When a person is full of many talents

[Shahrukh Atpade]

Today I met Shrikant Ramchandra Shelke in Shelakewadi village. Everyone calls him “Maharaj” (this is how temple priests are respectfully addressed). He had to go out for some work, so he did not have much time, but still he gave me one hour to talk. When I reached his house, he was playing with his grandchildren. The bond between a grandfather and grandchildren is beyond words. When I sat with him, the children also quietly sat nearby. First, I introduced myself. Then I asked him to remember and share a good moment from his life. Without taking much time, he started sharing his experiences.

He said that he has lived in Shelakewadi village since childhood. At that time there were only about 20 houses in the village. He wanted to go to school, but there was no school nearby, so he never got the chance to study. Because of this, he spent his days doing farming and small work in the village. In his youth, because the village was small, he did many works for the village. At that time people did not need to be told to help; they themselves gave time for the village. Everyone used to participate in activities like biogas work, planting trees, and village cleanliness. Because of this environment, he developed an interest in traditional activities. He used to play Lezim, Dandpatta, and wrestling. Because of this, his body is still strong and healthy today.

Since he likes working for the village, he also trained youth in Dandpatta (a traditional martial art) using his own money. To keep the youth connected, he encouraged them to participate in different religious and cultural programs in the village. He believes that only when today’s youth protect traditions will those traditions continue in the future.

At the end, he said something that felt like a certificate for today’s conversation. He said:
“I always want to share my work and experiences, but today I felt satisfied after speaking with you. If there is a generation ready to listen, people like us who are uneducated have a treasure of experiences that everyone should learn from.”
He also said that he will definitely help in bringing youth together and guiding them.