भरत मिलाप..🫂🥹🤘🏼

 

One of my younger & dearest maternal cousin Rhushikesh Dhankute... After a really long time...

There are lots of memories of our bonding; i just want to mentioned one of those here ⤵️

It was one of the summer vacations in 80-90s in Chandrapur (my birth city) he came from Aheri (his hometown then in Gadchiroli district) to our आजी's (mother's mother) place; Jatpura gate the usual base we all use to gather for every festival such as रक्षाबंधन-भाऊबीज & so on... It changed later on to our elder cousin Kiran Dhankute..'s home near akashvani civil lines and sometimes at our मामा (maternal uncle) Dr. Ashok Kawde..'s home behind Dr. Gadgone's hospital. (One of our family doctor)

Well; i got to know from my mother then (into stars now🌠) "बंटी (his nickname ) आला रे आजीकडे..!!!

And i was so excited to meet him (तब bonding ही कुछ ऐसी थी) that i decided to visit him ASAP from Ballarpur (my hometown).

I was in an impression as a teenager that the distance is only about half an hour between Ballarpur-Chandrapur as we use to travel by paper mill bus very often and for me it will take an hour or so moreover this time I wanted to surprise बंटी that too without even letting my parents know; i decided to cover this distance of odd 15 kilometres by walking; YES you read it right BY WALKING ALONE..!!!

And just by letting my आजी know (father's mother) "बंटी आला; मी चाललो त्याले भेटाले चंद्रपुर. सांगू नको मम्मी डॅडीला..!!! i used to talk to her in language she understands better (खेड्यातली भाषा) And her instant reaction was "तुहा बाप मारन कां रे हिकी" जाऊ नको. (विक्की she meant; my nickname) She thought I was just kidding and until she realised i left my home for this dare devil walk.
I was very well aware about the traffic so I chose to walk on the extreme left side of the road and waving at known people in pride and excitement.

I crossed the town and increased my pace to cut of the journey time hiding in roadside bushes on an intervals from people whom i thought will inform my father. I kept on walking still in an impression that the distance is not more left and will reach soon but I was wrong then. I realised that it's getting tougher in a summer afternoon that too without water and food for a young boy to makeup his burnt calories; i started weeping and was scared that how will i manage in the middle of the road surrounded by dense forest area and my pace was getting decreased after each step however the confidence was still there and the excitement too. I started reciting songs (still into one of my passions) to boost up my morale and support my nervousness. Kept walking and ignoring the strange look from the passersby. Believe I've crossed the Rajiv Gandhi Engineering College (comes under babupeth if not wrong) after couple of hours and i was literally tired and hungry and was getting worse to control the same on contrary didn't carry cash. All of a sudden a humble man on scooter stopped by me and said "कहां जा रहे हो..??? नानी के घर i replied. आओ छोड़ देता हूं..!!! And without even thinking for a second of the consequences i nodded in YES. He was trying to know or maybe he knew who's son I am he asked if I've informed my parents about this daring yet foolish journey. I just said "नहीं..!!! & kept mum till we reached the arch of jatpura gate i asked that man to stop and i literally jumped-thanked him and started running towards another arch or the entrance of my granny's place opposite Shakti printers and beside jaiswal wine shop without knowing that the same man was following me; I was so excited that not even bothered to open the gate i literally jumped the wall attached to the staircase and banged on the door as soon as the door opened i rushed in search for बंटी but my आजी told me " तो पुष्पाकडं गेलायं" (बडी मम्मी; my mother's elder sister) looking at me shockingly. The man who dropped me told everything to another maternal uncle (Prof. Sudhakar Kawde...) and he immediately called up my father in office from a neighbour's landline ("धागमवार" an advocate's family and my आजी's friend) and asked "विक्की कुठे आहे..??? असन घरी नाहीतर गेला असन खेडाले (my father couldn't pronounce "ळ" 😜 still can't)
अहो भाऊजी; इकडे आला आहे तो चंद्रपुरला पायी..!!!
सुधाकर मामा replied. "अरे बापरे आम्हाले तर माहितीच नाही. my father replied in shock. (Surely i got beatings later someday)

Everyone was in surprise except me who's was ready to walk again for 7-8 kms approx to meet बंटी; However i think मामा dropped me and finally we met he was too young to understand the risk i chose and efforts i put in to meet him back then; he just said" अरे व्वा दादा; आला..?!? He might now.

I always has his back as an elder cousin cum buddy and he equally respected me and never hesitated to discuss or take my verdict on each step of his life. He even started looking for job from Pune itself and stayed with me in his initial struggling days. I used to cook for him and guide him everyday before going to bed (worked for US process BPO) with all possible companies and the way to reach there for jobs in pharma industry after coming back from night shift.
Tiring yet satisfying it was; We used to enjoy being with each other. Then he got an opportunity in mumbai and he moved accordingly; Got married and now a father of two beautiful daughters.

Well; This is still me who go beyond the barriers what may come for maintaining relations however experienced numbness towards me even from the closest relative specially after my mother's demise as if I've killed her. Some of them don't talk to me till date. It's really heartbreaking.
Anyways; Life Goes On...

बंटी; Thank you for a hearty welcome; Appreciated your given time and hospitality dear..😘
God Bless You All...

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कर्मकवी..✍🏼