History of the Tambe family Part 4 (cont.)

 

Chapter 4 

Ahmednagar

We arrived in Nagar in the summer of 1952. Nagar was the biggest city we had stayed in so far. The population in 1952 was already above 100000.

We found a place to stay in Shahane Wada in Court Galli. The owner stayed in the front portion of the building on the first floor. There was a courtyard, and around this were 4 houses at the lower level and two more at a slightly higher level. We occupied one of the raised houses. Plus, above our houses was the first floor and another large house was built. Our neighbours were the Dhakephalkar family. They had 4 sons, the youngest being around my age. The owner Shahane, had three daughters, the youngest being around my age. Other families I remember were the Chandorkar family, with many children, and the Pandit family, who were distant relatives of ours and lived in the house above ours.

There were two very large high schools and an American Mission college. The biggest high school was called AES High School, or, in short, Society High School. I enrolled in their affiliate, Nutan Marathi School, which offered primary classes. I joined the 5th standard. They did not have their own premises then and held classes in a large house, the Patwardhan Wada, which was just a few houses away from Shahane Wada. That made it very easy for me, as I could come home for lunch.

Life was good: morning school and early release from school. Then, the games in the vacant court compound opposite our house. Cricket was too expensive, so we settled on Viti Dandu, Lagori, and a bit of Kabaddi. We also collected matchbox covers and sometimes cigarette packet covers. Depending on the scarcity, these labels had a currency exchange rate. If we were lucky to find a label no one had seen before, we could name our rate.

In the middle of 1953, we shifted house to a locality near Chowpaty Karanja. This was Dharmadhikari Wada. My school was also new, a branch of AES High School for the 7th standard. For me, again, a short walking distance, just outside the gate of the Delhi Darwaza. The school was housed in a picturesque farm with abundant greenery. It also had a huge open well, where selected people were allowed to swim. Our class teacher was Mr Deosthali, who used to smoke incessantly. He was a good teacher, but temperamental. He was particularly incensed by some naughty boys, and he sometimes banged their heads (gently) against the wall. He was probably instrumental in the beginning of my love for the English language. I had never studied English till then. He was on the amateur stage too. His daughter was friends with Tai.

At this time, something big was looming in Tai's life too. In our first year in Nagar, Tai acted in a play. One of her co-actors was a handsome boy from Amalner in Vidarbha. He was studying at the College of Ayurvedic Medicine. His name was Arvind Munje. They started meeting often and fell in love. It was a common sight to see him bicycling to our house in Court Galli. I would often be sitting on the roadside katta with my friends. He would ask '' Is Shrikant home?'. As I nodded awkwardly, my friends would nudge each other and whisper, '' Shrikant means ---.'' Further embarrassment for me.    The courting went on for a couple of years, as both were studying. Finally, Anna -Vaini travelled to the Munje home in Telhara, and the marriage was arranged and would take place in May 1955. The wedding itself became a big event for our family. I remember so many relatives who attended. We had hired the huge Patwardhan Wada (where my first school held classes, remember?) for a full three days. My Munj was also pushed in as a kind of side attraction, two days before the wedding. There were no caterers in those days, and we had instead hired a cook who, with his assistants, cooked all the meals. One of my Mamas, Ramumama, was in charge of the stores for the kitchen. My other Mama, Nanamama, was in charge of the safekeeping of jewellery. My third Mama, Damumama, not being assigned a specific duty, was a roving Manager, who spent a lot of his time entertaining family and guests. It was a memorable event, with a large party from the Munje family visiting. I keep wondering again and again how Anna-Vaini managed all these expenses despite our very limited income. At that time of course, I did not have the bandwidth to worry about the difficult feat.

Soon after the wedding, we changed our house again. Now we came to Garud Wada in Anandi Bazar. The landlord, a Congress leader, stayed on the first floor. There were several houses on the ground floor. We stayed in one of them facing the main road. Here we stayed till the end of our stay in Nagar. The house itself consisted of three rooms in a row, as was the common design those days. Living area, a middle room, kitchen with dining area and a bathroom. Toilets located in a common area were shared between all other families. The kitchen had wood-fired stoves at ground level. We also ate at ground level using wooden flat boards to sit on.

I started school in earnest now. It was my 8th standard, and it was time to enter the main campus. For a boy who had only seen small towns and schools, it was an imposing campus. It was nearing 100 years old as I entered the school. Big grounds, a statue of Senapati Bapat, and many buildings. The 8th standard was where it all started. Believe it or not, we had 10 divisions for the 8th standard alone and a separate building just for the 8th standard. Only two of these were co-ed: A and G divisions. I was listed in G. I was fortunate to get a good class teacher, Mr Katariya, who, as luck would have it, followed us to the 9th standard as well. I believe I received very good basics in the 8th standard, which helped me right through. We had a deceptively strict principal, Mr K K Kshirsagar and three vice principals. Only these four were allowed to use the cane as and when needed. 

I experienced it once when I was late for school. I was taken to the Principal's office. He was all smiles and soft-spoken. ''What happened? Came late, I see. You will not do it again, yes?'' Just as I was congratulating myself on how good an escape this sounded, his next sentence shocked me out of my relief: "Please extend your palm now." His voice was soft as ever; the cane was applied once!

9th standard meant serious entry into Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. Fortunately, I liked all these subjects. (The one I hated was drawing, where I routinely failed!)

There was a building for 9th and 10th standards, a long one along the boundary of the playground. Most teachers were good. It was at this time that Bhau had completed his BA from Sangli/Pune and was working to earn his fees for the MA course. He was employed in our school as a temporary teacher. He did not teach our class, but came as a substitute teacher once or twice, leading to some embarrassment for me. I recall that he corrected my English paper once. I remember writing something like, ' I tried it, and it was dam good!' Bhau wrote in red ink, ' This word is not used in formal English, and if at all used, it is spelt damn'!

Our school's centenary function took place when I was in the 8th standard. It went on for a full 3 days. Three plays were staged. Our school alumni boasted of famous actors, and the plays staged were a great attraction. I remember one of the plays with a historical plot had a horse brought on stage, which caused quite a commotion.

While in 9th standard, our school arranged a tour for my class to Karhad, Kirloskarwadi and Ogalewadi. My highlight of the trip was that, while in Kirloskarwadi, I had been told by Anna to meet Shankar Rao Kirloskar. I went up boldly to his office and gave my name. I can imagine the reactions of the staff there. Here I was a skinny boy, wearing the school uniform and wearing chappals not too clean either. Still, Shankarbhau was very gracious, asked me to sit down and gave me a cup of tea in the ceremonial tea set. Asked me about Anna and asked me to study hard, etc. Little did I know then that I was going to spend my lifetime working for the Kirloskar group!

By the 9th standard, I was always in the first three in the class. There was another called Arvind Chitale, who always beat me to the first spot. Plus my wretched drawing marks!

I also found many friends. My closest were Ram Pimpalkhare and Ashok Pingale. We spent a lot of time together. Right through the school years. We once rode our bicycles on a 100 km return route, just for the heck of it! After college, we gradually lost touch with each other. Recently, however, we have re-established contact through a WhatsApp group.

!956 saw the birth of the first grandchild in the family when Sanjeev was born in Nagar. It was a big event for all of us. I was 14 when he was born and spent a long time with him as a child. Dada had now started practice in Nagar. Tai had got her BA from an external university.

Around 1956, I was introduced to RSS. I was never well built and always rather skinny. So Vaini thought that it might be a good idea if I got involved in some regular physical activity. Opposite our house lived a high RSS functionary. I had never heard of how persuasive and persistent RSS can be from my first day there. If I missed the shakha for even a day, someone would be sent to my house to check if I was well. There were regular evening exercises and games. Plus small lectures/stories for indoctrination in the nation's past glories and glorification of Hindu religion, Songs about Hindu Rashtra and so on. I would have broken away quite early from RSS, had it not been for a remarkable personality, Damuanna Date. He was the district Pracharak. Very different from the stereotype Sangh Pracharak. He was soft-spoken, a thinker and an intellectual. He encouraged questions and discussion, unlike many other RSS officials. It is because of him that I stayed in RSS for about 4 years. As a person, I admired him a lot. He too kept enquiring after me until his final years.

Entering Class 11 was the highlight of my school life. There were five divisions. 11 A held classes in the big central hall. Our Principal was the class teacher. Four other vice principals were class teachers for the other divisions. I naturally assumed that being one of the top rankers, I would be included in 11 A. Imagine my shock when I found myself in 11B. I even went to meet the Principal to get transferred. In his usual soft and persuasive voice, he convinced me that good students needed to be distributed in all divisions, and that was that. I was disappointed for many weeks but had to take this in my stride. It was time to study at my best. I never went for any special classes et al. Except once, organised by one of the vice-principals at his house in the early mornings, to discuss Marathi literature! 

And so came March 1958 and time for our SSC exams. It always started on the second Monday in March. The first paper was always Marathi. We had two papers per day: 11 am to 2 pm and 3 PM to 6 pm. My exam centre was next to our school, in another school. Anna often brought my lunch box during the break, with anxious enquiries about the exam paper. We used fountain pens, carrying spare ink bottles. Anna had lent me his watch specially for the exam. I had chosen an optional 8th subject, Arithmetic. So, Friday came at last, and my exam was over! A tradition was to break the inkwell on the wall outside as a ritual!  End of School life! And long holidays for 3 months!

I did quite a few things during the holidays. Anna was retiring soon, and I took a small summer job keeping accounts with a big trader. The income was small, but it was the satisfaction of doing something positive. I played Bridge with the sons of our ex-neighbours and relearnt the basics. I learnt swimming. We then spent a delightful 2 weeks at Dharwad, with Kaki and others. Always a wonderful time. I was also reading a lot, mostly English books. I started on Agatha Christi and Daphne du Maurier.

 Came May, and the time for the big results. The local newspaper would get the results the previous evening. I myself did not go, but Dada (BiL Arvind) was camped in the newspaper office. He rushed in with the news that I had got 82% marks and was probably on the Board list. I had to prick the balloon and clarify that I had taken 8 subjects, so the % was more like 75. Still great news. I was in the first five at Nagar. A lot of celebration at home.

 The next course was clear: get admission to Ahmednagar College, run by the American Mission. That was quite straightforward, given my grades. Now came the area of buying clothes for me. Till then I was wearing only shorts. So a pair of white pyjamas with full-sleeve shirts was my designated wear. My first pair of trousers was donated by Dada. Only later was one stitched for me. 

A few words about our college. The head of the mission was Dr B P Hivale, who had by then retired from management. He had three daughters. One of the sons-in-law, Robert Barnabus, was our principal. His brother Philip taught us Chemistry. The principal's wife taught there too. Another daughter, Mrs Bhagat, taught English. Quite a family group there.

 As a postscript, I visited the college some 50 years later with Bhau. We were shown into the Principal's office. I must say I was shocked to see a youngster sitting in the chair dressed trendily. He introduced himself as yet another Barnbus, the son of my Principal, Mr R Barnbus! Small world indeed. Bhau topped the conversation by reminding the current Principal that his mother and Bhau were classmates!

The first day in College in June was full of anticipation. I rode my bicycle to college. Large classrooms, rows of desks sloping up. More girls than ever seen in my school. A canteen for the break, which I rarely used as beyond my budget. Large sports facilities. Some very friendly lecturers. I took up playing table tennis here. G N Chandorkar, known as Nana, was the lecturer in Botany, but also a well-known TT player, and was our coach. In my second year, he took note of me and played a few times with me. (Later, in my Pune years, he introduced me at PYC gymkhana to Pappu Haldankar, a past National TT champion.) My first year, then known as PD Sc, went off quickly, in the novelty of my surroundings, different ways of learning and more excitement. Although my skills in written English were considerable for my age, my spoken English was not as polished when I entered college. I had struck up a friendship with two remarkable boys. Both were from an Army background. Ravi Ramachandran and Ravi Gupta, and through them, a striking girl, Gulnar Irani. Talking to them really pushed my English conversation skills a great deal. We studied, apart from the science subjects, English, Marathi and Economics. There was quite a wide range of students, many from the rural areas, for whom Nagar was a big experience. The exams came in due course, and I did well and stood first in our Science division.

One more vacation, but less relaxed this time, as the pressure for the big year and the need to do well was already looming ahead. I spent part of the vacation in Palghar with Damumama, where I really enjoyed staying. Open green area, superb milk and milk products. And of course, playing Bridge daily.

In the meantime, what else was going on in the family? (I might be somewhat off in the years here, and would welcome corrections from Sanjeev and Shirish.)

 Bhau completed his MA in 1959 and got his first job at the RPD College, Belgav.  This too was a big event in the family, as I am sure Anna and Vaini were eagerly waiting for this day. He later changed to the Agriculture College at Parbhani. And even later, to Shivaji College, Parbhani. Talking of Bhau, he always had to face the toughest conditions, both while studying in Dharwad in his childhood, sangli and Pune for his college. Psychologically tough in Dharwad and Sangli, and food problems in Parbhani. When I think of the smooth passage I had in comparison, I feel quite bad about how much Bhau had to suffer. In Nagar, Anna retired in 1958. His work at the last posting in Nagar was, as always, hard. He toured a lot, sometimes for as long as 15 days in a month. Transport was by bus, bullock cart, sometimes on foot. Food was just basic. He also suffered from a cough, and this became worse due to travelling. He now needed rest. Still, the family needed support, so he took a job at another bank in Nagar. At least there was no travelling. Most importantly, there were no transfers, and we got an uninterrupted stay of 8 years (12 years for Anna and Vaini) in Nagar, which helped us all get a settled education and a meaningful stay. Vaini settled down too in her social life here. She got involved in the institutions run by Janakibai Apte. She was busy in the Mata Balak Mandir. Surprisingly, she got involved in Politics as well. She volunteered during the election campaign of Rambhau Mhalgi. She developed a big circle of friends. Tai completed her MA from Pune University. She had to stay in Pune for a year, a very difficult decision. Sanjeev was just 3 then. She tried to travel on weekends, but it was all tough. Finally, she got her MA, a landmark and a happy event for all. Due to Bhau's connections, she got a job offer at the Agriculture College, Parbhani. So the Munjes shifted base from Nagar to Parbhani in 1960. Another major decision for them.

Back to my college in 2nd year in 1959. That was called Pre-professional (Engg.) We had to make this choice after the results of the first year. I was nudged by my Chemistry professor about why not choose Medicine. The fact is that my mind (without much reason or logic) was made up to choose Engineering. In subsequent years, with more thought, I was convinced that I had made the correct decision. So we concentrated on Maths, Physics, and Economics. I adapted well to the studies. There was not much time to play now. Still, I managed to squeeze in a few TT games. There was a social gathering, and it felt good to accept the prize for standing first in P D Sc. I also joined NCC, more for the 10 additional marks that would be added to my total, I must confess. NCC gave me two nice memories. First, when we were taken to the firing range and given an old bolt-action rifle to shoot. I don't remember if I even hit the board. The gun kicked like a mule, and my shoulder ached for the whole week. The second memory was our lovely campsite near the Ajanta Caves, where the camp was held. I also remember that I smoked my first cigarette as we were travelling to the camp. So the year was coming to an end, and so was my stay in Nagar, and the end of the shelter provided by Anna Vaini. I did reasonably well in the exam, expecting about 60 %, which was sufficient to get admission into Engineering colleges those days. So, the exam was over, and a new life was about to start. In all probability, I would be saying goodbye to most of my friends. Holidays featured another stay with Damumama. More Bridge, more TT, some cricket, lots of reading.

Came May, and out came the results. I had secured 60%, just about. Still, that was 2nd in my stream in our college. The next step was applying for the common admission list for all Government Engineering colleges in Maharashtra. The list came out, and I was in for a big disappointment. Although Pune college accepted me, it was in the Telecommunication stream. Walchand College, Sangli accepted me, but for the Civil Engineering stream. I had not heard much about Telecom and did not have much advice about the choices. So I went to Sangli and got admitted as a backup in the Civil stream. I came back to Pune and made enquiries and was told that, as the first year was common to all three streams, there was a possibility that I would be transferred to Electrical in the 2nd year. I grabbed at that straw and got admitted to Telecom in the College of Engineering, Pune. This is the place I always wanted to go.

I had very few days to prepare and pack. I had fixed on renting a room near the college in Ranganekar Bungalow, close to our Hostel. This was the first time I would be leaving home to be on my own. I was not even 18 yet. On the one hand, I was bubbling with excitement about the new college, new city, new life. On the other hand, I was feeling really low that I would be leaving my family behind. The only solace was that the distance between Pune and Nagar was just about 125 km, so it was possible to visit home often. While musing about our stay in Nagar, I thought that we gained so much here: good education, good friends, a good social life. I was surely going to miss Nagar a lot.

So in the second week of June 1960, I left Nagar to start my new life in Pune. My Nagar chapter was ending, and the new Pune chapter was starting. More about my Pune life will appear elsewhere.

History of Tambe family- Part 4.

 Anna-Vaini Pariwar

Chapter 1

 The story starts with my father, Ranganath (We all called him Anna).

He was born in the year 1900 in the village of  Kalaghatgi, then in the Bombay province, but now in Karnataka.  My grandfather had some farm land in Kalaghatagi. Ranganath was sent to Dharwad for schooling, and I suppose he stayed with his maternal aunt, who was married to Vamanrao Jathar, a lawyer in Dharwad. Their son Raghunath (We called him Bhau) was a year or two younger than Anna, so I suppose they became friends. Anna went to Basil Mission High School in Dharwad. I have seen that school building built of stone so many times, and the school is still very well-known. The Jathar family was well established in Dharwad. They owned some properties in the Dharwad area, including the well-known Laxmi Theatre in the Malmaddi area.

( In a coincidence, not very uncommon in those days, much later in life, my maternal aunt Ambu married Raghunath (Bhau) Jathar. So, she could be called my Mavashi as well as Kaku.)

Anna, I believe, did some years of schooling in Dharwad and then in Sangli, where he passed his Matriculation. He attended college (Willingdon College?) for a couple of years, passing the Intermediate Exam before quitting his education and starting work. I do not have many details about where he worked in his initial days. I do know that he worked in the Satara District Co-operative Bank and other banks in the region.

In the meantime,  my mother, Mainakka, born to Raghunathrao Alawani in 1911, was growing up in the coastal town of Karwar, in the then Bombay Province, but now in Karnataka. She was the third sibling out of six, with two older brothers. Two younger sisters and the youngest brother followed later.

 Raghuanthrao Alawani was an educationalist. A graduate of Fergusson College at the turn of the century, it was a rarity at that time for a middle-class family. He taught for some years and then became a Government administrator of Education in that region. Mainakka had a rare hunger for knowledge and education, and in an era when girls were married off early without any schooling, she insisted on and studied till completing the 7th standard. Her father supported her resolve, and her elder brothers (Ramachandra and Narayan) too encouraged her and helped her in her studies. There were no schools for girls exclusively, so she often had to be the only girl in a class full of boys.

In those days, it was almost mandatory that marriages took place, not only in the same religion, same caste, but even in the same sub-caste. In due course, a groom from a Karhade Brahmin family was located from Sangli and in 1924, at the age of 13, she was married to Ranganath Tambe. 

She now became Kamala Tambe.

Thus began the story of my parents, Anna and Vaini!

Chapter 2

I do not have many details about the places where they lived after marriage. Anna worked in banks in different small towns in the belt between Satara and Karhad. He worked for the Satara District Co-op Bank. The places mentioned, which I remember were Rahimatpur, Shenoli and one or two more small towns. Life must have been tough. Vaini must have been a great organiser, I imagine, even at that young age. They had made some friends. She used to mention the name Velajibhai, a travelling salesman, who used to visit often and had become a long-term friend.

Their life, I believe, definitely took a significant turn when Anna was assigned to the newly opened branch of the bank in the growing industrial town of Kirloskarwadi in the same area. Laxmanrao Kirloskar had started the first factory here, and the township, which still consisted of makeshift houses, was still settling down when Anna-Vaini moved here. What was different was the entire social structure established by the Kirloskars. Laxmanrao himself had modern thoughts and believed in providing an outlet for feminine thoughts. They had a club called Deval Club, where women were encouraged to attend along with men and speak at functions. This was something which I am sure Anna Vaini had not seen anywhere else. For that matter, it was revolutionary in Maharashtra. It is this culture Vaini revelled in, and which I believe contributed a lot to her development of character in the long term. Shankarrao Kirloskar had already started the Kirloskar magazine, and Stree magazine was added to the list. These two publications were the staple for all young people, feeding modern thoughts. Anna Vaini spent 3-4 years in Kirloskarwadi in such an energising atmosphere.

(Incidentally, this early connection of Anna Vaini with the Kirloskars, and their grace to remember it after all those years, much later gave me the vital introduction and entry into the Kirloskar group.)

Anna then shifted to a bank in the nearby princely state of Aundh. Here was another model place for modern thought. The ruler Balashaeb Pant Pratinidhi and his son Appasaheb Pant were the pillars of modern thought and introduced many new systems. Aundh was considered a model state.  Once again, Anna Vaini must have really enjoyed their stay here. They liked the place so much that they bought a piece of land and built a house there. Their first-and the only one. Vaini used to describe how they had designed so many details inside the house. They must have really loved that house. Tai and Bhau were born while they were in Aundh. Aundh was a picturesque town, and Tai used to talk of the temple on the hill. Vaini used to talk about the museum that housed so many rare paintings. Anna Vaini had a very strong emotional connect with Aundh.

After such a wonderful stay in Aundh, I am not very clear about and was never told by them, as to why they left Aundh. But leave they did, in around 1940/41.

The next destination was another princely state of Mudhol, and Anna worked in a bank there. I was born in Mudhol. (There was a sister elder to me, Kunda,  who unfortunately died in her infancy.)

We spent 6-7 years in Mudhol until Independence in 1947. I do not have too many memories of Mudhol. I remember that we stayed in the house belonging to the Bhide family. (Much later, I renewed contact with Gopal Bhide, who was studying Ayurvedic medicine in Nagar, where we were staying in the 1950s.) Tai and Bhau went to school here. The rulers were not Maharashtrians, but from Rajasthan, I think. I heard the story of a wedding in their family, held in Rajasthan, to which Anna was invited. At that wedding, each person was given a silver dinner thali, a large piece that stayed with us for a long time. The only memory I have is that a school bully, ironically, the son of the head of the police in the town, pushed me once from a culvert onto a dry sand bed below, a fall of some 10 feet. Luckily, I broke no bones and only had an assortment of scratches.  Bhau and Tai both were sent to Dharwad as there were no good schools in Mudhol. They stayed with Ambumavashi. They were very young and must have had a very difficult time staying away from their parents at such a young age. 

Belgav

The country became independent in 1947, and so Anna's job changed again. Now he started working for the Cooperative Societies Department of Bombay state. His first posting was Belgav. Bhau and Tai were now back with the family. We stayed in Belgav for 3 years,  and I do not have too many memories of Belgav. Our house was close to that of a Judge, Mr Dalvi, and Tai was friends with their daughters.         I started school in Belgav. Well, 'started' is a misnomer, because I never stayed in school and ran back home almost every day. Vaini got frustrated with me and in desperation, called for the help of a neighbourhood tough guy to discipline me, and left the rest to him. His method was to hold me by my legs and dangle me upside down in a very deep water well in the house and threaten to drop me there, unless I agreed to stay in school all day. I was terrified and just about managed to mutter yes. That made me stay there for a few months, just enough for me to appear for my annual exam of the 2nd standard. My attendance in school must have been less than 50 %, but I apparently knew enough to pass the annual exam.

The year was 1949, and Anna's transfer order came. It was to be Ratnagiri in Konkan, back to the roots for Anna, as it were.

Chapter 3 -Konkan

Ratnagiri

Although I used the words 'Back to the roots' for Anna, ironically, he could not visit our family village of Khedkuli (at the time, we all thought it was Nivsar, a nearby bigger town nearby), during our stay at Ratnagiri. The travel was difficult, involving crossing the river on a footbridge often submerged in water.

My memories of Ratnagiri are quite hazy. I remember our tiled roof house in one of those well-known lanes of Ratnagiri named as 'aaLi', We had a fair-sized yard in front of the house with Coconut trees and jackfruit trees in the corner. Snakes abounded, we were told, though we hardly saw any. Neighbouring children told stories of snakes, how they climb up your legs quickly and bite. Or of ghosts who lived in the trees. We had scorpions, too. In those days, we had wood-fired stoves. Ash had to be cleaned first thing in the morning before the startup. Too late, we realised that the warm ash was a favourite resting place for scorpions. Vaini had a painful bite once. She also suffered a mysterious attack with profuse sweating and breathlessness. Finally, we had to call a herbal medicine man, who gave his opinion that it was her reaction to a large snake, Dhaman, passing on top of the roof.

I also finally found a school that I liked. Nice squat building with an open ground with flower beds.I remember that an imaginative teacher installed a cabinet to run the class for one day. I was chosen  Prime Minister! I remember a chirpy pigtailed girl in a pinafore dress in our cabinet.

Outside the home, I remembered the Bhagawati temple on the hills, the view of the sea from the hill, and the King Theba palace nearby. It was the first time I saw the sea and I remember my astonishment at seeing such a huge water body. I remember watching ships at sea, boats at the jetty, smell of fish.

For Tai, this was a major year as she passed Matriculation and started speculating about colleges. Bhau was just a couple of years younger. I was blissfully ignorant about the stress they carried.

A year passed, and as expected and dreaded, Anna's transfer arrived.

We were to move to Pen, the neighbouring district.

Pen 

I have even fewer memories of Pen than Ratnagiri. Pen was not on the coast and was much less scenic. We lived in a small but nice house owned by a gentleman Bhau Deo. He used to play harmonium and sing a bit. We had a well in the yard from which we drew water. (( Many years later, Tai, Bhau and I visited this house in Pen. A grandson of Bhau Deo showed us around. Tai remembered a great deal of our Pen stay. Bhau visited his old school from where he passed his SSC exam.)

I only remember a night when Shakutai had her Mangala Gour in our house in Pen. Many women in the neighbourhood were invited. There was singing and some traditional dances. I could not sleep upstairs and came out sleepily and sat on the staircase watching that function.

Tai was now studying from home for the Nagpur University external course BA. As for me, I do not remember anything from my school.

Another year passed, and Anna's transfer came out. Our next home was to be in Alibag, another district in Konkan. The year was 1951.

Alibag

I remember many things about Alibag. Our house was owned by the Joshi family. The locality was nice, not far from the seafront. Joshis stayed in half of the ground floor, and we stayed in the other half. At the back was open ground with coconut trees and an open area. I did a bit of gardening here and grew tomatoes. I had a scary memory of this house. The Joshi family had a son who had a mental illness, and sometimes he could turn violent. He was hence restrained in the corner veranda. In normal times, he appeared harmless. When under attack, he screamed and was restrained in a chair. Unfortunately, our path to the back garden led close to the veranda where he sat. I literally prayed and took quick steps to reach the garden.

We went to the sea often. There was a sea fort at Alibag. This could be approached by walking only during the low tide. We had to watch out for the change of tide, as there were cases of people stranded in the fort for the night during high tide, which lasted several hours.

I saw Holi being celebrated for the first time. For the main Holika Dahan, we needed fuel. Wood items were collected, often stolen. All was forgiven on Holi day. They distributed salted boiled beans (Pavate) with pieces of fresh coconut. I still remember how good that tasted.

The young local group met in a nearby temple and sang bhajans. I had gone there with Vaini once, and at that time, one of the Bhajan group asked me to join them in singing. They liked my voice and asked me to come again. I remember singing ''Jhala Mahar Pandarinath.

While in Alibag, we had a major health issue in the family. Vaini was found to have developed a tumour (later found to be benign) in her stomach. At that time, there were no suitable medical facilities in Alibag. We had to go to Mumbai. We went by boat to Mumbai (There were no direct roads to Mumbai, and ferries were involved). We went by bus to Revas and took the ship to Mumbai. My first sea journey. WE stayed with my elder cousin Ambutai in Dadar, in a small dwelling in a chawl. I am not sure how we managed to cram in all. The surgery was successful, and a large tumour was removed. We returned by ship again.

The year was ending, and in came Anna's transfer order. He was to be posted in Ahmednagar. We were leaving Konkan and would be in the heart of Maharashtra.

Our life in Ahemdnagar from 1952 to 1960 (for me), and till 1965 (for Anna Vaini), formed a very significant part for each one of us. So, Ahmednagar will be a separate blog post.

My early years in Bangalore-Part 2.

 

We pick up the narrative around the middle of 1966.

First, a significant change occurred at my workplace. V Subramaniam, our section head, left the Company. Then, I believe it was around early 1967 that Ashok Nagarkatti joined us from BHEL. He had worked in GEC UK. He brought a breath of fresh air to KEC. He was always well-dressed, wearing a tie to work. He started calling us by our first names and insisted we call him Ashok. He came with no baggage, so he had no prejudices about language, etc. He was clear in his mind about the goals for our department and how to plan to achieve them. For the first time, I started liking the work I was doing. Ashok initiated the big project of developing an entirely new series of large motors, which we named the K series. This was to replace the old T series, which used the old designs that we had received from Brush Electrical of the UK in the 1950s. Knowing my aptitude, I was given the task of the mechanical side of the designs, while my colleague looked after the subject of the insulation system of high voltage coils.

As the product started taking shape, there were many exchanges of views, and there were numerous discussions around the drawing board where I was constructing the general arrangement drawing. The Chief Engineer was invited, and I remember even Mr Kirloskar came a couple of times. Finally, we were all satisfied with the shape and functionality of this machine, which was to be the model for the entire series of large motors. The next stage was making component drawings, and I detailed this to the other draftsmen working with me. Work started moving briskly. Then came the ordering of components. Most of these were steel fabrications. I had to visit the vendors to explain and inspect when the components were ready. In parallel, a new facility for making high-voltage coils was being organised. Finally, all components arrived, and it was time to assemble our first motor. Like all large equipment, this motor was made against a customer's specifications. (It so happened that the order was for a frame larger than the smallest, K 450, so we started with that size.) It was a big moment when the motor was taken to the test bed and started for the first time. We had invited the customer too for the testing. Everything went off well, the motor was sent to the customer, and it worked well at the site.

This then was the story of the first machine in our K series motors. I was very happy to be a part of the exercise.

Then the new orders started coming, and more varieties and sizes were manufactured over the next 2 years. I travelled for the commissioning of some of these motors at customers' sites. Some sites were in remote areas like coal mines, steel plants, and I gathered varied experience during these travels.

In the meantime, another opportunity came my way, rather unexpectedly. We used to supply vertical motors to drive deep-well pumps. These motors sat at ground level, and a long shaft connected the motor to the pump located several metres below the ground level, typically, 80-150 metres. The present setup was obviously an expensive system. Hence, submersible motors were considered, which, together with the pump, will be installed at the bottom of the well. This was a totally new concept. Not many people were making such motors. We took up the project with the help of the pump manufacturers Johnson Pumps, in Calcutta.  An imported motor, manufactured by US Motors, was available for study in a workshop in TN, We were not supposed to take it out, though. I was asked to go and study the motor and make sketches, and generally advise if the project is feasible. I spent two days at that workshop, took out as many components as possible, and made sketches. On my return, I made a detailed report about the market possibilities, as well as the feasibility of manufacturing this motor.

My writing skills had obviously improved. My report first went to the Chief Engineer, who sent it to Mr Ravi Kirloskar, who in turn sent it to Mr N.W. Gurjar, our Chairman.

On the report, Mr Kirloskar, in his trademark green ink, had remarked, ''Good report!'' That really made my day. To be noticed by the top echelon at that young age was really morale-boosting. 

The project was approved, and we decided to manufacture the first batch of three motors as prototypes. I was just given one draughtsman as an assistant, and I got down to work. All the components were unconventional, so we needed a great deal of searching to locate vendors. I travelled to their places, explained our needs. Finally, all was in place, and the manufacturing started. I had to spend a lot of time on the shop floor. Finally, the motor with its unusual cylindrical shape was put to the test with water inside. There was a great deal of curiosity, and a crowd had gathered to witness the testing. I muttered a quiet prayer when power was connected. It started purring smoothly! My project was successful!

In due course, I took this motor to Calcutta to the factory of Johnson Pumps for testing with their pump.  All this was new territory for me. The people at Johnson were very nice and friendly, and we completed the test successfully. The GM of the company, I think the name was Ramachandran, invited me to dinner at his house. I had not seen such luxurious houses before, and I was duly impressed, though a bit overwhelmed.

In parallel, I was getting more active in the Maharashtra Mandal as well. I was elected the secretary of the Mandal. This meant not only attending regular meetings but also arranging various programs. Our President in my first year was Mrs Indutai Kirloskar and then Mrs Sulutai Marathe. I also entered stage activities, much to my own surprise. At that time, the Mandal staged one main drama during Ganeshotsava, a full three-act show that was usually performed at Ravindra Kalakshetra. The towering figure of Appasaheb Deshpande was our director. I attended the practices in 1965, which were staged in the Mandal hall, but did not take an active part. In 1966, I was offered a small part but after a few sessions, the director found me not suitable, so I was eased out gently.

However, there was a surprise in store for me. Another smaller group called Anand Mandal in Malleswaram also organised their own Ganeshtsava. Their director, a lady, Mrs Deshpande, asked me to act in a humerous one act play portraying the character Bandu, created by my favourite author Gangadhar Gadgil. So, finally, I appeared on the Seva Sadan stage in Malleswaram playing Bandu in front of a small but appreciative audience. This was a slapstick comedy, and I discovered that I had a fair sense of comedy. 

Another play happened soon. My friend Jawadekar planned a one-act play by Padmakar Davare, ''Badam Rani Choukat Gulam". He wanted me to play the lead role of 'Manohar' or 'Manya'. A good-looking girl in Malleswaram, I forgot her name, but something Navare, was playing my love interest. It was a great cast, with my friend Prakash Ankalikar playing my uncle, and Kaka Akolkar playing the state ruler, the girl's father. The practice sessions took place in the girl's house, which was at the corner of 8th Cross and 11th Main Road. After dinner and till about 10 or so. Very convenient since within walking distance for all. After about a dozen sessions, we were ready, and the play was staged on the Maharashtra Mandal stage in front of a packed house. I was quite nervous in the beginning. but when the audience responded to the first joke, the nerves disappeared, and we were all in full flow. The play was a great success and I got many praises. All credit to Jawadekar.

In 1967, I was finally given a role in the main play. This was playing a public prosecutor in the play based on the famous real-life sensation of the Nanavati murder case. The name of the play, ''Aparadh meech kela''. I enjoyed our practice sessions, which took place close to my house, at Kaka Akolkar's house on the 13th cross. They started after dinner and often continued till late at night.  Again, a formidable cast was assembled. Rajabhau and Sulutai Marathe, already with a big reputation, young Jawadekar, Kaka Akolkar and me. The storyline was strong and had plenty of scope for histrionics. My role was small, but what I enjoyed most were our practice sessions. They were lively, often full of humour, but for me, very educational. I saw Appasaheb Deshpande's directorial skills at close quarters. He was essentially old school, trained under the famous director K Narayan Kale. He gave great weightage to the correct delivery of the dialogues, somewhat less on other aspects of stage craft like movements, or the stage setup, lighting, music arrangement, etc. He was a tough task master, sometimes making actors repeat the dialogue multiple times.  I was asked to adapt smoking a pipe as an accessory for the public prosecutor. This took some doing, as the pipe had the habit of going out so often. I enjoyed holding it in my hand though.

 The 6 weeks or so passed swiftly, and we finally arrived at the famous Ravindra Kalakshetra auditorium on a Sunday morning. For me, it would be my first appearance there. As always, the show was fully booked. We were going under the makeup and other final preparations. Finally, it was on. The play progressed very well, and the responses from the audience were very encouraging. I appeared in the final act of the courtroom trial, clad in the lawyer's black jacket and made my impassioned speech as to why the accused must get the death sentence. The play was very well received by our Bangalore crowd.

While all this was going on, I had turned 25, and there was talk about my getting married. Suggestions started coming in. I visited a house in Pune during one of my official visits to meet a prospective bride. There was nothing special in that visit; it was just one of those experiences, that's all.

There was just one more girl I met after that, and she was Vijaya Dixit

More about that in the next chapter!

History of Tambe family -Part 3

 

Tambe Family- 3

Third generation

 

I will talk now about my generation of the family.

’My generation’ will be a bit of a misnomer though. The age difference between my eldest uncle and the youngest was so large, that my cousins not only were much older than me but in some cases even older than my mother! Many of my nephews and nieces were older than me!

Here is a list of my cousins:

 

Martand Kaka’s children

 

* Champutai (Desai)

* Namutai (Dhamankar)

* Dwarakatai (Laghate)

* Ambutai (Desai)

* Anutai (Sabnis)

 

Mukund Kaka’s children

 

* Shridhar (Shidu dada)

* Madhukar (Madhu dada)

* Shakuntala (Shakutai)

* Keshav (Keshav dada)

* Govind (Govind dada)

 

Dhakate Kaka’s children

 

* Indumati (Indutai Kirane)

* Prabha (Prabhatai Dewaskar)

* Kusum ( Kusumtai Namjoshi)

* Aravind

* Nandita (Bakre)

 

Note: Vishnu Kaka died childless, and Nanu kaka never married.

 

It is interesting to note that the age difference between the oldest cousin Champutai and the youngest Nandita is around 40 years!

 

Martand Kaka’s children

 

 Champutai was my eldest cousin, married to Sadashivrao Desai, who worked in Kirloskarwadi. He was an artist, I was told. Their son Bhaskar, older than me, worked with Kirloskar Brothers, first in Kirloskarwadi and then in Pune. So we met quite often, being in the same group. We also travelled together once or twice outside India. Champutai did not speak much, but was a calming presence. Her end came mysteriously and tragically. One day, she just disappeared from the house and despite all efforts was never found. No one is sure whether it was memory loss or any other health issue. Very sad.

 

The younger sister, Namutai, was married to Mr Dhavale, who passed away early. They had three children. In an unusual event in that period, she married again to Mr Dhamankar, a well-known jeweller in Akola. I visited their big house, and I remember him well. Namutai was jovial and laughed a lot. She attended all family weddings.

 

The next cousin, Dwarakatai, I never met, unfortunately, or if I did, I was too young to remember. I met her son, Pandurang, a couple of times.

 

Ambutai was married to Dada Desai and lived in Dadar, Mumbai. They had a small apartment in a big building on Ranade Road. I remember visiting them often. Around 1950, Vaini had a major surgery to remove a tumour from her stomach in Mumbai. At that time, I remember Ambutai’s family was a big help. We often used a ship journey to reach Mumbai from Konkan. That was some fun. I distinctly remember the area around Ranade Road in those days. Ambutai and Dada travelled a lot, and they also used to visit us regularly. I remember Dada wearing Khaki shorts, canvas shoes, with long stockings while travelling. He used to work for the Railways, I think.

They had three sons. I always used to wonder how they managed to live all of them in that small apartment. I was not yet familiar with the problems of Mumbai, and the creative solutions they found for space were unusual.

 

Now, my cousin Anutai, I have never met her husband, Mr Sabnis. She visited us regularly, and sometimes her sons Jayant and Mandar too. She was a nurse by profession. She lived for a time in Sangli and then in Satara. I met her there about 10 years ago, months before she passed away. She was full of knowledge and stories about early family history. It was always fascinating to listen to her.

  Mukund Kaka’s children in Sangli

 

I probably had more contact with them because they stayed in or around Sangli. In fact, Shrikantbhau had the maximum contact with them as he spent two years in Sangli while studying in Willingdon College.

 

The eldest, Shridhar, Shidu dada, was probably the most handsome among the cousins. His wife was charming too. He worked in the Postal Department and used to get transferred. I remember visiting him in Madhavnagar. He attended many family functions and was kind and loving.

The last time I met him was when I was deputed to leave for Malaysia and was spending some days in Kirloskarwadi in 1971 as part of familiarisation.

At that time, his younger brother Madhu Dada was working in Kirloskarwadi too, and so was Bhaskar. So one evening we all gathered at Bhaskar’s house and had a few drinks. I think Govind Dada also came over from Sangli. That was the first time I think, I was treated as an adult by all these senior cousins. It was very pleasant.

 

Madhu Dada did several different things at different times. He worked for State Transport, he worked in Kirloskar Brothers, and he was a part of the Territorial Army. He was well built, tall, with a soldierly appearance. He made it a point to attend all functions in our family. I recall he came to Bangalore for Ashwini’s reception too in 1999.

 

Keshav Dada was slender, dressed mostly in white pyjamas and a white shirt. He was soft-spoken. He had a background in Seva Dal and had socialist views. As a result, Shrikantbhau felt closest to him.

 

Govind Dada was working as a doctor’s assistant in Sangli. Later, he shifted to Ratnagiri, where he had his own medical practice. We visited their house in 1996 on our way to Nivasar.

 

Their sister Shakuntala (Shakutai) was never married and stayed in Sangli till the end. Hers was a quiet presence in the house.

 

Dhakate kaka’s children.

 

Indutai, to my recollection, was very pretty, well-read, talked a great deal and was a teacher. Indutai used to live in Mahim, and it was a novelty for us that Asha Bhosale was living in the same complex then. She wrote some books as well. In later years, she shifted to Pune, and for the last several years, I have lost contact with her.

 

With Prabhatai, I had even less contact. She used to live in Mahim.

 

Kusumtai lived in Ahmedabad. One day, much later, I received a letter from Dhakate Kaka that Kusumtai’s son-in-law, an Air Force pilot, was stationed at Bangalore. He asked me if I could visit him. I do not recall what exactly happened, but the visit could not take place. It's a pity, since Kusumtai was also in town.

 

Arvind was slightly older than me. I met him more often. He came for Suman Tai’s wedding. I think he was working in the Telephones Dept. I lost contact with him later on. In fact, Tai and Sanjeev had more frequent contact with that family and gave me their news.

 

Nadita was younger than me and hence the youngest cousin. Again, sadly, no contact with her at all, except through Sanjeev.

 

A general impression of mine.

As a class, most, if not all, Tambe daughters were assertive, loquacious, and outgoing. And this continues even in the latest generations. Boys were comparatively quiet, somewhat introverted.)

 

 

History of Tambe family-Part 2

 

Tambe family 2

1880-1920

 

 

This chapter in our family starts when Nagesh (my grandfather), son of Ramchandrapant, probably got restless with life in Khedkuli and probably saw that there was no future in Konkan, and decided to migrate to the Ghat region.

In all probability, he must have stopped and prayed at the Laxmi Pallinath temple in Pali on his way. It is not clear if he was already married when he left Konkan.

The history of his early days and struggles is not very clear, at least to me.

The fact that the family had some land in Kalghatgi in Dharwad district shows that there was some connection with that area. What is known is that he entered service in the erstwhile princely state of Sangli and rose to the post of Mamlatdar( Head of Administration) of one of the Talukas in the state. He built a two-story house in Sangli in the Khan Bhag area.

He was a handsome man, as one can see from his painting which hung in the Sangli house and is now in the custody of Shirish. It is a wonderful portrait and shows clearly the way in which many of us have inherited some of his facial features.

 

He had six sons and a daughter.

Arranged age-wise, they were:

* Martand.

* Mukund

* Narayan

* Vishnu

* Ranganath

* Ramakrishna

(Note how all the names of the son are either Vishnu’s or his avatars)

 

 

 

 

* And a daughter (whose name I do not remember)

 We only called her Atyabai. And the brothers and sisters-in-law called her Akka.

She was widowed young (married in the Phalnikar family), and stayed in our Sangli house till the end, with occasional visits to the Phalnikar family.

She wore the widow’s dress, nine-yard red sarees, sometimes white, with the shaven head covered.

Ajoba’s sister was also in the house in earlier years, called Thoralya Akka by all, and Vaini used to tell us how much she learned from her.

 

I never saw my grandparents, as they had passed away before I was born.

Nor have I seen my uncles Martand, Mukund and Vishnu.

I have seen uncles Narayan (Nanukaka), who never married and worked in Sangli, Ramakrishna (Dhakate Kaka), Atyabai, and Mothya Kaku (Mukund Kaka’s widow).

 

Vishnukaka was studying medicine and had just got married when he died suddenly. Meenakshi Kaku, the young widow, returned to live with her parents in Karnataka, and all contact with her was subsequently lost.

Until I went to Bangalore and looked up her brother, Mr L G Gurjer. I went to their house and met her. It was a very happy meeting for both of us. Later on, Vaini visited Bangalore, and Meenakshi Kaku came over to visit us. For the two of them, too, it was a historic meeting as they were meeting after so many years. I kept in touch with her till her death. Shrikant Bhau and Vahini were also with me when we all went to their huge coffee estate in Koppa to meet her. That was the last time I met her.

 

Nanu Kaka was delightful. He was dressed in white pyjamas, a dark coat and a white cap. He worked as a compounder in a clinic. He did not talk much but had a wry sense of humour. My favourite memory of his was when he used to bring the famed Sangli Khare Dane in a huge newspaper cone when he returned from work, which we all devoured quickly. And on one occasion, a brass pot full of sugar cane juice!

 

Mothya Kaku was a quiet person, spending her time mostly in the kitchen, but watchful and caring for all.

 

 

The description of the Sangli household will not be complete without mention of a remarkable lady whom everyone called Nurse Bai. She was not related to us, but I think she took a small part of the house on rent and stayed on the upper floor. We had a Jhopala at the front, and she was often seated there in the evenings. She was a stern lady and a disciplinarian, and I was a little scared of her. She was from Konkan and quite well-to-do. It was a mystery to me why she continued to stay in Sangli even after retirement.

When we were living in Alibag, we travelled to her family's house and land, and it was quite impressive.

 

Dhakate Kaka worked in the Postal Department and used to be transferred from place to place. He was very tall, probably the tallest among the brothers. He used to be dressed in a dhoti, shirt, coat and a cap. We visited him at some of his postings in Konkan. He was well-read and took a lot of interest in the writings of Ramakrishna Paramhans. He also read Bengali authors.

The Kalghatgi land was given to tillers, and as in many other cases, we were lucky if we got anything from the tillers regularly. An anecdote about Dhakate Kaka was that he was deputed to go and collect the dues from the tiller. He came back after two days with bags full of fruit and other farm goodies and talked happily about the bounty. Of the cash from the tiller, there was no mention whatsoever!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History of Tambe family-Part 1

 Tambe family

1860-1880

 

I will talk about our family's history, to the extent I have heard it from my elders.

The story starts with Ramchandrapant Tambe, my great-grandfather, who lived in a small village near Nivsar in Ratnagiri district. The time was around 1860-1870. He had a small house, some land behind the house, and a stream flowing just behind the house. Some plants and crops were planted for bare necessities like coconut, betel nut, mango, jackfruit trees and paddy.

Life must have been really hard with hand-to-mouth feeding.

To support the family, my great-grandfather took up the activity of making earthen idols of Ganesha and selling them from village to village, carrying the load on his head. Being a Brahmin, he must have been officiating at the odd religious functions for the villagers.

During these days, he had a dream one night in which Lord Ganesha appeared. He told him, ‘’ Why are you wandering around  selling my earthen idols when I am right next to you?’’ Ganesha then told him to search in the stream, and he would find Ganesha. My grandfather rushed to the stream and, sure enough, after some searching, found what is known as the Swayanbhu Ganesh idol —a rock smoothed by years of water flow, saffron-brown, and shaped like Ganesha with an Om in the centre.

Overjoyed, he took the idol, built a small stone shade over it and started regular worship. Word spread around and more and more people from not only Khedkuli but surrounding villages started visiting the makeshift temple.

As the founder and now the priest of the Ganapati temple, Ramchandra Pant was respected and, more importantly, some regular income started flowing in.

Subsequently, a larger temple was built, but the original stone shade is still there over the idol. In this century, another Khedkuli-origin Tambe, the well-known Vaidya Balaji Tambe, gave a substantial donation, and the temple is now much bigger with a hostel for visitors who come in large numbers for the annual festival.

 

 

Although we lived in Ratnagiri in 1949, we could never visit Nivsar, as it was very difficult to access the village, particularly during the rainy season, as there was no bridge over the river close by.

Finally, I made a trip to Khedkuli with Vaini, Bhau and Shubhada Vahini, I think in 1997. This was a very emotional experience for all of us. The priest at that time, of course, was another Tambe, probably a cousin many times removed. He welcomed us with Pohe topped with coconut from his trees. We saw the stream behind the house, where the water was still very clear.

I made a second trip with Abhi when we were visiting Ganapati Pule for Aditya’s Munj. This was probably in 2007. We hired a car and drove there. Once again, the same scene, but the temple is now much enlarged and renovated. The same priest family and the same welcome.

I felt very happy that I had taken my son to the place of my ancestors.

 

 

Near Khedkuli is Nivasar town, which we had mistakenly assumed for many years as our original village. Nivasar is now a railway station on the Konkan Railway.

About 40 km from Nivasar is the town of Pali, on the Mumbai-Goa highway, where the temple of our Kul Daivat Laxmi Pallinath is located.

 

 I visited this temple on both of my trips.

I vividly remember during the first trip, the priest telling Vaini, ‘’ You have now done your duty by bringing your children here. Now your children must bring their children here.

So, when I took Abhi there, it was some kind of fulfilling that promise.

 

 

My early years in Bangalore Part 1

 I arrived in Bangalore in November 1964.

I completed my Engineering in June that year. I had a brief interview first in Pune at KOEL with the big bosses (Mr. SLK and Mr. RLK), and then a formal interview in Bangalore in August before the appointment.

I had never been to Bangalore earlier, except for a day during our educational (?) tour. My mode of arrival itself was not without drama. I had chosen the Pune-Bangalore mail to travel. It reached midway Hubli around 1 PM the next day. The scheduled stop was 50 minutes, but the train had arrived somewhat late. I thought I was smart and decided to go out to Kamat outside the station for lunch. When I returned, I found that the platform looked different. It did, because the train had left in 25 minutes! I was terrified. I ran to the station master’s office and told him my sad story. He was shocked but helpful. He sent a message to the next big station requesting them to remove my luggage from my seat. He then arranged a ticket for me on the next train due in the next 3 hours. Fortunately, his son, my age, was also travelling, so that helped even more. Together we pulled in my luggage at the next station, Haveri. Most of it was intact, including the book I was reading. So, I reached Bangalore 3 hours late, shaken, but still in one piece!

A relative had arranged for me to stay at a lodge called Ganesh Prasad on the 18th cross, Sampige Road (now no longer in existence), until I found a house. I carried my bicycle with me, which was my mode of transport for the first few years.

The next day, I landed at my workplace early, at 720 in the morning. We started work those days at 730.

First to meet the head of HRD, Mr. Rau, a short, squat man with beady eyes. Hr recited a few ground rules, gave me some written material to read. I was now sent to the Engineering dept., a 3-story building at the western end of the huge 46-acre compound which housed our complex. I first met Mr. S G Ramachandra, the Chief Engineer, a tall gentleman with gold-rimmed glasses and shifty eyes. He spoke softly, but even then, I could sense the unease when talking to him. He then sent me to V Subramaniam, my section head for Large Motors Design. A thin man, wearing thick glasses, rather humourless, brilliant as I later discovered.

My recall of the first couple of years at the office is not happy.

It consisted of unfamiliar work-making drawings by myself, and a sense of harassment from some of my colleagues. I think it arose in some measure from the fact that I was Marathi-speaking and hence an outsider. Secondly, Mr Ravi Kirloskar chose me and hence sort of forced me on them. It started with the head of the Department and then the section leader and a few others. I found the going tough as there was a lot of pressure on me.

I found several colleagues my age and made many good friends.

Nagendra Tembe was in the same Dept, and Derek D’sa was in Sales. Talwalkar, Jawadekar, and Ambekar were some of the prominent friends. We met regularly at the crowded lunch hall at 1130. (Yes, lunch was early.)

Food prices were subsidised. We used to get a full thali for 70 paise, chapati for 14 paise each, Idli for 7 paise, and so on. It suited our meagre salary perfectly.

After a year of sharing a small place on the 15^th cross with Ambekar, we came to know that the Damle family, whom we knew slightly, were vacating their house on the 11^th main road. One evening, Ambekar and I dropped in to see them about the house. The owner of that house had established a routine that he gave the place on rent to whoever the previous tenant recommended. So we wanted to make a good impression on the Damles. Our talk ended well. We shifted to this new place, No 7, 11th Main Road, by the end of 1965. This continued to be my residence till I left for Malaysia in 1971.

The house had a bedroom, a verandah, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. The house was on the first floor, and there was a balcony all around the house. The first question to be decided was who will use the bedroom and who will sleep on a bed in the living room. We decided to flip a coin to decide that. My lucky stars were on the job, and I won the use of the bedroom. I used to use the bicycle to reach the workplace, leaving the house at 715. It took only about 6-7 minutes to reach, and then the rush to reach the punching clock in my department before 730. I ate lunch at our canteen, and it was early at 1130. We finished the work day at 430 in the afternoon and thus had plenty of free time in the evening. 

That is how I was introduced to the Bridge group in Malleswaram. I had played some Bridge in my college, then with my Mama during my holidays, that was more the fun Bridge,  but never serious Bridge like the one I was about to enter in Bangalore. 

This group played duplicate team Bridge twice a week, sometimes thrice a week.

Families like Dixit, Damle, Palshikar, Shende, offered their houses to host the game. The setting of two teams playing the same boards in different rooms itself was new to me. The group had painstakingly prepared plywood boards, with slots for keeping cards and rubber bands holding the cards and directions and vulnerability well marked. 

That was a very good setup. We played typically 16 boards, 8 in each half. The host provided tea and snacks at halftime. Scores were compiled at the end, and the winner declared. The sessions typically covered about 2 hours. Most houses were within walking distance for me. The standard of play was very good, and much better than what I had encountered earlier. I was a quick learner, though, and soon managed to merge with the group with almost equal skills and was considered a decent player.

The social circle was also expanding. The Bridge couples were very hospitable. They referred to our merry band of young entrants as 'bachelors'. Often, they invited us over for high tea or meals. For all of us, starved for home-cooked Marathi food, this was a Godsend and an enjoyable evening with their families. Many had school-going children, but not sufficiently grown up for the possibilities of starting a romantic connection! Come to think of it, none of my friends married anyone from Bangalore. Brides were almost always from Maharashtra, and almost always, an arranged marriage.

I became involved almost immediately with our Maharashtra Mandal, which was located in Gandhinagar. This was the central cultural centre for all Marathi-speaking people in Bangalore. Kirloskars were very much involved in the Mandal. I joined the managing committee almost immediately and in the next year became the Secretary. Mrs Indutai Kirloskar was the President. It was a lot of fun, as a group of us used to visit the Mandal in the evenings, read Marathi newspapers, play carrom. Our dinner mess was nearby and that helped.

I enjoyed my years of working with the Mandal. 

More about my Mandal activities, events in my work life, from 1966 onwards in the next installment of this blogpost.