He, is the man......!!!

Guys, roll back the years and try and remember did you ever think that your dad/father / baapu /papa was the strongest, smartest guy ever, certainly more than your best friend's dad? I am not going to get into those childish pointless and immature squabbles now, I am going to say, yeah he was, still is!!! Period. 

From a height just above his knee , I happened to look up to  the guy for more reasons than to just observe his next expression ,mannerism or just the next thing he did, all of which I could so easily follow , inculcate and call my own. 

Hearing stories from his childhood , made me feel this guy could and can do anything and that I need to pull my socks up , doing a few things of the sort myself , so I could hold my own in the company of men , his friends , super men in their own rights and views of their kids. When asked by the guy about what needs to be done about getting the Television antennae sorted, I suddenly felt a foot taller getting to 4, by that measure, felt good, made me wanting to get taller, a lot taller. I also remember being really disappointed, while watching a cricket match on the Tele, being stunned by a fast bowler making the ball swing, naturally I turned to the man himself and asked him, “how did he do that?”, to which the guy said “I don’t know”, ‘what ‘He’ doesn’t know!/?’…..’naw he is just busy and probably has more meaningful things to do than to answer my stupid query’, was my defence of the man which was not just necessary at the time, it was mandatory.

 

 That incident did not leave me in peace, till later when I became aware of that over bearing question, ‘is it possible that he might not be able to do it?’ which was lingering somewhere in the background was now very much in the forefront. This made me conscious of the fact that he is human, there could be a few , very few things that he might not be able to do, it is here that the over rated process ‘growing up,’ started.  

I realised then that I need to do a few things by myself, firstly think on my own and find answers for all those questions. Yet the hero but he could mistakes , which made making mistakes so much more easier, if he could slip, fall and look silly, there was no shame in that, with that confidence I gave a new meaning to looking silly but I did what I did confidently with a lot more fun in it, it could have been worse. Question: did he do that on purpose?and for my benefit?.

Today, I have kids and a lot more greys(not cells just hair) than he did when he had me to contend with , today he wants my advice on almost everything , having said that ,I know, come to  taking decisions the real important ones, he still is the man , I needn’t worry . I am a couple of inches taller than  ‘Papa’, you will be surprised how often I still find myself looking up to him………again ‘Just Thoughts’

 

 

Unexplainable exclamations!!!

Hi People , Marathi being my mother tongue , I have on numerous occasions found explaining a few words and  phrases which I think are unique to this language , extremely tough to explain as in the meaning or even the contexts that they are used in. To Explain these to  my not so Marathi Indian friends or ones that belong to other nationalities , is equally difficult.

I am , however going to try again , today and now or forever let it go, deemed impossible.
The first  word that comes to mind, as it is very frequently used to describe or refer to yours truly is ' Khadoos 'or' Khadus', I am now surely out of my depth as it is kind of difficult to even spell right , well either one is good from now on, returning to the word itself  'Khadus': (not wanting to mention the long blank that I have just experienced it has been edited) 'uncompromising' is what comes to mind primarily , not necessarily in a negative way , in sports especially in cricket used to describe 'doggedness' ,' stubborness' in not accepting defeat , not necessarily the meaning meant for me , I think the first one is the most suitable definition for a ' Khadus' being thrown in my direction.

Having given 'Khadus' my best shot , I am trying another , now this could be disastrous , however , here it is ' Aatlya Gathicha' : literally speaking...it  means one who has knot in him or her / stomach or where ever inside actually  is , not visible from the outside . One who keeps his/her cards close to his/her chest at all times, manipulative in a sly way ,  let me finish by saying , 'Cunning'.

'Shistha' another one often used for this writer by close friends that too, this to me is one which has confused me right since I first encountered it. This one means a person who is always on the high horse , keeps aloof because of a certain superiority complex or a snob or all of these put together and a bit more , as far as I am concerned and if this justification is of any help, whenever I have been quiet in a discussion and that hasn't happened often at all, as my friends will vouch for , that could be due to absolute lack of knowledge about the topic at hand and there are a few such topics.

I have a few more like 'Chaila', 'Baghitlas' or 'Chengat'  but I don't have the strength of mind to put my already weakened senses through the rigours of explaining these words(a few more can be very easily added to this already enchanting list ), which cannot be defined in one or many words put together , I think these words need the strong essence of a Marathi tone to be used in a definitive way and most importantly, to get the message across.

 I now am, ending my quest to find definitions, the right ones, for these wonderful words with the thought that these are in a much better place when not being explained but experienced, not being read in a dictionary but heard everywhere else , not one for the linguist or purist , whatever they are known as but them agreeing to the fact that the language of their authority would be so much more inexplicable without the use of these words or should I just say poorer , I should just let them be ,what they are.....'Just thoughts'

    

The 65th year and counting....

As we approach our 65th year of independence, I personally cant be more proud of a nation that has achieved so much and loses so little to its counterparts , sure we have our short comings and loads of problems much more than we all would like to care , sure still its a country that has its place on the world map and competing with super nations if you will. Being a nation of mostly tolerant people , by tolerant I mean in acceptance of all nationalities , religions , cultures and languages and I can assure you there are many. Considering this  prevalent trait in majority of the individuals , ambition however is not lost here , we , besides our economic issues, have managed to become powers in space programmes, nuclear power, medicine ,tourism not to mention a few world cups and championships in the world sport, all this being one of the youngest countries at 65 years. Our history does go further than that figure quite a bit more , to some time in the BCs .

Having put this note on a forum which would be read by my friends and well wishers , I am not sure what you have liked in this writer to have been associated as either a friend or well wisher but whatever it is, it has surely come out of living almost breathing the colourful exuberance and existence that we call and love, INDIA ......let me wish all those who would be reading this a very happy Independence Day, 65 years and counting , with many more magical and exciting moments, to come and as the law suggests a few not so but, hell of a lot to look forward to.......
 as a famous person has always said .....'Just Thoughts'.....