Dr. Rahalkar's thoughts...

माणगाव ते गरूडेश्वर (३)
जराश्या आळसावणाऱ्या नि अंगावर येणाऱ्या मालवण मुक्कामानंतर आपण कोंकणाच्या ओटीपोटापासून नाभिस्थळाकडे मजल दरमजल करीत निघालों आहोत. हा काफिला साधासुधा  ऑर्डिनरी  मंडळींचा नसून तो जाणकार, सूज्ञ नि धीरगंभीर व्यक्तींचा असल्याची मला नम्र जाणीव आहे, म्हणून जास्त वेल्हाळ न लावता नि पाचकळपणाला आवर घालीत हा प्रवास आपण पूर्ण करणार आहोत. मात्र तुमचा सहवास मला फार वेळ गंभीर राहू देणार नाही याची देखील मला खात्री आहेच ! असो !!

कोकणातले रस्ते सरसकट नि सतत नागमोडी असतात. वळणावळणाचे वळणदार. या वळणांनासुध्दा एक लय आहे, एक विशिष्ट लकब. केवळ वळणांसाठी नाहीत ही वळणं तर आपल्याला वठणीवर ठेवण्यासाठीच आहेत ही वळणं ! (पुरे !  आता वळवळायला लागल्या असतील तुमच्या हातांच्या मुठी, म्हणून तुम्हाला मळमळण्याआधी पुढे सरकलेले बरें !)
 या अशा वळणावळणाच्या रस्त्यांबरोबच कोंकणाच्या अनेक विशेष बाबी नजरेत भरतात. पुरूषांचे पोशाख साध्या फुलपॅंटी, जीन्स किंवा अधिकतर अर्ध्या चड्ड्या आणि जर्किन्स असे असले तरी बहुतांश स्त्रिया गुढघ्यापर्यंतच्या नऊवारी साड्यांत वावरताना दिसतील. मात्र चापून चोपून बांधलेल्या अंबाड्यांवर सुंदर फुलांचा गजरा किंवा वेणी हमखास दिसणारच. बोली-भाषा तर इतकी वेल्हाळ, हेल काढून नि गोड की ऐकतच राहावी अशी ! ( मला कोणत्याही बोलीभाषेचं कायम अप्रूप वाटत राहिलेलं आहे. प्रत्येक काही मैलांवर बोलीभाषा बदलते हे वास्तव आहे. जोंवर समजते तोंवर प्रत्येकच सुंदर, श्रवणीय वाटते. मला महाराष्ट्रातल्या सर्व बोलीभाषा त्यांच्या प्रदेशांसह अचूक ओळखतां येतात. इतकेच नव्हे तर लंडनमध्ये बस, ट्रॅम किंवा ट्रेनने प्रवास करतांना सहप्रवाशांच्या आपसातील संवादावरून यूरोपातील जर्मन, फ्रेंच, स्पॅनिश किंवा अमेरिकन ॲक्सेंट मी ढोबळमानाने ताडूं शकतो ! (त्याचे मूळ मी एक चांगला श्रोता असण्यांत आहे !) तथापि, खरी कर्णमधुर बोलीभाषा कोंकणीच होSSS !! ) असो !!!
तर मग, आपण कुडाळ कणकवली खारेपाटण मागे टाकत राजापूर नजिकच्या घाटाघाटातून सफाईने गाडी हाकत आहोत. सर्वच भूप्रदेश विलक्षण सृष्टिसौंदर्याने विनटलेला आपण अनुभवीत आहोत. सर्वत्र हिरवेगार गालिचेच जणूं अंथरलेले, डोंगरांवर दऱ्याखोऱ्यांतसुध्दा. नि सर्वच नदीनद स्वच्छ नितळ पाण्याने तुडुम्ब भरलेले. अनेकानेक नीलकण्ठ, भारव्दाज, सारस पक्षांच्या जोड्या नि कावळेपण !
राजापूर शहर डोंगराच्या पायथ्यापासून कळसापर्यंत दोन्हीकडच्या डोंगरांवर वसलेले असून मधोमध नदी वाहते. (असे डोंगरांवरचे दुसरे शहर म्हणजे सिमला ! गतवर्षी इंग्लंडमधे असतांना आम्ही   कॉर्नवॉलच्या नयनरम्य भागांत सहल काढली होती. तिथल्या अनेक डोंगरांवर वसलेली अनेक राजापुरं मी सर्वांना दाखवत सुटलो होतो !!)
राजापूरची विशेष ओळख म्हणजे तिथले जगप्रसिध्द पंचे तसंच जम्बो आंबे !
 प्रा. मधु दंडवते एक महान समाजवादी सांसद,  नि कोंकण रेल्वेचे प्रणेते ; काही मोजक्या राजकारण्यांपैकी मला भावलेले. मधु आणि प्रमिला हे प्राध्यापक जोडपें समाजकारणाशी समरस होऊन राजकारण करणारे, म्हणून मला प्रिय ! फार पूर्वीं बॅ. नाथ पै याच भागातून निवडून आले होते. असो.
राजापूर सोडल्यावर लांजाकडे जाणारा महामार्ग सोडून आपण पांवसच्या रस्त्याला लागूं. पांवस पासून तीन किलोमीटर अलिकडे पर्वताच्या मधोमध जराशी वाकडी वाट करून आपल्याला "गणपती गुळे" येथे जाता येईल. (मात्र गणपती पुळे इथून पन्नास किलोमीटर आहे!)
इथें श्री गणेशाची स्वयंभू मूर्ती विराजमान आहे. अतिशय शान्त , रम्य नि अजिबात वर्दळ नसलेलं हे स्थान कित्येकांना माहीत देखील नाही. येथूनच डोंगरासमोरचा विस्तीर्ण सागर किनारा मन मोहून टाकणारा आहे. अरबी समुद्राचा हा विस्तीर्ण किनारा भल्या मोठ्या बीचमुळे अतिशय प्रेक्षणीय आहे, नजरेचं पारणं फेडणारा.
आतां पांवस खरोखरच हाकेच्या अंतरावर आहे. तिथे लगबगीने पोहचून आपल्या नेहेमीच्या आवडत्या 'माऊली माहेर' मधे आपण मुक्काम करणार आहोत. श्री टिळकांनी आपली राहण्याची चोख व्यवस्था आधीच करून ठेवली आहे केवळ एका फोनकॉलवर  नि आपल्या फरमाइशीप्रमाणे फणस भाजीसकट जेवण तयार असेल.
तर चला बिगीबिगी !

Down Memory Lane  Part III
I would like to speak about people who influenced me most during my lifetime or  at least those whom I admired quite a lot.
My grandfather was a man of repute and he had large numbers of friends, well-wishers, admirers as well as occasional critics too. I have witnessed scores of people meeting him everyday, both at home as well as the place on the high street where he would spend a couple of hours in the evening along with some friends. That used to be an open space, in fact a small Dias adjoining a famous shop. People from all strata of society, be it his ex-peons or clerks, teachers, poets and other literary persons, retired officers, industrialists and even Prime Minister of the erstwhile Holkar State would visit him at home. (Grandfather was Customs Commissioner to begin with and later rose to become Cabinet Secretary. Still later he was Director Industries at Indore, Jaipur and lastly at Lahore ! He was decorated by epithets such as “Masheer Bahadur” and “Muntazim-E-Khas Bahadur” as mark of excellence by the State (akin to Padma awards now).
They would drop in any time, particularly in the mornings and each one would be served at least a cup of tea. I was too small to understand whatever they spoke or discussed. My grandfather was a man of few spoken words (like me !) ; however, whatever he spoke would usually be conclusive and acceptable to most. New poets would render their compositions for an appreciative nod from my grandfather. Authors would present a copy for him while taking his autograph over another. He himself was an eminent literary figure in entire Malwa region as well as a renowned critic. Men of Literature naturally thronged around him.
My father was quite forthright, honest, hard working and man of integrity. He was honoured by two nominations, “Sahitya Prajnya” and “Sahitya Alankar”. I have already extolled him earlier, so also my mother who was virtue personified.
There were people of extraordinary caliber and genius in our town. One of them Mr. Prabhakar Govind Ghate was an excellent orator with prowess over Marathi literature, especially Dnyaneshwari. His lifestyle was extremely simple in spite of his erudition. He was instrumental in keeping entire Marathi community of our town cohesive under one cultural umbrella , the Maharashtra Sahitya Sabha for over two decades. I was very fortunate to attend most of the events organised under aegis of the Sabha, which enriched my literary, cultural and social leanings.
Besides, there were men and women with exceptional talents in multifarious fields such as theatre, symposia, classical and semi-classical music, fine arts, sculptor, social work, education, judiciary, administration and even politics. ( I have witnessed value-based politics during my formative years. Alas, it has descended to lowest ebb during the past four decades !)
It is neither possible nor necessary to name the persons in the above mentioned fields. Nevertheless, I cannot forget some of my own teachers, who will ever remain my ideal heroes.
I was fortunate to listen to some towering personalities of the last century. A mention must be made of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru , Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, E. M. S. Nambudiripad, S. A. Dange, Jagannathrao Joshi, Vinoba Bhave, Atal Behari Bajpai, George Fernandis, S. M. Joshi, Pu. La. Deshpande etc.
I was closely associated with a wonderful person in Dr. Bhagwat from Akola, who was a grand orator having in-depth knowledge of spirituality. He would speak for hours in spiritual matters and guided many like me on to this path. Two more affable persons are deeply rooted in my heart – Dr. Chakrapani Joshi and Col. P. K. Soman (Nana), literally humility embodied in spite of their erudition.
Recently I came across two gentlemen, Prof. Pohanerkar and Shri Pandurang Deshpande. The former is nearing his century and has become a wonderful phone-friend. The latter is a master-orator having profound prowess over Dnyaneshwari, Amrutanubhav and entire Maha-Bharat too. I feel proud for being associated with these two giants.

Now, there is indeed no end to this list. However, I must make a mention of my wife Usha, who has been a pillar of strength for me, ever encouraging and enthusing. Besides, my children Priya and Ravi, Alka and Shrish are my best friends along with grand daughters Shivani, Sharmishtha and Ashnaa, a lovely lot indeed.
I was fortunate in re-discovering two of my close buddies in Pramod Khirwadkar and Praful Desai after decades !!

Thank you, Thank you All for being there !
Jai Sairam
29 June 2017

DOWN MEMORY LANE PART   II
Well, we saw some interesting (?) stories in part I of this write-up. Now, let me be a little more serious while ruminating over my own past, perhaps ranging half a century and more !
Oh ! The word Century reminds me of two things . One is Cricket and another, the octogenarians I came across. (I am aware of these two being miles apart; however, we shall connect both anyway!!)
Wah Cricket ! It runs in the very blood of us Rahalkars !! My father was a great admirer of Cricket although he played much more of Tennis as well as Table-Tennis. We had our galli-team of Cricket  formed of urchins like us who indulged more in shouting, howling and screaming ! It used to be rubber ball or at most a tennis ball. Later we switched on to cork balls and much later the leather ones.
However, we were just crazy to listen to the English commentary broadcast over All India Radio (Akashvani). There was neither Marathi or Hindi commentary then, what to speak of Television. The English commentary over the radio made our ears literally glued to the broadcast, since the commentators were indeed masters of their art  (of narrating live stories on the battle field)! Barring a single person ‘Vizzy’ ( Maharaja of Vijayanagaram) all others were superb. Particularly interesting used to be Bobby Talliarkhan, Vijay Merchant, Saradendu Sanyal, V. M. Chakrapani, Devraj Puri and the likes. Those ball to ball commentaries would project entire milieu of the stadium, besides the huge uproar from the crowd when a six or boundary was hit or falling of a wicket.
Nevertheless, actual presence over the match venue was always thrilling and deeply enjoyable. We were fortunate to witness almost all international teams playing against the Holkar’s eleven. At least I have seen almost all those matches played on the grounds of Yeshwant Club at Indore. I have seen stalwarts of the day as well as by-gone days such as Col. C. K. Nayudu, Capt. Mushtaque Ali, ‘Khandu Rangnekar, Hiralal Gaekwad, Maj. Jagdale, Capt. C. T. Sarvate, Bhayaji and so on playing for Holkars.
I have seen Wesley Hall, Charlie Griffith, Basil Butcher, Conrad Hunte as well as the ‘big cat’ Clive Lloyd and Rohan Kanhai in action. I still remember a towering six at mid-on by Col. C. K. Nayudu off Sir Frank Worrel, (one of the three W’s- Weeks-Warrel-Walcott of the erstwhile mighty West Indians).
Besides, the famous Indian players Subhash Gupte, Vinoo Mankad, Vijay Manjrekar, Vijay Hazare, Tiger Nawab of Pataudi, Eknath Solkar, the strong shouldered Abid Ali, Farooque Engineer, Budhi Kunderan,  Polly Umrigar and Hanumant Singh, who were my favourite cricketers.
(As said earlier, I used to play only galli-cricket. However, while in the high school I enrolled myself for the school team. A preliminary cricket match was held where my class monitor and a much better player was the captain. I scored pretty well, around twenty two runs while batting and while bawling my first ball was indeed very fast and it swung too, making our captain nod in appreciation. However, the next ball I bowled was totally misdirected, leave alone the pitch it went in the mid-wicket region, almost fifteen feet away from the batsman ! And  while fielding bad luck did not spare me that day; I dropped two catches and let three boundaries zoom past me.  I quietly withdrew myself and never dared again to enter even boundaries of the ground !! I preferred to remain a good spectator instead !!!)
In later years I could see the batting of Dilip Vengsarkar, Sandeep Patil and Kapil Dev. Still later I was fortunate to see Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose in action, that too at Lord’s, the paradise of cricket and  during recent past the Indian eleven taking up England at the Oval ! I shall never forget the thrill and ecstasy experienced while enjoying batting of Sachan-Saurav, five consecutive sixes by Muscarhanus off Yuvraj and ultimate win by India.
Now, the Octogenarians !
Well, I do not consider an octogenarian as the one that ‘lives’ hundred years. No, years do not matter at all. It is a fulfilled lifestyle one pursues, which makes him or her a legend that may or may not be ‘acknowledged ‘ as such. In that different context yes, I have met or seen umpteen ‘Octogenarians’ ! (And as far as Cricket is concerned, all the above mentioned as well as many more are octogenarians for me !)
I would prefer to speak of people and places that influenced me most, at least leaving fond memories for me.
More of it later !

माणगाव ते गरूडेश्वर (२)
माणगावच्या पवित्र वातावरणाला अंत:करणांत जपून ठेवत आपण जरा मौजमस्ती करायला जगप्रसिद्ध मालवण शहरीं कूच करूं. मालवणची ख्याती नजिकच्या काळांत जगभर पसरवणारे मच्छिद्र कांबळी ( पांडगो इलो रे इलो फेम ) नि आतां अस्मादिक !     खरोखर, प्रत्यक्ष भेट दिल्याबिगर तिथली खुमारी कळणारच नाही. म्हणतात ना – SEEING. IS. BELIEVING -  तसे !
मालवणकडे जाताना वाटेत पिंगुळी नावाचं एक खेडेगाव भेटतं. तिथे  हमरस्त्याच्या दोन्ही बाजूस पसरलेला एक आश्रम आहे (माझ्याबरोबर प्रवास करताना आश्रम, बाबा, बुवा, साधू, संत यांच्याशिवाय तुम्हाला पर्याय नाही बुवा !)  तर, तिथे एक भव्य आणि रम्य शिवालय तर आहेच पण तेथील मठाधिपती देखील अतिशय तेजस्वी, देखणे आणि सिद्धपुरूष भासले . मी सहसा कुणाला सिद्धबिद्ध मानायला तयार नसतो, पण प्रथम दर्शनाचे वेळीं नि नंतरही त्या व्यक्तिमत्वात काहीतरी विशेष असल्याची जाणीव होत राहिली एवढे मात्र खरे. असो !
वाटल्यास थांबून दर्शन घेत किंवा सरळ त्या सर्वांना डावलून पुढे सटकायला आपल्याला अडवायची कुणाला हिंमत होईल ?

मालवणच्या जवळजवळ जाताजाता समुद्रावरून येणारा खारट दमट वारा आपले स्वागत करतो. त्या वाऱ्यात परमेश्वराच्या प्रथम अवताराच्या  मांदियाळीचा सु (?) गंध दाटलेला असतो. माणगावचा विस्तार भारतातीलच सर्वच शहरांप्रमाणे सर्व बाजूंनी झालेला सहज जाणवतो. बऱ्यापैकी ‘माडर्न’ शहर आहे हे; तसेच काही सुंदर बंगले आणि लांबलचक बाजारपेठ लक्ष वेधून घेतात.
ते असो ! इथलच्या प्रेक्षणीय जागा म्हणजे ‘धी रॉक गार्डन’, धुरूवाडा बीच, किल्ले सिन्धुदुर्ग , तारकरली बीच ,  करली नदीचा समुद्रसंगम, जय गणेश मंदिर. (हे गणपती मंदिर श्री जयंत साळगावकर ( कालनिर्णय फेम) यांनी उभारलेले असून तेथील भव्य, दिव्य, सुंदर गणेशमूर्तीवर सोन्याचा मुलामा चढवलेला आहे. )

या मंदिराच्या सभागृहात काही वेळ विसावलो असतांना कुठून तरी अचानक दरबारी कानडाचे धीरगंभीर स्वर कानीं पडले आणि मन गेल्या शतकातील दिग्गज गायक-वादकांच्या स्मरणात रंगून गेले. खरंच, कोंकण, गोवा नि कर्नाटकातल्या कित्येक मातब्बरांनी सर्वच मराठी कानांना तृप्त तृप्त केलंय नाही ? ज्योत्स्ना भोळे, जितेन्द्र अभिषेकी, रामदास कामत, प्रभाकर कारेकर, प्रकाश घांग्रेकर, प्रसाद सावकार, मल्लिकार्जुन मन्सूर, भार्गवराम आचरेकर, श्रीपादराव नेवरेकर ; किती किती नांवे आठवावीत ? त्या रम्य दिव्य आठवणींतून बाहेर पडावेसे वाटेचना ! असो !!

माझा पहिला डोळा निकामी झाल्यावर काही दिवसांनी मी माझ्या भावंडांबरोबर तोंडवळीला आले असतांना  इथून जवळ असलेल्या अंगणेवाडीतल्या भराडीदेवीच्या जलमंदिराला भेट दिली होती. नवसाला पावणारी ही देवी एका मोठ्या वारूळाच्या स्वरूपात आहे, मूर्तीरूपांत नव्हे ! संपूर्ण मंदिर पाण्याने वेढलेले आहे. त्यावेळी संध्याकाळ झालेली असल्याने मला नीटसे काहीच दिसत नव्हते ; एरव्हीं नवससायासांवर फारशी श्रद्धा नसलेला मी कदाचित अगतिकपणे बोलून गेलो की हे देवी, मला बऱ्यापैकी दिसूं लागले तर पुनःश्च तुझ्या दर्शनाला येईन. आज तुमच्यामुळे तो नवस नकळत फेडला जातोय !

तुम्हाला तारकरली आणि धुरूवाडा बीचवर जाऊन तिथल्या दर्यासारंग किंवा चैतन्य मधे भरपूर मासे नि झिंग्यांचा समाचार घ्यायचा आहे याची मला नम्र जाणीव आहे, म्हणून तूर्तास क्षणभर विश्रांती !

मात्र उद्यापासून हे सर्व रजतमात्मक उपद्व्याप बाजूला ठेवून पांवस च्या पुण्यभूमीत आपल्याला मुक्काम करायचा आहे, तोंवर गुडनाइट नि बाSSय !!

माणगाव ते गरूडेश्वर
माणगाव हे कोंकणातील परम पूज्य वासुदेवानंद सरस्वती यांचे जन्मस्थान आणि गुजरातेतील गरूडेश्वर त्यांचे विश्रांतिस्थान.  साहाजिकच दोन्हीही परम पावन, प्रेरणादायी नि उल्हसित करणारी तीर्थस्थानें ; म्हणून चला माझ्याबरोबर निदान एक सहल म्हणून ! या सहलीतून काही भरीव मिळो न मिळो, तुमचा कायम सहवास तर नक्कीच मिळेल ! तर मग चलताय ना माझ्यासोबत ?
प्रवासासाठी आपली घरचीच गाडी घेवूंया . नको, वेगळ्या ड्रायव्हरची गरज नाही, मला अगदीच थकवा आला तर तुम्ही काही वेळ सारथ्य करा ! (पण ती वेळ बहुधा यायची नाही, तुम्ही निवान्तपणे सहलीचा आस्वाद घ्या )
बरोबर काय काय घेतलंय् ? म्हणजे वाटेत जे जे मिळेल ते तर आपण घेणार आहोतच , तरी पण खारे दाणे, सुका मेवा (नि थोडी उकडलेली अंडीं) हॅंडी राहातील नाही ? नको, जोवणाचे डबे वगैरे नकोत ; असंय् की आपण ज्या ज्या प्रदेशांतून जाऊ तिथली खासीयत तर चाखायला हवीच ना !
पुणे-मुम्बईहून कोकणात उतरायला किमान एक डझन घाटरस्ते आहेत. सगळेच भन्नाट आहेत, मात्र यावेळेस आपण सातारा कोल्हापूर निप्पाणी बेळगांव करीत आंबोली घाट उतरूंया . त्याचे कारण असे की हा सम्पूर्ण बेल्ट कायम हिरवागार नि आल्हादित करणाराच असतो.
बेळगांव पर्यंतचा रस्ता तर इतका गुळगुळीत आणि अप्रतिम झालाय की आपण तिथे कधी पोंचलो ते समजणारच नाही. बेळगावीं पोहोचल्यावर श्रद्धा असेल तर नजीकच्या बाळेकुन्द्रीला दत्तस्थानी मथ्था टेकून यायला माझ्यासारखेच तुम्हालाही आवडेल. एक अतिशय रम्य परिसर आणि बाळेकुन्द्रीकर महाराजांच्या वास्तव्याने आणि तिथे येणाऱ्या असंख्य साधकांमुळे इथे नेहमीच प्रसन्न वातावरण असते नि म्हणून किमान एकदा तरी भेट द्यावी अशी मी शिफारस करेन. बेळगांवला पूज्य कलावतीदेवींचा (आई) सुंदर आश्रम आहे ; बहुधा तुम्हालाही तिथे यायला नक्कीच आवडेल.
ते असू देत ; निदान कर्णाटकी पद्धतीचे इडली-वडा-साम्भार तरी तुम्हाला आवडेलच, मैसूर डोश्यासमवेत ! भरपूर नारळाच्या वापरामुळे एकतर तीं जळजळीत नसतात नि दोनच तासांत पचल्यामुळे बेळगांवी कुन्दा, धारवाडी पेढा वगैरे मटकवायला आपण मोकळे !
निप्पाणी किंवा बेळगांवहून आंबोलीकडे जायला दोन मार्ग आहेत ; एक राजमार्ग आणि दुसरा जरा आडवळणीचा. मला दुसरा मार्ग कायम भावतो, कारण माझ्या स्वप्नांतली अनेक खेडीपाडीं मला जवळून पाहता येतात. अंमळ थांबून वाडीवरचा रानमेवा चाखता येतो ; मुख्य म्हणजे त्या खेडुतांशी जरा संवाद साधतां येतो. पिका-पाण्याच्या गप्पांबरोबरच त्यांच्या भल्यामोठ्या अनुभवांची झलक पाहायला मिळते (नि आपल्या निव्वळ पुस्तकी ज्ञानाची कधीकधी कींव कराविशी वाटते. ) असो !
खरंतर घाटमाथ्यावरची खेडीपाडीं नि माणसें आणि तळकोकणांतील वास्तव किंचित तिरक्या नजरेने (Squint)  पाहायला जमलं तर बराचसा विरोधाभास नजरेस येईल. पण तेही जाऊं देत ; आज तो विषय चर्चेसाठी नको . पुन्हा कधीतरी.
आंबोली ते सावंतवाडी असा अतिरम्य आणि बराचसा खट्याळ घाट सर्वांनाच पूर्णपणे जागृत ठेवून अनेकांना सक्तीचे नामस्मरण करायला भाग पाडतो ! वळणावळणावर दृग्गोचर होणारी निसर्गकिमया मोहित करते, भुलवते, एका वेगळ्याच पातळींवर विराजमान करवते आणि पुढच्याच वळणाआधी करकचून दाबलेल्या ब्रेकमुळे पुन्हा भानावर आणते !!
सावंतवाडी हे शहर अति पुरातन असून अनेक कारणांनी प्रसिद्ध आहे. इथली लांकडी खेळणीं जगप्रसिद्ध आहेत. इथे आपल्या इच्छाशक्तीची परीक्षा असते. एक मन म्हणते डावीकडे वळून गोवा सफर करावी. दुसरे मन म्हणते नको माणगावलाच जाऊंया ! पुन्हा सरशी होते दुसऱ्या मनाची ; आपण उजवीकडे कुडाळच्या दिशेने गाडी वळवतो !
सावंतवाडीपासून सतरा किलोमीटर कुडाळच्या अलीकडे नऊ किलोमीटर आतल्याबाजूस डोंगराच्या कुशीत माणगांव वसवलेलं आहे. परमपूज्य टेम्बेस्वामी, वासुदेवानंद सरस्वती ऊर्फ थोरले महाराजांनी इथे जन्म घेतला. दत्तसंप्रदायातील या कर्मठ कर्मयोग्याने स्वकर्तृत्वावर दत्तसंप्रदायाची धुरा समर्थपणे वहन केली. सम्पूर्ण भारतभर हिंडून अनेकानेक चातुर्मास अतिशय चोखंदळपणे पार पाडले. भरगच्च स्तोत्रें, आरत्या आणि विपुल आध्यात्मिक वाड्मयाची संस्कृत आणि मराठी भाषेंत  निर्मिती केली. पूर्ण अनासक्त विरागी सत्पुरूष म्हणून त्यांची ख्याती असून परमपूज्य नानामहाराज तराणेकरर, वामनराव गुळवणीमहाराज, नारेश्वरचे रंगावधूत महाराज, संत गांडामहाराज इत्यादी नामवंत शिष्योत्तम त्यांचे कार्य पुढे चालवीत राहिले. त्यांची अनेक स्तोत्रें, करूणात्रिपदी इत्यादी लाखों घरांतून प्रत्यहीं भक्तीभावाने आळवली जातात.
इथला संपूर्ण परिसर एका अनामिक दैवी स्पंदनांनी भारलेला आहे याची जाणीव आपण इतरांपासून थोडे बाजूला होऊन एकट्याने फिरताना अनुभवता येवूं शकते. खरंतर अशा ठिकाणी तरी आपले आपण मौन धारण करून संपूर्ण परिसर पाहावा, अनुभवावा. संतांनी वास्तव्य केलेले प्रत्येक स्थान प्रचंड शक्तीची पीठें असतात ही वस्तुस्थिती ध्यानांत ठेवायला हवी. आणि जमेल तेव्हढी आपल्या अंतर्मनांत साठवून घ्यावी. त्यासाठीच मौन बाळगीत अंतर्मुख होण्याची संवय लावायला हवी !
जरा विषयांतर झाले खरे, पण मला थोडं सहन करणे तुम्हाला क्रमप्राप्त आहे ! असो !!
आश्रमातील सुग्रास, रुचकर अन्नप्रसाद ग्रहण करून तेथील अतिशय सुंदर दत्तमंदिरादि परिसर पुन्हा एकदा डोळाभरूम पाहिल्यावर आपण पिंगुळी मार्गे मालवण-तार्कर्ली कडे कूच करूया. ( तिथे पापलेट, सुरमई, बांगडा, झिंगे वगैरे मंडळी तुमची आतुरतेने वाट पाहात असणार !! )
क्रमश:...............

Down Memory Lane.........!

It has been quite a while that I was toying with an idea of reiterating few of my own experiences during the last sixty five to seventy years, which make me deeply introvert and were awesome from my viewpoint,  to say the least.
Well, I shall not follow chronology while narrating various instances and therefore it wouldn't be an autobiography as such that many great people (like me !) have already penned. Nevertheless, please do ignore (and pardon if you can ) if you happen to  smell anything fishy.
So then,
I was born and brought up in a reasonably well-to-do family having a virtuous ancestry and wonderful parents and grandparents. As a natural consequence I inherited most of the virtues my dear parents had inherited from their own parents or grandparents. (Of course, whatever vices you might have noticed in me are my own property amassed by me alone !)
Now ! Where do I begin my story from . OK, let me begin with my education right away, since I learnt quite a lot from both within and outside educational institutions. Moreover, that formal and informal education made me (perhaps) a wise person, at least more knowledgeable. Did I use that wisdom or knowledge In my day-to-day life ? Perhaps yes. But on umpteen occasions Providence helped me mitigate various challenges and while overcoming them made me wiser !

I have been singularly fortunate in having had teachers of exceptional caliber and integrity right from primary school up to my medical education. Oh ! They were awesome. My English language teacher was a measly poor person wearing almost tattered clothes; but his command over that foreign language was amazing. Grammatically accurate, his pronunciations too were fantastic. (I owe him a great deal for making me read, write and more importantly Think in that language. ) Later while in college another Professor in English taught us as to how a library should be used; he would say, 'an educated person is one who knows how to use a library !'
Still later, English writings of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Prof. N. Kasturi, short cryptic words of R. K. Laxman fascinated me most. English write-ups of my daughter, daughter-in-law and son are indeed most satisfying. Besides, prowess over English language  by the younger generation including my three grand-daughters is amazing.
I am equally indebted to my Marathi teachers who created penchant for Marathi literature in me. My grandfather as well as father were masters of Marathi literature and I must admit that my leanings unto literature is their precious gift to me.
My mother and father were good drawing artists and I did learn some stray strokes from them not worth mentioning though !! (In fact my mother completed my Anatomy Journal which required intricate coloured sketches of human parts namely the brain, muscles, bones, ligaments and so on  and leave the labelling job for me. Those sketches were simply superb, ditto the book pictures !)
Perhaps most rewarding pursuit for me has been developing an 'ear' for classical Indian music ! Yes, I do relish the same any time anywhere and seemingly it is inherited from my mother's parents.
You might have discovered by now that I am jack of many trades ( and master of none !! ) Nevertheless, I Am whatever I Am !!!
I was able to associate myself with a spiritual-cum-service organisation led by a great mystic Saint, which helped me bring out my latent potential in very big measure. First and foremost was an attitude of compassion unto the sick, afflicted, beleaguered individuals that made me go all out without ever considering my own financial or even intellectual status. My only weakness then was inability to communicate properly. I was never a good orator and therefore most of my plans or ideas never saw light of the day. ( I could write better alright but the takers were few – as now !!)
We used to visit villages and conduct free medical camps ; would organise sanitation camps ; run Bal-Vikas classes and centres and even organise free agriculture counselling for the benefit of poor hapless village folk. I do not know how far those activities helped the villagers but those certainly gave us immense satisfaction of 'doing' something useful for those people. Moreover, we could at least build rapport with the villagers who were always eager to meet us.
In the city, we used to visit Remand homes, blind schools, institutions for the physically handicapped and even the mental hospital. As a group we used to entertain them through whatever means at our disposal. Visits to homes for the old and elderly was always a rewarding experience. The lonely, melancholic old lot would welcome us most heartily and spending few hours while listening to their woos and sad stories made them lighten their own grief and pain. We would clean their dormitories, feed them with food of their choice (which was always very simple, soft, palatable and succulent).  We would sing Bhajans for them followed by some short spiritual talk by one of our colleagues and the visit would end on a happy, satisfying note.
Visiting patients in government hospitals was yet another 'activity' of my liking. I liked conversing with the inmates awaiting some major surgery or recouping from some long drawn illness. We went as a very small group during visiting hours of the govt. hospital and looked out for a lonely patient without any attending relative or some such. We would spend at least fifteen twenty minutes with him or her, write down a postcard or some such if they so wished  and post that too. We volunteered for any blood requirements or prescription medicines. My own medical education helped me identify their imminent needs although I never introduced myself to them as being a Doctor ; I would just project myself as a compassionate visitor ! I alone enjoyed  bliss of that anonymity!
While visiting government hospitals and even during my medical education I had noticed too many discrepancies in the entire system. Leave aside hardships to the patients, travails and pain inflicted upon their attendants or close relatives have always been enormous and were never addressed at all. Barring a few charitable institutions, no one has ever cared for problems faced by that unfortunate lot.
We ventured to help them in a small way by offering freshly prepared food packets free of cost, which most of the attendants accepted avidly and gratefully. Oh ! That was yet another very satisfying activity undoubtedly. Although begun as a very small step, our Organisation took it up on a bigger scale very soon and I am confident that many many were benefitted through that thankless activity.
I was fortunate to organise scores of blood donation drives under aegis of our esteemed organisation. I also maintained a blood group register with full addresses and telephone numbers of prospective blood donors and am happy to reiterate that it proved immensely useful for the needy. We could collect blood at short notice and disburse the same for a noble cause.
Organising a real big event for almost forty days incessantly in the form of lectures for final year medical students and interns was indeed a great achievement for me. We had requested almost forty consultants and medical teachers along with twenty spiritually enlightened speakers to share their expertise in Practical Medicine and Vedanta respectively, which the guest speakers delivered voluntarily with perfect precision. Organised under aegis of our Organisation, it required painstaking efforts, meticulous planning, meeting all the guest speakers well in advance, chalking out exact timetable along with topics to be covered was a Herculean task which me and some of my senior colleagues could accomplish successfully. And on completion of the project when I presented a detailed report to Swami, He accepted the same pleasantly smiling at me. Yes, that was certainly a moment of fulfilment for me.
There are innumerable instances that humbled me outright, particularly while dealing with the sick and afflicted. I vividly remember an aged sick Mahant whom me and Usha visited one cold winter evening well outside the town of my first ever posting. In fact, that was just a beginning of my career having graduated (and married recently )! A disciple of the Mahant requested me to visit the Mandir where the Mahant was in excruciating pain with very high fever. Well, the Hanuman Mandir was located in a deep forest outside the town. It was already getting dark and Usha wanted to accompany me (since she refused to stay alone in the house) . We hired a tonga and reached the place. The old Mahant had developed huge abscess over his foot and leg and was in extreme pain. I had some minor surgical equipment in my emergency bag. I incised and removed almost half a litre of pus. Surprisingly Usha assisted me in the entire procedure in spite of very fowl smelling dirty pus and rotten blood. I administered a strong antibiotic injection and another for pain relief. The Mahant was relieved of pain the moment pus was let out. Entire procedure was carried out in the light of a small oil lamp and a weak battery ! We bandaged his wound and returned back. It was pitch dark outside, almost nine pm and very very cold too. However, both of us were basking in the warmth of bliss which was  the result of  some great humanitarian  service rendered free of cost. (Of course, the Mahant had offered to pay my fees but the very joy of relieving a person in distress was so great that I politely declined; and later too, I always treated my patients free of cost. No, it was no charity at all ; I thought I owed them my services. The government was already paying salary for my life and living anyway!) .
My joy was overwhelming when the said Mahant walked into the hospital a week later just to bless me profusely !
I am fully convinced that a doctor just treats, whereas there is some unknown force that cures or grants relief. In fact that must be the experience of everyone. And therefore arrogance has no place, only utmost humility must be evinced and that is particularly so while treating the sick and afflicted.
Another moving experience can be shared on this occasion. While engaged in village work we used to disburse free medicines for the needy and almost eighty to hundred villagers benefitted during each visit. Once it so happened that after finishing the routine checkups we were walking back on a hot summer afternoon literally tired and exhausted and suddenly a boy called me back to see his grandmother lying unconscious in their  tattered house. Being really tired I expressed my displeasure. However, Usha prevailed upon me to go back and see the woman. I trudged back rather reluctantly and found the old woman literally gasping for breath ; she had terminal broncho-pneumonia and could die any moment. An injection or some such could be hazardous in that situation. Therefore  I handed over a bottle of some antibiotic to the boy and instructed him to summon his parents and administer the drug to the old lady. In fact I was very sure that the woman would pass away within a couple of hours. I returned back with a heavy heart and feet.
Nevertheless , I was astonished to see the same lady walking up to me when I visited the village next week. She blessed me profusely and narrated her story to the villagers. Now, as a doctor I can definitely say that the so-called medicine had nothing to do with her recovery ; moreover, the dosage was most inadequate so also the quantity of drug. Do not know how she recovered fully; most certainly not because of the drug. Therefore I have every reason to say that there is some power, some force in operation that regulates entire universe.

I became a Doctor by chance ! In fact I aspired to become an Engineer instead. I used to repair small gadgets or household machinery on my own. However, I earned dismal grades in science and maths during my matriculation and when I insisted upon opting for A group that had Maths as principle subject, the then Principal of the college summoned my father and suggested to select Arts faculty instead since I was 'duffer' in science and maths. My father was naturally furious at me and scolded me in the presence of entire family members. I refused to take up Arts faculty and compromised to take B group that had Biology as the principle subject. I could score reasonably well thereafter and ultimately 'became' a Doctor ! However, my mother had not forgotten words of the Principal that had hurt her most. Therefore she ordered me to visit that Principal again (with a box of sweets) and tell him that the 'duffer' is a 'doctor' now !!
My mother inculcated values in us both overtly as well as discretely. I vividly remember an incidence that kept me away from theft or stealing for ever ! I remember to have picked up a coin and spend it to buy 'Ganderee' (sugar-cane slices) . An elderly lady next door saw me buying the stuff. She disliked me and so she reported the 'theft' to my mother. My mother was quick to understand that the reporting was intended to punish me. Therefore she quietly replied to the neighbour that she herself had given me the coin to buy whatever I liked and bade her goodbye. I was literally trembling and tearful for imminent punishment. However my mother just told me not to steal again and left me unhurt. No, I was deeply hurt within and swore   never to indulge in theft. (I have never stolen anybody's heart even!!)
My father was a very honest officer and never indulged in accepting or giving bribes (which has always been rampant ) . He was equally famous for his forthrightness. Of course himself and entire family did undergo hardships on occasion. He was denied promotion for over fourteen years in spite of his integrity, hard work, honesty  and flare for work. The only defect in him being  his inability as a bard and perhaps his honest and upright behaviour.
A particular incidence is deeply etched in my memory. Once a very wealthy, powerful and eminent person came to our house and began discussing with my father over some legal case about to come up for decision by my father. However, while speaking he took out some gold guineas and was simultaneously toying with them. My father knew that as a ploy to bribe him. He immediately drove out that man saying the case will be decided on merit alone and so the gentleman better keep the gold with himself. I can never forget that radiant face of my father who evinced absolute self-confidence and extreme courage. Needless to say, I walked my entire life living up to that lofty ideal.