Hi, Everyone! And as I started on my journey of writing from zero (or was it minus?) position, I could see the impracticality, the improbability, the utter impossibility of it all. I just wasn’t going to knuckle under to that pressure, that’s all.
But while my head was floating in the clouds, I had my feet planted on Mother Earth at all times. It was clear to me that if I was going to make it, I was most certainly going to need—perhaps even a truckload?—some Divine Intervention.
I have said many times that I have a deepbelief and faith in God. So for me Divine Intervention is a reality. It exists. I am also ever the optimist; my glass is always half full, never half empty.
To come to the point, I am going to present to you all the list of the Divine Interventions (DI) that I was incredibly lucky enough to experience.
The very first of my DI occurred almost immediately upon my making tracks upon my journey. I knew I needed help from people who knew more about Savarkar. I also needed to feel connected.
But who? And how? These were the big Qs!!
I am (or perhaps was is the more correct word) a shrinking violet when it comes to contacting strangers. But I had no choice. I had been avidly devouring all the information provided in savarkar.org and been eyeing their ‘contact us’ button very longingly. One and a half month went by before I had the courage to dash off an email saying that I was writing a novel on Savarkar and intending to visit India in the summer, would they suggest someone to contact for research help? (I can’t put in words what it cost me to write those feeble lines.)
I got a reply almost immediately with Mr. Joglekar’s (who was visiting the U.S. at the time) email ID and a question re what my novel was about. I did give a moment to wonder why I was not given any contact in India as I had asked—but really, I was so-o-o-o excited at the info (for it was Mr. Joglekar’s book on Savarkar that had set me on this path) that I didn’t care. I gushed out a reply full of enthusiasm, particularly mentioning my intention to reveal the truth of Gandhi.
This time the reply was very warm and I received two precious contact infos: Dr. Arvind Godbole and Dr. Shreerang Godbole.
I was over the moon! Dr. Arvind Godbole had been Savarkar’s physician and Dr. Shreerang Godbole . . . ! What can I say? I had read his terrific article on Savarkar (chockful of details as his articles always are) and had actually wished that I could meet him and tap all the info I felt he had on Savarkar.
There wasn’t any sign of ‘shrinking’ or a ‘violet’ as I rushed to write him an email. He seemed most willing to help too! He turned out to be a savarkar.org team member . . . ! (what were the odds . . . ?) It was at this time that I read another of his articles.
Time seemed to stand still for me (I admit I have a melodramatic turn of phrase.) Every point he made (very boldly and satirically too!) was like a point on the plot line of my novel. He seemed to me to be of the same mind as me where Savarkar was concerned. Literally the words Kindred Soul came to my mind.
There and then I made up my mind to hang on to him for all I was worth. He was a complete stranger; I knew nothing of him, and yet I felt I knew him.
He has been of infinite help throughout the writing of my novel. It was he who pushed—yes, pushed (or maybe dragged, kicking and screaming)—me into translating Savarkar’s poems. I was sure I couldn’t do it, he was just as sure I could. It is he who gave me the opportunity to become a savarkar.org team member and do research and writing for the website. I much appreciate the opportunity of doing this for Savarkar.
I have dedicated my novel to him, Dr. Shreerang Godbole, for it was inconceivable to me to dedicate it to anyone else.
What is it but Divine Intervention that out of this whole wide world I should come upon the one person who is of the same mind as me re Savarkar?
More tomorrow,
Anurupa