My favorite author is Jaywant Dalvi. He was one of the most handsome Marathi-author. He used to work in USIS, that might be the reason , he was always well groomed , Gillette-shaven. His short stories compilation ' Kashasathi ...Potasathi ' is a caricaturist comedy-par excellence. In one of the stories, a bearded, pseudo-social worker makes a dramatic entry into the native village of author. What follows next is best to be read in Mr. Dalvi's own tongue-in-cheek humored words.
The story starts with the arrival of a White-washed i.e. White-clothed , White-bearded, middle-aged, pseudo social worker Sokaji in a sleepy village of Maharashtra ( Konkan coast ). He blows his own trumpet "I am Akhand Brahmachari ( celibate ), all ladies are like mothers to me." Maharashtra is well known for social activism, social movements , social empowerment etc. Naturally this so-called social worker Sokaji receives warmest reception from the village folks. The 1st impression he makes on children is " Who's this Jungli ?( Marathi word for wild animal ), Why is he here ? "
Sokaji starts sermonizing the obedient, respectful villagers. " Don't eat meat / fish / eggs. Don't drink tea. Eat only vegetables, fruits and Ghee. Drink only milk." The fact is Konkani villagers are poor farmers. Their staple food is Fish and rice. They hardly have money to buy fruits, milk and ghee. It's almost impossible for them to survive on the Milky-white diet prescribed by Sokaji.
Sokaji, the guest demands the daily dose of fruits, milk and ghee from poor villagers. To abide their duties as host , the villagers contribute a large sum of money to satiate the un-human hunger of Sokaji. Most of the time he just eats, sleeps and lectures the villagers about what to do and what not to do. He makes a great show of loving children. Children hate his unkempt , scratchy , scruffy , bearded sight and touch. They gang up against him and plan to teach him a lesson.
The children write a fake letter "Dear Sokaji, I like you but hate your BEARD and white clothes. If you shave your beard , wear a colorful shirt and meet me at the riverside at 8 p.m. I will be waiting for you. Yours Hema." and deliver it to Sokaji through a young child.
Sokaji is totally smitten by the contents of that letter. He shaves his beard, wears a colorful shirt , hides his face in a muffler and goes to riverside at the night for the clandestine meeting. Meanwhile, the children have asked the elders to reach at the riverside by 8 p.m. to see the real face of Sokaji.
All the hell breaks loose, when Sokaji reaches at the riverside in a colorful shirt. The villagers are shocked and feel cheated. They beat up Sokaji and drive him out of the village.
‘This post is a part of #WillYouShave activity at BlogAdda in association with Gillette”
Acknowledge :Manisha https://kreativestrokes.com/
Twitter handle : @just_manisha
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