Khayals

मिगॆले बप्पाले गिंतांचि सी.डी.

2011-12-04T05:28:00.000-08:00

२०११ नवंबर मसांतुले ६ तारिखॆक, हांवय मिगॆले बप्पानय लागि बेसुन केल्लॆले, पुरवनग्रामाधीशु जावन आशिले वॆणूगॊपालदॆवालि १२ स्तुति-गीतांचि आडियो सी.डि., भक्त जनांगॆले मुक्कार प्रकाशन केल्लि.

सी.डि. कोरूक पि.जि.कमथ फ़ौण्डॆषन मुक्कार आयलें. पि.जि. कमथ मम्माक सान अस्तना थाकुन माका वळकि आसा. बप्पालो शिष्यु, बप्पाक दिकूक घरकडे येतालो. मिगॆले सनप्रायॆचे संगीत अध्यापक माका घरकडे यॆवन संगीत शिकयतालो. तॆ अध्यापकालागि, पि.जी कमथ मम्मूय शिकतालो म्हॊण तं मिगॆलो उडगासु. पी.जी कमथ मम्माले गुरूले गिंतांचि सी.डि. शिष्यालो पूतु प्रकाशन कॊरूक मुक्कार आयलो.

मिगॆले मन मिगॆले बाल्य कालाक गेल्लें. माका तीनि वर्ष थाकून धा वर्ष परॆन तं विद्‍याभ्यास म्हेळ्ळा. घरकडे अम्माक स्वल्प असुख आशिले खातिर, भवंडाक चोवंचाक जावन मिगॆलि शिकवण राबयलि. मागिर बप्पान काम सॊण गावांत वचाक निश्‍चय केल्लो. गावांत वोचून घर कॊरन राबिले उपरांते आमि सागटांय कॊरन परकाट देवळांत भजन बेसलिं.

भजन बेसप म्हळ्यार, नडो काण जल्यार नडो घाल भितॆर देवळांत जावंका. एक अयदनांत वॊरोव हाणु देवळांतु दिल्यार मडकि निवॆद कॊरन दितनि. तॆ मडकि घॆवन घरकडे वोचुन, इतॆंय रवंदय कॊरन जॆवप. मागिर संजे नडो काडु भितॆर आशिले वॆळार, माकाय लागि उळदून बेसॊवन, माका कोळचे गिंतांचे ट्यूणारि, बप्पाले अंतरंगांत थाकुन आयलॆले गींतं तं, आतां रंगांतरंग म्हळ्ळॆले नावार, सी.डि. जावन भायर अयल्या. बप्पान १३ गींत केल्लॆले आसाय. तंतूलो एक गींत प्रकाशन कॊरूक जलॆना.

आशि एक सी.डि कॊरन चोवंचाक माका जावना म्हॊण तं हांव लेकिलें. मिगॆलि नाति सुमा, १५ दिसांक बप्पाथंय राबुक यॆवंचानीक, हांवे तिका सांगुन दीवन म्हणयले. तॆ बेगॆक आमि कूडींत एक्कडे जालिं. गींत सांगुन दीवन मागीरचो गींत म्हॊण जालॊलॊय, हांव अबॊधावस्थॆर जालिं. पुतान काण माका हॊस्पिटलांत वेल्लि. १२ दीस थंगा पॊणु पोरतून घरकडे आयलॆले दुशॆरे दिसा, मिगॆले दोनीय धुवांनीय नाति सुमानय म्हॊणु स्टुडियॊंत वोचूनु सी.डी कळ्ळि. पुताक वोळकुच्चे तीन कलाकारानि पिरलूक, हार्मॊणियम आणि तबला वजीलें. ती सी.डि. ताणे कोंकणि भस्सॆ बिगॆक भॊरनु काम कोरचे रमॆश पैक पेटॊवन दिल्लि.

सी.डींतूले गींत आयकून रमेश पैन, गींत उच्चारण शुद्धीरि ऎक लगॆन काडूक सांगले, आणि तॆ बिगॆक अंचिकमळ स्टुडियॊंत एदॆचि गींत दुशॆर रेकॊर्ड कॊरूक सहाय केलो. एदॆ गींत चेन्नै अशीले मिगॆले भेयणीले धुवॆकरॆन, चेन्नै आशिले स्टुडियॊंत कळ्ळे. तॆं सग ऎक कॊरनु प्रकाशन कॊरूक आशिलि सी.डी. पी जी कमथ फ़ौंडॆषनान तयार केल्लि. ऎकु गींतु ’स्टार सिंगर’ अरुण नायकानय म्हळो.

सी.डी. प्रकाशनाचे दॊन दिवस फूडॆचि पूतु गावांत गेलो. थांगा प्रकाशना वॆळार जलॆलें सांगूनु, वीडियो दिकूनु, सी.डी घालनु अयकूनु हांव तृप्त जालिं. मनांतूलो एक आग्रह साध्य जालो. सी.डी. आयकून हांव परणे सन प्रायॆरि पवलिं.

सी.डि. चांग जालि. माका एक अभिप्राय सांगूक आसा. प्रथम क्रुष्णालि ’कॆशादिपाद वर्णन’ (कृष्णा तूं मुक्कार यॊ यॊ म्हळॊलो गींत) म्हॊणु, मगिरचे १० गींतय म्हॊणु जतरि मंगळं (दॆवकीसुता म्हळॊलो गींत) म्हळॆलें जल्यार ऎक लागॆन मधुर असतलें आशिलें म्हॊण माका दिसलें. सग तॆ कृष्णाले लीलाविलास जावयात.

प्रकाशनाचें वीडियो पुतान काणु हळ्ळॆं दिकून थंगा जलॆलें कार्यक्रम सग दिकूकय आणि अयकूकय साध्य जालें. सुमान म्हळॆलि प्रार्थना, वसुन्धरान बप्पा पासून सांगिल्लें, बप्पाले छायाचित्र दवॊरनु भवंडानि दिवलि लावनु पुष्पार्चना केलॆलि सग दिकीलिं. मागीर चवंकिलॆं भाषणय सग अयकुचानीक मिगॆले दॊळे भरले.

मगिर सी.डी. आयकून लगॆन जवंचानीक मनांत तृप्ति जालि. मिगॆले भयणीलि धूव ज्यॊतीनय, नाति सुमानय, मिगॆले व्होळ्ळे भावालि नाति सरितानय, आणि अरुण नयकानय म्हळ्ळॆले गींत आतायं कन्‍नांत गुंजताय.

यॆ बिगॆक मुक्कार सरलॆले रमेश पै, आनन्द कामथ आणि थंग एक्कडे जालॆले समाज बांधवांक सगटांकय मनांत थाकून आशिलो धन्यवाद. तंतूलो एक गींत मधुर शब्दान म्हॊण, सी.डी. चांग कॊरूक मुक्कार आयलॆले अरुण नायकाकय, एक अम्मुम्माले मोगानचि हांव धन्यवाद सांगता.

मिगॆले उडगसांतूलो बप्पा

2011-06-11T21:18:00.000-07:00

मिगॆलो बप्पा परकाडचो रंगनाथ प्रभु. सॊळा वर्ष परॆन तं हांव बप्पाथयं वड्डल्लिं. तंतूलि दॊन वर्ष कायिं मनांजावनतिल्लि प्राय. मागीरि आशिलिं १४ वर्ष मिगॆले उडगसांतु अशिले सग ’मिगॆले उडगसांतूलो बप्पा’ जावनु हंगा बरयता.

स्नॆहनिधि तं अशिलो अमगॆलो बप्पा. बप्पान एल. टि. शिकचे वॆळारि सोयरीक यॆवनु मुट्टत्‍त कुरिकॆल घरकडचे रामकामत मम्माले धूवॆक व्हरडीक केलि. एक वेकॆषनाक लागि राबून मावॆक बप्पाथयं सॊणु, बप्पा एल.टि शिकवण पुरतें कॊरूक मधुरा गावांतु गेलो. पोरतून यॆवु भितरि माव बाळांति जावनु चेल्लि जालि. चेरडाले तॊण्ड सरी दिकूनातिले माव गेलि. बाळांति जालि म्हळॆले टेलग्राम मॆळनु चेरडा चोवंचाक अयलॆले बप्पाक, चेरडाक मात्र तं चोवंचाक जाल्या. तॆ मावॆन बप्पाक बरयलॆलिं बरपं सग बप्पान रकून दवरलॆलिं तं. ती आक्काय, अम्मीय कॊरनु ६ जाण चेरडूंव तं बप्पाक. आतां आमि तीनि धूवॊय पराकाटचो भावूय तं आसाय.

सकळींचि उटायल्यारि बप्पा आमकां जागयतॊलो. ’सबॆरा हॊ गया, सूरज आसमान पर निकल रहा हे’ म्हॊणु अवंगॆले राष्ट्रभाषॆन तं बप्पा अवंका जागयतॊलो. अम्मा वसरॆंतु वतलि. बप्पा फूल काडूक वतॊलो. मगलॆन हांवय वतनि. दॆवा कूडांतु मस्त दॆवालिं चित्र आसाय. ताका सग माळा गंतून घालका. बप्पान माकाय शिकॊवनु दिलें. फूल गंतप मिगॆलॊचि काम जालो. भॊरनु तरांचे फुल्ला रूक घरकडे आशिले. उदकांतु वडुचिं, उंचारि रुकारि वडुचे जीवांचि नावं सग सांगुन दितलो. उद्दॆवनु येवंचो आदित्यालि चंदाय अवंका दाकॊवनु दितलो. आमि आस्वादन करतनि. परमांतु किरळेवंचे झाडांतु वोकदा फल आशिलिं, रावंदये कडचिं झाड सग दकॊवनु ताजें नांव संगूनु दितलो. पत्रवॊडो बप्पाक प्रिय खाण तं अशिलें.

त्रिसंध्यॆ वॆळारि सगटानीय रामराम म्हॊणका म्हॊणु तं बप्पालो नॆम. तॆ बेगॆक बप्पान सर्व दॆवालॆय श्‍लॊक अवंका शिकॊवनु दिलॆलें तं. ताजो अर्थूय सांगून दिलॊलो आसा. बप्पाय अवंचे भरशि बेसून म्हणतॊलो. रामायण, भागवत यॆं कायिं अम्मि वचिलॆना. तंतु इति आसा म्हॊणु अमंका बप्पान संगून दिलॆलें आसा. पौडर आदि सग तोण्डाक लावंचे बप्पाक इष्ट ना आशिलें. एक फंता आरटाक घरकडे अयलॆले सोयरॆनि, मिजे तोण्डाक एदे पौडर लायलें. तन्‍नि नेणतें तॊण्ड धूवॊवनु तं बप्पान माका देवळांतु पेटॆयल्या. तशि स्नॆहांतूंचि बप्पान, चांग बल्लाव, कोप्पुका जालॆल कडे कोप्पूनु, स्नॆहान उपदॆश दीवनु, आमंका वडयलिं. प्रकृतींतुले, एकेकापसूनूय संगून दिलें. पुराणांतूलि कणियॊय तंतूलि आदर्शय सग मनांतु कॊरनु दिलिं. मनांतु चांगपणा बीज पळ्यारि, चेरडुवानि व्हॊड जल्यारीय वायट जावना.

तीनि वर्षारि जालॆले दॊन संभव मनांतु आतायं जिवंत असाय. संजॆचे बप्पान माकाय घॆवनु चोवुंकूक वचप आशिलें. एदॆंचि चवंकॆयतॊलो, एदॆंचि कडतॊलो. स्कूळालागिचानि एदॆंचि चोवंकून देवळांतु नॊडो काणु तीर्थ दिवंचो वॆळु जाल्यारि, आरटा तळयॆंतु दॆवनु हाथपाय धूवनु दॆवाक पायंपॊणु तीर्थ काणघॆवनु प्रदक्षिण काणु तं घरकडे येतनि. एक दीसा घरा गेयटांतु पवंचानीक हाथु वळता म्हॊणु माका खल्लाक राबयलि. माका तॆं सम जलेना. चॊणु वोचुन्ना, काणूचि वॊरका म्हॊणु हांव. काणु वोरन्‍ना म्हॊणु बप्पा. बप्पान तीन फंत सांगले, "चोवंकूनु भितरि अयलॆना जल्यारि कव्वड दितॊलो" म्हॊणु. हांव चोण्‍णा म्होणूचि रबलिं. बप्पा गेयिटा भितरि निपून राबीलो म्हॊणु हांव नॆण. वॆळु वता तकीत भायर काळूक जाता. मनांतु भय दिसता. कवड दिवनूय आसा. हांवे रॊणु "बप्पा" म्होणु उळदीलो. उल्लो आयकून बप्पा भायर आयलो. माका बोटाक धॊरनु भितरि वेलि. तेदुसचॆन मिगॆलें हट गेलें.

मागीरि वेगळो एकु संभवु, आरटा तळियांतु हाथुपायु धुवंचाक वचे वॆळारि, माका उदुकापशि ५-६ मॆट उंचारि राबॊवनु बप्पा खल्लाक देवलो. उदकांतु दॆवनु तॊंड धुवंचे वॆळारि, उदकांतु इतिकीं पोडचो सोवदु आयकीलो. बप्पान मेटारि चोवंचानीक माका दिकूक यॆना. उदकांतु मिगॆलो पय्या हुंगॊटो बप्पाले हथांतु मेळो. ओडून उंचारि कळि. चोगो काणु पीळुं पुसून रण्णे राबॊवनु, देवळांतु वॊर्नु बोटुमम्माकरॆन तीर्थ मारॊवनु घरकडे घॆवनु आयलो. "बप्पान थंगाचि राबका म्होणु सांगिले अयकिलॆं जल्यारि, अशि जातने आशिलें वॆं?" बप्पान निमगीले. सर्व कयरॆंतूय मलगडॆन सांगिले अयकुका म्हॊणु हांव शिकीलिं.

एकि भरकूण अयल्यारि, अम्मा एक एलता-पेलतांतु गेल्यारि, लागि बेसून पोरसून वोकद दीवनु ’टेनषन’ भोगुचो बप्पा, सान चेरडुवांक खंदॆरि घालनु निद्दावंचो बप्पा, वसरेंतु अम्माक सहायाक वोचो बप्पा, अवंका तेग जाणांकय बेसॊवनु लेक्‍काचे टॆबिळ म्हॊणॊवंचो बप्पा. यॆं सग आतायं उडगसांतु आसा.

भॊगंती देवळांतु तॆ कालाक वर्षाक दॊन दिसांक कथकळि आशिलि. मदराति जाले कडॆरि, एकि नीद जलॆले आवंकाय घॆवनु, देवळांतु वोचुन, कथकळियॆचि काणि इतॆं? तानि आंग्य दाकोवुंचाचे अर्थु इतें? सग म्हॊणु सांगनु मनांतु कॊरनु दिवंचो बप्पा, तॆ भरशि वोळ्ळम्माक कॊपु हाडॊवुंचाक रसपति सांगुचो बप्पा, आशि स्नॆहसंपन्न जावनाशिल्ले कुटुंबनाथाचे चित्र तं मनांतु.

अमंका अम्मातंतुलॆनि वोचुन राबूक घर कायिं ना आशिलें. अमगॆलि अम्मम्मा, अम्माले सनप्रायॆचॆरीचि गेलि. दुशॆरि व्हरडीक केलॆलि सम नयिं आशिलि.

स्कूळांतु गेल्यारि, प्रभुसार चेरडुवांक प्रिय आशिलो अध्यापक तं. एक विषया पासुनु बप्पान क्लास कळ्यारि, ते क्लासांतु शिकॆयलॆलॆंतु थाकूनु इति निमगिल्यारीय, चेरडूवं जाप सांगतनि. चेरडुवानि तॆं विसोरना. व्यक्‍त जावनु सांगून मनांतु कॊरनु दिवंचाक आशिलि बप्पालि प्राप्‍ति व्हॊडि तं. बप्पाले शिष्यांक बप्पाचॆरि व्हॊड बहुमान तं आशिलो. शिकोवंचि चेरडूंव जाल्यारीय, तांगॆले स्वभावांतूय बप्पा श्रद्धा दितालो.

तॆ कालाक हैस्कूळांतु फीस दिल्यारि तं शिकुयात आशिलें. दिवंचाक प्राप्ति नतिलिं चेरडूवंय आशिलिं. शिकवणॆक दष्टीक आशिलिं चेरडूंव दामु ना म्हळॆले खातीर शिकवण राबॊवुंचाक बप्पान आयकुन्‍ना. बप्पाले एक शिष्यान अमंगॆले घरकडे येवंचानीक "प्रभुसार ना आशिलो जल्यारि, मिगॆलिं चेरडूंव आजि उप्पाशिं पडतनि आशिलिं" म्हॊणु सांगले अयकुचानीक, माका व्हॊडु अभिमानु दिसलो. असुख जावनु क्लासांतु यॆवंचाक जावनतिले चेरडुवांक, परीक्षॆ फूडे फ्री पीरीडाक तॆं मनांतु कॊरनु दितोलो. तॆं आतायं उडगसांतु आसा.

वर्षाक दॊन दिवस स्कूळांतु विशॆष दीस तं. तेदूस स्कूळांतु सम्मॆळन असतने. दीवाळीक चित्‍तिरतिरुनाळ रय्यालो जन्मदिवस, चित्‍तिरतिरुनाळालें फॊटो शिंगारनु, हस्ती फटीरि काणु व्हॊडि घॊषयात्रा आसा. मुखारि नादस्वर, मगलॆन चेंण्डॆ वाजप, मद्दें हस्ती लागि जावुनु ’वंचिपाट्ट’ बॊरॊवनु शिकॊवनु सांगून दिवंचो बप्पा, बप्पालगि मस्त चेरडूंव, म्हॊणु दिवंचे आवर्तन करताय. ताजे साहित्यय, म्हण्‍णीय सग व्होडान संगून दिवंचे बप्पाले चित्र आतायं मनान्तु दिकूक येता. दीवाळि तेदूस सकाळींचि उटायलेर, आमि हाळांतु वतनि. थंगा रय्याले फॊटो शिंगारनु दवरलेंले तं तेदूस आमि ’कणि’ चॊवप.

सम्मॆळनाचि ईश्वरप्रार्थना चडय बप्पानचि तं बरवप. बप्पान मलयाळम भसॆन बरयलॆले प्रार्थनॆचो ऎकु कुटूको, उडगसांतु थाकून; "विश्वैकनाथा विमलविभॊ तवकरुणामृतम नित्यवुम, श्रीचित्रजातन क्षितिपतिराजनिल चोरियॆणम सरवॆशा."

"स्कूळ डे" आयल्यारि प्रथम सम्मॆळन, मगीरि सम्मानदान, तॆं जावनु गींत, नृत्य अनीक तीनि नाटक असतनि. प्रथम हिन्दि नाटक, लागिचे मलयाळम नाटक, मगीरि इंग्लीष नाटक. सग जयनाफडॆण फल्लें फल्लें जातने. तंतु अभिनय कोरचे चेरडुवांक सोदून काणु, तंका ’डयलॊग’ शिकोवंचो कामु बप्पालो तं. ऎक फंता इंग्ळीष नाटकांतु, ’षैलॊकाचे पार्ट कॊरकाजलॆले चॆडॆक येवंचाक जालॆना. तॆं पार्ट बप्पान कोरका जालॆ. कोणाक मनांतु जालॆना कॊणकीं षैलॊक जालॊलो म्हॊणु. प्रैस उळदून सांगुचानीक, तॆं सॊणु लागिचॆक दिल्यारि पूरो म्हॊणु बप्पान सांगले. स्पॊरट्स अयल्यारि, एक टॆप, बूकु अनीक पॆन घॆवनु सर्व कडॆय बप्पा आसतलो. स्पॊर्ट्सांतु स्टॆयिट लवलारि परॆन चेरडुंव पवलॆलि आसाय, बप्पाले शिक्षणारि. ताशि स्कूळाचे उन्‍नतीक, चांग नावांक जावनु दॆहाचे आरॊग्य चॊवनातिलें काम करतालो तं बप्पा.

तॆ कालाक, ’कोस्टिन पॆपर’ प्रिन्‍ट करवप कायं ना. आतांचे उतुलॆंचि विभाग कायिं एक क्लासाक तवळि ना. पॆपर ’सैक्लोस्टयल’ कॊरनु घरकडे दवरप. परीक्षॆचे १५ मिनिट फूडे, प्यूण यॆवनु घॆवनु वोतॊलो. अम्माय बप्पाय कॊरनु रत्‍तीय दिसूय बेसूनु, प्रिप्पारिट्रि थाकूनु ’सिक्स्त फॊर्मं’ परॆन शिकचे चेरडुवांक दिवंचाक, टैंटॆबिळ चॊवनु कोस्टिन पॆपर सैक्लोस्टयल कॊरनु एकेकय विभागांचे चेर्डूंव लेकूनु, कोस्‍टिन पॆपर नॊळो कॊरनु क्लास, डिविषन, सग बॊरॊवनु दवरतनि. अतंचेवरीचि, पॆपरावॆले प्रश्न कायिं ’औट’ जावप ना आशिले. तॊ तं औद्यॊदिक जीवितांतुलो बप्पा.

संगीत प्रॆमि तं आशिलो मिगॆलो बप्पा. मिगॆले आठ वर्षारि बप्पाले एक पूर्व शिष्यु हारमॊणिस्ट यॆवनु माका करनाटक संगीत शिकेयतालो. माका शिकोवंचे वॆळारि, पेल्ले कूडांतु बेसुन बप्पा बॊरॊवनु कडतॊलो, अनीक मिजे करॆन प्राक्टीस करयतोलो. एक वर्षाक तं हांव संगीत शिकिलि आसा. गावांतूले देवळांतु मृगयॆक दॆवान वचे वॆळारि, पिरलुकॆ वजप आसतलें. तॆं आयकूक बप्पा माका वरतोलो. वजुचें अयकून एकॆकाचो रागु कसलो म्हॊणु हांव सांगुका. बप्पाक एदेचि राग मनांतु कॊरूक जताने. आतंचे वरीचि रॆडियो, टि.वि. कायिं तवळि ना. तुरवूर देवलांतु आराट तेदूस, सांजे दोनिचारि गींत, एक फंता मिजे करॆन म्हणयले. परकाट देवळांतूय मिजेकरॆन म्हणयलॆलें आसा.

परकाट देवळांतु बप्पा कुटूंबसहित १२ दिसांक भजन बेसलो. हांवे शिकिले कीर्तनाचे रागारि बप्पान १२ गींत बरयले. एकॆक दिसा देनपरां जॆवण जायनाफडॆन एकु गींतु बोरोवनु तेद्दूस भजन कोरचे वॆळारि म्हणतनि. सग गिंतूय परकाट गॊपालकृष्णाक स्तुति कोरनु आशिले तं. तॆ सग गींत आतां मिगॆले धुवांनि अनीक नतियॆन म्हॊणु सी.डी. कोरनु दवरलॆलि आसा.

राष्ट्र भाषॆचो व्हॊडु भक्‍त तं आशिलो बप्पा. दक्षिण भारत हिन्दि प्रचार सभॆचे सम्मॆळनय तुरवूर टि.डि. स्कूळांतु दवरप आसा. ताजि ईश्वरप्रार्थनाय मिजे करॆन तं बप्पा म्हणॆयतालो.

समुदायस्नॆहि जावनु आशिले एदॆ जाणानि कॊरनु एक कोंकणि सम्मॆळन, तुरवूर स्कूळांतु संघटित केलॆलें. प्रशस्त जावनशिलो डा. नागॊजिराव मामु, जडज नारायणराव मामु अनीक वेगळय प्रशस्त व्यक्ति सग स्टॆज भॊरनु बेसले. वेगळें नांव कायिं आतां उडगास यॆना. तंतूयं एकेकलॆलेयं व्यक्‍तित्व सांगूनु तंका वेगवेगळॆंचि स्वागत संगप आशिलें. तॆ स्वागत गीत म्हॊणूक आशिलें भाग्य माका म्हेळें. आतां उडगास आसा स्वागत संगिलो ऎक कुटको.

"स्वागतं महासभॆंतु यॆवनु बेसले महाजनांक,
स्वागतं महॊल्‍सवांतु यॆवनु पवलॆले महात्मनांक".

अमगॆले गावांतूले एक सहकरण संघाचि जुबिलि आशिल्लि. तंतूय प्रमुख व्यक्ती अयलॆले. तॆ कालाक बप्पाय, सहकरण संघातुले मेंबर आशिलो. तंतु मलयाळम भासॆन एक स्वागत गान बप्पान बरयलॆ अनीक हांवे म्हळॆं. स्टॆजारि चार-पांच जाण आशिलिं जल्यारीय, अध्यक्षाक सांगिले मिगॆले उडगसांतु आसा.

സ്വാഗതം സദസ്യരേ, സ്വാഗതം സഭാനാഥാ,
സ്വാഗതം സമ്യക് സഹകാരികളെ,
ശ്രീയും സരസ്വതിയും ധീയും സത്ഗുണങ്ങളും
ചേര്‍ന്നനുഗ്രഹിച്ചോരീലഗ്രഗണ്യന്‍
ഗോശ്രീപുരനിവാസി, വിശ്രുതോദാരമതി
ആശ്രിതര്‍ക്കാശാവല്ലി, ദേശപ്രേമി
ഇമ്മഹായോഗത്തിന് അദ്ധക്ഷനായ് വാഴും പൂജ്യന്‍
ബ്രഹ്മശ്രീ ഗോവിന്ദപൈ എം.എല്‍.സീ ക്കും
സ്വാഗതമരുളുന്നു ഹാര്‍ദ്ദമായ് ഇന്നീ ഞങ്ങള്‍-
ക്കാഗതമായ് ചേര്‍ന്നൊരീ സായാഹ്നത്തില്‍

अशि एकॆक सम्मॆळनाकय बप्पा स्वागत गान सग बरयतालो.

परकाट कृष्णालो व्हॊडु भक्‍तु तं आशिलो बप्पा. १६ वर्षांक दॆवस्वम मेंबर जावनु आशिलो. तॆ कालाक देवळा मळियॆरि पुड्डि पॊणु पिट्टो जावनु वत्‍ताले तळता काट हाणु पुसूनु, फपुणु दवरप आशिलें बप्पान. मुख्य जावनाशिलें इतॆयं बॊरॊवनु दवरप दिकिलें आसा. गेले मसाचे वैष्णवरत्‍न मासिकॆरि दिलॆले लॆखनांतु बप्पान फूडे कोंकणॆले एक पुस्तकारि दिलॆले लॆखनांतुलो भागु म्हॊणु सांगूनु बरयलॆलें वचीलें. तवळि तं बप्पा देवळाचे चरित्र तं सोदून कडतालो म्हॊणु मनांतु जालॆलें.

बप्पा एक कोंकणि भाषा स्नॆहि तं आशिलो. कोंकणि भसॆ बेगॆक बप्पाचान जवंचे सग केलॆले आसा. ’द कोंकणि’ म्हळॆले नावारि, दॊन वर्षांक मसाक एक हतबरपा मासिका, बारा कॊप्पि हथान बॊरॊवनु दूर-गावांतु आशिले मित्रांक पेटॊवनु दितॊलो. तन्‍नि वाचूनु हाथु पोरतून, एदॆचि जाणांक वाचुयत नवें.

’तेक्का’ कोंकणि भाषा निघण्डु, भाषा सहाय, परणि म्हण्णियो, अशि एदॆचि बूक बरॆयलॆले आसाय बप्पान. आतां तॆं कायिं हथांतु ना. हथबरपा मासिकॆवेलि कणियो ’पर्वतकालो पॊणॊसु’, ’मोयले पॊडीन मॊवंका’, ’पिरियागकालि चकूलि’, ’पावम गुणबॊट्टु’, आदि उडगसांतु आसाय. कवितॆंतु ’उट्टरॆ’ अनीक ’दॆवान दिलॆले गद्दॆं वोचूनु’, म्हळॆलि दॊन कविता आसा. ’मातृ विलाप’ म्हळॆलि कविता कॊण बरॆयलॆलि म्हॊणु उडगासु यॆना. ए.डि हरिशर्मा, आर.सि शर्मा, पुरुषॊत्‍तम पै, आर. माधव पै, पि.जि. कमत्‍त, अन्‍नि सग ’द कोंकणी’ मासिकॆरि घालूक कविता, लॆखन आदि दीवप आशिलें. ’मालतियुडे पून्तॊट्टम’ म्हॊणु सांगूनु मलयाळम भसॆन चेरडुवांक वाचूनु मनांतु कॊरूक एक सनूचि बूकु बप्पान बरॆयलॊलो आसा. तॊ बूकु तिरुवनन्तपुरम पब्‍ळिक लैब्ररींतु दिकिलो आसा म्हॊणु मिगॆलि सून सांगतालि.

बप्पान, तुरवूर स्कूळांतु १९ वर्ष काम कॊरनु राजि दिल्लि. तवळि माका १२ वर्ष. तीनि वर्षारि प्रथम क्लासांतु घलॆलि तं माका. ११ वर्षारि शिकवण राबयलि. दुसॆरा वर्षाचि बप्पा तुरवूर सॊणु परकाट राबूक गेल्लो. बप्पाले आदर्शाक ऊणावु येवंचे कायिं बप्पान कोरना. अलपळे ’जयहिन्द विद्यालय’ म्हॊणु एक ट्यूषन सेन्‍टर बप्पान आरांबीलें. अम्मि सग परकाटचि तं राबतालि. बप्पा शनिवारा यॆवनु सॊमारा वतॊलो. अलपळॆचि राबतालो. तव्वळि चेलियानि चड शिकप कायिं ना. तॆ कालाक हांवे मलयाळम भसॆन एक बरप कविता रूपारि बप्पाक बरॆयलॆलें. मिगॆलि प्रथम कविता. ताजो उडगास आशिलो ऎक भागु:

കേശവന്‍ തന്‍ വിശിഷ്ടമാം മായയാല്‍, ക്ളേശ ഭൂയിഷ്ടമാകുമീ ഭൂമിയില്‍
കാശുമില്ലാതെ കഷ്ടപ്പെടും നമ്മള്‍ കൃഷ്ണനെ തുഷ്ടിയോടെ ഭജിക്കുക.
കഷ്ടമെന്റെ വയറ് സുഖക്കേട്, കാലക്കേടിനാല്‍ വന്നുകൂടി പുന:
കന്പൗണ്ടര്‍ സാര്‍ തന്‍ മരുന്നുമായിട്ട് കുറച്ചങ്ങോട്ട് മല്ലിട്ടു നിന്നഹോ

मगिरचें विसरळिं.

तॆ शनिवारा बप्पान येवंचानीक, ती कवित वॊर्नु हांवे भय्यान बप्पालागि दिल्लि. ती कविता वाचून दॊळे पुसुचे बप्पाले तॊंड माका विसरूक जायना.

मिगॆले दुसरे धूवॆक एक मास प्राय असतना, अम्मालें एक कार्ड आयलें. बप्पाक चॊवंका जल्यारि वोगि यॆवंका म्हॊणु तं ताजॆरि आशिलें. अम्मि दोगयं चेरडुवांकय घॆवनु टाक्सि काणु तवळीचि गेल्लिं. उलोवंचाक नज, उटंवचाक नज, जल्यारीय, अवंचॆय, चेरडुवांचॆय मत्‍तॆरि हाथु दवॊरनु, भरलॆले दॊळॆनि, अवंचे तोंडाकचि चोवंचे बप्पाले चित्र, माका कशि विसरूक जातले. दॊळॆंतु उद्दाक यॆवुनतिलें कशि बॊरॊवुंचाक जतलें? मिगॆलो लागिचो भावु कलकट्टाक एल.ऐ.सींतु कामु करतालो. आम्मि तेदूसचि पोरतूनु आयलिं. दुसॊरो भावूय, तज्जासन्‍न एकि भयणीय, भावूय घरकडे आसाय. अम्मालें कार्ड मॆळनु, व्होळ्ळे पुतान पावुं परॆन बप्पा पोळ्ळो. ताणे अयलॆले एरदूसा बप्पा गेल्लो. अम्मालॆय भवण्डालॆय तॆ अवस्थॆरि, एक वळकीचॆक अवंगॆथयं अनीक मुट्टत्‍त आशिले आक्काथयं जाणोवंचाक सांगून पेटॆयलो. तॊ आकाथयं मात्र सांगून गेल्लो. एरदूसा तुरवूर स्कूळांतु शिकुक वचानीक, प्रभुसारे गेल्लो दिकुनु स्कूळ सोळ्ळें म्हॊणु मिगॆले दॆर पोरतूनु आयले. तव्वळि तं हांव जाण जल्या बप्पालें निधना पसून.

एक धुवॆलि मन्‍नाचि स्थिति कशि आसतलि? साहचर्य तवळचे तशि तं आशिलें. वोग्गि जाणोवुंचे माध्यम कायिं तव्वळि ना नवॆं. अवंगॆलॆय, मिगॆले भवण्डालॆय, चेरडुवांकय तंगॆले चेरडुवांकय वाचूक जावुनु हांवे बरयलॆलें तं यॆं लॆखन. वाचूक ताल्पर्य आशिल्ले समाज बान्धवंकय वाचुयात नवॆ म्हॊणु त प्रकाशन करता. मिगॆले बप्पा पासुनु, उडगसांतु थकून वेंचून कळॆले संभव.

अज्जीय, बप्पान दिलॆले उपदॆश, शिक्षण, मुखारि वचाक बळ दित्‍ता. बप्पालो अनुग्रहु पूर्ण जावनु अवंचॆरीय, चेरडुवांचॆरीय, नतुरांचॆरीय, पोणतुरांचॆरीय आसा म्हळॆले पूर्ण विश्वासु माका आसा.

तॆ १२ दीस

2011-05-29T19:07:00.000-07:00

चेरडुवांक वेकॆषनाचे दीस. मांगळूर थकून नाति अनीक पोणति कॊरनु मुंबैक पवलिं. तेदूस धूव अनीक जावंय लगॆन घरकडे आयलिं. सगटयिं कॊरनु एकि राति उलॊवनु संतॊषान बेसून पोणतॆक ओपुरबाय कॊरनु लागी दीसा सकाळिं गेल्यारि पूरो म्हॊणु अब्बॊन सांगले.

सगटयं कॊरनु खॆळु-हासु अनीक रसपति उलवप, मिगॆले बप्पान परकाट वॆणुगॊपाला स्तुति केलॆले गींत कशि म्हॊणका म्हॊणू सांगून दीवप सग जावनु वॆळु गेलो.

तॆ वॆळारि माका इत्‍ति जाले म्हॊणु माकाचि कळॆना. पुताले दॊळे मिजॆरि गेले. ताणे धॊरनु माका निदायलि म्हॊणूय कायिं माका कळॆना. अबॊधावस्थॆरि जल्यारीय, सनूचि उडगासु मनांतु रबीलो. रगता खट्‍टे वोंकून गेलॆले दिकिले तं. उलोवंचाक जायना जल्यारीय, माका मनांतु गेलॆलि चिन्ता काणि सरीचि दिसले.

जीवितांतु एक अध्यापकालि धूव जावनु जन्मु घेतलो. ’दुडुवां पशि मॊल स्नॆहाक तं’, म्हळॆले आदर्श अयकून तं हांव वड्डल्लिं. अम्म-बप्पालें मॊग ऊणे जावनतिलें अनुभवांतु म्हेळो. भवंड एकडे जावनु, खॆळु-हासु सग आशिलि सनपण, जीवितांतुलें विसरूक जावनतिले अनुभव तं.

१६ वर्षारि, व्हरडीक जावनु बमुणाथयं गेल्लि. अम्मा-बप्पान सांगिल्यावरि, मायिं-मावांक अम्मा-बप्पा समान लेकून, बमुणाले भवंडांक मिगॆलि भवंड जावनूय लेकूनु, थंगाचे जीवितंय मुखारि वेले.

तेगजाण चेरडूंव दॆवान दिलिं. धुवांक व्हरडीक कॊरनु दिलिं. तेगयिं आजि सुखान संतॊषान आसाय. तन्‍नीय मिगॆले आदर्शारि मुखारि वताय. कॊण येलतांतु इत्‍ति करतायि म्हॊणु चॊवनतिलें आम्मि आमगॆले वटॆन मुखारि गेल्यारि मेळचे मनांतु सूख व्हॊड तं. पुत्‍तान मम्माले धूवॆक व्हरडीक केलि. तेगांकय दोग-दोगजाण चेरडूंव तं. सग चांग जावनु आसाय. पुतालि चेलि मॊगु मात्र दीवंका जलॆलि स्पेष्यल चेरडुं. जल्यारीय डान्‍स कॊरूक, सितार वजूक सग शिकता. चांग स्वादारि रवंदय कॊरूक, चाय कॊरूक सग ती दष्टीकि तं.

६३ वर्ष जालॆले अंगॆले दांपत्य जीवितांतु, आतां अवंका संतॊषूय तृप्तीय आसा. आबु, अम्मुम्मा म्हळेले स्थानारीय, अंगॆले नतुरालें मनांतु अवंका एक जग आसा. मॊगु, बहुमानु सग जाय जलॊलो नत्तूरं अवंका दिताय. मिगॆलि सुन्‍नयि माका धुव्वॆवरीचि तं चोयता. माकाय ति धुव्वचि.

अंगॆले कुटुंबजीवितांतु चांग कालाकय कष्ट कालाकय, एल्‍ता-पेल्‍तांतु बळ जावुनु रबून हंगा परॆन पवलिं. अनीक सुमंगलि जावनूचि वोचुका म्हॊणु एकि आशा माका आसा. तॆं दिकून भय्य कायिं माका दिसलॆना. दैव निश्चयु तं चवंकतॊलो म्हॊणु अवंका कळता जल्यारीयि मन्‍नांतु दिसूनु वता.

पुतान माका लगि आशिले ऎक हॊस्‍पिटलांतु तं वेलॆलि. वचे वटॆरि अबॊधावस्थॆरियि मनांतु गेलॆलि चिंता सपन सरि दिसलें.

हेरदूसा माका नानावति हॊस्पिटलांतु वेले उपरांते ऐ. सी. यूंतु पोडुचानीक, पूतु सांगता, "अम्मा, अक्काय भावूय बारा वरारि पवलिं". चेन्नै थाकूनु नाति चेरडूवांकय घॆवनु गावांतु वचाक वतालि, तॆं टिकट रद्द कॊरनु तीवय चेरडूवंय देनपारा पवलिं. तवळि तं माका इत्‍ति जलॆले म्हॊणूय तन्‍नि कळॆले उसरमॆटीय माका मनांतु जल्या.

रगत दिकून जवंचानीक घरकडे पोरतून वतनि म्हॊणु आठॆयलॆलें नयिं हांवे. माका दिसलें यमरय्यालें लॆक बॊरॊवुंचे चित्रगुप्ताक इति जालें? अमगॆले थोगडे ओफीसाक चॊवनु तॊवॊय शिकतवॆ? अनीक नॊवॊ जावनु नॆम कायिं हळॊलो आसावे? पास्पॊर्ट, विसा कायिं नतिलें कायिं थंगा चॊडॊवंनावॆ? तशि थंगा लगि परॆन वोचून हांव पोरतून अयलिं.

आतां घरकडे आरटावरी तं गोंदॊळ. नत्तीयो दोगयिं वसरॆंतु चेळ्यो. पोणतूरं तंगॆलो खॆळु रसपति सग करताय. धुवॊय, सुन्‍नय, पुतूय, पोरतून पोरतून हॊस्‍पिटलांतु येताय. मिजेलागि एकलॆक बेसुयात. सान चेरडुवांक भितॆरि चॊडॊवना. आर्मींतु ऒफीसर आशिलो नत्‍तु अयलो. इन्‍ड्यॆ भायिर आशिलिं नतूरांक मात्र एवंचाक जलॆना. माका ऊणे जाता म्हॊणुय, लीव काणु संत अयल्यार पूरो म्हॊणूय पुतान तंका जाणॆयलें.

हांव मंच्यारि पॊणूयि मनांतु चेरडुंवालो गोन्दॊळ दिकतानि.

"एन्‍डॊस्कॊपि" म्हळॆलि वयदीक तं तन्‍नि माका केल्लॆलि. हांवे प्रथम अयिकुचे नांव. अबॊधावस्थॆरि, ऎक ट्यूब, तजे मुखारि ऎक बळब दोवॊरनु, ताळॆंतुलॆनि चॊडॊवनु चोयतनि. पोटांतु फूटि पॊणु रगत वतालें. तन्‍नि इतिकी लावुनु फूटि धंपीलि. हेरदूसा थाकून मीट खवंचाक पाणा. चाय, दूध, उदाक सग कॊरनु दिसाक ऎक लिटर मात्र. रत्‍ति माका मनांतु एक भ्रमु सरि दिसलो, पॊडूक जायना. नरसानि मास्क दोवॊरनु श्वासु दीवॆयलो. ’रत्ति मिगॆलें खटळे उबारनु माका भायर वॊरनु घल्लि’, अशि सग माका दिस्ताने. लगिचे दीसा डॊक्टरान येवंचानीक सांगले. ताणे दिल्लॆले गुळियांतुलि ऎकि गूळि दीवंकानाका म्हॊणु ताणे संगूनु ती गूळि रबॆयलि. तॆ उपरांते तशि जलॆना.

पोटांतु भरलॆलें उदाक ट्यूब घालनु भायिर काडप, तॆ होस्पिटलांतूले मिष्यनांतु सग माका तन्‍नि चडॆयलि. इत्या बेगॆक म्हॊणु माकाचि कळना. १२ दिसांक थंगा पॊणु, तन्नि थंग-थंगा मंदून थप्पून सग दवरलॆलें काणु पेलॆन घालनु, माका सोळि.

स्वर्गारि माका सीट दिलॆना जल्यारीय, हांव मिगॆले स्नॆह साम्राज्यांतु पवलिं.

दॆवु पार्थालो मात्र सारथि नयिं, अमगॆले एकेकलॆलॊय सारथि म्हॊणु तं हांवे आठवप. ताणे मुखारि वोरचेकडे अम्मि वत्ताय. मुखारि येवंचे दिसयि तॆंचि तं जातलें. दॆवान दिलॆले जीवित ताणॆचि मुखारि वॊरका. तॆ १२ दीस मनांतु थकून वचना.

Happy New Year

2011-01-02T05:02:00.000-08:00

Wishing happy new year to all readers of my blog and stories. As I am concentrating more on publishing my konkani stories now, not writing more blog posts.

Wish and pray to almighty for a pleasant, peaceful and prosperous year 2011.

A post after long time - a get together

2010-10-03T03:45:00.000-07:00

This blog post after a long time. It is about a get together we had yesterday, 2nd october. Get together of GSB families in mumbai who hails form kerala. It was at King's circle, the place where the annual Ganesh Utsav of GSBs take place. We all went, we two, our son and daughter in law and our pet grand daughter pabbi. When we reached, we are asked to proceed for breakfast - it was tasty, upma, bonda, banana, and tea or coffee... such social get togethers is an occasion for meeting our family friends and relatives. we met many. we were very comfortable that we could speak in konkani, that too with comfortable accent.

People started coming as time passed. All greeted each other, some with the modern 'Hi', and some with traditional 'Namaskars'. Morning session was a general meeting. After the traditional report reading etc., suggestions were invited from people on how to make the samaj activities better and more useful. Both men and women participated, at times with small verbal fights; they only add spice to any function, right?

I saw housewives chatting with each other, at times ignoring the meeting. This is one day they get relief from kitchen, and all enjoyed that; joking, laughing continued. All got energised with the nimbu paani served in between. Till lunch, the talking party of house-wives continued. in between we tried to hear their decisions of the meeting.

It was simple, yet tasty food; puries, waghu (mangalore konkani's preparation), dheve umman, godda paysu, rice, saaru and daali toy; a very typical konkani jevaN. People interacted during lunch also. We knew many people who came. The occasion helped to renew our contacts.

After lunch it was games and kid's quiz and housie. Everyone participated and enjoyed. The hall was full of energy, with people laughing, clapping and encouraging winners. In between had team and snacks, and time to say good bye arrived. From 'Hi' to 'Bye' we enjoyed, and started our journey back to our den.

After a long time, it was a pleasant get together, a pleasant outing and thought of sharing with you all through this.

Why does God Prefers Younger Ones?

2009-04-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

I write this with a very sad state of mind. It is about two losses of my life. The first one was six years back and the second was just four days back. I lost my brothers. Both were younger to me. First brother whom I lost six years back, was a very loving brother for all the siblings. My father passed away 54 years back. I was living with my husband's family. My mother, three brothers and a sister became almost helpless. My first brother took it as a challenge to lift the family from a very difficult condition. He was just 18. Working in a private company in Calcutta. Along with work, he did his M.Com and got a job in LIC at Calcutta. The second brother after completing his SSLC started an ayurvedic medical shop. He was very brilliant in studies, but the circumstances forced him to discontinue studies. After some time, a primary school started in our village. He managed to do teachers training and got a job as a teacher in that school. Then the ayurvedic shop became part-time. He looked after the family, with the help of my first brother's financial support. They managed to conduct marriage of my younger sister. Then my first brother moved to kerala from calcutta, and he got married. He couldn't take his wife to place where he worked, as he wanted to save as much money for the education of the youngest brother. The youngest one completed his B.Ed course and got a job as a teacher. He had to wait for 2 years to take his wife to the place where he worked. His sudden demise six years back was a real shock for me. I can not forget the help that he has done to me. Realizing that my son could not get good education in our native village, he took him with him to Trivandrum, put him in a good school, then college and ensured that he became an engineer. With that help, my son went on to do a Ph.D. from IIT. He helped everyone who needed help. Be it relatives or not. His life was full of selfless service, that too without making any noise. When he left us, I prayed to god "Why are you taking younger ones keeping me here, who is elder?"

Last week my youngest brother passed away in a sudden heart attack. He too was very loving brother and we all siblings had a special consideration for the youngest one. His children are settled and in the last two months he spent time with his one year old grandson. I can imagine how happy he would have been playing with his grand child. My great grand children are older than his grandson. Memories are fresh in my mind, when he grew in my lap, when he was infant and young boy. Because of circumstances at home, I had to take care of him and his all needs during his childhood. My mother was going through a bit of depression at that time. During his first job as a teacher in my village (where i was staying with my husband's family) he stayed with us for two years. At that time I didn't have to do anything for him. It was my mother-in-law who took care of him just as her own son. I believe that, my mother-in-law's love towards him was a reflection of her love towards me. He use to call us once in a while to talk over phone. Just two weeks back, he was expressing his happiness of spending time with his grand son. I couldn't bear the news of his passing away. I am still in shock. Again the same question pops up in my mind when I pray "Why are you taking the younger ones keeping me here, who is elder?".

Sixty Years Together....

2009-01-23T16:27:00.000-08:00

It is after a long gap that I am posting again. Weakness due to age is troubling me these days. Today I am remembering about our wedding day which was on 24th January 60 years back. The whole event comes as a flashback in my mind...

In those days, marriages were conducted during the teenage. Our marriage was also like that. I was on sixteen and my husband was on nineteen. It was arranged by elders in the family and we saw each other only in the mandap during the marriage ceremony. Then we began to love each other. Of course it was a feeling from within and not showing off like these days what people do.

Ours was a family of seven; my in-laws, two brothers-in law and a sister-in-law. My husband was the eldest, so I had added responsibilities. First one year I had some difficulties to adjust to the new environment. I loved everyone as my own, in spite of resistance from younger ones in the family. In an year's time they also started liking me.

When I look back the 60 years.... We have three children, two daughters and a son. All are well settled and living happily. We are satisfied that we have brought them up with values that we believe are good. Daughters are liked by their husband's families. Son is also settled in Mumbai and his wife is like my own daughter. They take care of all our needs.. over and above the love that binds the family. All our grandchildren are also living happily. Four of them have settled with their own family. Altogether we have four cute great grandchildren. Their childish conversation through phone takes us to an entirely different world. Overall our family tree has now 22 members.

I feel, we are reaching the evening of our life. We are quite satisfied with what we have achieved as a couple. Have taken care of in-laws till the last day of their life. Gave love to everyone in the family, even if at times we felt that we didn't get what we gave. Then as a strong believer in 'bhagavat gita', I get happiness in doing things what I believe is right and not expecting anything in return.

Now for time-pass, I am writing stories and novels in our konkani language. My husband and everyone in the family encourages me in that. Two months back when I was felicitated (along with my husband) by our community, in front of a big gathering, I could see tears of happiness in my husband's eyes.

On this day, the 60th anniversary day of our wedding, I pray god to take care of all in my family tree and give them happiness... also dreaming for a world where everyone is happy and contented with no greed and enmity...

Now I pray god to consider "ladies first" when he decides to take us with him...

The Real Award

2008-10-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

Till the age of sixteen i was with my parents. Then after marriage settled at my husband's house. Being the first daughter-in-law of the house, I had much more responsibilities and more expectations from me. It was a very difficult job of balancing between responsibilities and expectations. They were very long days and hardly any time to think of anything else than dometic chorus.

Life was going on. We became parents of three children. Though we are not that educated, we gave them education as much we could afford. More than anything we trained them to live a life based on values.

Time ticked fast. The family tree grew and now i have little cute great grand children. Not much work to do at home. Ten years back, when I was 68, I was looking for a hobby. I have seen my papa writing in our mother tongue konkani, and preparing a hand-written magazine and distributing it among few konkani people. Those magazines changed from hand-to-hand and more people read them.

It is more than 50 years after my marriage. I have lot of free time. Nothing much to do. My son encouraged me to write something for a konkani magazine just started publishing in 1998. First I wrote a very short story and sent to the editor, requesting to publish. The readers accepted it. Then I started writing regularly. Now ten years passed. I got some awards for my writing. But my interest was to get a place in reader's heart.

Last month I attended a function celebrating tenth anniversary of the konkani magazine. They gave me two awards . My first novel in konkani also got released in that function. I was sitting in the audience and watching the program. On my way out, a middle-aged woman came to me with respect glittering in her eyes. She touched my feet as a gesture of respect and spoke to me about how she liked reading my stories and valued the morals in my stories. She came to the function just to see me and if possible, convey her appreciation and respect. When I came to know that she was just discharged from hospital and came all the way to meet me, I didn't know how to respond. I lost searching for words.

I had no words to express at that moment. No award can give me such a satisfaction, and I consider those gestures and words from that woman as the best award for my writing.

Fight for Love

2008-08-10T03:21:00.000-07:00

It is after many months I am writing this blog. I was busy with writing a novel in konkani and making corrections etc. The manuscript has been given for printing, and now I can devote more time for writing more blogs. This post is about my observations on love and fight for love.

Love comes from within. Everyone needs love and wants love throughout their life. One can get love only by giving it.

There are different types of love. Love between mother and her children, between husband and wife, love towards in-laws, love towards grand parents and grand children, love between friends, love between siblings, love between neighbours, love between teacher and students etc. For happy and peaceful life, everyone needs love. All our minds are thirsty for love.

A baby just out of mother's womb, start crying. The baby was safe and comfotable in mother's womb for almost ten months. After birth it feels helpless. Cry is the way baby can express its need for love. Nurses clean and covers the baby with dry cloths and the baby stops crying. The elders take the baby from the nurses. The baby feels comfortable in the warm covering. The baby's first cry thus becomes successful. From then on for every need the baby cries. It gets mothers love and enjoys it. Parents also enjoy the baby's love. After a while, the baby recognizes more people around. Everyone gives the baby love and in return they too get love. Baby becomes toddler and becomes more naughty. Everyone around loves the naughty acts of the child, and the baby acts as a bond of love in the whole family.

In school life friendships get developed and a kind of love develops between friends. During teenage, one has to be careful in love. It could land the person in trouble. Many times, such incidents and associated love is forgotten after they leave school or college. After marriage, love between husband and wife gets blossomed. These days love marriages are becoming common. Many years back, the relationship between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law was not generally that sweet as these days. Actually it is the fear that overtook the love between them. Mothers fear that they will lose their son's love, when the son gets married. Things are changing now, as more and more people become educated (I mean, not college education, but realization of relationships and values), more and more daughter-in-laws get accepted as daughters (many times acceptance more than daughters) leading to lively homes. Only love among the family members can create a happy family, whether it is a nuclear or joint family. To create such happy family, every one has to fight for love. It is an inner fight and not physical fight. That fight helps create sharing of love between husband and wife, in-laws, kids and parents etc. Everyone has to succeed in that fight for love. A failure in fight for love can come out as unhappiness or depression, which is a symptom of problem in family. Everyone has to intensify their fight for love to remove that failure and regain the harmony.

It is the ego that creeps in as a virus in a harmonious and happy life. If love between the family members is real, then ego cannot creep in and spoil the harmony. Even in love, there is place for fights and tension. When different human being live together there is bound to have fights. Then love from heart has power to ease such tensions and return of the lost harmony.

If we consider the whole world as a family (vasudaiva kutumbakam), and there is real love and concern for ever other person, then there is no reason fo so much disturbance. I fear that the real love is disappearing from the world, as we see more and more wars and fights between different countries and different sects these days. All of us have to strive hard to spread love among mankind, so that all can live happily.

I believe, there is no power in the world that can beat power of love. Let us spread love and let everyone learn to fight for love than fight for all material things.

A grandmother's satisfaction

2008-03-16T04:35:00.000-07:00

Evening of March 9th. I was watching my pet grand daughter's bharatnatyam arangettam. I was in praying mood. I am not able to see the crowd. I was feeling a bit of tension. 19 years of our hard work and prayers are getting fulfilled. It was a challenge. As the program progressed, I thanked god... she is doing well. I kept hearing big applause from the audience. My little grand daughter, special grand daughter, smiling.. in the middle of all people who gatherd on the stage to congratulate and complement her. For most of the people gathered, it was unbelievable. They never expected her to perform the way she did. It was a proud moment for me, as a grand mother.

It is the result of our patience and love. She is a special child. Only when she was 2 years old, we realized that she has problem and is intellectually challenged, and it was a shock for us. Her milestones got delayed. I felt my children's pain. It's life and we have to face it. We considered her as a gift to us. With prayers, therapies, and homeopathic medicines, she started improving. Bit by bit she started speaking. Began walking when she was four.

She started going to special schools. Special educators came home and started teaching her. She is weak in academics. If not academics, we thought of trying some art for her. We found that she likes music, but because of speech problem she couldn't get into it. Then we tried keyboard.. it didn't work out. The dance teachers we approached were not willing to teach her.

About 6 year back, we found a bharatnatyam teacher. His ability to teach special children started working on pratibha. She took about three months to get up and start steps, and get involve. Once we realized that she can dance, we took her to kerala, where my daughter has a dance class. The students there became her friends. Seeing them, and trying dance with them, she started understanding better and started to learn better. She started performing on stages for 5 to 10 minutes. She participated in some competitions for special children in mumbai. She started realizing that she too can dance on stage and started enjoying dancing.

We decided to arrange an arangettam for her, decided a date 9th march 2008, and we stated preparations many months in advance. Her hard work, sincere efforts by both her gurus, her ambitions, her parent's expectations, her brother's encouragement, grand parent's blessings, support from all my children, and encouragement from my other grand children... made the day. All of us were very happy to see her dance so well.

My beautiful little pratibha in the traditional bharatnatyam costumes and ornaments was dancing like an angel on stage. My mind's camera clicked it full. I can see it again and again. The hall was almost full with invited friends and relatives. Most of them came with a curiosity to see what a special child can do. But her footwork, abhinaya (expressions), mudras, and graceful movements were outstanding for a special child. All gathered around her and cheered her at the end of the program.

She proved that "she can also do something". That was our aim. She did six items, which took about 70 minutes of dancing with some intervals in between for costume change and rest. Every now and then it comes to my mind. I hope in coming days, she can move forward step by step in this art form and do better. This is my prayer to almighty.

Thank you for all lovely wishes...

2008-01-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

My eldest of grandchildren Nandu wrote a blog on the day i was entering into my 60th year of married life. Two grandsons wrote poems wishing us and remembering the days when they were kids. Another grand daughter created a wonderful postcard using the site created by y son's company. Another grandson made a collage of the family tree and gave us. And the little one, a differently abled granddaughter made a lovely card in her own way.

We were filled with love and all this made us emotional. We responded to all their lovely presents... The response we wrote to Nandu's blog post is posted here also.

Dear Chakki,

We both read your post again and again and felt very happy. It took us back to those days at our old house in the village. I liked the way you started the post "How can you"? My answer is "If you have faith, trust and determination, then you can". At that time (59 years back), the family and social circumstances were such that it was difficult to get an opportunity for the newly wed couples to speak in private. But instead of complaining for anything and everything, we faced the challenges in our own way, without hurting anybody's feelings. But that affected our peace of mind many times. But considering that happiness of people around would bring happiness to us', made us stronger to face the difficulties. In case of difficulties we supported each other, most times discretely. As any other newly wed couple we also had our dreams, but we had to pack them all as to have a peaceful life and make people around us happy.

We believed that making others happy is an investment, which will bring returns later. I can vouch for this now. Our children with their spouses, grandchildren with their spouses, and great grandchildren are showering us with love; what else do we need now? They are fulfilling all the dreams which we could not fulfill ourselves. Children make our dreams realize, grandchildren add colours to them, and great grandchildren make us really enjoy the dreams.

We believe, whether the marriage is arranged by parents or arranged by the couple themselves, the recipie for success is "love each other, trust each other, support each other, love everyone around you, respect elders, feel happiness in making others happy".

Dear chakki, Abu and Ammumma are happy to see that you are remembering and enjoying the childhood days with your naughty boys. Blessings to you, prashant, kanna and sreeku, on this day of our stepping into 60th year of our life together.

All our grandchildren wished in their own ways... Nandu, you posted this blog, suji and vinnu wrote poems, suma made a wonderful postcard, prashant made a collage of the family tree and pratibha created a lovely greeting card in her own way. What else do we need at this stage of our life?

We also thank everyone who wished us through the comments to Nandu's blog.

Aabu and Ammumma

Shatasamvatsaram Deerghamayuhu

2007-12-09T03:23:00.000-08:00

When we were very young, there use to be puja at home every month. After the pooja, the priest used to give few things in my father's hands that include flowers, a coconut, betel leaves, a bunch of bananas, and some akshathas (rice mixed with kumkum) and would chant ashirvada mantra. I was curious to understand the meaning of mantras. The ashirvada mantra goes like this "Dhanam, dhanyam, pashum, bahuputralabham, shatha samvatsaram dirghamayuhu". It means, have wealth, plenty of food, cattle, many sons, and live for 100 years.

How relevant is this ashirvada mantra today?

First is dhanam, meaning wealth. Everyone want wealth, like wealth and tries to get as much wealth as possible. Material wealth is necessary to make a living. But it makes people fight with each other and as people get more material wealth they forget humanity, and becomes more selfish. Thus more Dhanam is a real problem.

As days pass, prices of every item increases, and it becomes difficult for many people to make a living with their income. Now cultivation of paddy, wheat etc. is going into lo, ass and we hear farmers suicide s they are finding it difficult to pay of their loans and take care of their family. Changes in weather also affects agriculture. So price of food items increase. Thus getting required Dhanyam becomes problematic.

The third one is cattle. Rarely we see cattle these days even in villages. In towns and cities, we don't see cattle at all, except in diary farms. Maintaining cattle is a real problem these days compared to olden days. It is really not possible for small families to have and maintain cattle. So people just go to shops and buy mils in plastic covers. Many times, the milk is adulterated; we take it without knowing that. Thus cattle is really not there with people these days.

The next item is 'bahu putra labham'. Many children. These are the days where many prefer atomic family with just one kid or at the most two. It is not that easy these days to bring up kids by giving right education and other facilities. More money is required to bring even one or two kids up. Thus bahuputra labham is an impossible.

The fifth one is dirghmayuhu... 100 years long life. Who wish to live 100 years these days? Human life is more of problems these days. Though everyone wishes for peace, but life is full of uncertainities and new problems appear every now and then in life. Many families find it difficult to run household with their salary. If children are weak in studies, they need tuition. Then medical expenses, etc. etc. Managing life becomes difficult, then who would like to live for 100 years?

One enjoys childhood under their parents love. School days are joyful, but have to work hard to beat competition and to meet goals. When one starts family life, age is already close to 30 and parents are close to 60. I think, none would like to live for another 40 years afther that. If there is no health problem, one can live for another 15 to 20 years.

Lifestyles are changing very fast. Food culture is becoming different. Genration gap in thinking between father, son and grand son are widening, and that poses many problems at home. To live peacefully, there is only one medium, that is love. Love makes one to adapt and adjust.

After seventy, our organs becomes our enemy. In early days people lived in forests by eating leaves, fuits etc. Now doctors advise to eat salads, fruits, and leafy vegetables, which is very similar to that kind of food. As age increase, sugar, pressure etc. becomes our companions. We are forced to eat sugar-less, oil-less, salt-less, chilli-less food. Many of us have to use stick as support for walking, need specs as support for reading, and sometimes hearing aids to hear. Some of us start forgetting things. How many would like to live like that?

We have to change the meaning of the ashirvada mantra. It should be change or we should interpret it as: Wealth, food to live healthy, drinking diary milk to improve health, one or two children who will give love worth of many many children and care the parents, and a life that gives happiness of a 100 years of life. I think, everyone likes a life till they can do their own work and strength to support their children.

So, let us interpert the ashirvada mantra this way.

Mothers's Mind

2007-10-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

When I look back in my blog postings, I know there is no literature in my language. I don't have education to write well in english, but I believe, I am just able to communicate what comes to my mind through limited english language knowledge I have. I couldn't continue studies beyond 7th standard. In this post I am trying to express a mother's feelings from my own experience.

Few days back I spoke to my grand daughter who is staying in America with her husband and two little boys. She is fully involved with the boys. I heard my great grand children's voice through computer, and my grand daughter is trying to control them. My mind filled with joy. I found a mother's love in her passionate voice. Then my mind got into a thinking mood, analyzing a mother's mind. In her childhood she gets love from parents. After marriage it is from husband and parents in law. When she realizes that a little one is growing in her womb, she forgets everything else. She begins to dream about her child, along with her husband. It starts right from searching a KG school to their future profession. She gets no time for anything else and mind fully occupies with the child. thats how the attachment between the mother and child starts.

From then, the mother's mind (I think, there is nothing in the world to beat it in size) enjoys the motherhood. When the child comes out, feeding and caring the child gives her immense satisfaction. She understands each and every need of the child from its little actions and tantrums. With love, advise, cajoling, and at times beging stern (saamam, daanam, bhedam, and dandam), she leads the children to right path, as she feels it.

My Children

Shae cares for their health, education, and whatever is possible within her reach. She understands their habbits and way of thinking very well. When they grow and become youth, they start thinking about their own family. Parents are ready to assist them in selecting a life partner.

Finally her family tree begins to sprout. Now the children have their own family and their parents impatiently wait for grand child. The size of mother's mind grows to think about grand children also. Her prayer gets extended as the members in her family tree grows.

Me with my husband and all our Grandchildren

After her children's separation her responsibility starts decreasing. But her mind is anxious about each and every menmber of her family tree. She feels happiness in their happiness, and each and every problems in their life worries her. She starts feeling lucky when all the children in her family tree expresses their love towards her. When her grand children also make their own family, her mind grows again.... she becomes great grand mother... and their responsibilities keeps decreasing... her health keeps deteriorating... Not many things to do other than pray for everyone who loves her... Till last breath, she will pray for all her children, grand children and great grand children.

My Great Grand Children

Whichever child needs help, her mind always goes with that child. All children of a mother may not be doing well physically and financially. Sometimes her mind will cry more and pray more for the suffering child. A mother's love is like water. It flows to lower level. It is like a wheel in our life. When it rotates, the lower part comes to top and the top goes to bottom. That is the way of life and mother's mind follows.

My Papa

2007-10-14T07:54:00.001-07:00

At this age, when I think of my childdhood, many different thoughts come to my mind, and I become emotional at times. My papa, was very much concerned about we growing up with moral values. He made us strong enough to face problems of life. His advices helped me to take decisions in crisis and difficulties, which I have faced enough. He did not get his parent's love, because his father died when he was just 7. His mother didn't know how to love or express love to her only son. His father was fond of him. My grandfather's only wish was to make my father educated. After death of my grand father, his elder bothers came and took my papa and grandmother. My grand father had a grocery shop and had some land too. The elder two brothers of grandpa has grabbed al lthe land and the shop. One great thing they did was to educate my papa with B.A.L.T. and R.B.V (Rashtra Bhasha Visharad). He became a high school teacher, and with his mother he started life.

My amma also was grown up without getting love from mother, as her mother passed away very early. Her life was restless at her step mother's hand. My papa married her when she was 14. Only thereafter my mother knew whats love. She loved and cared papa very much. Our grandmother spend rest of her life with my parents. Papa gave us limitless love. There are so many events of my childhood keep coming to my mind; I recall them for my own satisfaction.

I am the eldest of my parents 5 children. We all born in alternate years. In my village house, there was one big room , two small rooms and a small kitchen. Grandma used one small room and all of us use to sleep in the big one. Papa sleep on the cot. Amma and all children on a mat spread on the floor. After one sleep, we one by one in turn will go and sleep by the side of papa. In the morning, when amma wants to go to kitchen she would give the smallest one in his hands. All of us had a short sleep in his loving shelter.

When we grew further, he wakes up us early in the morning, and take us in the courtyard garden. He explains us the beauty of nature and daily use to give us some knowledge about things such as flys, plants, flowers, sun, moon etc. He loved nature and spoke to us long about nature and why we should love nature. Sometimes he told us moral stories, some of them from mythology. Such early morning interaction was preparing us to judge whats is good and bad in the need. Papa was fond of Bhagavat Geeta and kept telling us about the essense of geeta. I have not myself read the great epics Ramanayana or Mahabharata, but i know most of the stories in them.

Papa wanted to make us good human beings. So he gave us not only love but once in a while gave punishments too. He believed in the superpower that controls the world. He asked us to be kind to every human being irrespective of cast, religion, or money. He taught us to love our motherland and mother tongue. We learnt a lot from him.

I still remember a punishment from papa, when I was two years old. He used to take me with him during his evening walks in the neighbourhood. Sometimes I would insist to carry me during the walk. One evening he took me to the temple. While returning papa had shoulder pain. It was a bit dark. He placed me down on the ground near the gate and asked me to walk to the house. I said no. I wanted him to carry me inside. He told me sternly "If you come in by walk you can, otherwise you stay here". I stayed there like a statue. He waited for 2 minutes and then closed the gate. I waited for some more time. It is getting darker and darker. I called papa in trembling voice. Within a moment he opened the door, holding my hand walked to the house. He taught us to be obedient, humble, loving and helping humans.

When i was three years old, he sent me to a nearby school. At that time, there was no age bar for joining school. It was 11 years of school then. 1st to 4th standard, Malayalam medium lower primary; then one year preparatory class (we use to call it as four and half class) then starts the 1st form... and 6th form is the SSLC. Papa was not just a teacher to his student. He treated all his students as his children. He sue to keep an eye on the students behaviour and overall growth, in addition to academics. He use to advice and counsel students. If any student has to stop education because they cant afford fees (which was very very low at that time), he would help them by paying their fees. In those days of British rule, only primary school gave free education.

I reached 4th form, i.e., 7th standard. At that time my grandmother died, and my mother gave birth to the last of my siblings. After grand mother's death, Amma fell into depression. Papa took one month leave. My brothers and sister were very small kids. No relative came forward to help us. I completed 8 years of my studies. Papa had no other way but to ask me stop my studies and take care of household, mother who is in depression and all my young brothers and sister. Papa gave me elementary lessons of cooking; making simple curries, rice, and other things. I had no clue of how much chilly powder to put or how much salt. He asked me to check with him before I put salt and chilly into the curry. Thats the way I started my learning of managing home, at the age of 11. At that time papa taught me biology, mathematics etc. at home, to satisfy my academic hunger. He also arranged a master to teach me classical music. He got books from library and gave me, so I started reading from there, and even today i love to read, and do read, whatever i get.

Papa lived till he was 54, not that old. Many incidents come to my mind when I think of Papa. It will take many such blogs to write them. Will stop this here, and will continue later. The love and care that we got from him will always live in my mind.

Village Mantharas

2007-09-09T06:24:00.000-07:00

First let me thank my grand daughter Nandita for giving me the award "Rockin' Girl Blogger". Am I the only grand mother who can boast of such a privilege? I am also thanking all those who read my postings and put comments.

In this post, I am presenting my experiences during early days of married life. As told in the previous post, with great difficulty we reached my husband's house for marriage on the eve of the marriage day. My marriage had four day long rituals. In those days, people celebrated marriage for 7 days also. Later it became shorter and shorter and now it is just two to three hours. For my marriage, the relatives in my husband's house came a week before and I heard that they will leave only one week after the marriage. My husband is the eldest son in the house and it is the first marriage held there. After the marriage, some expert relatives stayed long to take some study classes to my mother-in-law.

On fifth day my father took both of us to our house for two days. After we returned I started hearing murmuring dialogs from the corners of the house. It was all to my mother in law. One says "Don't keep her on your head, if you do so, she will control you afterwards". Another one said "How much you suffered when you were young. Now it is your turn to give back". I thought, what is my fault in this? Another one said "You send your maid servant and make your daughter in law do all work at home, otherwise she will sit idle"... Another one "Don't give her good food, she is anyway from poor family". It went on like that. Those relatives did their work very well before they returned. I realized that it will not be easy for me to live there. It is a type of ragging. Some relatives also told me against my mother-in-law. They left, but the village had its own mantharas. Manthara is a very well known figure in Ramayana, who has habbit of ill-advising people.

In those days, husbands also find it difficult to openly support wives, else their life would also become miserable in the village. I was just a 16 year old girl and after hearing this my mind filled with fear. But I knew, my mother-in-law is kind hearted. She liked me. In the village, the houses are in the middle of large farm lands. The elder women of these houses meet in one house. The mother-in-laws of newly married brides can not attend these meetings. Most of the afternoons such meetings took place and the main topic of discussion is generating ideas on how they can make the mother in laws and daughter in laws fight and make daughter in law's life miserable.

After my marriage, they decided to start meeting at our house, as my mother in law never attend such meetings. But she was not interested in all that. They know, she will not join them easily. So they decided to use my husband's siblings for this purpose. They knew my mother in law's weakness. She will not speak anything against her children. The mantharas started succeeding in their work.

I felt helpless. Thought only god can save me. What can an 16 years old girl do? I remembered my father's advise. He told me before the marriage. "Don't fight with anyone. If you fight with them, what is the difference between you and them? We believe in moral values. Love is the only way to get love from them. It will take some time for you to win their hearts. I am sure you can do it".

I started doing whatever i was asked to do. I use to make snacks for the eveneing tea for all. Even though the mantharas advised my mother in law, my mother in law never showed difference in giving me food etc, and also her eyes said, she likes me. That gave me satisfaction. I ignored all bad things that happen to me. The mantharas waited to see big fight in our house. But the wait was of no use. In our neighbour's house also came a daughter in law. That gave a relief to me as the manthara's concentration moved there. I became free. I was tense for two to three years, because their poisonous words and continuous advises drifted the minds of my husband's siblings and others at home to some extent.

But my parents in law were different. They liked me. I liked their personality. Though illiterate, my mother in law, practiced values. They accepted me as a daughter. Now they are not in this world. I remember them respectfully in my heart like my parents.

Now I also have a daughter in law. Love is the foundation of everything at out home. I am very happy with my daughter in law, who considers me more than her mother, and is there by my side in everything. I am sure, one can get love only by giving love. Even these days there are mantharas all over. But they can't break the wall of love.

An Unforgettable Journey

2007-08-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

This is about a journey, that took place 60 years back, which can never go out of my mind, but keep popping up once in a while. Let me go back to that day and take you through that unforgettable journey of my life.

My father was not rich in money, but was very rich in moral values. He was a respectable school teacher. Getting daughters married is a big thing in life. My father set out with proposal to get me married. His first visit itself was fruitful and my would be father-in-law said ok at first instance, and he had no demand for anything. No horoscope matching, no demand for any jewellery and no demand of any sorts. My would be father-in-law said "It is your daughter and whatever you give her is fine with us. We are looking forward to your daughter coming to our house". He wanted the marriage to be celebrated at his house (which is not common those days, and even now). At that time I was 16 and my would be husband was 19.

None from their house came to see me or my house. My mind was worrying about it. How is going to be my would be husband? Will he like me? How will be his parents? Will they like me? How will be his siblings? I have heard that it is a big joint family, and from a small family I am going to a big joint family. Will all they accept me with open mind? A fear was growing in my mind, and the fear kept coming up and down like waves in the sea. The marriage day was fixed.

Our houses were almost 30 miles away. We have to travel that much distance to reach their house, where the marriage will take place the next day. My father arranged a bus for us from the state transport department. Two people came from their house to take us there. That place was an interior village, where there are no good road and no electricity. We have to get down from the road and walk for about 30 minutes to reach their house.

Our house was near the main road and also very close to sea. My parents, my four siblings, neighbours and relatives, all are waiting for bus. Finally the bus arraived from the nearby town bus-stand, which is moer than 10 miles away. As the bus came late, we are already late to start. The driver was taking reverse to position the bus in the opposite direction, so that we can all board. The rear wheel of the bus got down in the loose sea sand, and it was not coming out. Half an hour they tried their best, but in no vain. Then they send a person to the nearby town bus-stand to inform the matter and for getting another bus. After one and hour, another bus came and we started our journey, a very important journey of my life.

We were helpless that we could not inform anybody at my husband's house, as those days there was no telephone facility in nearby areas. We knew that they would be very much worried. On the way we picked up flowers for the marriage. Also picked up my elder sister and family.

We reached the place at 12 midnight. With two petromax lamps (many young people these days would not have heard about such lamps) some people were waiting for us at roadside. It was January month. Outside was very cool, but my mind was filled with tension. Everyone is looking at me only. My mother put her hands on my shoulder and kept me close to her during our 30 minute walk in the middle of the night, that too on the eve of my marriage. We walked slowly. When we reached the house, we felt the tension of everybody there. On seeing us everyone got relaxed. Every one who came to attend the marriage came to see me, but except my husband. Of course, those days are not like today, where bride and groom spend lot of time together and understand before marriage.

How can I forget that journey! That journey was indeed a beginning of many things. Last 60 years of married life... saw difficulties and happiness of life... But we, me and my husband are very happy today to see my children doing well, my grand children doing well and also my great grand children growing well.

Six Roses

2007-08-10T10:10:00.001-07:00

It was on my 60th birthday i received a persent. A simple water coloured pencil drawing of six roses. The person who gave the present told me each rose represent my each grand child. These six roses are very close to my heart. Each one better than the other. It was my eldest grand daughter who gave the present. She herself painted it. Each rose is different and has different personality, in the painting and also in reality.

About 7 years back I underwent a major operation. I have seen hospitaies only during my daughter's and daughter-in-law's delivery, and my husband's heart operation. I was afraid for operation. while I was praying and making my mind courageous, they took me to the operation theatre. Then i don't know what happened. When I regain my memory I am in ICU room. I heard my both daughter's voicees. They have come from their places, kerala and chennai. I felt relieved and realized operation over and went to long sleep. In the evening when I was awake, i heard familiar voices. To my surprise, I saw my three grandsons sitting in my room. Eldest one told me "Ammumma, I passed engineering in distinction. I am in hurry to tell you the good news". He said sadly. My second grandson came near me, taking my hand in his, just loooked into my eyes sadly. I felt the third grandson's tears. He could not speak anything. My two grand daughters send their mothers to see me. They took responsibility of their household. They must have felt, I will understand their love towards me through their mothers. The yougest of the six, third grand daughter was just watching me. She could not understand what is happening. My mind filled with love. I can't move, only watch them and feel their love. I thought how lucky I am. My grand children all love each other and my children and their spouses also love each other. As a mother and grand mother what else I need.

I think, a mother's heart is largest. one. When she becomes grand mother, it becomes more broad. All my grand children are equally important for me. Each one has their own loving style, like each rose is different in colour, different in size and has different fragrance. Every day my first job is to pray god that if my children and grandchildren have any problem, then please solve it. I believe their problems are surely solved. And all the six roses will spread fragrances for making everybody's life better.

Invisible Super Power

2007-08-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

This is an experience that reinforces my belief that the superpower protects us, when we are helpless. We were living in an interior village in Kerala. Our house was like a farmhouse, in the corner of a 2 acre land of coconut farm. We made beautiful garden around the house. The coconut trees stand straight with hanging coconuts; Mango trees with mangoes during the season; one corner with many banana plants; and some rare trees also were there. Watching these trees and walking between them is enough to get relaxed.

All three of our children were not there at home. Two elder girls are with their husbands and son is away for his studies. Our elder daughter is working. Her first baby girl was with them, and they were managing the baby girl with the help of a maid servant, as both of them were working. Then the second child was born, a boy. We were worried about him, as how can they manage both? How can we leave an infant with servant? We decided to take him with us. We brought him, when he was just 6 months. He became out pet. We enjoyed every moment of his growth, his learning to walk, learning to speak, and all his naughtiness. We, me and my husband got fully engaged with him. We forgot all our sorrows those days. We really felt, the joy of grant parents. He also loved us very much. We cared him very much.

It was just 3 years before the child came home, that we got electricity at home. We were watering the coconut trees, other trees and the plants manually lifting water from a big pond very close to our house. As we got electricity, we bought a pump and fixed it near the pond, with a small cover over it to protect it from rain. We used long tubes to take water to far away trees. On the switchboard of the pump, we had an extra plug to fix an electric bulb. Even in the night, in the moonlight we use to water plants.

On a morning grandpa was watering the trees. He was in opposite corner of the courtyard. He was concentrating in his work. Just about one year old grandson was with me and were plucking flowers from plants in the garden. I was removing an insect from a leaf of one of the flower plants. I was pushing the insect down with a stick. I heard a thundering cry of my grandson... I rushed to him and took him and hugged and tried to console. I found him to be very frightened. Exactly when he started crying, the electricity also has gone. He clinched on to me and stopped crying. I asked him why he is crying? he pointed fingers to the switchboard of the pump. There was no bulb as the one which was there got fused and was taken for replacement.

I was trying to understand what happened. The electricity post from which we get the electricity for house is just near the pond and the pump. When the baby put his fingers in the bulb holder, suddenly the electricity from the post stopped.

I believe, when the boy put his fingers in the bulb holder, the invisible superpower saved us. Thank god. Otherwise? I have no strength to imagine that.