CHHAVA - NATAK

THE TORTOISE, CARVED IN STONE, PLACED AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TEMPLE. EVERY DEVOTEE ENTERING THE TEMPLE HAS HIS EYES ONLY ON THE MAIN IDOL ESTABLISHED AT THE CENTRE OF THE TEMPLE. NONE TAKES ANY NOTICE OF THE TORTOISE, THOUGH NONE FAIL TO STEP OVER IT - KNOWINGLY OR UNKNOWINGLY. EACH ONE WANTS TO PAY RESPECTS AT THE FEET OF THE IDOL. I AM LIKE THIS TORTOISE, A STONY STATUE, SUSTAINING EVERYTHING. AABASAHEB IS LIKE THE IDOL IN THE TEMPLE. NO, I AM NOT UPSET BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUOUS STEPPING OVER MY BACK. I NEVER WAS. BUT, YES; I HAVE A REGRET... WHICH IS NECESSARY AND UNFATHOMABLE. YESU, IN THIS HUGE ESTATE THERE IS NONE, LITERALLY NONE... WHO WOULD REALISE THAT EVEN THE TORTOISE... THOUGH IT IS CARVED OUT OF ROCK... HAS HIS EYES FIXED AT THE FEET OF THE IDOL IN THE SANCTUM. THERE WERE A VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO WOULD KNOW THIS - FIRST IT WAS AABASAHEB. THEN THERE WAS THORLYA AAUSAHEB. ANOTHER SUCH PERSON WAS SAMARTHA. HE WOULD SUGGEST ME VERY NOBLY TO `WORK IN A BETTER AND MORE IMPRESSIVE WAY.` OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF HANBIRMAMA- THE SIR LASHKAR - HE WOULD ALWAYS STAND FIRMLY BEHIND ME JUST LIKE THE HIGH PEAK OF KALSUBAI.TODAY, NONE OF THEM ARE ALIVE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSON I HAVE BECOME NOW, YESU?. हे दगडी कासव आम्हाला आमच्या हयातीचं प्रतीकच वाटत आलं आहे. मंदिरात दर्शनासाठी येणाऱ्या हरएक भाविक दर्शनभक्ताचे कळत-नकळत पाय पडतात ते या दगडी कासवाच्या पाठीवर! भरल्या मनाचे नमस्कार रुजू होतात ते मात्र गाभाऱ्यातील मूर्तीच्या चरणांपाशी- आम्ही- आहोत या हमचौकातील दगडी कासवासारखे! आबासाहेब- आबासाहेब आहेत ते दौलतीच्या गाभाऱ्यातील मूर्तीसारखे!... खंत पाठीवर पडणाऱ्या पावलांची मुळीच नाही. एवढीसुद्धा नाही. खंत आहे ती मात्र एकाच बाबीची- आणि ती जरूर आहे- काळीजतोड खंत आहे ती येसू-उभ्या दौलतीत असा एकही जाणता मिळाला नाही की ज्याच्या ध्यानी कधी हे आलं की- या दगडी कासवाचीही नजर अहोरात्र जोडलेली असते ती- ती मात्र गाभारातल्या त्या मूर्तीच्याच चरणांठायी!- हे नेमकं जाणणारे जाणते होते- आमचे आबासाहेब- आमच्या थोरल्या आऊसाहेब.