Monday, July 4, 2016

The man whose name should have been 'Endurance'


Pt. Seshagiri Krishnappa Hangal, Anna (meaning brother), as me and everyone fondly called him, was my grandfather and a man to be truly looked up to for inspiration, for the saintly life he lived. Every time I think about this great soul, a tear rolls down my cheek, not because he faced the lifelong hardship of having to rely on crutches to walk and move around, but for the unfathomable reason behind his willpower and strength. I wondered as I spent more time with him, what gave him so much strength to endure pain and suffering like any other person, while he himself was crippled since childhood! 


The handsome Seshagiri Hangal in hues of young and old along with his beautiful mother, Radhabai Krishnappa Hangal 


The fondest memory I have of him is that he gifted me my first 'glaze' or 'cork' ball cricket bat and every time I went to my ancestral home in Dharwad to meet him, he enquired enthusiastically about the cricket bat and ensured that it was being used well. His attention to details was remarkable and he enquired about the wellbeing of everyone, and not just those close to him. His compassion was ever present, and that is why it made everyone really sad to have seen him lose memory in the latter stages of his life. To quote one of his life experiences, a cat after much seeking and not finding help, came to our ancestral home in Dharwad. The cat was so fond of him that it never ate unless he fed it with his own hands. With his tender and loving hands he nurtured the cat and made it feel loved. This was one among several instances where my beloved grandpa gave love to every being looking for love. In his final moments, God almighty must have taken note of such acts of kindness, because he passed away, having made a permanent home in mine and everyone else's hearts. 


94th birthday, October 10th 2015; Anna's last birthday with us, now etched in our memories forever!!!
My grandfather struggled all his life so that those close to him did not suffer. Ills and pains of the body are one that we can invariably learn to live by, but my grandpa had to face harsh circumstances and severe challenges from a society that struggles hard to look beyond the external appearances of everyone and everything. The endurance of such immense mental agony was never to be seen on his beautiful face as he always wore a smile, a smile so bright that it lit up the whole universe. So that is why my friends, I choose to remember this great soul as a man who walked this earth on 'one' foot and accomplished more than anyone could imagine, one who really should have been named 'Endurance'. Yes, each and every enduring moment I come face to face with, I will remember Seshagiri Krishnappa Hangal because he teaches me how to live without self-pity but with great pride, without hate but deep love in our souls. That gives me strength which cannot be explained in words. I hope you will too.


Padma Vibhushan Smt. Gangubai Hangal and her daughter, Smt. Krishna Hangal were my grandfather's best life companions. Truly inseparable in spirit!!!


Love and Peace