When you are a child, you have someone who inspires you or
is a role model for you. My inspiration was my Maternal uncle, Prasad Mama. I
call him my Guru. During my childhood, a serial Chanakya was telecasted
on the Doordarshan. As I started watching this serial. I felt that Prasad Mama
used Chanakya-Niti. I always felt that he was like Chanakya.
He always used to tease me with a small funny four-line poem
with my pet name. Whenever he sang the poem, I used to cry and felt
embarrassed. For this very act, I used to hate him. One day he sat and told me
that a sentence that struck me. He continued that if you give your thought and
emotional control to others, they will fear you and make you cry. These words still
ring in my head.
I was doing my engineering. Prasad Mama and his family were
staying with my grandparents. My grandparents' place was near to my University. I visited them on weekends and holidays. I
preferred to stay at Prasad Mama's place. He knew what I like to eat and my
favorite dish is Dhokala. He always made sure that I will get my favorite Dhokala on each of my visits. He personally
instructed my cousins to take care of me. The best part was that he use
to give me money. I knew that he didn't have much money that time. Still, he knew
that I need money. I clearly remember the first time he handed me Rs. 100 bill
in my hand. We were sitting on the temple stairs in my grandparents house. I
refused to take it. I told my parents won't like it. I won't be able to give
you back. He said that I am sowing a money plant. I am confident that it is
going to become a big tree. I will get
it back that time. I have my eyes filled with tears, whenever I remember this
incident. I can write so many incidences about him. He was truly my guru. He taught
me so many things. I give full credit of goodness and passion which I learned
from him.
His life journey was adventurous. I am not fully aware of his journey. I always
got time to spend with him during summers. So I can write a short version of
his biography. He was funny, jolly, witty and smart person. He belonged to
a wealthy Brahmin family. My
grandfather was a strict orthodox. Prasad Mama was forced to join diploma
in Mechanical Engineering during 1960's. He was passionate about the arts and
drama. He had many friends and was popular amongst his friend circle for his
helping nature. He may have lent money
to so many people even without expecting it in return. He acted in a few plays. He married to a
Non-Brahmin women. During those times,
this was the difficult because the
person would be outcast from his family. He dared to marry my Mami against my
grandfather's wish. He was outcast for a
few years.
You have to
get a degree and join a job. This is a traditional unspoken rule in India.
So he joined Bachelor of Arts and then he did B.Ed. He joined as a Math
teacher in my grand parents' school. He was really good in maths. He spent a
few years teaching maths. He was not satisfied with it. He felt that students
were not hardworking. They always used short cuts. He took voluntary
retirement. He did farming for a few months with some of his friends.
Then he started a new journey, he thought that Tamasha, which
is the Maharashtrian traditional art. He always admired it. He opened a
Tamasha theatre in Solapur. This endeavor was not a great success. Being
a Brahmin guy to have guts
to open a theatre when nobody is supporting you. Its called as passion to
achieve your dream.
Most amazing part of this journey is in the second part of
his life. My grandfather was an Agnihotri. Agnihotri literally
translates to "one who carries out fire
rituals."Agnihotri should be a Brahmin, but he may be a celibate or a
householder. If a householder becomes a widow or a widower, she/he cannot perform
as Agnihotri. The Agnihotri has to conduct worship as an ideal
householder. He cannot beg for his own livelihood. In fact, the last Aahuti of
the Agnihotri is the sacrifice of his own body - (source wiki).
Someone from the family has to continue
this tradition. He became Agnihotri after my grandfather passed away. It's a
very hard thing. You have to follow so many rituals, rules and regulations.
I remember my interaction with him. I asked him why he became
Agnihotri. He said that there are few things you cannot understand. Throughout
my life, I did not do anything what my father liked or wanted me to do it. Something
inside me asked to do it.
Prasad Mama passed away due to cancer
few years back. It was the saddest day of my life. How much I was connected to
him and what he mean to me. I could not write in words. I remember my last meeting with him in Pune.
He no more looked like Prasad Mama. Due to chemotherapy he had lost weight and
he was looking different. I wrote a
letter included money for his treatment. Luckily I just joined a job that time.
I did not have much money. I wrote him
that your money tree has grown now. It's just for you.
This is
my tribute to my beloved Guru Prasad Mama. Your teachings are always with me.
