She was born to a Barrister Father and an Agriculturist Mother. A highly respected and cultured family of Akkalkot - the Bagul's. One amongst the four siblings, she was the eldest 'daughter' of the family who would go on to complete her graduation in Pune's Modern college with a Bachelor's in Arts.
He was born in a village named Wade, that could not really boast of proper sanitation, healthcare, education or for that matter, even twenty-four hour electricity! In a joint family of three brothers of his father's generation and one amongst four sons and three daughters. Not to mention, this number would add up if he had not lost two of his siblings who failed to reach toddlerhood, owing to the absence of proper childcare facilities in the village. However, he would turn out to be so befitting to his family name "Maha-jan" - A Great Man !
They both came from opposite directions of Maharashtra and rightfully owing to their upbringings - with completely opposing lifestyles. She came from a family who had domestic helps to even lay out her bedding each night and if the blanket was not laid out straight, she had a way to bring the roof down ! As a child, she once made a request for playing with rabbits and it was fulfilled ! One could easily believe she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
He toiled each month to make ends meet, living as a Bachelor's student of Science of Ferguson College in Pune. Making the transition from Wade to Pune in the late sixties / early seventies was almost synonymous to travelling to a foreign country in today's day and age ! The biggest difference probably being, the absence of capital, owing to so many children to be fed in the same family.
To add to the ordeal, coming from a village which attached greater importance to holding a plough than holding a book in your hands, made it difficult for one to even dream of completing one's graduation, let alone pursuing his dream of medical studies - which to date, remains one of the most expensive educational investments ! After being digressed, he would still go on to complete his BSc, LLB, MLS - making the most of the situations at hand.. !
Their coming together, was like trying to bind the two ends of a rope - one could only imagine the immense transformation each had to go through, in the other's company. As tradition, culture, the patriarchal and socio-economic nature of the joint family in which she was wedded, would have it, the change 'She' underwent, was of greater enormity in comparison to 'His' ! Both of them had been extremely graceful in handling this transition - an important milestone in any marriage.
41 years ago, they were married with an understanding that a "husband and wife" have the power to move mountains, if they join hands keeping in mind the same vision and zeal to pursue their dreams.
Today, they've become a living example of how one man's dream and his wife's love to see them through those dreams, can bring about a greater sense of equality in the entire joint family.. !!
Yes, here is a couple, whose true purpose in life was to will-fully make immense scarifies, not just for their parents or children, not just for a generation prior and a generation after, but for the entire joint family. Because they understood, that the true meaning of a life well lived, is not in accumulating wealth, or indulging in needless materialistic pleasures, but it is in ensuring that the ones you call your extended family, are able to boast of a better quality of life - due to better education, better careers, better family relationships and better health.
She was the 1st and only ever woman of her generation in the entire Mahajan family, to thoughtfully balance her further education, family relationships, kids, home and a fulfilling career! No one could relate to her tribulations - and neither would she ever try to explain or even seek empathy. But she was the true torch bearer of bringing about a change in mindsets, in ensuring that the next generation of 'daughter's' in the 'Mahajan' family, got an education that was great enough to see them employed and financially independent !
He was the 1st and most definitely, the only ever man, to have toiled to get even his cousin's children settled in fulfilling lives in Pune. He firmly believed, that a family with economic and educational disparity, is not a happy family. "Always take people along with You!" are his writings in Golden letters, that even I, will live by !
Together, they've re-written the norms of a contemporary fairytale "...and everyone lived, Happily Ever After... !!"
A fairytale that 'We', as their children, loved to witness and take immense pride in ...!
To Our Dearest Aai and Daddy - Wishing You a very very Happy Anniversary and an Eternally Healthy, Happy and a Prosperous Life ahead.. !
(P.S. Your children had better plans, but the lockdown allow's Us to wish you only with words today - We love you so very much ! )
Missing You Both Dearly,
-Aarohi, Anant, Abhi, Avani and Sayli ! :)
