1956
As a teenager, I arrived in Pune, during the summer of 1956, long, long ago, with an appointment letter to join service . Those were the golden years of ever-green memories.
I vividly remember hiring a horse drawn VICTORIA at Rastapet, to reach the office to join duty on first appointment, along with my uncle to guide me. The roads were full of cycles plying to and fro and for the first time in my life, I saw girls riding bicycles ! Pune was known as the city of cycles. I would hire a cycle at the rate of one anna per hour (six paise per hour) and perched on the little seat, I would joyfully ride around, getting famaliar with every nook and corner of my new city.
Poona was such an attractive city, with its salubrious climate, moderate cost of living and plethora of cultural activities. Performing artists dominated the cultural and musical extravaganza at the famous annual Ganesh Festival..I enjoyed Pandit Bhimsen Joshi”s programme just in front of my house at RastaPet and also the Lavani, Natya sangeeth and other typical folk pogrammes. One derived deep satisfaction with the exposure to the artistic and musical talents of Maharashtra.
I cannot forget the erstwhile WESTEND theatre which I frequented endlessly with every change of film (four annas ticket…eight annas for Balcony) The EMPIRE and HINDVIJAY theatres were also equally popular exhibitors of English films. The stretch of road from RastaPet to WESTEND theatre used to be so lonely, that we would go to the night shows only in groups, as it was very scaring and risky to go alone. IRANI restaurants were the “in” thing and popular hangouts, for most of us. We would spend hours at these restaurants, over a cup of tea costing one anna, enjoying the background music of AAPKI FARMAISH and BINACA GEETHMALA relayed from Radio Ceylon, enchanted with the voice of AMIN SAYANI.
I took part in Dramas to raise funds for the new building of SARASWATI VIDYALAYA SCHOOL in Rastapet. Women were not forthcoming to partake in the Dramas and as such I was forced to play the roles of heroines in most of the dramas enacted there. The dramas enacted in the school were a great attraction to the entertainment starved public and also a platform for the aspiring actors. The Saraswathi Vidyalaya school would cater to the literary and cultural tastes of the South Indians, by arranging Patti manrams viz., Debates etc., where renowned literary stalwarts from Tamil Nadu would preside over the literary duels. Rastapet was the center of all South Indian activities. The famous BHAJAN SAMAJAM was a regular sojourn for all social and religious activities. It has now grown into an imposing structure. The devotees continue to throng the temple.
APOLO THEATRE used to be teeming with South Indians on Sunday mornings when Tamil films were screened. The thrill of buying tickets for the morning show by a frenzied mob of south Indians on Fridays and the excitement of rushing inside the theatre on Sunday morning to corner the seats, are some of the ever-green scenes, never to be forgotten by the old timers of Pune.. The theatre used to look like a marriage hall with the crowds of colorful ladies in Kanjeevaram sarees, bedecked with glittering diamonds and jewellery.
The Hotels in Rastapet thrived by catering to the tastes of the south Indians. Idly, Dosa, Sambar and Rasam would be heavily consumed on Sundays. Today Rastapet has totally changed in appearance. Where have all the old timers gone ? The roads are full of cars and the South Indians occasionally visit Rastapet to buy coffee powder or attend the religious programme in the Bhajan Madam or Aiyappa temple..
I came to Poona as a teen aged boy and was totally captivated by the city, known then as the center for education and a heaven for pensioners. As a retired pensioner, when I look back at the golden days, I know that the serenity of Poona is lost for ever. Noise and pollution by heavy vehicles, the emergence of concrete jungle, flats, apartments, milling crowds, chaotic traffic conditions, really sadden me. But then it is the modern face of Pune today. INDIAN EXPRESS...22-3-1996
I vividly remember hiring a horse drawn VICTORIA at Rastapet, to reach the office to join duty on first appointment, along with my uncle to guide me. The roads were full of cycles plying to and fro and for the first time in my life, I saw girls riding bicycles ! Pune was known as the city of cycles. I would hire a cycle at the rate of one anna per hour (six paise per hour) and perched on the little seat, I would joyfully ride around, getting famaliar with every nook and corner of my new city.
Poona was such an attractive city, with its salubrious climate, moderate cost of living and plethora of cultural activities. Performing artists dominated the cultural and musical extravaganza at the famous annual Ganesh Festival..I enjoyed Pandit Bhimsen Joshi”s programme just in front of my house at RastaPet and also the Lavani, Natya sangeeth and other typical folk pogrammes. One derived deep satisfaction with the exposure to the artistic and musical talents of Maharashtra.
I cannot forget the erstwhile WESTEND theatre which I frequented endlessly with every change of film (four annas ticket…eight annas for Balcony) The EMPIRE and HINDVIJAY theatres were also equally popular exhibitors of English films. The stretch of road from RastaPet to WESTEND theatre used to be so lonely, that we would go to the night shows only in groups, as it was very scaring and risky to go alone. IRANI restaurants were the “in” thing and popular hangouts, for most of us. We would spend hours at these restaurants, over a cup of tea costing one anna, enjoying the background music of AAPKI FARMAISH and BINACA GEETHMALA relayed from Radio Ceylon, enchanted with the voice of AMIN SAYANI.
I took part in Dramas to raise funds for the new building of SARASWATI VIDYALAYA SCHOOL in Rastapet. Women were not forthcoming to partake in the Dramas and as such I was forced to play the roles of heroines in most of the dramas enacted there. The dramas enacted in the school were a great attraction to the entertainment starved public and also a platform for the aspiring actors. The Saraswathi Vidyalaya school would cater to the literary and cultural tastes of the South Indians, by arranging Patti manrams viz., Debates etc., where renowned literary stalwarts from Tamil Nadu would preside over the literary duels. Rastapet was the center of all South Indian activities. The famous BHAJAN SAMAJAM was a regular sojourn for all social and religious activities. It has now grown into an imposing structure. The devotees continue to throng the temple.
APOLO THEATRE used to be teeming with South Indians on Sunday mornings when Tamil films were screened. The thrill of buying tickets for the morning show by a frenzied mob of south Indians on Fridays and the excitement of rushing inside the theatre on Sunday morning to corner the seats, are some of the ever-green scenes, never to be forgotten by the old timers of Pune.. The theatre used to look like a marriage hall with the crowds of colorful ladies in Kanjeevaram sarees, bedecked with glittering diamonds and jewellery.
The Hotels in Rastapet thrived by catering to the tastes of the south Indians. Idly, Dosa, Sambar and Rasam would be heavily consumed on Sundays. Today Rastapet has totally changed in appearance. Where have all the old timers gone ? The roads are full of cars and the South Indians occasionally visit Rastapet to buy coffee powder or attend the religious programme in the Bhajan Madam or Aiyappa temple..
I came to Poona as a teen aged boy and was totally captivated by the city, known then as the center for education and a heaven for pensioners. As a retired pensioner, when I look back at the golden days, I know that the serenity of Poona is lost for ever. Noise and pollution by heavy vehicles, the emergence of concrete jungle, flats, apartments, milling crowds, chaotic traffic conditions, really sadden me. But then it is the modern face of Pune today. INDIAN EXPRESS...22-3-1996
1 comment:
I can feel your anguish. I grewup in Pune too, and when I see it now, it is nothing like what it was. Truly, the serenity of Pune is lost forever.
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