Mon: ManGaon Project: Week started with a bang. My blog is censored on this account due to confidentiality clause. All I can say is this project is go and will start bearing fruit in4-6 months time.
Tue: ENGLISH LEARNING: Again same above mentioned reason for not elaborating.
Wed: PLOT SALE
609: Again same above mentioned reason for not elaborating.This project will take three months time to show results.
Fri: 200 Flats Project: Again same above mentioned reason for not elaborating. 75% deal is done. Until and unless no sign on dotted lines, time frame is not possible to predict.
Sun: Chakan Deal: Again same above mentioned reason for not elaborating. Ready 90% from our end, 75% from buyer end.
Thu: Maya B Dodeja dies in Sleep: One more sudden and
unexpected incident.
Maya Bhagwandas Dodeja
Daughter of richest sindhi family in 40’s and 50’s. Balchand
Pamnani was the pioneer in biscuit manufacturing in India. He was short and
looked like Lal Bahadur Shastri in his Dhoti. I still remember him as LBS. They
had excellent bungalow near Shophia College. I learned cycling there only, when
I was just 7 years old. This was during Maya’s engagement days. Dad used to
pick her up for shopping and for visiting us in Ghatkopar during her engagement period. While waiting of
her, I will take one of bikes lying around and glide down the slop, which would
touch Peddar road.
I visited Menghraj Bhavan her residence, few
times. I will be fascinated by Gangeshwar Maharaj, who was blind by birth, a
scholar and running Ghangeshwar Dham Mandir, in Mumbai and big Dharamshala in
Haridwar. He lived in one separate area for himself in Bungalow. Pamnani’s were
big followers and devotees.
Our Chachi's life was influenced by these two factors in big way.
She had limitless stories of her childhood days in Shukkar home and then early days in
Mumbai. And she was devoted to Ghangeshwar Mandir also. Pamnani family’s
influence had stayed with Ghangeshwar Maharaj’s followers also. We 40 peoples
during 1992 trip had stayed in their Dharamshala in Delhi and Haridwar and had
excellent treatment all due to her.
Dad had soft corner for Bhagwan and Maya. His very first
original drama was based on them only. It was not flattering presentation, but still
Maya liked the attention it generated and used to love his books. Bhagwan uncle and Maya
shifted to Ahmadabad, taking charge of NPM office. Our uncle was most handsome and his friends used to call him 'Prince', more so, his attitude towards life was also like prince. So, one can say that this was 'Prince and Princess' story of our family.
It is credit to Maya that
she was able to run home on her own. In ‘miaka’, she had never entered kitchen, and here she was, doing cooking, shopping and taking general care of
house. During 70’s decade, I took fathers place in visiting Ahmadabad for
office work. I remember, she would thrive on those visits, asking about each
and every social activity taking place in Mumbai and Pune. She missed that very
much. Ahmadabad was kind of ‘Banwas of 37 years’ for her. Finally after death of
Dada and Bhabhi, they shifted to Pune in 2000. And irony of life is, the social
activity in Pune had taken downward plunge by then. Lokram Dodeja family had scattered
and had very limited connection with each other, some property issues had
soured relationships.
We would spend 10-15 days of vacation in Pune during good old days of 60's and 70's. BLD
family will always be there during those vacations. My earliest recollection of her in Pune house, is of her in Puja
room, working on sewing machine, making pillows, stitching small garments etc.
Our granny would keep aside all sewing jobs for her. Maya aunt was very
friendly with Bal and Mummy. They would enjoy each others company. I had never
seen them even arguing or debating much. They had such clear understanding.
In early years of her life, it was Bhabhi or Mummy, who
would guide her, whenever asked for advice. After Narendra’s marriage it was her DIL who
took over home charge and making decision. She just flourished as princess and
enjoyed reminiscing. During my last visit, just 10 days back, she told me all
about her home in Sukhar, which was purchased from ‘ex-King’. How this
was shared by three brothers and their family of 50 members. She even
remembered rooms arrangements etc. She was just 7 years old, when she last saw
that place!
What a life. She lived 7 years in 'Mahlat' of Sukhar with 40-45 family members, 16 years in Poshest Bungalow on Peddar Road with maybe 20 members family, 37 years in Simple flat in Ahmadabad making her family of two into 10 members family over the period of 37 years, and final 15 years in Huge Bungalow in Pune from where she left for final journey, very peacefully in night!
by P G Dodeja
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