Golden Days

It was perhaps one of the most eventful weeks in this year. The best thing that happened was when I received a call from my close friend lost in Mela like circumstances ( like two brothers missing each other and the family and meeting after decades in Movies )  La Deewar Style. A shrill voice called and asked " Is it Mr. Ganu "? I said - YES. Again he said the BEST Ganu, I again said - YES. He then said " I am Tendulkar ". That was enough to take me back in a flash by almost 45 years. We talked and lived every incidence of those days. Then he said " Yaar Ankolkar is dying to meet you. He has even told me that whether I believed or not in Rebirth, He believed and would like to be born again, only to meet GANU". It was an emotional shock to me too, and it brought tears in my eyes. He then told me to wait for some time to get a call from Ankolkar, and then Haridas. 

That day both called me up and we talked as if all those years gap never ever existed. I promised both that we will again revive our association. 

Today I went to Talegaon, about 35 kms from Pune, by local train and met the Man - Ankolkar. The first thing I had realised was that I had preferred to take train journey even though my driver had not come, just to meet him. This was really a defining moment. Travelling by local transport with the common man keeps you rooted and makes you feel that you are part of the common man on streets. You are not different. I had missed out on that feeling for last 3 - 4  decades, since I stopped travelling by local transport ( Bus or Local Train ). Even in long distance trains the warmth had gone out since I stopped going by sleeper / unreserved coaches. In fact I had distanced myself from that pleasure and warmth unknowingly. I had become too materialistic and a slave of comforts, and in return lost the touch & smell of warmth found in a common man. Today I was back amongst them and was happy to be their part.

Warmth I saw when an elderly person offered his seat to a lady with two children, a site you would hardly see in upper class travels. 

And then the meeting with Ankolkar. OMG. We spent almost 4 - 5 hours together. In between, We brought lunch for ourselves and his grand daughter. He took out his harmonium and started playing tunes from old Hindi Films. We talked about classical music and family issues. We were our good old days' self. The strings were tuned again, so to say.

I had to catch a 4.45 PM train to return. I called him again before the train started. We spoke for a couple of minutes and then he concluded and said his trademark sentence " LOVE YOU ", spoken from heart.

Today will be an unforgettable day, after so many years.

Thank You Tendulkar for the efforts of finding my whereabouts.

Tendlya - We are all meeting in your house when Haridas would be in Mumbai during the first week of January 2014. I am sure that we will then celebrate our reunion and say " HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN "