-Brian Mendonça
I was on the way from Kondwa to Camp in Pune for the famed Shrewsbury biscuits from Kayani's. There
in the crisp morning breeze lay the barracks of Kohima Lines to my right.
Kohima? Here in Pune? What was the connection?
I remembered my visit to Kohima, Nagaland. Perhaps
there was a regiment stationed here in Pune far away from their home in the
North East of India. My salute went to the soldiers of the Indian Army, their
sacrifices, their families and the debt the nation owes to them.
Pune has had a glorious tradition of the armed
forces. In fact on the way to Camp you pass the Armed Forces Medical College
(AFMC) on the left. They were a reputable team on Siddharth Basu’s 'Quiz Time' on
national television in yesteryears.
For the first time I read my Goa poems in Pune. ‘May
Queen’ and ‘Sea in the Sky’ were appreciated by the gathering of poets on a
Sunday evening at the Book Establishment Cafe, Next to Symbiosis College,
Senapati Bapat road. This was an open mike session conducted by The Yellow
Room, ‘which is a community for poets and anyone interested in poetry or
literature.’ It levied a cover charge of Rs. 150. The evening was suffused with
poetry exploring themes like love, separation, depression, women, and beauty.
After the poetry session we went with family for dinner to the famed Maratha Samrat restaurant in Camp for authentic Maharashtrian food. Others started with lime water but I opted for kokum. We ordered a veg thali with pitla, dal, brinjal sabzi, steaming white rice laced with coriander. Dessert was shrikhand with basundi. We also ordered a mutton thali. We were happy to see a children’s thali available too. There were wheat rotis and bhakri rotis. The restaurant has screens separating the eating sections and period paintings of Maharashtrian life framed on the walls.
We found time to visit Parineeti, an NGO working with
children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Parineeti, based in Model Colony, Pune offers training in speaking skills
and computer skills. It also offers individual counselling and assistance in
placement.*In the centre I found beautiful photographs of Anja Bohnhof documenting
the everyday life of Indians. I was also struck by the volunteerism of
professionals who come to lecture to the students on confidence building and communication.
We were delighted that Dwayne (8) was invited to a
birthday party in Pune. He is a bit apprehensive about girls, especially when
there are lots of them. It took a lot to take him away from his cousin’s tab. I
hope he is okay. He should be. His cousin is also going with him.
We did the Katraj zoo on
Sunday. It was a pleasure to behold the leopards, the tigers and the elephants
in their natural habitat. The porcupine slept off the afternoon, while the chinkaras pranced around gracefully. The
irritating thing about the zoo is that you walk about 2 kms. upto the zoo limit
and then have to walk back the same way in the scorching sun.
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*www.parineeti-projects.com, Published in Gomantak Times Weekender, Panjim, Goa on Sunday, 30 June 2019. Pix (clockwise from top) Mr. Augustine Mendonca, Coordinator, Corporate Affairs, Parineeti, Pune on 18 May 2019; painting on walls, and mutton thali in brass at Maratha Samrat, Pune on 19 May 2019. All pix taken by Brian Mendonca.
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