streamers and gleaming lanterns, songs and music. Parents and children were seated on a posh lawn. Everyone had come in their best clothes. A row of stalls was selling tasty snacks and cold drinks. Girls who had gathered around were readily taking out hundred rupee notes to buy whatever they fancied. Their chatter and carefree laughter filled the air. Parents were happily engaged in conversation over snacks. Joshi found himself somewhat aloof from the crowd. He had lived a high-society life in Europe but today he was feeling a little low in this festive atmosphere around. He thought he might be amongst the poorest parents in this lot. His daughters seemed like poor girls in a rich school. Many recent incidents had given rise to this depressing feeling. Elder Shreya wanted to go on a school trip to Kashmir, but Joshi did not have the five hundred rupees to pay for it. He was in tears when he turned down his daughter’s request. Nothing like that had ever happened while in Switzerland; there he could afford to give his girls anything they wanted. For his girls, the school, neighbours, roads, traffic, climate; everything was totally different from what they were used to in Bern. Just couple of years earlier Shreya had written an essay on Copernicus in French and here she was learning alphabets in Marathi! They were witness to fights at home over mounting expenses and burden of loan. That way both girls were considerate and mature. They never asked for much. The seriousness on their faces used to torment Joshi. Recently he had to sell his personal collection of postal stamps built up over the years; his prized possession. It was a very sad moment for him. Situation with Leelatai was not much different. She was trying to adjust with the new environment but it was tough. Describing his state of mind at that time Joshi has written, ‘What really went on in her heart is difficult to say. My plunge into this situation was an injustice to her as well. She 92
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Sharad Joshi : Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage
