In 2020, shortly after we went through the Covid19 lockdown, we made a short film "गुजगोष्टी बागेशी : स्वाति काळे".
There is so much to learn from her approach to gardening and life!
Please turn on the subtitles in English, if needed.
June 17, 2023
August 4, 2020
From the Garden : August 2020
Datura (Brugmansia) 1st August 2020
Brahmakamal (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) on the night of 2nd August 2020
March 29, 2020
A prize for Swati Kale's garden!
Six years ago, her garden waited for more than two weeks, patiently, for her to come back from the hospital, only to bloom full strength when she was home - that was just one of the signs visible to us of the bond, the conversation that she has with her plants every day. And today we heard that Aai gets the second prize in the city's annual competition this year. in the category for family gardens. The prize is not for the flowers you see in the photos here though - it is for the amazing variety of useful plants she grows and uses, it is for the many eco-approaches she has been practicing for years before the city admin started appreciating it, it is for the obvious love she shares with her garden. The judging committee dropped in un-announced last month and was thrilled to see that her garden is not a landscaped one - I haven't seen such a happy judge ever for any competition!
Aai has made a real garden for the family - we use what grows - all sorts of veggies, the jhadoocha jhaad for brooms, fruits (tutti, jambhul, bananas etc) are left for the birds and the bats. There is a biogas in place, a solar cooker that has been in use for decades, composting pits that digest 'waste' not just from our kitchen and garden but also leftovers from two bhaajiwalas round the corner (she hasn't bought manure or soil from outside in decades)...actually, the list is just too long to put down here!
Her garden exemplifies her good nature (over the years, she has tolerated all the 'damage' done by the dogs, as well as an archaeological dig and an insect hotel set up by an enthusiastic grandson) and her unending curiosity to try out new experiments. It is her garden that brings her calm (she shrugs of any sign of a bad mood with a walk with her plants)... and we all, of course, happily feed off that good feeling! 
What else can I say to the most chilled out mother-in-law ever - Congrats! The prize is just public recognition of all that we have been blessed with!
May 28, 2016
Prof V G Kale - Life and Work (English Translation)
The English translation of the book प्रा. वा. गो. काळे: व्यक्ती आणि कार्य is available now at this link.
April 1, 2015
Prof. VG Kale - Life and Work by Dr Subhash Kale
Dr Subhash Kale has written and published a book on Prof V.G. Kale, that can be accessed at this link
September 18, 2008
Marriages and such
Durgadhiwas saw many marriages,from Gangumai to Nana.Some were twinned
One marriage can now be referred to as a generation has gone by.
Everything was ready, cards distributed,outstation relatives arrived,and a Vyahibhojan
Kaka who was looking after things,called for the list of 'sthalas',who had been
The wedding took place at the same muhurta,even revised invitations were distributed.
September 7, 2008
VISITORS
A variety of visitors called on Dada all the time.Some were kept in waiting at the hall above the porch,and were called in turn to visit Dada in the main hall. Of course most were from Pune but there were a few VIPs from outside.
When the first state cabineit was formed in 1938 or so,many meetings were unofficially held at DD.,mainly because the ministers had no experience of managing government.Most of the ministers in the Kher ministry used to come.
Another prominent visitore was Late Shri Vaikunthlal Mehta,he used to hold long discussions with Dada.He was a remarkable man in physical terms. To look at him,one would imagine a slight breeze can blow him away.He often had lunch or dinner at DD.His meals consisted of 5 small purees-20mm-, small vati of milk,a spoonful of bhaji,and exactly one spoon of rice.How he could survive on this I dont know.Once he came with the prospective chairman of state transport,which was born that time.I forget his name.They were to stay the night. I made the arrangement at Swagat,which was vacant. Kaka was served a transfer order on the day of the Vastushanta]They had a cup of tea,and went back to DD.
Another VIP was the Late maharaja of gwalior,Jayajirao.Unlike others,he had made a prior appointment to have tea with Dada.We did not even have a decent crockery set,so I went to "Cheap Store" in camp and brought everything. The conical cups are from that meeting.
Prof P.K.Atre, Master Vinayak used to come often to solve some money problems of Navayug Film Studio.However Dada refused to become Chairman.But I remember we used to get free passes for screenings of their films!
shrini
When the first state cabineit was formed in 1938 or so,many meetings were unofficially held at DD.,mainly because the ministers had no experience of managing government.Most of the ministers in the Kher ministry used to come.
Another prominent visitore was Late Shri Vaikunthlal Mehta,he used to hold long discussions with Dada.He was a remarkable man in physical terms. To look at him,one would imagine a slight breeze can blow him away.He often had lunch or dinner at DD.His meals consisted of 5 small purees-20mm-, small vati of milk,a spoonful of bhaji,and exactly one spoon of rice.How he could survive on this I dont know.Once he came with the prospective chairman of state transport,which was born that time.I forget his name.They were to stay the night. I made the arrangement at Swagat,which was vacant. Kaka was served a transfer order on the day of the Vastushanta]They had a cup of tea,and went back to DD.
Another VIP was the Late maharaja of gwalior,Jayajirao.Unlike others,he had made a prior appointment to have tea with Dada.We did not even have a decent crockery set,so I went to "Cheap Store" in camp and brought everything. The conical cups are from that meeting.
Prof P.K.Atre, Master Vinayak used to come often to solve some money problems of Navayug Film Studio.However Dada refused to become Chairman.But I remember we used to get free passes for screenings of their films!
shrini
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