Our Favourite "Pu La"

P. L.  Deshpande (1919 - 2000)

"Pu La" : A favourite    personality 







Friends,

        Purushottam Laxman Deshpande (8 November 1919 – 12 June 2000), was a noted Marathi writer, who was affectionately known amongst his fans by his Marathi initials : पु. ल. ("Pu. La."). His was a multifaceted personality. Besides being an author, he was also an accomplished film and stage actor, music composer, harmonium player, singer and a great orator. He was an immensly popular and prolific writer, whose literary work was mainly in Marathi with poignant, witty and nearly philosophical humour, centered mostly around the common man from the lower middle class like a small grocer, clerk, school teacher or a music teacher. His writings include such humorous essays as  Chitale Master, Mhais, and Pestonjee; Life sketches like Vyakti and Valli (which got him Sahitya Academy Award); travelogues like Apurvai, Poorva Rang, Jaave Tyanchya Desha and three-act plays like Ammaldar, Tujhe Ahe Tujpashi , Sundar Mi Honar and Tee Fulrani . His plays and short stories were marked by his characteristic ending on a philosophical note with thought-provoking punchlines. In all his humorous works, while the first half of the play/story would be hilarious, making you roll with laughter with his special brand of humor, in the latter half towards the end, it would invariably take a serious turn with tender pathos, touching your heart to the core, almost bringing up a lump in your throat, if not tears in the eyes. On the stage, P.L. was a performer par excellence. His one-man shows introduced a new genre in Marathi theatre with Batatyachi Chaal, Asa Mee Asami, Waryavarchi Warat and Hasawinyacha Majha Dhanda . He had written the story or screen play, composed music, directed and acted in several Marathi and Hindi movies which include, among others, such famous ones as  Pudhache Paool , Doodh Bhat, Dewabappa, Gulacha Ganapati, Phool Aur Kaliyan, Aaj Aur Kal and many more. In the film Gulacha Ganapati, he played the lead role giving his best, typical 'P.L' performance. In recognition of his immense work, he won several National awards during his lifetime, some among them being Padma Bhushan, Sahitya Akademi Award, Sangeet Natak Award and Maharashtra Bhushan. 

P.L. Deshpande was a great philonthrophist having donated and participated in several social causes.

            Tenshops' Blog  has just completed one year of blogging; my first article "Satyamev Jayate" was published on July 20, 2012. Since then, I have published around twentyfour(24) articles. About 5135 persons around the world have viewed the Blog so far, of which 2135 persons are from India and 2100 persons from United States, the rest being from several other countries ranging from Russia to U.A.E! This is most gratifying for a budding author like me. 
                 Some years back, an old friend had forwarded to me, via e-mail, a copy of a letter in Marathi supposed to have been sent by Shri P.L. Deshpande to his close friend, Dr.Shrirang Adarkar, as a wedding gift for his son, Ashok. I found the letter to be written in a lighter vein with his characteristic humorous touch. I immediately proceeded  to translate it into English and showed it to several of my non-Maharashtrian friends, who found it very funny and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The original letter in Marathi has now appeared in print in a recently published book, by name, "Gathode" which is published by M/s. Purchure Prakashan, Girgaon, Mumbai. I am now publishing it, here below, in this first anniversary issue of  "Tenshops' Blog", which is dedicated in the memory of our beloved "Pu. La".   

Vasant  Hattangadi