माझ लक्ष अचानक वेधले ‘सकाळ’ ने। आठवले ते बालपण; एकदम।
जेव्हा हातात सकाळ पेपर; किती पण उशिरा आला तरी चालणार होते। पण शाळेत जायचा आधी शेवटचा पानावर येणारी ‘क्रिडा’ पुरवणी वाचायचो। आणि त्यात पेशावरला आदल्या दिवशी झालेल्या भारत वि पाकिस्तान कसोटी ची headlines-

‘सचिन परत दुर्दैवरीत्या बाद’
पेशावर- फलंदाज सचिनला आज परत एका चुकीचा निर्णयाचे बळी पडावे लागले। सचिनने सुरुवातिला सावध खेळी केली। शोएबने टाकलेल्या गेंदवर सचिनच्या बँटची कड घेतलेला चेंडु यष्टीरक्षक अक्मल च्या गुडघ्याला लागुन उडाला आणि स्लिप मध्ये तो टिपला गेला। रिप्लाय मध्ये चेंडु बँटला लागल्याचे आणि झेलही वैध नसल्याचे स्पश्ट झाले। पण सचिन नेहमी प्रमाणे काही नाराजगी व्यक्त न करता खेळादू व्रूत्तीने पवेलियन परतला।

झालं, दिवस गेला खड्यात। पुर्ण mood हिरावला। पण बाजुला अचानक एक नवीन गोष्ट दिसली- ‘चिंटु’। त्याआधी नव्हती पाहिलेल तसे काही। पप्पांनी 2-4 दिवस आधीच ‘सकाळ’ लावला होता। पहिल्यांदाच आले आसावे। अजुनही 2 मिनट होते। आईचा ओरडा यायचा आधी वाचुन घेऊ।

चिंटु- छे! या श्रावण महिन्यात फारच सण येतात।
मिनी-पण या सणांमुळे तुला सुट्या मिळतात ना!
चिंटु-हो, ते खर आहे। पण लगेच या सणांचि माहीती शाळेत लिहुन आणायला सांगतात ना।

मला जाम हसायला आले ते वाचुन। वाटले बस हाच आपला खरा साथी। एकदम आपल्या सारखा, dick-to copy-cat। मग कळले की ‘चिंटु’ माझ्या भेटीला रोज येणार आहे। मग रोज paperची वाट पाहु लागलो, रोज चिंटुचे किस्से; शाळेत गेलो कि मित्रांना वर्णून सांगायचो। सकाळी वाचून हसलो तरी ते परत मित्रांना सांगितल्यावर अजून हसू यायचे। खुप आनंद यायचा।
एक किस्सा मला सांगावासा वाटत आहे। शाळेत 7वी अ मध्ये असतांना मला एकदा चिंटु वाचायला नव्हते भेटले सकाळी। त मी त्या दिवशीचा paper शाळेत नेला होता। Madam वर्गात नव्हत्या तेव्हा एकदम गुप-चुप पणे paper उघडला आणि वाचु लागलो हळू आवाजात। आजू-बाजूला मित्रांची टोळी एकत होतीच। पण तेव्हड्यात madam वर्गात शिरल्या आणि हड-बडीत त्याचा crunching आवाज झाला आणि पकडल्या गेलो। माझी तक्रार सरळ आई कडे आणि घरी जाऊन बंम धबूक्के खाले पपांच्या हाताचे। कधी नाही वीसरणार तो दिवस। तेव्हा पासून चिंटु अजून जवळचा मित्र झाला।
एवढे सगळे डोक्यात सुरू असतांना पोहोचलो roomवर। 6-7 वर्षांआधी जशी उत्सुकता रहायची, त्याच उत्सुकतेने आज शेवटचे पान उघडले।
क्रिडा पान त तसेच होते, पण चिंटु चा काही अता-पता नव्ह्ता। प्रादेशीक पुरवणी हुंडाळली, पूर्ण paper उलथा-पालथा केला; पण जे पाहिजे ते भेटलेच नाही। माझा एक मित्र हरवला होता। केव्हा? कधी? कसा? माहिती नाही। कदाचित कधी कळणार पण नाही।
पण एक नवीन गोष्ट हाती लागली-बालमित्र! बालमित्र ची सवय व्हायला थोडा वेळ लागेल सही, पण चिंटु ची जागा कधी नाही जाणार। आजची मूले किती पण Calvin and Holbes किंव्हा Garfieldची cartoon strips पाहुन हसतील। पण चिंटु वाचून जे खद-खदून हसू येते ते कदाचित नाही येणार। चिंटु साठी एक छोटेसे घर बनले आहे मनात।
चिंटु आमच्यासाठी एक सखा होता आणि सदैव राहील। आमचा सारखाच; भांडणारा, मस्ती करणारा, शाळेत न जाणारा आणि सगळ्यांना हसवणारा।
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Chintoo character is created by Charuhas Pandit and Prabhakar Wadekar. Of which Prabhaker Wadekar is no more in-between us because he sadly demised on 15th June, 2013 at the age of 56. The reason behind end of ‘Chintoo’ cartoon strip as well!
Some facts about Chintoo that I came across-
Ø  Chintoo was created on 21st November, 1991
Ø  Chintoo was part of a Marathi daily Sakal Newspaper and for a couple of years it appeared in Laoksatta as well; another Marathi daily
Ø  Chintoo-the only cartoon strip in Marathi featured 5000 strips for over 22 years
Ø  30 books being published by Purandare Prakshan on Chintoo
Ø  Two films are made on ‘Chintoo’ character. Second part going on the floor this year.
Ø  Android application developed on Chintoo-
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Charuhas_Pandit.chintoo
Ø  Apple application developed on Chintoo-
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chintoo/id634322377?mt=8

All Chintoo cartoon strip is copyrighted by their respective owner. Under any breach of act please contact me at sanketthodge@gmail.com

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Keywords: 21 nov 1991, cartoon strip, charuhas pandit, chintoo, hitivada, loksatta, prabhakar wadekar, sakal, twinkle star, cartoon strip, sakal daily, loksatta daily, google play, apple