The fence, the creeper and the berries!

The fence, the creeper and the berries’ Stepped out of _gharkul_ and was having a concluding conversation with Phadkay kaku. As we were exchanging our views, my eyes scanned the place around and sight got anchored on the neighbourhood plot of _gharkul_. I enquired if the girls did gardening too... and kaku affirmed. Just a while that I was observing the trees planted there, one of the ignored and hence blurred scene suddenly went prominent. What was that I could see! There was this creeper which climbed and twisted around the wire-fence near _gharkul_. As I keenly observed it, I could see that berries clinged to it. One single creeper with varied colored berries! On the background kaku was talking and my ears were absolutely loyal to her.... but my eyes wondered around the berries. Kaku said that _gharkul_ began with a home to young-special girls...now gradually turning into old age home on the wheel of time and cycle of life. O’ Yes I was hearing every word she uttered.... yet my eyes scanning the berries... the creeper was too delicate to hold them.... the berries began as green... matured as red... dried as rusty brown and died as blackish brown.... yet seen hanging there. And kaku continued... _gharkul_ girls have their own world... where they have grown adjusting, fighting, playing and caring for each other. With all the culture and training they get from kaku (their Aai) they are seen hanging around each other come what may be....!Kaku continued... each one has a different nature and innocence is the base. They celebrate festivals... birthdays and yes vacations too... but let me cross your guess.... their families (many times) do not give them the vacation break and hence spend their vacation in the similar sister house in other cities and... I could observe the creeper bi-forking at points but holding on to every shaded berry.We too practice holding on but mostly for the ones connected by red blood cells. Kaku played Aai and gradually became one for the unknown girls at _Gharkul_ in these many years. She gained the trust and the strength of the creeper where the berries could hang on. They wouldn’t trust any stranger to unwrap their chocolates but readily would give away all to their Aai or wouldn’t have any without offering her. The bond within them has gone stronger till today and I could see the remarkable length covered by the creeper. The creeper is spreading wider .... and may add some more berries onto it. Every turn it takes, it clutches firmly around... it twists... but it stays and moreover doesn’t break! It climbs high and sometimes low through the seasons but doesn’t detach the berries which are attached. The love and connection flies high on the wings of unconditional relation throughout the seasons. In winters they receive the warmth, and shades in the monsoon... the cold winds blow around in the summers and unshakeable stays their home during the fall. Ultimately its about letting go and yet holding on 😊 Prof. Dr. Swati Bhavsar

Fortune 🔮 for the college stage!

Centenary Celebration of GES: An Epic 12/02/18 to 19/02/18 It was a huge marquee-like white pavilion, inside were lined up chairs with an assembly acceptance of around 3000 listeners, I was a part of the sitting arrangement committee, fixed-in there for the last 9 days. It stood there gracefully in the engineering college campus, for the much-awaited centenary celebration of the Gokhale Education Society (GES). It was definitely to be an epic one, it was all about the 100 years ventures of GES, starting from the era of Prof. T. A. Kulkarni till the society that we witness today, bricked up gradually and strongly by Sir. Dr. M. S. Gosavi, Secretary, GES, towards the limitless sky of success. This journey was impactfully simplified on the dais by Prin. Dr. Dipti Deshpande, HR-Manager, GES, and indeed the very strong figure behind the successful centenary celebration of GES. Dr. M. S. Gosavi, a pleasant, calm and a learned academician, raised GES based upon three key principles, value-based education in an affordable cost, above self- above politics view and skill-based research development. In addition, he emphasised the importance of right attitude, the right exercise with appropriate nutrition, a meditating mind and a deep compassion for the subject. He added that according to our Upanishads, we must gain health, skills, science and peace of self so as to create a self-sufficient, self- confident and a self-competent mind. The thoughts of Dr. M. S. Gosavi and Swami Janardananda, Uttar Kashi, pooled up at a point where the development of positive thinking stood strong on the base of yogasanas, pranyamas, relaxation and meditation with a balanced diet. Swamiji added that, the highest form of compassion is generating the habit of positive thinking. He affirmed that India is the leader and giver of the knowledge and that the highest form of the knowledge if knowing self, the answer to ‘who am I?’. Pandit Sir, President, GES, simplified this in his lucid skill of oration and said that one must have the craving towards knowledge, the curiosity of gaining it and finally the development of skills in building it. Dr M. S. Gosavi further guided us by acclaiming the six important traits to gain peace of mind and hence the keys towards happiness. He said that six skills are required to develop as an individual, suhasyawadan, prasannadarshan, premalacharan, madhurbhashan, sada satyacharan and nirmal antakaran. Hence, somewhere, spirituality must necessarily meet science and this sets the upcoming need of establishing yoga and vedant centres in the future. On this template of thoughts, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Nuclear Scientist, stressed on the need of these skills, education and sustainability to effectively reach the rural/underprivileged areas of the country. He added that this bridging-over task could be shouldered and implemented by the educational institutions. The reason being, future of any sector or population niche depends on the access to education. Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, an international scientist and chemical engineer, weaves in his thoughts by signifying the equation of E=F+O where, Education equals to Future with a right Opportunity. He remarked that aspirations could be kept higher and dreams could be seen bigger. He assured that hard work in silence could give a loud success based on the persistence of never-giving-up attitude. He inspired the youth by saying that if door towards success didn’t open despite of knocking, one can open new doors altogether and that, there should be no limit to endurance and ladder of success. He launched a new definition of failure, which meant First Attempt In Learning and one must never be afraid of losing. Dr. Mashelkar commended the contribution of Dr. M .S Gosavi towards GES by saying that he is a great source of motivation for everyone and appreciated the science exhibition of posters and working models well-executed in the campus. Dr. Arun Nigavekar, Physicist and Educator, asserted that GES should create various institutions under its roof so as to form a complex of higher education system in the nearing future. He added that, for achieving the desirable height, change is inevitable and a leap of self-faith is must for the development. Restructuring of educational laws and system is required to provide a justified right to education. Dr. Nigavekar and Dr. Mashelkar, ligated on the thought, right to education may be acquired for right education only through right way of education, which is a prime necessity of today as well as tomorrow. All these speakers, their guiding words and speech were so much linked and in-a-flow that it may give a feel they all sat together and pre-decided to blend their topics and talks so well. Rightly says the wise that, when something truly auspicious has to happen, all the blessings and energetic waves from the universe will come together to support and make it happen righteously. Moreover, what a coincidence of time-in for the 100 years of celebration to fall on the day of Shiv Chatrapati Jayanti. Shree Charudatt Afale, International Kirtankar, so effectively inoculated the significance of re- hearing the biographies of great historic people and to raise up our morals deed-fully by imbibing the best folds of their character. He narrated and in-acted Shivaji Raje’s acts of brave towards the betterment of nation, his ability to strongly focus on the aim, balanced decision-making without emotional aggression, trust in developing strong friends without caste discrimination, well-executed skilful plans against enemies, respect towards another woman, deep faith in the blessings of God, compassion towards subject and love for the family. Shivaji Raje portrayed by Shree Charudatt Afale truly represented the self-confident and competent individual dreamt by Dr. M. S. Gosavi. In the campus of GES, the rainbow beautifully semi-circled, the colors included the bravery of Shivaji Raje, Spiritualistic faith bestowed by Swami Janardananda and Shree Afale Buwa, the educatory system and paintings of science by Dr. Mashelkar, Dr. Nigavekar and Dr. Kakodkar, the executory colors and plans by Dr. M. S. Gosavi and colors of compassionate hard work of the GES team lead by Dr. Dipti Deshpande. Friends! The change has already begun. The undone will be done, lacunae will be filled and the gaps will be sealed. The Template of centenary celebration is already replicating the plan for tomorrow. Revolution towards excellence has begun, in you, in me, in us! Let us stand together for our country and the best of the tomorrow! Dr. Swati Bhavsar, Department of Microbiology HPT Arts and RYK Science College.

'I' must love 'me' 🥰

You must first get along with yourself before you get along with others! Our near ones do make us happy but then there you go emotionally dependent and crawling on the waves of constant expectations. Many of the butterflies of expectations end up landing on the grounds of heartbreaks leading to unhappiness. So actually to share with u, the sooner we realise the better, that the battle or the discomfort is not with another human, neither with the enemies or the ill behaviour/attitude around us (which is always there), rather, the fact is that our argument is with our own thoughts. For that, I shud voluntarily blend in beautifully with the one who is inside me, life will be beautiful if, 'I' and 'me', we are one. we shud strongly try to be amongst the 10% who are genuine dear by heart n no black tinge over it. Its our thoughts towards which we must have a neutralising attitude, for eg. if sum hyper or negative thought pop out in 'me' then after a genuine effort 'I' must give it a positive spray of the complementary thought so as to neutralise it (which will come on repetitive practice), and that is the oneness of 'me' and 'I'. If we have love, positivity towards ourself, life becomes very less complex, unwanted people automatically become insignificant, and our love magnifies for our dear ones. We become emotionally independent and happy because of and for ourself, hence for our near ones. So first  'I' must love 'me' for 'me' to love 'u' P.S.: knit only that is positive, bcoz the basic nature of human is to stay happy.

A topsy-turvey birthday 🎂

It was my day...I woke up startled😯 for it was the Bharadwaj bird sounded loud 🙉in my balcony with its fuzzy, husky and Loud tone. And soon did I open my headlights 😲... I remembered and mourned😒 upon the time that I last saw sparrow and wondered where have all the sparrows in the town gone😞. I was over with the mental thought and mom came to wish me with her ice frozen hand (for she was making ghee) and that was a physical shake 🤨 I received, with now eyes 👀 wide opened enough to read the first text message, it was from my mediclaim Star Health company 🙆🏻‍♀️wishing me a long healthy life. So hopefully I diverted myself to watsapp, it was one of my friends who had sent me a long message, as in how to take care of health as the age increases🤦🏼‍♀️. Okay, I decided to switch off the internet and get ready for the day🤷🏻‍♀️. All set, I caught for a bus towards panchvati... the conductor it seems didn’t have change at all🙅🏻‍♀️and me standing there boldly with a currency of hundred in my hand. He in a detached manner demanded me to get down of the bus and I was like pitifully 🥺gazing around, one of the copassengers provided me the change 🤓and that’s how I reached Shalimar. The lunch hour was occupied with relatives who surprisingly liked the food mess I offered to them🤗. My Dixit diet collapsed 😭every time I cut the cake and finally I left from college towards the banks of Godavari. On the way I went to panjarpole, the home for healthy and disabled cows. Offered them the feed and returned back home. The day was all topsy turvey, received all that was unexpected 🤩. Phone calls kept me busy and irony was when dearer ones called that time I was busy😭 And so went the sun down and ultimately night. I thank God for all the surprises I confronted today 😅

Icecream 🍦 and love ❤️

A special note for Dairy Don, college road...I was a child and you taught me ice cream...The real smooth taste for soul satisfaction... you certified my every reason of success... it was me and pa... and we both climbed up and down the stairs to watch the door swipe to n fro... that was fun... and something new in the old age Nasik... days flew but the craze didn’t... I grew with my pa and we piled memories in DD of different flavours... my college friends blew candles there ... and the DD bond went on.... I grew with the craze... DD stood there but pa didn’t.... missed my partner but I continued the trend ... today I am a professor in the same college... whenever it’s me time or the melting time... it’s DD I look for ... to enrich every moment.. every memory ... every beginning... every end... miss you papa... to the core!

‘Vocal Nap in the Gap’

A key for the teachers: ‘Vocal nap in the Gap!’ After college hours, at home, I came to a point when I started avoiding talking to family members and with friends on phone. I wasn’t being able to hunt my exact problem. Finally! one fine day I thought over and felt ‘am I really loosing my voice!?’ and this was an alarming moment for me as the most significant estate for teachers is the voice box, the larynx. Throat problems are an occupational hazard of being a teacher which arises due to extensive use of the throat. This may lead to throat illness, gradual voice loss, hoarseness, weak-sounding voice, a sensation of pain, a constant need of throat clearing, discomfort, vocal cord lesions, non-cancerous and cancerous growth. We are well-verse with the care taking precautions like beginning the day with warm water gargles, reducing voice modulation and voice raise, pausing exactly when one feels to amplify the voice, practising ujjayi-pranayam, drinking warm water for soothing effect and the ginger-lemon grass green tea, lessening the consumption of fatty dairy products, use of microphone, use of text messages over talks, use of the gesture of clap to attract the attention or a bell in the class etc. While I scroll down the abundant literature related to throat care, amongst all, I realize two feasible and much easier tasks which can be implemented with consistent habit-making viz., the first is sipping water after every 15-20 min talk and keeping the larynx platform moist, and second, between every two lectures maintaining silence, so called ‘vocal naps’ or the ‘silence diet’. So, I would put it this way ‘sip is the tip and vocal nap in the gap’. Many a times I have an observation to my record that when the entire class is making noise, it’s not that my yell stops them but my silence and the complimentary glare sets a wave of discipline in the class. ‘Kena-Upanishad’ of Indian culture states the truth ‘यद्वाचाऽनभ्युदितं येन वागभ्युद्यते’ and supports the hypothesis, ‘that which not utters the speech but that by which the speech is revealed’ is so called practicing an effective silence, ‘mauna’. Traditionally, so many ‘kirtankars’ in Maharashtra practice silence prior to their kirtan delivery period of ‘Chaturmaas’ and also during off-hours in between the ‘kirtans’. It has a dual advantage; it gives them the ‘me-time’ for balanced thoughtfulness and also maintains the native form of their voice box due to relaxation, conserving the energy there. They know that the resources given by nature have a limited life and if they are to be used judiciously for the mankind, their performance should be preserved by wiser practices. ​Prof. Dr. Swati Padmakar Bhavsar, ​H.P.T. Arts and R.Y.K. Science College

Ludo Vs Chess

‘Happily Meleed’: My story

     There came a distant whirl of sound which hit onto my ear groove and travelled the tunnel to enter the message onto my nerves, which rapidly delivered the post into my brain, saying that, “Swati, quickly get ready for your mathematics tuitions” and me (to myself) “Oh! Such a lovely weather! Can I not sit on the grass and paint the huge banyan tree”? As I thought about it, I could see the aerial roots entangled around each other so densely yet sorted and unanimously pierced in to the soil supporting the tree endlessly to spread out hither and thither. That was an entity in itself. The bicycle  bell distracted my attention, I stuffed my books in the sac and headed towards the eighth standard class. That was the first fight of my life, mathematics vs painting. As life moved ahead, while academics kept me busy, somehow, I managed finding my joy in sketching the diagrams in the biology subject. There was this hope which kept me on, the hope of getting on the route of my choice. Every time I was told to read the daily newspapers and add more of layers to the crust of general knowledge. To be honest, I wasn’t a dedicated reader, I read some selective ones and that would be from the core of my heart. To my amusement, I discovered that I was more affiliated to the sound of ‘ghungroo’ where once I managed to attend a demo kathak dance performance and the foot tapping left me totally thrilled. With the restricted expenses at that time, the majority in my family would vote for newspapers and not the dance workshop. Hence there I was left with another fight, Newspapers vs dance. Likewise, a sequel of cut-to-cut fights went on for a longer period until I was not only declared as a doctorate in Microbiology but also a gold medalist for my work by Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists, India. On this occasion, my close one, affirmed me that there is this balance between your left and right side of the brain, where you are artistically maneuvering science. My friends from psychology department would take me as their subject for the quizlet and would look upon me as an experiment depicting equilibrium of analog and digital sides of the grey matter. By the time some new stories got hypothesised around me as an experimental animal, I had accepted science as my social partner and arts, as a personal companion (I wouldn’t call arts as extra-marital because there was nothing fleecy about it). And now, for quite a long period, I had been maintaining a worthy repo with the two and it’s we trio staying harmoniously, ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘self’. In the course of lockdown, I even managed to impartially allot my duties for the scientific and literary writing to presumably avoid arts vs science literature debate. Apparently, we three were about to stay happily ever-after until one fine day, during lockdown, I had to choose between chess and ludo. Chess would implement more of strategic planning with timely execution whereas ludo will recruit the dice to decide the luck with an intuition dependent skill. I am left there again confused enough for a checkmate state and this time it is Ludo vs chess. The external factors are two crews of friends, one would challenge me for chess and other would test me for ludo whereas the internal factors would add to the muddle. There I am left to be sandwiched once again. Then I felt, where is all this leading to? Is this a mere stupidity?! But aren’t the fools convinced of their smartness! So being stupid gives me a possible scope of knowing more, especially myself and then the surroundings. All is going to be well in my world till I manage to fetch tranquility in the left vs right (brain) situation and this story of optimising with oneself is staying there as much as the one will. 

DR. SWATI BHAVSAR Travel buff, painter, poet, writer, Microbiology professor

The mango 🥭 story

On one side, summer would be unwanted for the sweaty hottie weather and on the other side, I would be desperately waiting for the yellow pulp hanging out there. When the man is in full swing to clone himself, I would bet on him to duplicate the delicious taste of mangoes in lab. Mother nature has her own equations and reactions to pop out with that kind of aroma and flavour. With the warm winds blowing all round, my winds would be in the direction of mamache gaav Nandgaon. And we would be seventeen cousins going snakes and ladders in our old heritage building of grandpa. My cousins never let the 'single child' feeling fog around my radius and so I know all of it viz., 'hit and run' , 'katti batti', 'hiding the toys', 'run-away-lanes', 'refuse and abuse', 'star counting ', Jealous on the famous ' and so many other; of them, was massaging grandpa's legs and eyeing on his strawed tokri full of the yellow pulp. Grandpa would hand-loosen the mangoes and give one to each of us. But when it was about the juice to serve then we would pull each other down to pounce upon the mango seed and jaw it for depulping. That's when we would butter grandpa for getting maximum ones. Mangoes in Nandgaon were juicy, orangish inside-green outside and would be sugary sweet. Mangoes were the reason for us to gaze at the door for grandpa to arrive, the joy on our faces would make him blush and smile, it was a reason for all of us to sit in round with each other, it taught us sharing and enjoying the joy of feasting together, it taught us the concept of recycling the seed and planting it deep down to shoot another giver. The hanging yellow king up there taught us 'his highness' and our patience to reach up there. Aah! Want those days once again, mangoes take me back to memory lane, my near-dear ones, the warmth, the mesmerizing taste and with the determination for a hopeful wait until the next summers.