BAPU - OUR SAHEB
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Bapu talking about subjects like Malkhamb, Gymnastics, Sword Fighting, Dandpatta, Ancient Indian Martial Arts, Balvidya, Cricket and Physiology is just like listening to the suitable guidelines from an expert person. Advice from Saheb provides the required attention for the development of the physical and mental strength. Our Humongous Saheb demonstrates the two extreme qualities of developing solid strength and being soft and mild to win everyone's mind. Whether it is Malkhamb or Ancient Indian Martial Arts or anything else, there is no proper guide for exercise. Under such circumstances we look upto Saheb as being the starting point for exercises.
Around 1987 Dhanesh and I enrolled in the Samartha Mandir at Shivaji Park. I was then in Class V and Dhanesh was in Class III. Till 1995 we participated in various state-level and national-level competitions for Wrestling and Judo. We participated in these competitions under the banner of Samartha.
Vyayam Mandir which was established in 1923. The athletes from Samartha Mandir were highly respected in the field of sports. Samartha has produced many athletes who won fame for India in the field of sports. Our father too was from the same field. He was a body builder. In the year 1970 he won the title of “Maharashtra Shree", hence the atmosphere at home itself developed a liking for exercise in us. We began to learn Malkhamb at Samartha Mandir. Malkhamb is the first step for entering any competition. Malkhamb ensures exercising the whole body and is the “Mother of All Sports.” Even today if anyone needs to research on games or study Sports Medicine or study Sports Physiology, many doctors observe Malkhamb. Not only the doctors in India but even the doctors abroad seem to be studying Malkhamb. While studying Malkhamb, many doctors would visit Samartha Vyayamshala to take sessions for us. Their objective was to make us understand the Physiology. These doctors visited Samartha gymnasium for observation and practice of Sports Medicine. They would explain to us by sketching the human anatomy on blackboard. But due to our young age, such theoretical lectures were boring for us. We never understood anything that was taught. We were learning Malkhamb under the guidelines of the National level teachers. During one such practice session our sir, Shashikant Ravanang informed us about a doctor who had come to our gymnasium. Around May 1995, Sir told us to meet this doctor. As a part of discipline we had to obey our sir. So we thought, lets meet one more doctor and see what he has new to say, thinking this we went ahead for the meeting. At that time the visiting doctor was then talking to our Shreyas sir. What we saw there amazed us.
A huge, humongous man was talking to our sir. We wondered who He was. We thought some wrestler has come to meet and were left staring at Him for few minutes till one of our friends told us that He was a doctor. We just kept looking at Bapu from a distance. Bapu's personality was such that He would catch attention wherever He went. People would stop their work and keep looking at Him while he passed by. Such was His persona and physique. Before meeting Him we thought He would be some dumb person, but when we saw Him in person we were taken by surprise.
We had participated in various sports like judo, wrestling, gymnasium, Malkhamb. We also played with Sports Authority of India. Our sir was then around 26-27 years of age. He had trained us very well and increased our strength and stamina. Once at our gymnasium a 70-80 year old tree fell uprooted and obstructed the exercise ground for the children. We both brothers actually cleared the place by lifting and moving the fallen tree.
On the same day Shreyas sir introduced us to Dr. Aniruddha Joshi who visited us at the gymnasium as, "These are the two bulls of our gymnasium; Yogesh and Dhanesh". We kept staring at Bapu in awe and lovingly He called us- “Come here my children".
We were shocked when He called us with His strong base voice. Bapu then examined us. Doctors who would visit us earlier would only discuss with sir or would take class for information sake. There was never any direct contact with the students. The first doctor who physically examined us and taught us personally was - 'Our Saheb', Dr. Aniruddha Joshi.
We became very curious about Him. We began to wonder as to whom exactly He was and what is this He going to do? We began to address Bapu as 'Saheb' right from the time we met Him for the first time. Till date He is our 'Saheb'.
He was introduced to us with the name as Dr. Aniruddha Joshi but we never referred to Him as Doctor. We would address Him only as 'Saheb'.
We would always ask Him, "Saheb what should I do tomorrow? Should I visit you at the clinic?", “Saheb can you guide? Saheb I have pain." Since then till date we greet Him as 'Saheb'.
We met Bapu when Yogesh was 16 years old and I was 14 years. At that age we both could carry weight of 400 kgs. Once after examining us, this doctor like any normal person stood before us with open arms and asked us to pull Him. We both held Doctor’s both hands and tried our best to pull Him but could not move Him an inch. We were totally shocked. He then released His one hand and asked us both to pull Him together. Both of us who had the capacity to lift 300 - 400 kilos and were regarded as the strongest boys of the gymnasium tried to pull the hand put forward by the Doctor. We again tried our best with full strength but to no avail. We lost this test of power…
Though we were considered to be the strongest bulls of our gymnasium who could easily lift 300-400 kgs but that day we lost badly to strength of a 40 year old Doctor. We were surprised and curious to know that about doctor’s strength?
15 years have passed after this incidence. We are now in our thirties and our Saheb Dr. Aniruddha Joshi has crossed His fifties. During this period, due to the guidance of Bapu, today our weight lifting capacity has actually doubled. We could lift 300 kilos then and today we can lift 600 kilos. Even then, today at the age of 55, Doctor Saheb cannot be pulled even a bit without His own wish by both of us together. After about one and half to two years from this incident, we discussed about it with Saheb. Saheb then clearly mentioned "Moving me is altogether a different issue. But even if you could slightly move my toe finger then there is would be no need for you to do anything else". And till today we have not been able to do this.
Bapu selected us and gave us training in Ancient Indian Martial Arts. To revive this knowledge Bapu has started an orderly study and training programme. Here we train students. During one such training session our Saheb visited the venue of training. There were 108 trainees on one side and with Bapu on the other. We all 108 people together also could not pull Saheb even by a millimeter. Possessing such great strength, Our Saheb used to make us understand as to how to do exercise, very lovingly due to which our interest was sustained in doing exercise. He used to take lessons on how to do exercise, i.e. Malkhamb, Gymnastics or even how to treat injury caused due to exercise by exercise itself. Not only he used to teach us exercise but before doing this He Himself had developed a great physique with exercise. He had broad shoulders, pumped chest and massive calf muscles. His calf muscles were so big that they would not fit in our both palms. He would on one moment hold his calf muscles as hard like rock and at another moment would leave them as loose and soft as cotton. No one can demonstrate a better Muscle Control than this. We are now guiding body-builders but we have not yet seen the calf muscles as that of Saheb.
Watching our inclination for sports and physical exercise it was He who guided us towards the area of body-building. During our following meetings with Him, He kept teaching and imparting immense knowledge and importance of wrestling, Ancient Indian Martials arts, physiology etc. He could speak for hours together, explaining in-detail various aspects of Mudgal, Suryabhedan Vidya, Vajramushthi, Swordsmanship, Daandpatta, Modern Science and various such topics. Even the experts of sports field are unaware of most of this information that Saheb imparted. He would give medical advice and guidance not only to Shree Samartha Mandir athletes but to all other athletes as well. Saheb would not only examine the boys from our gymnasium but He would also examine and impart guidance regularly to Malkhamb athletes coming from Chiplun, Pune and Ratnagiri too. Some times Bapu would even ask Suchitdada to lecture us. Suchitdada would then lecture us and our sir on Physiology and Anatomy for more than two hours.
Bapu had hired a hall for the period two years during which he did research on various forms of exercises. It was after this that Bapu taught us Balvidya. We had never even heard about many aspects of it. Suryanamaskar was His favourite topic and would teach us about the same for almost one hour daily for 20-22 days at a stretch. He told us about various kinds of Suryanamaskars. During those times we would practice Chaturang Namasakar and it was He who informed us about other types of it. The Chaturang Suyranamaskar that we would do was of different styles. He also introduced to us Ashtaang Surya Namaskar. Doctor Saheb would also teach us scientifically, how to perform Veerbhadra Suryanamaskar and how Suryanamaskar is the first step towards Suryabhedan and how Suryanamaskar benefits us. All the knowledge that was imparted by Bapu could never even be found in any textbook…
Malkhamb performed in a particular manner in specific time would have multiple benefits. We were unaware of this. Even Shreyas sir would admit that all taught by Bapu is unheard of by him. Our Sir acknowledged that Bapu's knowledge is as huge and vast like His physical strength…
Saheb is totally unpredictable as to when and what He will speak. While guiding us He would inform us the importance of drinking ample water. Dhanesh incidentally met Saheb and He asked whether he drinks less water, to which Dhanesh replied that he drinks 3 - 3 1/2 litres of water daily. He then pinpointed that due to prevalent October heat and also as they being athletes they would require lots of water. He then mentioned that you must increase consumption of water by 10 more glasses daily. These words of guidance were totally practical. Not just these days but even long back whenever we went to meet Him, even before opening the door of His chamber, He would tell us our problems upfront before even we mentioned it to him; "Your hand is paining today, go and take this medicine”, “Apply sesame oil”, “There is no need to meet, go from here." This was very common. Before we could tell our problem He would give us the solution and ask us to leave.
Saheb -Aniruddha Bapu
Once Yogesh went to Bapu's clinic at Parel, on seeing him Bapu said, "What is this? You have been consuming ghee in this entire week. You need to reduce its intake". After such incidences we would really wonder as to how Saheb can know all and speak like this? He would also point out our mistakes in our way of exercising. During the initial days we were unaware that He delivered discourses and also as to who exactly He was.
Once a girl from our gymnasium in a short span of time, was to be nominated for Chatrapati Puruskaar (award). Prior to the competition Shreyas sir informed Saheb that in two days’ time she will be a gold medal winner, to which Saheb immediately replied- “Only if she participates in the competition, isn't it?" We were kept wondering as to why did Saheb make such a statement? The competition was after two days. Generally during this phase we do not practice so as to avoid any last minute injuries and hence the question of Aditi not participating in the competition did not arise. All were very sure of Aditi winning the gold medal. But during the flag march just before the competition, Aditi slipped over a pothole and sprained her leg; she had fractured her knee and thus had to miss her competition. In case of any such mishaps we would call Dr. Jo or Saheb. We informed Saheb on phone about Aditi's fracture. He said, He knew about it and He Himself visited her. Later she developed blood cancer but today at the age of 32 she is in America and in the pink of her health…
In between I tore my calf muscle and doctors had suggested an operation. But rather, Saheb suggested me to swim for three weeks. After this I visited Suchitdada and He said that nothing will happen to me and asked me to leave. My calf muscles never troubled me after that. Even after prolonged practice it is very difficult to master the skills of Balvidya but Saheb would train us and prepare us in just five sessions.
After few years we learnt that Saheb will be conducting discourses (Pravachans) . It was very difficult for us to digest this thought that our Doctor who guides us in sports will be delivering discourses. On one Thursday, out of curiosity we along with Shashikant sir went to attend the discourse. He had moulded and connected Science and Spirituality together in His discourse. Thereafter the transition from Doctor to Bapu in our life happened smoothly because the relation between us was of love, trust and respect. Saheb had provided Shashikant sir with mental strength due to which he could overcome his physical handicap, Because of this he could do Bapu's Upasana and devotion and win multiple titles of Malkhamb at National level.
Bapu's activities spread further but still after the discourse on every Thursday Saheb did not stop giving the Prasad to Shashikant sir till his end.
Along with teaching exercises, He would also impart guidance to cricketers. He would train enthusiast at Shivaji Park in fast bowling. He would conduct free classes on teaching technical aspects of fast bowling. Fast bowling depends on Kinesiology. Kinesiology is the Science of action of body. He taught that in order to do fast bowling your body needs to move in a particular manner in accordance with Kinesiology. Those times Bapu would also exercise rigorously.
Saheb has great knowledge and skills of communication unlike anyone else. Bapu plays wrestling and knows its all types and forms. He plays Dandpatta, Malkhamb and can also practice swordsmanship skillfully. Saheb would practice by smashing his swords against rocks. This way of practicing is called Vajramushthi.
Once we saw Bapu with His pants torn till his knees. We casually inquired as to what had happened. We learnt that a bullock cart had fallen in a ditch. Bapu had lifted the bull out and freed it. In an attempt to pull the bull of almost 250-300 kilos, out of the ditch, his pants had got torn. One more example of how is our Bapu is mentioned herewith. It’s been fifteen years now that we are following Bapu's guidelines. Meanwhile the Parel clinic shifted to Navneet at Ram Maruti Road, Dadar. One of the days when we met Bapu there, we saw Him wearing two finger rings, out of which one was made of a blue color plastic ring and the other was a diamond ring. On seeing these rings on Bapu's fingers, it aroused curiosity in one's mind. Even we got curious about it. We asked Bapu about his plastic ring. Bapu said that a poor lady attending the discourse had gifted Bapu with it. Bapu would move around wearing a diamond ring on one finger worth lakhs of rupees and an invaluable symbol of love, the plastic ring on the other finger. Be it to attend a Medical Conference or to examine patients at the clinic, Bapu would roam around wearing both these finger rings.
We are yet to come across someone as affectionate as our Saheb, having enormous physical strength and a big heart full of love. Though He is our Sadguru but more than that we are His fans. So many people ask us as to why did you go to Bapu? We say we came here as we were His fans. In the year 1995, we would ask Him to show His hand and He would show us. We would behave with Him just like we behave when we see an elephant. We would hit Him and He would firm His hands and shoulders. We have also poked Him with pins on His shoulders but to no effect. No marks, no wound, not even a simple scratch would show up on His body. Nobody will ever believe this.
There is one Man, who takes care of your health, the same Person guides you, the same person teaches you how to do 'neat' dumbbells weighing 80 pounds. He is the same person who has coffee with you, He also eats vada paav and samosa with you, He is the same person who shows you the flash light of profound strength and capacity, He is the one who possess a Vajradeh and through His nature He portrays love and affection. One would feel it impossible for any one person to do all this at a same time. But we saw all this done by one single person and that is - Our Saheb. He could be seen doing all this not just because Saheb had the strength and the power. He definitely had the power and strength but along with it He has profound love. That is why He is “Saheb" - humongous flow of strength.
This is what we learnt during last 17 Years of receiving our training from Him.
Published at Mumbai, Maharashtra - India