By SHRI RAM SHAW
New Delhi: “Maalik hai tere sath na darr ghum se tu ai dil, Mehnat kare insaan to kya kaam hai mushkil…” Did you remember the iconic scene from the 1975 blockbuster movie ‘Deewar’ where megastar Amitabh Bachchan says, “Dhandha karna toh aapko nahi aata, Mr. Agrawal. Agar aapne mujhse iss building ke 10 lakh rupaye bhi aur maange hote, toh main de deta…aaj se 20 baras pahle jab yeh building ban rahi thi, meri maa ne yahan eenten uthai thin. Aaj main yeh building apni maa ko tohfa dene ja raha hoon…”?
The tale of respect for a mother was the ultimate symbol of courage and conviction in the face of disaster and adversity. Very similar situation was for Siddharth Pardhe, the writer of the book – “Colony”, who armed with tremendous nerve, sheer patience, robust optimism and iron determination did what many of his contemporaries can only think of. When there was a nip in the bud with ‘feeling-low’ mood in his family, it was his mother Kondabai Laxman Pardhe who always motivated and infused positivity among her children to scale dizzy heights against all odds and always look ahead with renewed vigour. She taught them what can be achieved with hard work and if you surround yourself with good people.
Kondabai worked as a maid in the colony of authors in what was once a quiet corner of Bandra East, Sahitya Sahawas, is known for its many noted residents. Most of the works created by them are gems in Marathi literature. She was uneducated, but narrated her memories to Siddharth, who inspired by her mother’s never-say-die spirit, recently published them in the form of a book, “Mukkampost 10, Phulrani”. It sheds light on the lives of these authors, narrated by none other than a woman who worked for many of them as a domestic help. The book (in Marathi) is about Kondabai’s tough childhood and difficult life that found some stability when she began working in Sahitya Sahawas.
Mukkampost 10, Phulrani – the title of the book is Siddharth’s current address at the colony. He bought her a flat some years back and presented the keys to his mother where she used to work as a labourer with her husband Laxman. The flat number 10 in Phulrani was owned by Satyadeo Dubey, the distinguished director. After his death, Siddharth bought it from the couple he had left it to. While Kondabai worked for some other writers, residents of the colony, she did not work for Dubey.
Sahitya Post’s Delhi-based journalist (Shri Ram Shaw) caught up with Siddharth, who worked as a development officer in LIC and is currently rendering his services as the vice president of the century old National Library in Bandra West, to know more about the making of the book in an exclusive interview.
EXCERPTS…
Kindly take us through the annals of your family which played a major role in the making of the book.
Siddharth: My parents (Kondabai and Laxman) came from famine-hit Jalna district in Marathwada to Mumbai in search of work in the early 1960s with their two sons and two daughters. They began working as labourers during the construction of Sahitya Sahawas, a housing colony of writers near Kala Nagar in Bandra East. My father worked as a watchman. We stayed in a hut in the colony for some time. When the buildings came up my parents got jobs in the homes of famous writers like Anant Kanekar, Vinda Karandikar (Jnanpith Awardee GV Karandikar), Vijayabai and MV Rajadhyaksha, and Ramesh Tendulkar, father of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. We got immense love and support from authors like Subhad Bhende, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, and several other writers and that bond has continued over decades.
Can you name some of the stalwarts of Marathi literature who are still dwelling there?
Siddharth: Among the seniors of Sahitya Sahawas are Vasanti Bai Phadke, wife of political history scholar Y.D. Phadke, and an author herself, and Bal Phondke, science writer and journalist. Among the few surviving members are Vijayabai Rajadhyaksha and Madhu Mangesh Karnik. Vijayabai’s son Niranjan Rajadhyaksha is the executive director of Earth Global, a policy organisation working with governments.
How this book Mukkampost 10, Phulrani came into being?
Siddharth: My parents are no more now. Their nesting place became the literary enclave of Sahitya Sahawas, Bandra East, which sheltered and nurtured them. My mother had expressed her desire to talk about her memories after my sister read out my book ‘Colony’ to her. I asked my mother to narrate her memories and we would also publish them. I began this book in 2009. I sat with mother for an hour every day, and wrote what she spoke. I also realized that I did not know much about my mother’s life. It was not easy. Recalling some painful memories often left my mother in tears. I would stop then and tell her we’ll speak later.
Your mother was uneducated, but she knew the importance of education for a good life. Isn’t it?
Siddharth: My mother’s book recalls the years after, when she realised the importance of education for a good life, as she worked for the authors. Some of the authors helped her get admissions for her children in school, even college. This book has many amazing anecdotes about the period. Among them is a passage about how she found that most of the residents of her colony were authors. Wherever she worked, the man of the house was always writing something or reading! In some houses the woman would also be writing! And almost all the houses had cupboards full of books.
My mother’s determination to work for some of the authors though they did not pay her as much, also earned her the ire of other domestic helps. Once she was confronted by them and they asked her to join in their association for domestic helps and seek equal pay. But, my mother had realised that she wanted more than a better salary. Her employers’ children had become like her own. We were growing up with them. My mother always felt that it was more important that her children were brought up properly and were educated.
If it wasn’t for Sahitya Sahawas your family would not have been able to achieve what you have so far!
Siddharth: Yes…very true. It is only because of my parent’s decision to stay back at the colony after the buildings were constructed that things changed in a good way for our family. If it wasn’t for Sahitya Sahawas my family would not have been able to achieve what we have so far. It was the women of the colony who convinced mother to stay on. My mother often talked about how she was treated a family member by the residents. If she was unwell for instance, one of the many youngsters in the colony who were studying MBBS would be asked to check on her. Now those “kids” are well-known doctors in the city. Undoubtedly, the credit goes to the residents of the colony for many good things in our lives. Author Gangadhar Gadgil’s wife, Vasanti got my mother to open a bank account and taught her to save money. My friends would convey my requirements at school or college to their parents and they would provide me with whatever I wanted. The colony residents had always stood by us in bad times.
Tell us something about your family, if you please…
Siddharth: My son works in the United States. My sisters are married and by God’s mercy they are well settled, while my younger brother Ramesh works for a former resident of the colony, Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar – the legendary cricketer. Ramesh is also blessed with a son.
What’s the success mantra your mother always imparted to you and other domestic helps?
Siddharth: She firmly believed in the maxim: work hard to achieve a life of learning and dignity. My mother’s message to other domestic helps is don’t limit yourself to a higher salary. Look at the bigger picture. See how you can improve your lives through the people around you. Raah-e-amal me jazba-e-qaamil hon jinke sath/ Khud unko dhoondh leti hai, manzil kabhi kabhi…( Sometimes the destination itself finds those who have perfect passion on the path of action.)
