At the outset, a very happy and prosperous new year to all those who happen to read this during this year and for those who read any subsequent years as well, since new years come and go into oblivion expect for the change in the number each year ..
What probably is more important is how was the year passed from a retrospective analysis for each one of us in terms of what we learnt, what good we did for ourselves as well as others and what can go as remembrances during the year for the subsequent years ahead ..
Talking about new years, I have spent thirty nine new years by now and remember some of the new years eve's in different places - Sambra, Belgaum, Pune, Bangalore ( in the last few years ) though I dont remember my early new year celebrations in Hubli.
While the early new year eve were spent in probably watching the TV ( which started from 1984 ) for most of us, i presume for the DD shows that were telecast for the 31 st evenings ..In late 80's it took shape of slight community angle where the kids and the families used to join together for the some sort of celebration ..Some of the ones that I remember in Sambra included creating a 'old man' from the wood collected over the last week of december and then burning the 'old man' at the stroke of midnight and then subsequently having some cold drinks ( like miranda, fanta , thumps up ) - clarifying with the right earnest and intent. The preceding couple of hours would be spent in arrnaging for music on the tape recorders, pestering and calling the elders and generally running around ..
The 90's - new years were in Belgaum and then later in Bangalore. While the mid 90's had a semblance to the sambra celebrations in Belgaum expect for the fact that it was a new community in the Belgaum camp, where Pappa was transferred in 1994. He had that strength and a habit of creating and getting together communities wherever he lived during his life - Hubli, Sambra, Belgaum, Hubli and then later in Bangalore. In each of the places, I have seen that he made new friends from strangers and got all these friends together to create a strong community. This served as a means for differnt celebrations , events , functions, get togethers that are memorable for all of us. Even now when I talk to any of these family friends, the discussions veers to the different good times that we have lived through that have been enabled by Pappa.
The communities ranged from creation of the bhajana madal group from new friends that he had got together in Sambra and surprisingly all of them had no religious inclinations but the eventual interest in sprituality started because of commuity aspects of getting together each week on a thursday to sing Raghavendra Swamy bhajans. I'am one of the beneficiaries of the same in being fortunate to have learnt the kannada bhajans without any efforts by just been a part of these weekly get togethers,
The other community activities that were championed by Pappa ( that I remember ) was creation of a tea club in K V Sambra for the benefit of teachers since the principal was too strict to let off the teachers to drink tea outside the campus.
The innovative creation of Rasam powder packets and then eventually selling them commercially was another activity that I remember when I was in school. This was a hot selling item and the 'saar' pudi packets were sold like hot cakes during the scounts-guides mela in Belgaum. He had got the ingredients from my maushi in Solapur ( Sabu Maushi ) and then eventually got together the students and some teachers to assist him creation of the 'Saar' Pudi packets and then eventually distributed the profits amongst the stakeholders..
The Belgaum quarters where we lived between 94-2000 had a different character before we came. Most of the families did not know each other and I had found it very uncomfortable initially..However, very quickly he had got together all the families together and then eventually in a years time, the community had a different character with frequent events, get togethers etc. The families, friends still remember Pappa for the same..
The same aspect further continued in Hubli where he moved in 2000 after retirement. Same context prevailed there like Belgaum but in a short time , he got together all the residents and families and 'Aashirwad' ( name of our house in Hubli ) was the fulcrum of activity. It eventually also led to a temple and kalyan mantap coming near our house, which I believe is a the hub of activity in the region.
Pappa was very entrepreneurial by nature but spent his life in a noble teaching profession. I now appreciate and understand these aspects when I meet his friends and relatives who remember these community activities which had a stamp of leadership with selfless intent and each of us in some way were benefeciaries.
The learning for the current and next generation is in finding such lights, traits in our elders and try to follow some of these in our lives ..People eventually are remembered by what they had done in their lifetime ..
What probably is more important is how was the year passed from a retrospective analysis for each one of us in terms of what we learnt, what good we did for ourselves as well as others and what can go as remembrances during the year for the subsequent years ahead ..
Talking about new years, I have spent thirty nine new years by now and remember some of the new years eve's in different places - Sambra, Belgaum, Pune, Bangalore ( in the last few years ) though I dont remember my early new year celebrations in Hubli.
While the early new year eve were spent in probably watching the TV ( which started from 1984 ) for most of us, i presume for the DD shows that were telecast for the 31 st evenings ..In late 80's it took shape of slight community angle where the kids and the families used to join together for the some sort of celebration ..Some of the ones that I remember in Sambra included creating a 'old man' from the wood collected over the last week of december and then burning the 'old man' at the stroke of midnight and then subsequently having some cold drinks ( like miranda, fanta , thumps up ) - clarifying with the right earnest and intent. The preceding couple of hours would be spent in arrnaging for music on the tape recorders, pestering and calling the elders and generally running around ..
The 90's - new years were in Belgaum and then later in Bangalore. While the mid 90's had a semblance to the sambra celebrations in Belgaum expect for the fact that it was a new community in the Belgaum camp, where Pappa was transferred in 1994. He had that strength and a habit of creating and getting together communities wherever he lived during his life - Hubli, Sambra, Belgaum, Hubli and then later in Bangalore. In each of the places, I have seen that he made new friends from strangers and got all these friends together to create a strong community. This served as a means for differnt celebrations , events , functions, get togethers that are memorable for all of us. Even now when I talk to any of these family friends, the discussions veers to the different good times that we have lived through that have been enabled by Pappa.
The communities ranged from creation of the bhajana madal group from new friends that he had got together in Sambra and surprisingly all of them had no religious inclinations but the eventual interest in sprituality started because of commuity aspects of getting together each week on a thursday to sing Raghavendra Swamy bhajans. I'am one of the beneficiaries of the same in being fortunate to have learnt the kannada bhajans without any efforts by just been a part of these weekly get togethers,
The other community activities that were championed by Pappa ( that I remember ) was creation of a tea club in K V Sambra for the benefit of teachers since the principal was too strict to let off the teachers to drink tea outside the campus.
The innovative creation of Rasam powder packets and then eventually selling them commercially was another activity that I remember when I was in school. This was a hot selling item and the 'saar' pudi packets were sold like hot cakes during the scounts-guides mela in Belgaum. He had got the ingredients from my maushi in Solapur ( Sabu Maushi ) and then eventually got together the students and some teachers to assist him creation of the 'Saar' Pudi packets and then eventually distributed the profits amongst the stakeholders..
The Belgaum quarters where we lived between 94-2000 had a different character before we came. Most of the families did not know each other and I had found it very uncomfortable initially..However, very quickly he had got together all the families together and then eventually in a years time, the community had a different character with frequent events, get togethers etc. The families, friends still remember Pappa for the same..
The same aspect further continued in Hubli where he moved in 2000 after retirement. Same context prevailed there like Belgaum but in a short time , he got together all the residents and families and 'Aashirwad' ( name of our house in Hubli ) was the fulcrum of activity. It eventually also led to a temple and kalyan mantap coming near our house, which I believe is a the hub of activity in the region.
Pappa was very entrepreneurial by nature but spent his life in a noble teaching profession. I now appreciate and understand these aspects when I meet his friends and relatives who remember these community activities which had a stamp of leadership with selfless intent and each of us in some way were benefeciaries.
The learning for the current and next generation is in finding such lights, traits in our elders and try to follow some of these in our lives ..People eventually are remembered by what they had done in their lifetime ..
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