On Father's Day, here are five images that capture Papa the best. The rock solid man on the outside, whose heart was the tenderest and most caring. He was indeed "a father with a mother's heart" as I described him in June, 2021 on the occasion of the Father's Day. I think the following five images capture him the best. Hence these imaginings as a tribute to him.
The images proceed the usual way, from the known to the unknown, as a daughter's horizon expands, food, hobby, sports, profession, and life in general.
1) the white gourd/bitter gourd. Most necessary for a wholesome growth, yet not exactly fancy, unlike the cauliflower or the potato, for instance. That is the way, Papa's disciplining was, never vocal, never corporal, and very much necessary for a toned personality.
2) the trellis that helps the tender shoot of a delicate creeper grow. Once the creeper flourishes, flowers, none may notice the now fragile trellis. Yet it was the trellis that allowed, shaped the creeper to grow the right way in the first place. Gardening is the hobby for us siblings, quite like our parents.
3) the fielder at the boundary. Not exactly ubiquitous like the wicket keeper, but the best when it comes to saving wasteful four's and sixers, thereby winning the match. Papa loved playing and watching cricket. The image needs no explanation, right?
4) the password, oh, no, not to the mobile or the e-mail which the Google guesses anyways. Rather the password for the bank vault that treasured the hard-earned, much-deserved, shining jewellery that needes no exhibition, yet is always there as the quiet reserve!
5) the mountain pass Baji Prabhu Deshpande defended till his last breath, and beyond. That was the way, and is, his care, concern, and love for us all.
No wonder, they say, "सर्व देवमय: पिता!" which means "the father is the embodiment of all the gods."
Pratima@ Papa gave me the bestest gift possible. He believed (in) me absolutely!
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