Sahitya Sahwas Days

Met Suhita for the first time after Jayant's passing away. No one else was home so we spent time chatting. Suhita and Jayant met when they were in the Rashtiya Seva Dal as idealistic youngsters - he older than she was by several years. He was an established screenplay writer and a man of arts and letters and she was a young artiste who wanted to act. A love story if there was one.

The house seems to be lacking that energy Jayant brought in - always offering chai, his favorite khari biscuit, a drink in the evening, some chat about movies or cricket (and politics). He led an active life and was always up for a challenge - he would drive till pretty late in his life, enjoyed his swimming, his drink, his food. People who knew him as a friend loved him immensely. Here's an old blog I wrote about an interview with him.

http://harimohanparuvu.blogspot.com/2009/12/lesson-in-screenplay-writing-jayant.html

Lunch time the other trooped in -  Anjali, Shobha, Miskil, Khayal. Lunch, nap and it was time for them to head off to watch 'Sound of Music' the play at NMACC. I caught up on a couple of calls and then Raja arrived. We had a drink and some dinner and these people came back from the play. 

Anjali, Miskil and Suhita at the NMACC for 'The Sound of Music' play

While I was on my own I went out  for a walk to buy some soft drinks and watched the humongous real estate that Adani Realty was building. Across the road was the better looking building - Jade Gardens. I headed back after a short walk on the road named after Jayant's father 'Dharmadhikari' road. Suhita's father Yadunath Thatte has a chowk named after him in Pune, so it's very elite lineage we are talking about here. The last time I was here Suhita and I were walking about and I asked her about the street name and she told me Jayant would joke about it and say 'yeh mera baap ka rasta hai' jokingly.   

Suhita, Miskil, Shobha and I stayed up chatting until almost 3 in the morning when Satish's flight was  to arrive. We somehow managed to find parking, find Satish and headed back home. Some more chatting till the wee hours and I dozed off. 

Morning hours were spent having chai, ordering breakfast, unpacking gifts that Satish bought. Miskil had me drop her off at her office at Bandra Kurla (and to pick her up) in her brand new Kushack or whatever. Tarabai made the best brinjal curry with small dried prawns - amazing. Reminded me of my mother who would use brinjal to add prawns, dry fish, mutton, egg - and it would taste super. Told Tarabai that and she felt very happy. 

Mangala tai, Harshu and others dropped in and I met them for a bit. Time to pick up Miskil and we went again - all four of us - Raja, Satish, Anjali and me. Some banter and Suhita had to leave for her tour -  her play was running at Sangli, Kolhapur and Goa. 

Miskil took us to Sadiccha the restaurant near Bandra Club MIG and we hogged on some lovely sea food thalis. Then we took a cab and Miskils car and headed off to her place.

Mumbai is humid