22nd June – 28th June 2015 [ Rains have started]

 

Sun: I had bet with Kashyap that if ‘Chutki is born, you will shave your beard and mustache for one year, if Kabira comes, I will shave mine, but once only.’ I lost. It took me 15 days to prepare myself and fulfill my word.

For the first time I had shaved my mustache was in 14^th May – 1992 in Badrinath, just for fun. We wanted to see, how much I resembled Avi. The on 4^th June 2000, I got mustached shaved as per tradition on Daddy’s death. Rinky was thoroughly enjoying the process and clicked many pictures. Muskan was not able to hold her laughter and continued laughing till everyone was doing the same. Only one who was not laughing was Kabira, the person responsible for this situation.

And after this clean shave, this is what some have to say.

Chinky “ You look more like mummy.”

Avi “You look like Moti Uncle.”

Akshay “You look ten years older.”

Kashyap “You look like Manu uncle.”

Enjoying the first rains, for the first time in 510 Ash Court, for the first time with Kashyaps first born, Mummy's first great grand son.

         

Finally, Rain have arrived in Pune. Our terrace received good amount of rain, and to everyone’s surprise, Akshay blocked the drainage and accumulated enough water to splash around. For us to get wet during monsoon is to stand under a waterfall in some pleasant secluded location around Pune during peak time of season. This time practically we were getting drenched in first shower of season!

 

by P G Dodeja

4th May – 10rd May 2015 [Blessing of Indra Devta]

 

  7^th May : Once again Lali & Myself did 500 km tour in a day. We were out investigating Land stretches for our prospects. This time our focus was in and around Karjat area. For last few years, this area is under sharp eyesight of all builders and developers. Major projects are underway in this area. Karjat – Murud road has being made recently, it goes through vacant stretchers of land on both side for miles. It is kind of rare experience to drive for 10 km without and man made structure on both sides of road, a rarity.  Superb road recently completed, no traffic and clean air with expanses of land and lot of heat. Wow.

For company we have Deepak Amar. A prospect of Landson, saw and decided against buying land, but offered us 165 acres as he had liked Landson project concept. He is experienced guy, has worked as Security In charges, PA of a politician cum don, Toll collection center's manager. In 9 hour journey he told us all his life history, his struggle, his religious beliefs, his love story. A simple man, honest, not ambitious, believes in God very strongly. We met on 9^th, and our tune in was so, that within 24 hours we were zooming around in i20 with him, he entertaining us with his life as well as Ulhasnagar stories. He told us stories of Srichand Hinduja, Papu Kalani, his Boss Shetty, his father etc. He is good story teller and here is example, telling us how he started reading Gita.

Nearly two decades back, he was going through very rough patch of his life. His Mother had paralytic attack, wife had continuous fever for 90 days, he was without job, as his boss was put behind bars, he had to take care of 2 year old son all by himself. He was sad and lost, felt like end of the world for him. One day he was whiling away his time in local ‘mandir’, there he received Gita from a mandir’s  sadhu, to sort out his problems with instructions to read and understand it.

After 3 days he was asked, ‘Have you read it?’ ‘Yes’ he replied.

‘Have you understood anything?’ Again he said ‘Yes’.

‘How much have you understood?’ ‘Full’ he replied.

The saint started laughing, drawing attention of others sitting in the room. This same conversation and reaction was repeated. He was confused, embarrassed, surprised, at loss. What is there to laugh about? In his words, he had no idea, what was happening, why ‘sadhu’ was laughing like mad at him. Finally saint saw his confused face, lost thoughts and told him, ‘I have spent 20 years, read it again and again, and still I find I have understood only small portion of Gita. Keep reading it again and again, you will learn more and more every time.’ 

This simple incident changed his life, he started reading Gita, very seriously and it has helped him a lot.

Day View from Living Room, with KK in center

Sat: Climate is getting nasty, day by day. Pune heat has started turning into humid, sticky, very hot. It keeps hovering at 40-41 degree! For days, with no respite predicted by met department. Then suddenly on Saturday night things changed. We had full family members first dinner at 510. Lali left soon after dinner as he and Sharat are going to Banglore, early  morning. Suddenly, no movement in air turned into a breezy, thundering ‘toofan’. A light drizzle changed the situation in just few minutes. We were planning to see old movie ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, as Amir Khan mouthed first few words, ‘Aila, Juhi Chawla.’ We said, ‘Aila, thunders and breeze, let’s go and sit on terrace.’ I turned off TV and we all moved to terrace.

Full family together, great lightening show, relief from stifling heat, gentle soothing drops of bliss falling from skies, excellent songs in back groud, and ‘sone pe suhaga’,   Strawberry + Vanilla Ice cream treat. What else you need?

 

by P G Dodeja

8th Dec 2014 – 14th Dec 2014 [Freak Rains]

 

Thu: Chinky was very sensibly roped in by Muskan into Noble Group. She is skipping college, is hooked to books and computers in big way. She does not have any close friend. We keep her pushing to go out and play with friends, but she prefers cozy corner in her room and keeps reading.  Muskan came out with this idea of making her one of tele callers. This 2 hour activity will free her from her inhibitions for social contacts and at the same time, make her productive. And above all, divert her mind from Books and Computers for some time. This is one more proof that Muskan is very intelligent and caring person. Way to go.

Fri: We were watching Big Boss when Akshay knocked. He was fully drenched, even after having rain coat and helmet as protection and December being winter season. Akshay said, he has never being beaten hard with water before, as tonight. For last two days, evening’s are very cloudy and warm. So as a precaution, he took rain coat to Shivajinagar meeting. It had drizzled a bit, yesterday in Wanwadi. When he started for Wanwadi from Shivajinagar, it started raining. However, as he reached command hospital, the rains lashed him mercilessly as if beating him. And surprise of all, the next stretch from mess turning to Sacred Heart, it was totally dry! Next day, paper said, 50 mm rains were highest for December 2014 after 1942 December rains. Wow.

Sat: Bindiya’s three sisters, Mona – Meena – Shobha visited Sacred Heart, along with Nikhil. I had a meeting at Vashi, so I just made a flying visit, said hello and rushed to Vashi. Shobha has come down from USA and will be here for month or so.

Kashyap and Dhwani also returned fro Jamnagar wedding. It was a very posh, flashy and beautiful wedding. Dhwani has regained her weight, whereas Kashyap has lost some. Nowadays he is moving around as if lot of responsibility has being put on his shoulders.  

Dada Karamchand, Dad’s uncle was very social person. He never failed to participate in every wedding for which he received invitation. He would pick up a card lying on his table and say, ‘We have to visit wedding in Sun and Sand, let’s start early. ’ He will never look for excuse, saying it is so far in other corner of city, my driver has not come or today being weekend, traffic will be heavy. Even in 70's he will drive his car himself and attend. In short, he was very punctual and regular.

But, I am not doing justice to his memory. I have 3 cards for 12^th – 14^th 15^th and I have not planned even one wedding attendance. Except for one wedding, I have no excuse for not attaining the weddings, which will take just hour or so of my time.

This year, all the resolutions made have yet to see the completion certificate. So sad. Keeping this experience in mind, I would request someone else to come out with unique resolutions to make, maybe his.her wish will be fulfilled.     

 

by P G Dodeja