A great sage with a simple living and loving words! This is what Suriji was. My memory goes back to my college days around 1973 when I was a Mukhya Shikashak of a Chennai Sayam Shakha when he visited Chennai and conducted a Baithak for junior karyakartas like me. As an enthusiastic karyakarta, I was delighted to have him in our Baithak and focused a 100 watt bulb on his face. Suriji looked at me, with a smiling face and politely said “You have done a good job, you have focused the bulb very correctly on my eyes”. Soon entire karyakartas gave a sarcastic look at me, and I realised the meaning of “his appreciation” and corrected my mistake. Delivery of a message positively is an art, which I learned in that Baithak.
More Physical Work, More Diet! Around 1994-95 an informal Baithak was organised between Suriji and other karyakartas in the then Vellore Vibhag. As the Karyavah of Arakkonam Taluk (Vellore Vibhag – Thiruthani Zilla) I was lucky to take part in the Baithak and hear his views. |
Later, when I moved to Trichirappalli in 1975, we had an outdoor one-day visit to a nearby village just before Emergency and Suruji was present there to guide us. Every karyakarta had to bring his own lunch from his house and we brought lunch for Suriji. After he took food, there was something left in the box and one karyakarta said “micham” (meaning waste residual in Tamil) is available for us”. To this, Suriji promptly corrected his Tamil word “say migudhi” meaning surplus, not micham”! That was the time Suriji started learning Tamil and became a master by that time!
I had a painful day when Suriji visited my house in 1997 in Trichirappalli and stayed in my house for 3 days. I had a German Shepherd dog, a polite but looking ferocious. We had to keep it away for two days! On the third day due to unknown mistake, the dog entered the house and with curiosity which it was controlling for the last two days, searched for Suriji and climbed on him fondly. Taken aback, Suriji cried “Your friend ….on me….” I rushed to rescue Suriji and with a smile he blessed my dog. He did not utter any word against me or others for the lapse, exhibiting his generosity.
It was later in 2010, when I was the Karyavah of Chennai and I had to be on the dais along with Suriji in a grand meeting on J&K issue. I humbly reserved his seat in the middle of the dais and showed him the seat. But he politely said “Middle seat is always for the Karyavah, and the Pracharak has to sit here only” and took the corner seat of the dais. A great humble soul, that was Suriji!
(The writer is Uttar Tamil Nadu Prant Kudumba Probodhan Pramukh)
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