A Bizarre Day!

July'20 Ends for the Goodness Sake!

        Alarm interrupted my early morning sleep, I, involuntarily, put if off, and slept again, until, mom buzzed in my ears, just to remind me about the college meeting. I heavily got up and was kind-of ready in an hour. The rickshaw uncle fetched me at home, and I, on my way, kept thinking about the face to face meeting in college which was to happen almost after 5 long months of lockdown. I thought, if some more instructions are coming up about the online lectures or is it about cutting down the salary or is it about cutting the EMPLOYEE and should it be me! While so many thoughts showed up in my superfast mind just like a spooky PowerPoint presentation, there came a familiar figure walking towards me near the meeting hall, it was mam A, and her usual boy cut was transformed in to a pinky-ponky blunt cut with a few random steps; and so was the case with other ladies who gracefully walked into the meeting hall like a herd of Rapunzels in the upper floor castle, all set to shoot their hair downstairs for the next incoming teachers.  I naughtily chuckled in my mind. Principal complimented us for the number of e-lectures but he contradicted his own compliment at the speed of light by addressing our lectures to be a level down in quality. I was confused enough to decide whether to be happy or sad, although, I continued hearing the next remarks in the line. Like a typical head-on authority, he successfully boosted us and simultaneously downgraded us. I gave up on my stand and preferred reading the wisdom lines written on the library walls. That’s when my phone abruptly beeped; it was a message saying that covid tests were being done for free in my residential area. I was alarmed with this news and also suspicious about the kind of rapid kit test quality we had in our country. By the time I decide over the covid issue, principal declared the meeting to be over. We gathered together under the banyan tree to see a sample lecture video made by one of our boosting colleagues, keeping aside the distancing rules which were sophisticatedly followed till a minute before in the meeting. I realized that even if I manage to stand on the toe thumb, I wouldn’t see the video hence I decided to walk down the ground till my rikshaw uncle turned up. While I was peacefully strolling in the green, mam Z called me loudly and hastily to the location she was staring at. I ran towards her with amusement peaking in my mind. I stood there with a sigh of relief to see a lawn of tiny whitish mushrooms contrasting the dark soil. I in-acted as a professional photographer and started capturing photos settling myself in distinctly odd poses. In the climax one, I was almost in a sleeping pose, horizontally on the ground, so as to click a side view of the mushrooms, just when a distant voice came in saying that it is a house for snakes too. I was startled and in a fraction of second my head stood up straight facing the sky just like a needle in the compass suddenly resetting towards north and my heart pounding out of my ribs. I managed hiding my terror and convincingly assured mam Z, that we had got enough photos and will forward them to her soon. She drove happily back home and I cautiously walked on the tarred road until soon I was back seated in the auto rickshaw, heading towards sweet home. On the way, rickshaw uncle got a phone call from his bank for an urgent pension work and we took a halt in the bank parking lot. I slept in the rikshaw enough to realize that one hour had already passed away. I jumped on the seat and hurriedly phone called rick uncle, he returned at once and dropped me home. After reaching home, I was expelled from the living room and re-directed towards the bathroom for a cleaning up process as a part of covid precautionary measure. Meanwhile, my phone kept beeping. To my astonishment, one of the senior teachers plainly thought out of somewhere that it was my birthday, and he wished me on the university group which was followed by a number of wishes from the other teachers in the university. I was overwhelmed by the wishes forgetting for a moment that it wasn’t the day I was born but coming back to senses, I responded on the group letting others know that it was a date misunderstanding. However, I was ignored, the wishes continued to rain in the group and soon we all were celebrating my e-birthday on one fine lockdown evening of July out of no-where. While I was religiously reverting to the wishes, my ‘maasi’ called me to tell that her son (my brother) will come to fetch a thermos, which we had an extra, for his dad. Well, ‘Dev’ uncle by name seemed immortal but paradoxical was his personality. Since the day the covid phase began, every news that flashed in as a possible cure was experimented by panicked Dev uncle on himself. He wouldn’t leave any stone unturned viz., the ‘kadha’ saga, the multi vitamin episodes, vitamin C flush, the Ayurveda season, the pool of green tea, the brain ‘steaming’ sessions, the medicine pellet boxed racks and now was the time for hot water fluxes. My mom ordered me to hunt the thermos in the storage cabinet near the ceiling, and I obediently climbed the stool, then the table and then in a midway, cliff-hung state of being partially  supported by the stool and partially by the table, just to find that thermos wasn’t on the top rack but was safely kept in the bed storage compartment, I upturned, safely landed on the floor and packed a pair of thermoses, one small, one big, only to be sure if he needed an extra-one to keep the green tea hot too for the day. Just when all the packing was kept in a ready-to-go state, ‘maasi’ called once again saying that due to heavy rains my brother may or may not turn up. I breathed deep and lay down my anatomical organs on the large, rectangular pad designed for supporting the reclining-confused body and popularly called as a mattress, soon to find myself dead asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

Thirty first dates with myself (pdf link)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hXPHNYFi6bvMTKlO-2m8QTavfSwMjaM2/view?fbclid=IwAR33Y4VJ9JcKCW0WCMTok0GqxWiPxF-iOeyDeqrPzZdqTk-QhFiH31-W3cM

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!