Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Visit to Nasik

When I was in USA with my son, I learnt that Ninad my aunt's ( aunt - mother's sister) grandson expired due to sudden heart attack. It was a great shock to his parents and my cousin and I decided to visit Nasik to meet them after going to India. Ninad and his parents, Bhushan and Sou. Suvarna had visited Sangli in April 2016 and I had fresh memories of that visit.


Ninad, son of Bhushan Paranjape was very clever and rank holder since childhood. He did his MBA from Chennai and was working with world famous Mackenzy on Smart Pune project. On October 26th 2016 he collapsed due to sudden heart attack while sitting in a hotel after breakfast and waiting for taxi with his colleagues.

I went to Nasik on 19th Feb. 2017. Bhushan had come to receive me at stand. I could share my grief and feelings with Bhushan, Sou. Suvarna and  Manali.  They showed a great restraint over their feelings even after such calamity and  enquired about my health and other relatives. They told us his many childhood memories, events and achievements. Though not spoken explicitly, the sadness in their hearts did influence our conversation.   I learnt the whole episode and felt very bad about the suffering they have to carry for whole life.

 I stayed on that day with my aunt (Bhushan's mother)  Usha Paranjape who is just one and half year older than me and I considered her as my elder sister and in childhood we  both accompanied each other in play and other household duties and I always looked to her for guidance. She had suffered a lot in her life right from birth but endured all hardships bravely and with emotional stability. She was greatly disturbed and feeling very sad due to untimely loss of her grandson.  Snapshot of Mr. Sharadrao and Ushamavashi taken during their visit to Sangli)


She narrated many events from her life and it was a memorable night for me to listen to her speaking. She showed me her articles where she expressed her feelings. I was greatly influenced by her thoughts, her writing and her matured vision towards life philosophy. I requested her to give her articles so that I can publish them for benefit of all. She gladly gave that treasure to me.  ( I have published some of her articles on mymarathi.com in Marathi Sahitya ->Lekh section. I give below snap of her handwriting from her own autobiography.



Next day morning I went to my other aunt older than Usha. Mrs. Vimal Datar whose family also was in Nasik for many years.  While talking to her, I got some precious memories about my grandfather (Mother's father).

He (Ramkrishna Janardan Sathye) was very clever, simple in living and worked as clerk with Kanhere Sardar in Satara.  He took part in Gandhi's Salt march and was jailed for 6 months. He had 7 daughters out of which 5 survived. There names were Akka, Dwarka, Champutai (my mother), Thaku (Vimal Datar) and Bagu (Usha Paranjape). Hexpired when I was about three months old and my grand mother had to leave Akale and stay at Satara with two unmarried girls at that time.  She was hardworking and kept her self respect by staying separate instead of at our house.


Vimal also handed over two of her writings describing the character of my grandparents. See the sample of her handwriting.


I could meet all her family ie. her son Dhananjay and daughters Sumedha Mahabal and Nayana Chipalunkar all having their children grown up and married.

Photo - Bhushan, myself, Vimalmavashi, Dhanajay, Sou. Nayana and Sou. Sumedha)

I also visited Madhavi Dixit, daughter of Shubhangi's elder sister who was very fond of Shubhangi and she wanted to meet me after Shubhangi's sad demise.

The visit to Nasik gave me opportunity to meet my aunts and reestablish close relations which had lapses in information exchange due to infrequent visits.

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