Baba

On Tuesday, 3^rd Apr, Pappa called me and said, ‘Baba’s health is not good and we are shifting him to Rubi Hall.’ I grasped the depth in those words as in recent years, I had started to read between the lines especially when there is a medical emergency.

But for someone like Baba, the Everest of our family, a steely man, forged through decades of hardships, who epitomized the art of healthy living in our family and inspired many, for whom, not a single day would pass without the diligent rituals of Yogasana & Pranayam, even at the age of 81; it was sad to watch the King fall as he struggled to cope up while on artificial ventilator.

The last I met him was a day before he was sedated. He would gasp for breath. He was physically fatigued.   But not mentally, nor emotionally. Despite the breathlessness, he talked to us as if he was sitting in his library, cracked jokes and laughed thunderously in his typical country styles. Even the meals he ate with his own hand as he refused to be fed by others. He was born autonomous, led his life like one and bid us a farewell like one.. Baba’s life was aptly summarized in these words:  ‘मरावे परि ग्रंथरूपी उरावे’ (You can die but should be remembered through your deeds and knowledge creation)

I remember my juvenile flashes we played in front of his clinic in summer days

When instead of balloons and balls, we had wooden swards and shields, the historical plays

A routine march to the school holding his assuring hand

Yogasanas at Dawn, Ramraksha, Atharvasheersha for dusk

Cricket, carrom, movies, fun; but no excuse for studies & homework

Idyllic, gleeful childhood passed with MaiBaba at nights

For they set on a second inning of raising me and Nishant, braving all the fights

  

While others would go to picnic,  he led our little army to Panhala, Pratapgad, the forts in Sahyadri

Little did we know then that inside our caring & loving grandpa, lived a fierce Maratha Warrior within

The passion for history, he chased with faith and determination for years

The efforts blossomed into the rise of ‘Jwalajwalantejas Sambhaji Raja’ with incredible honours 

They raised their sons & daughter

And then sons and daughters of their sons and daughter

And an ocean of historical wealth: the invaluable contribution to Marathi Literature     

In this quest of unquenching thirst of scaling newer and broader heights,

Setting up examples as the youngsters follow his leads,

Strengthening the silky bonds through loves and smiles,

Today the wheel stopped spinning.. the shooting star went vanishing.. 

But left behind a spectrum of blissful memories & a legacy of wisdom unending