R of AtoZ Challenge
Co-incidentally, the names of the three most idolized heroes of my life, start from 'R'! I have been following them and idolizing them since I was seven or eight years of age! These three heroes have been my constant inspiration and I often fall back on them and their words when I slip into a slump or feel hopeless!
Ruskin Bond
'Rusty's Adventures' and 'Grandma Climbs a Tree' were amongst my first Ruskin Bond reads. I related to Rusty and would often imagine having a bindaast, brave Grandfather (like Rusty's) who adopted and took care of ensemble animals in their big garden! And I secretly aspired (still do) to be that Grandma who climbs a tree and lives in a tree house!
(photo courtesy: Google images)
Ruskin Bond's stories are timeless, ageless and seem like a warm blanket on a rainy night! His stories are that much-needed hug that I hide into when I feel like sobbing or when I am really happy! Not a year and (I am sure) even a month has gone without me picking up a Ruskin Bond book and reading it, randomly. If I feel lost and really sad, I read a happy story written by him and find solace in his warm, simple world. Reading his stories (any story) makes me feel at home; makes me feel comforted. While reading his stories, I feel that he is my Grandpa telling me stories and at times I feel that he has written 'about me' and he has expressed me!
He is truly an Original! He writes in the simplest of language and paints a beautiful picture through his words. ANYBODY can read his stories. One needn't sit with a dictionary to understand his writing. His words are meant to be felt and lived. His writing touches the heart and strikes a chord! And that is why, I love him and I look up to him. He is not just my 'Writer' hero. I feel he is a great example of a great Human Being too; humble, kind, ever-learning, naughty, witty, hungry, child-like and loving and he loves Nature too! He is a true, blue Mountain-Boy!
I met him once and took his autograph when he had visited Mumbai for the Tata Lit Fest. I couldn't believe my ears and eyes that he sat before me, just like how I had imagined him to be. He was comfortable in his own skin, not grouchy but humbly signing books and smiling. I can't believe I was so stupid and fumbled and told him that I was a Writer too who wrote for television! He wished me luck! Ofcourse what else could he say to a stupid, idiotic fan-girl who claimed to be a 'Writer'. I am far away from his definition of being a 'Writer'! I deeply wish to meet him again and just sit and talk while sipping on tea and buttered toast!
Inspite of being a diehard fan of Ruskin Bond, it's funny how I never knew his birth date. I recently found out, almost a year after I got married, THAT.... Ruskin Bond's birth day and MY wedding anniversary are THE SAME DATE!!! 19th May!!!
Ruskin Bond is timeless and has being a loving, strong influence on my life.
He and his stories have been evergreen and always-there.
And THAT has instilled my belief in my marriage (haha) and made it special, even more :)
Rahul Dravid
The WORLD knows I am a die-hard Rahul Dravid fan! So much such that, I still have my friends from my building, my school, my college, workplaces, other places sending me Dravid-related posts :)
Some of my friends were sweet and kind enough to take his autograph(when they met him) on my behalf and pass it on to me! I feel so lucky and blessed that they think about me when they come across Dravid !
(photo courtesy: Google images)
What began as a silly star-crush as an eight year old, ended up being a mammoth real-life Inspiration for my life! He truly is my Wall or rather a yardstick for me (to secretly compare others and myself, and a Hero to grow with, looking up to him) for his qualities as a human being!
He was there for Team India whenever he was needed. BTW he is still is very much around mentoring a young Team India! Rather than chasing a hotshot, in limelight job of being a commentator or just being a 'Former Cricketeer', he has been silently working behind the scenes, on the field inspiring, coaching and moulding aspiring Cricketeers of our country!
In 2011 he was on fire, when mind you, every weekend for a good two months, he scored a century!! I had kept the paper cuttings aside and would proudly strut to my Sunday Radio lectures in college, boasting about how 'MY Dravid' did it again!
He has all the qualities of a 'better human being'. He always seems to be responsible and matured, always calm in his approach. He is always available and reliable for anything and everything. He was the best at EVERYTHING he did; batting, fielding, wicket-keeping! People who complained that he was 'slow' could just buzz off! It was in that so-called 'slow' that showed his resilience, determination and patience to lead us through the toughest times! He would calmly, gently, silently 'be at it', without making much noise, without any theatrics! He let his work do the talking for himself, was always thoughtful and down-to-earth while expressing his thoughts and point of view.
I was so happy when he got married to a 'doctor' and was far away from being 'heartbroken'. I was so proud of him for choosing such an individualist as a partner! Together they pursued their own careers while taking care of their children! It shows how much he respects and values someone else's individual choices and career and doesn't just want his partner to tag along and travel with him! I always looked out for these qualities in my partner too; being calm, composed, down-to-earth, humble and someone who works on himself and the others but in silence. Like I said, Rahul Dravid is my 'yardstick'!
It was on 25th November 2011, when I saw Rahul Dravid play in front of my eyes, for the first time in my life!! My building friends and I attended the Test Match at Wankhede, where Sachin was expected to complete his 100th Century! But I just couldn't take my eyes off Dravid, although he looked like a toy soldier, playing a good hundred feet away from our stand! He stood there in full white, a calm, towering personality, assessing the pitch, the situation and playing his shots patiently. Though he missed his century that day, he made some 85 runs; for the entire time, I was hooked on to his every move! That day, some of my life's wishes came true! I witnessed Dravid in full glory! I witnessed Dravid and Sachin's partnership! After Sachin got out, Laxman walked in. I witnessed Dravid and Laxman's partnership too. Moreover I saw the match in Wankhede starring my childhood heroes (whom I had only seen on TV, in papers and on the covers of my notebooks till then)!
Ofcourse I bawled when Dravid retired; that too by announcing his retirement in a press conference; instead of retiring with a match and taking the attention away or putting on a big show amongst his teammates! It was the most elegant, simplest, down-to-earth way that any cricketeer could retire. Again, here he was just being his humble self, keeping it short and sticking to his part! I don't think I have recovered from that trauma. Matches and cricket no longer seem the same. Without him! Without Sachin and Laxman! I miss that humility and that passion (didn't seem like aggression) on field, in the current crop of players. And it will always be my honour to be alive when he was an active cricketeer!
When I found out Kedar lived in Bangalore and I would move to Bangalore after our wedding, I felt an instant connection with the city and saw a ray of hope. I was coming to my Dravid's city, after all :)
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl has quoted,
“I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I'll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else....
Oh gosh, yes, brains is one of the least. You can be a lovely person without brains, absolutely lovely. Kindness - that simple word. To be kind - it covers everything, to my mind.
If you're kind that's it.”
And this has been my life's foremost mantra! 'Kindness!'
And another one from Matilda...
(photo courtesy: Google images)
Well, now an Author who builds his characters with such lovely thoughts could be lovely as a person too!
Roald Dahl had a wicked sense of humour. He absolutely made his characters 'go the whole hog'! He made some absolutely brave, witty and naughty characters; and made some absolutely horrid and horrible characters!
When I was in my fourth standard, our Librarian
Mrs. Nagarkar read out 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' to the whole class. Oh My! I had never read and slobbered at such delightful and delicious story before! Next I read 'George's Marvellous Medicine'. I was on a wait list for this book, and I would look at it with longing eyes as the book fell into the hands of some mean girls in my class. Finally after a wait for many weeks, I got my hands on 'George's Marvellous Medicine!' It was the first time I discovered the joy of laughing at something so naughty and evil. Bwahahaha!
(photo courtesy: Google images)
Roald Dahl made me chuckle, laugh, made me eyes pop out all through his stories. He was such a breath of fresh air who just didn't write about 'goody two-shoes' and wrote unapologetically. I would ever be grateful to him for creating such twisted stories and characters! While his stories for children were appalling and funny, his stories for adults have been a treat too! They have been absolutely wicked, dark, funny and shocking!
Roald Dahl taught me to write unapologetically, to be bindaas and to write and experiment stories that aren't always deemed to be 'goody-goody'! How I wish he could be alive, during these times! But I imagine him to be sitting in his tiny 'Writing Cabin' with his feet stretched out under the table (I do that too). He loves the colour 'yellow' and so do I :)
Roald Dahl passed away when I was almost a year old. So to say that I was alive, during a part of his life, wouldn't be wrong :) And with that, I can proudly say and feel blessed that I have been alive and around through the lifetimes of my heroes!
I wouldn't have been what I am or couldn't have gone ahead without these three 'R's in my life. The three went after their true love, their true passions and made it in their own right! They were All Originals, who stood the test of time, stuck to their discipline and kept at their work! They failed, but never gave up and rose whenever they took a beating! And that's what I need to imbibe! Although they hardly know that I exist, they have always been there for me through their work and words!
I will truly be grateful to the three of them for guiding me and helping me through my life. And also will be thankful to them for setting such great examples for me in this lifetime! I just wish, some day, they get to read my stories, and I get to meet them and spend some time listening to them, one on one :)
Thank you RB, RD and RD :)
Love,
Amruta :)
Mrs. Nagarkar read out 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' to the whole class. Oh My! I had never read and slobbered at such delightful and delicious story before! Next I read 'George's Marvellous Medicine'. I was on a wait list for this book, and I would look at it with longing eyes as the book fell into the hands of some mean girls in my class. Finally after a wait for many weeks, I got my hands on 'George's Marvellous Medicine!' It was the first time I discovered the joy of laughing at something so naughty and evil. Bwahahaha!
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