The Real Mr. India.

As we celebrate Children's day today, I was reminded of one of our desi superheroes Mr. India. The protagonist of the film Arun Verma lives with and takes care of orphaned children. A futuristic watch helps him become invisible and thus invincible. He goes on to fight crime as Mr. India taking on the iconic villian Mogambo.

Coming to the real from the reel, I was fortunate to meet a real Mr.India. He does not have a magic watch or the power of invisibility but instead he has the magic of courage and selflessness. As for invisibility he needs the polar opposite of that; to be visible to as many as possible. Without further ado, let me introduce you to Mr. Ashok Deshmane. He is the founder of the non profit organization- Snehwan- A ray of Hope. Snehwan takes care of about 80 children mainly belonging to drought-hit farmer families.

Born and raised in Parbhani, in a farmer's family himself, Mr.Deshmane had faced firsthand the struggles of basic necessities and especially education. Overcoming all odds he completed his Masters in Computer Science and was working in a known software company in Pune. Like lakhs of us, Deshmane could have built his savings, gotten himself a swanky car, a comfortable home and secured his and his family's future. But he did not forget his roots and taking inspiration from Swami Vivekanda, Baba Amte, he chose to make the future of impoverished children instead of his own. He quit his job and started Snehwan for the children of drought affected farmers.

I had the fortune of visiting his earlier home at Bhosari, Pune alongwith my friends who celebrated their son's birthday with the boys at Snehwan. In that small yet neat and comfortable abode Deshmane and his extended family lived more happily than a king in his palace. This was because Deshmane, his wife Archana and his parents look after these boys as their own children, showering them with the same affection as one would do to one's own flesh and blood.
Despite the space crunch Deshmane had an extensive library and even computers for his kids. Fortunately, in 2018 a substantial area of land was donated to the organisation and presently they have a much larger abode at Koyali phata (details below).

We recently visited the new place with our friends who had arranged for Diwali faral for the children. This new home is equipped with a state of the art computer centre, floor to ceiling book shelves lining several walls, bunk beds for the kids and much more. Nutritious food is prepared by his mother and wife Archana who is a mother to all the children at Snehwan. The boys enthusiastically showed us around the place, with a mixture of pride and gratitude in their eyes. Deshmane emphasizes on overall development of the children so on one hand as they become technology savvy, on the other hand they also learn composting, dairy business, fertilizer manufacturing at the Goushala. They are also taught practical skills like stitching, making cards, rakhis etc. The kids practise yoga every morning and evening and are also given responsibilities around the house to build their organisational skills, confidence, interpersonal skills and such. Deshmane's father himself teaches them tabla and folk songs.

The vibe of the place is such that it cannot be expressed in words but has to be felt. Mr. Ashok Deshmane has won several awards and recognitions for his work. His story has been told by recognised national and international platforms. He is also grateful to the people who have contributed to his work one way or the other. But taking care of the needs of 80 children is not a small task. Any and every kind of help contributes towards the future of these children. You may donate through CSR activities at your work place or personally, also by giving required supplies like stationery, blankets etc. In Mr. Deshmane's opinion, the gift of your time is the most valuable. You can volunteer to teach them any skills, sports, arts, languages, learnings which we take for granted but are valuable to these children.

Let's give our Mr. India a helping hand as he fights the Mogambo of illiteracy.

*Snehwan*
Koyali Phata, Alandi-Wadgaon Road, Near Koyali forest, Koyali Tarfe Chakan,
Pune 410501

Contact- Ashok Deshmane
+91 8796400484/ 8237277615

Email- snehwan@yahoo.in
Snehwan- A Ray of Hope

Bank details- SBI
Account name- Snehwan Branch- Pimpri town
Account number- 35517151681
IFSC Code- SBIN0005923

*Note*- Donations to Snehwan are eligible for benefits U/S 80G of Income Tax Act, 1961.

- Sneha Karle
Moshi, Pune.

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Rain, fart filters and a love story

Come monsoon like every other typical couple we head out to drown. Well, in Bombay the word "drown" can be used in the literal sense but thankfully here at the end of the Earth meaning Moshi I use drown in a more ornamental sense. Drown in the greenery, the black clouds, petrichor, cool breeze, blah blah blah you get the point..

So we head out exerting our kWid along narrow paths, some riverside, and some uphill. This obviously is followed by clicking a thousand snaps, then remembering the phone is too expensive so stuffing it in the glove box and then getting drenched to our hearts' content. Now, here comes my problem. The world gets blurred because the damn spectacles have myriad tiny rivulets flowing on it. If I remove them, the world becomes blurrier and I can't keep wiping the lenses with my already wet clothes.

While this is happening almost every time I tell Adi, "My goddamn glasses need wipers!" Why has no one come up with this?!? There are thousands of weird useless products out there. While browsing once, I happened to come across a "fart filter" which absorbs the smell of farts before it escapes from its closed confines, no kidding! If there are fart filters in this world then I demand spectacles wipers! They can be really tiny and hide in the frame, coming out to do their thing with a click of a small switch (also hidden). This is not exactly beyond the realms of reality! 

With this thought in place I kind of got obsessed about the wiper and kept observing it as it oscillated hypnotizing me. The windshield is chilling, minding its own business, getting a shower, flirting with the raindrops as they slide seductively on it making it all "wet" when out of nowhere like the dad of the girl you are fooling around with, comes the mighty wiper and breaks up the coupling with a swipe. Fresh kisses are showered on the windshield and it gives an arrogant smirk before getting swipe slapped again and then again and some more. The damn guy can't complete a kiss! All that it gets is his lover's memories scattered all across it, her fragrance enveloping it completely. 

I am shaken out of my reverie with a painful crick in my neck, which has been moving along with the wiper. As I drift off to sleep with the rain lullaby, one thought lingers in my mind,
 "wish life had a wiper". 

66

Listen to it on 66

साधारण सहावीत असल्यापासून, "आम्ही आता मोठे झालो, स्कूल बसने नाही जाणार" हा हट्ट मी आणि माझी बहीण करू लागलो. आता ओला, उबेर आपल्याला दारापाशी यायला हवी असते पण शाळेच्या बसच्या त्या फायद्यापेक्षा 'आम्ही आता लहान नाही' हे सिद्ध करणं जास्त महत्वाचं होतं. पंचविशी ओलांडल्यावर त्याच पालकांना 'आम्ही अजून लहान आहोत' हे सिद्ध करायला लागलो!

तर आमची कटकट ऐकून सातवी पासून BEST ने जायची परवानगी मिळाली. बस स्टॉपला पोचायलाच पंधरा मिनटं चालावं लागायचं पण मनात थोडीशी भीती, थोडासा उत्साह ह्याची वेगळीचं गम्मत होती.

"इतका काही उशीर नाही झालाय आपल्याला"
"ही बस जाऊदे ह्यात खूप गर्दी आहे"
उगीच एकमेकाला कारणं द्यायची.
खरं कारण एकचं- डबल डेकर पकडणे!
त्याची उत्कंठा काही निराळीच होती

एका बस वर दुसरी बस!
किती राजेशाही वाटायची ती बस, एखाद्या परिकथेतून आल्यासारखी. राजकन्येला घ्यायला जसा तिचा रथ येतो तशीच ही भव्य जादुई गाडी आपल्यासाठी खास येत आहे असं वाटायचं. कदाचित हे इतकं इतरांना नसेल वाटत पण मी बाहेरच्या जगापेक्षा मनातल्या जगातचं असायचे त्यामुळे सगळंच जादुई वाटायचं.

धक्काधक्की करून आत शिरतांना मात्र परिकथेतून बाहेर यावचं लागायचं. आणि ह्यात फक्त बसमध्ये शिरणं नसून वरच्या मजल्यावर पोचायचा ध्येय. भव्य बंगला आणि घराच्या आतून वरच्या मजल्यावर जायला जिना हे फक्त चित्रपटानंमध्येच दिसायचं. त्यामुळे डबलडेकरच्या जिन्याचं कौतुक वाटे. त्यात हलणाऱ्या बसमध्ये तो अरुंद जिना चढायची थ्रिल!

खालच्यापेक्षा वरच्या मजल्यावर गर्दी जास्त असायची आणि त्यात नव्वद टक्के शाळेचीच मुलं. पण त्या चेंगराचेंगरीतसुद्धा जरा खिडकीतून डोकावता आलं की आपण उडत आहोत असं वाटायचं! विमान प्रवास फक्त पु.लं च्या अपूर्वाई मध्ये अप्रुपाने वाचलेला. त्यामुळे कदाचित डबलडेकरचं अप्रुप जास्तं. आजूबाजूचांच्या चेहऱ्यावर पण तोच उत्साह असायचा. साधारण सगळेच मध्यम वर्गीय कुटुंबातले विद्यार्थी असल्याने आमच्या एकक्तरीत  कल्पनाशक्तीने बसच्या त्या वरच्या मजल्याचं विमानात रूपांतर व्हायचं!

काही आकडे मनात कोरले जातात. सायनहुन दादरला 66 नंबरची डबल डेकर जायची. आता ज्या आतुरतेनं विकेंडची वाट पाहतो त्याचं आतुरतेनं सहासष्ट ( आताच्या सपोसेडली   स्लो मुलांसाठी- "साठ सहा") नंबरच्या बसची वाट पाहायचो.

कधीतरी धकाबुकीत यशस्वी होऊन पुढे जायला मिळायचं. डबल डेकरची ती पुढची खिडकी म्हणजे जणू स्वर्गचं! बसायला मिळणं अशक्य पण उभ्याउभ्या का होईना त्यातून डोकवायचं. घामटलेल्या चेहऱ्यावर वारा गुदगुल्या करायचा.
आता ऍडवेंचर स्पोर्ट्स मध्ये पण त्या खिडकीतून डोकावल्याचा थ्रिल येणार नाही. त्यात सुट्टीच्या दिवशी फिरायला गेलं तर त्या पुढल्या सीटवर बसायलासुद्धा मिळायचं! त्या सीटवर बसून त्या छोटेखानी खिडकीतून डोकावताना सम्राट असल्यागत वाटायचं! सर्व जग खाली आणि आपण वर. प्रवास संपूच नये असं वाटायचं. आयुष्यात बहुदा तेव्हाच मुक्कामी पोहचायची घाई नसून प्रवासाचा आनंद घेता आला.

आता डबल डेकर पण कमी झाल्या आणि छोट्या छोट्या गोष्टींतून मिळणारा आनंद देखील. मागच्या वेळीस पुणे-मुंबई प्रवासात ही बालपणीची जादुई बस दिसली आणि एखादा चित्रपट पाहिल्यागत भराभर आठवणी डोळ्यांसमोरून गेल्या. फोटो काढायला म्हणून खिडकी खाली केली, पावसाचे थेंब चेहऱ्यावर पडले, वाऱ्याने गुदगुल्या केल्या, अगदी हाडांपर्यंत शांत वाटलं.

कदाचित फक्त खिडक्या खाली करण्याची गरज आहे. कुठेतरी आपल्यात अजूनही ती निरागसता शिल्लक आहे. मनाच्या काचा पुसूया
खिडक्या उघडूया
मनातल्या मनात का होईना, डबल डेकरच्या वरच्या मजल्याच्या पुढच्या सीट वर जाऊन बसूया, प्रवासाचा आनंद घेऊया......

Darkness crept on us suddenly

On a bright sunny afternoon

The sun fought hard 

Not ready to back down easily

But they ganged up on him

Royally black and majestic 

One couldn't help cheering for them

The mountains though are 

closer to the sun

After all they tuck him in after a hard day's job

Not impressed with the black royalty 

The mountains pierced at their very hearts

They bled all over us

Their anguish making the blood look like tears

Twinkling lights row in row,
make the twinkles above hide
The lady in white though stands her ground,
graceful curves
angelic glow
she rules the darkness
One form she keeps not
a queen has to change with the times
Revealing her full glory once in a while
also knowing when to hide
She rules the oceans
makes them jump to her command
She rules the verse
in lovers' hearts
She gives hope of a new world
not yet invaded
by twinkling lights row in row

The Petrified Elephant

Wings,
as beautiful as they can be.
Looking like they are ready
to cut across clouds,
to race the wind.
Potential,
Blessings,
Abilities,
the world sees in them.
But stuck they are
in time
in fear
in doubt
No memories of flying
flapping even.
Their fears petrify them
so much so
that they themselves are petrified now.
Weight of their failure
crushing dreams
before they are fully formed....

भातुकली

You can listen to it here-
भातुकली


भातुकली

घर घर खेळण्यात, येई खूप गंमत
सोनेरी ते दिवस, मोजावी नाही लागायची कसलीच किंमत

चटईचे असे घर चिमुकले
Property rate, EMI चे भूत तोवर मानेवर नव्हते बसले
तेवढूश्या जागेत पण बसे
Hall, bedroom, kitchen
मन तेव्हा सांगत नसे 'तू दिखावा कर'

बडीशेप आणि साखर बने
भात, डाळ, भाजी
'बडीशेप नक्की संपते कशी' विचार करे आज्जी
गूळ, चिंच, बर्फ चोरता आलं तर असे मेजवानी
मग चोरणारी बने त्या दिवशीची राणी!

छोट्याश्या कुकर मध्ये साखरेचे दाणे चार,
दोन थेंब पाणी त्यात
आणि आई बोट बुडवून माप घेते
ती नक्कल करून शिट्ट्या वाजवायच्या जोरदार!
गुळाचा तुकडा सापडला की पोळपाटावर त्याला करायचा चपट आणि आजचं होळी समजून खायची पुरणपोळी!

इवलीशी शेगडी, इवलीशी भांडी,
पितळेची घागर आणि मातीची हंडी
पिटुकल्याश्या वाटीत हळदीचं पाणी बने आमरस
आणि कागदाचे तुकडे कढईत तळुन तयार पुऱ्या!
तेल, काडेपेट्या मात्र वरच्या फळीवर विराजमान
न लागू द्यायला आमच्या हाती
नाही तर चटईच्या घरा सोबत खरं घर पण
जळायची आई बाबांना भीती!

बार्बीचं लग्न लावायचं हि-मानशी
'इतक्या लोकांचा स्वयंपाक कसा करणार?'
म्हणून त्यांच्या रिसेपशनला फक्त टी!
चिमुकल्याश्या कप मधून खोटाखोटा चहा बशीत ओतायचा आणि भुरके मारण्याचा आवाज करत
"वाह! किती छान"
अशी आपलीच आपल्याला शाबासकी द्यायची!

एकूण घाई मोठं होण्याची,
'एकदा का मोठे झालो की मनात येईल ते करायचं,
हवं तसं खायचं, पाहिजे तेव्हा झोपायचं,
अभ्यास, परीक्षा काहीच नाही,
मस्त मज्जा करत जगायचं!'
 वीस एक वर्षे भविष्यात डोकावून पाहता आलं असतं
 तर म्हणालो असतो
 "नको ते मोठं होणं,
 भातुकलीचं आपली बरी
 लग्नाची कशाला घाई?
 हवी जवळ आई!"

घर-घर खेळता खेळता मोठे कधी झालो समजलचं नाही
मोठाली भांडी, मोठाला कुकर,
मोठी ती शेगडी आणि मोठं ते घर
Sundrop oil ची जुनी आड आठवते?
ज्यात मुलगा लहान आणि सर्व जिन्नस मोठे होते
तसचं सौंसारच्या सुरवातीला,
आपण पिटुकलेच पण बाकी सगळं मोठं असं वाटायचं

भातुकलीचा खेळ सोडायला मन कधीच तयार नसते
खऱ्या कूकरच्या खऱ्या शिट्टया,
खऱ्या पुऱ्या आणि हळद नसलेला आमरस
बडीशेपचा तो भात आणि बडीशेपची ती आमटी,
मात नाही करू शकणार त्यांची
पंचपक्वान्नांची थाळी कुठची
अश्या ह्या बालपणीच्या गंमतीजमती

जाता जाता छोटासा देते एक सल्ला
अगदी भातुकली एवढा
'जग फार बदललं आहे,
खेळही बदलायला हवा
मुलींसोबत मुलांनाही घर-घर खेळायला लावा'