Finding a higher calling

We had recently gone to Dehu to see the famous Gatha temple on the banks of the Indrayani river dedicated to the works of Sant Tukaram.  He was a 17th century saint who wrote over 4100 abhang lyrics (Abhang are the Marathi devotional bhajans).  At the entrance to the temple we came across a middle aged person seated on a chair who would request people entering the temple to spare 10 minutes of their time to listen to him narrating the story of the place.  Many would just ignore him and proceed directly into the temple. 

Something about him made us stop and we clustered around him.

He then gave a beautiful description of the history behind the temple - especially the lost and found story of the lyrics - and did it in an engaging and humorous manner.  At the end of his talk - and to pre-empt us from offering him any payment - he said that he does this free as part of social service to tourists - and that he does not accept any fee.

Later on he invited me home - and I realised he works in an MNC and also owns a large mango orchard.  He also volunteers his weekends to taking classes for schools where he helps students on aspects such as personality development.

What impressed me about him is that he seems to have found a higher calling despite holding a hectic day job.  He is doing things that inspire him and keep him going - and he does it without any expectation of gratitude or recognition.

His name is Sri. Vittal Janoba Kaloke and you can find him most evenings at the magnificent Tukaram mandir at Dehu narrating the history behind this temple to anybody who is curious and willing to listen.

May more such individuals - who take the effort to find a higher calling  - thrive in this country.

Finally getting the better of Mr. Mhaskar

Yesterday while buying vegetables at the market, I suddenly spotted my upstairs neighbor Mr. Mhaskar busy haggling with the fish vendor.  I pretended not to have noticed him as the relationship between the two of us is a bit frosty. 

You see, Mr. Mhaskar is my “friend” on facebook and is very active on facebook "liking" all kinds of irrelevant and useless forwarded posts and photos.  He also used to “like” my blogposts, but ever since we had a quarrel regarding the car parking in the building, he has stopped “liking” my blog posts on fb. 

Now that is a major insult to me because he has now escalated our enmity to facebook by not “liking” my posts.  People who have nothing better to do must have started noticing that he has stopped liking my posts on fb, and must be making fun of me behind my back.

I paid off the vegetable vendor and was about to turn when Mr. Mhaskar bumped into me.  He was not watching where he was going – undoubtedly he was already dreaming of the dish his wife will soon prepare from the smelly fish.

“Hello, how are you doing?” he asked me.

He must have deliberately bumped into me to gloat over the fact that I have been getting 1 less “Like” for my fb post ever since he stopped liking my post.

But he will never succeed in discouraging me. So I said : “Oh hi. I have been busy writing my blogs”. I hoped that will give him the message that I will continue to write my blogs, and that I don't care for his "Like". 

He wrinkled his nose and said “Oh – you still write those blogs, do you?  I don’t remember seeing them since a long time”.

Useless fellow.  He was pretending that he does not read my blog.  He spends hours on fb daily and I am sure he reads my blog even now – but he wants to insult me by saying that he does not remember noticing it on fb. 

And then I had a brilliant brain wave.

I asked him : “By the way, how was your Italy trip?  I saw your snaps on fb.”

His face turned red like a tomato and he turned abruptly and walked away defeated. 

You know why? You see, I had just given him the biggest insult of his life.  I admitted to seeing his Italy holiday photos on fb – but I had not given a single “Like” to any of his Italy photos.  No sir.  No "Like" even to the photo where Mr. Mhaskar is pretending to be holding up the leaning tower of Pisa with one finger.  What kind of a person will not "like" such a photo?

I hastened home to tell my wife about this major victory.  My wife will have to admit that I have finally got the better of this scheming Mr. Mhaskar.