The last few years of Shri VINAYAK DAMODAR SAVARKAR

An account of the day to day lifestyle of the last few years of

Shri VINAYAK DAMODAR SAVARKAR

-THE FATHER OF HINDUTVA  <3

Tatyarao ("Respected elder brother "in marathi as Vinayak damodar Savarkar was called by his family members and contemporary friends) had a fairly fixed routine in Mumbai if he was not on tour.

He would get up at 7 or 730 in the morning. After his morning chores, tea and newspaper reading (he would mark in pencil), he would have breakfast. This consisted of one egg and fresh butter.

His barber would come at the appointed time to shave him. Then he would meet people by appointment and rarely without appointment.
He would clean the toilet himself and insist on carrying out this chore himself. He would sniff snuff but kicked this habit subsequently. He would have bath at 12 noon or 12.30 pm. Thereafter his cook would serve lunch at 1 pm. It would be simple consisting of rice, vegetable, dal and chapati. The other family members would be instructed not to wait for him; he would have lunch later. He liked his food cold (probably a result of habit developed when he was imprisoned in the Andamans) and would not like to talk during mealtime.

He liked non-vegetarian food especially fish but this would not be prepared at home. Some of his admirers (including Mai Mangeshkar, mother of Lata Mangeshkar) would send him these preparations. He also relished thalipeeth, stale pakoras, Nashik chivda (aforementioned are savories) and anaarse (a Maharashtrian sweet).

On festive occasions, he would have sweets brought from outside. He ate bhagar (a  maharashtrian rice dish prepared during days of fasts) and groundnut curry  by Mai during fasting days of Ashadhi and Kartiki ekadashi and Mahashivratri but would not observe any fasts himself.

After meals, he would have a siesta, then afternoon tea, then some reading sometimes writing. Tatyarao would come to the large room in the front portion of the house to meet relatives and close friends who visited him. He would indulge in light-hearted talk with children especially his grandchildren. In the evenings, he would meditate for some time to increase concentration.

Initially he would go out to the Dadar Chowpatty (seashore) in Mumbai for a walk. But it proved troublesome, as people would flock around him. He would walk for one to one and half miles on the terrace.

At night he would have dinner at 8.30-9.00 pm, which consisted of warm rice, ghee and vegetable curry.
Then he would read and write. Most of his writings were done at night. He would prefer a fountain pen rather than a ballpoint pen. His frugal habits were reflected in his handwriting, which used to be small, so that he could pack lot of content in one page.

Savarkar would sleep with the windows closed and without a fan. If ever he put on the fan, it would be pointed away from him (probably a result of a habit picked up in prison).
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In his sacred altar  ( The devasthal which every observant maharashtrian will definitely have in some corner of his house ..be it a palace or a shanty ),  There was an open copper devhara (a small place to keep idols) shaped like a small old-style throne. It had idols of Balkrishna (boy Krishna) and four Annapurnas (manifestation of Goddess Lakshmi as provider of food) and a picture of Lakshmi.

Tatyarao would observe Mai doing puja but he himself never worshipped.Tatyarao loved perfume. Mai would put champa or prajakta flowers in a glass of water and keep this in his room in the morning. He would use 'heena' perfume. He was a non-smoker and teetotaler. He never imposed his wishes on Mai nor did he ask her to prepare specific food items.

Tatyarao’s living was like that of an ordinary middle class person. He would wear a closed neck full-sleeved shirt, dhoti and use pieces of old, soft dhotis as handkerchieves. He hardly ever went to the theatre or cinema.

It was after All India Radio started broadcasting his famous song ‘jayostute’ (ode to the Goddess of Liberty) that radio finally arrived in his house.

साभार: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=321163708299012&id=100012161551022