Those were my friends

Today is 5th May and I naturally remember Baba Sule nee Diwakar Leeladhar Sule. Today is his Birthday but he is no more. I lost him some where in 1998. Today, when I remembered his Birthday, I also realised that I have lost many friends in 60 years of my life. Most recent was Vivek Vedpathak, only about four Months have passed. His Birthday was 2nd March 1946. That was Mahashivaratri on his Birthday long back in 1946. We were four friends from our school days. Me, Subodh Karve, Vivek Vedpathak and Baba Sule. Three of us were in same standard but Baba was one year younger. He was born on 5th may 1948. Me and Subodh were in same School and same class. Vivek was in another school but was in same standard. Baba was one year behind us. My school books after my use will go to Baba as second hand and will come back to my sister Sanji next year, who was two years younger. Those were the days of sharing and preserving. Next year these same books will go back to Baba's younger sister Maina. I used to take pride in preserving our books, knowing that next year they will be used by Baba and to be used again by Sanji in year after that. Baba and I met in year 1954, when we shifted from Malad to Mumbai Central at Reserve Bank Colony. Baba was our next door neighbour. We were at A-10 and Baba was at A-11. Tatya, my father and Bhai, Baba' father knew each other in Bank but became instant friends when we bacame neighbours and both families started sharing many things. We remain friends till last. I always remembered 5th May and after his demise, I still make a call to his wife Neelima on 5th May and let her know that I remember Baba. This post is in memory of Baba. It was early in my chidhood, somewhere in 1962, when I was 15 years old I had a first brush with death and that too death of our friend Eknath  Hattangadi. Ironically, he was Baba's friend. Shreerang was too good. He was a sensation in Elocution competitions and Dramas. He was very intense. They were staying in 'L' building on 5th floor. Shreerang fail down from their balcony and was dead instantly. Whether it was an accident or a suicide in his intense moment, we could never knew. We were too young for anybody to share this information with us but the picture of Shreerang's body on the lawns of 'L' building without any blood is still vivid. Then there was Arun Sahotre, a friend from Engineering College. He was too good craftsman and was doing our Smithy and Carpentry Jobs in practicals. We completed Engineering and he got job in Special Steels at Borivali and I got a job in Voltas at Pune. I remember that once he came to Pune long back in 1971. It was fag end of the Month and I was without money. However, I took him for dinner with a condition that I will refer the Menu and I will place the order to suit my pocket. I will not allow him to pay and he must accept and enjoy without commenting whatever I will be offering. We sat in Hotel Poonam on Junglee maharaj Road at Deccan Gymkhana at Pune. I ordered a half Tandoori Chicken and a Chicken Biryani. We enjoyed the meal. I have never tested such a good Tandoori and Biryani in my life after that evening. I went to Hotel Poonam many times after that evening but never enjoyed that food in absence of that intimacy. Mr Arun Sahotre died of Heart Attack in 1987. I cannot forget Ashok Dighe. He adored me. He used to call me Raju. Why he insisted in calling me as Raju I never knew. We were together in Bharat Bijlee and travelled in First class from Malad to Thane. He used to come from Borivali and will hold a seat for me. he had very good hand writing. We used to observe many people getting in and out of train and comment on them. We awarded many nick names to those people for our reference. There was a " Miss Penguti" ( Suppsedly a Tamil word for girl with long hairs). She knew that we have noted her and finally we became train friends. We used to get down at Thane and used to have Jilebi, Jamnagari Gathiya and Tea in the morning before climbing Bharat Bijlee Bus. I do not know what we talk then but those mornings, the Mumbai Local train travel, the morning Tea and endless chat was something very good part of my life. Incidently, when I married Manjiri in 1975, we came to know that Ashok's sister Chitra Dighe and Manjiri are also good friends. It was Chitra Dighe who dressed Manjiri up and did Bridal Make up of Manjiri in our marriage. Ashok was volunteer in reception hall and Baba was sitting by our side on Stage collecting and recording all the gifts which we received during our marriage reception. There was Narba Rege. Our Friend from Parle College to Engineering College along with Sahotre, Rudra, Appa Kulkarni, Waman Sule nee "Sulu". We used Rege's house in Parle for studying together and for making GTs ( Glass tracings) for our Machine Drawing submissions. If there were five drawings to submit, each one of us will make one drawing and others will copy by using a GT technique. There are stll many friends, relatives but I will stop for now. Ther are yet many more with whom I have lost contact and are in memory only and will remain there. These are the individuals who made my life rich. I was never lonely in those budding years.