Professor M.C. Joshi

       The Joshi I am talking about is not Bheemsen Joshi though the news of his departure comes to me the same day when the latter departed. I first time met him when I was searching a teacher from whom l could take psychology lessons. After a lot of search someone gave me his number. I called him and requested to teach me. Initially reluctant but then he invited me to his house. As soon as I entered, I was greeted by a 75 yrs old frail  gentleman and 2-3 street dogs. The dogs seemed very happy to receive me, wagging their tails and making circles around me. Professor Joshi chided and shooed them away. He escorted me to his study-cum-living room. The scene inside was bizarre, 8-10 chairs and moodhas (a type of chair typical to arid zones of north India) all occupied by street dogs - black, brown, spotted and white, diverse like true India. Couple of them raised their heads to look at me and one or two opened one eye to see me, giving a half hearted welcome to an undesired guest, but others did not care and kept sleeping. I was yet bewildered when professor Joshi told me to pull one of the chairs out, kept under the study table, to protect them from the encroachment of the four legged inmates. Prof Joshi sat on the couch and I joined the dogs, facing the professor, with my chair. “These are my companions now; it might be a sort of unnatural behaviour on my part.” Prof Joshi said.

       His wife had died 9 years before and his children, like all so called successful children of their parents, were settled in the cities like Bangalore and Ahmedabad. He lived alone with those street dogs. A maid servant used to come daily to do household cores and prepare food for Joshi saheb and the dogs. The dogs had 24 hrs access to his living room and street. If any of them knocked the door or the main gate, Prof Joshi would get up to facilitate his departure or arrival.

     Prof. Joshi was retired Head of the Psychology Department, Jai Narayan Vyas University Jodhpur. He used to call me Chauhan Saheb with great affection and refused to accept any money for the classes he gave me. After leaving Jodhpur, though I called him several times but could see him only once. He told me that the dogs were harassing the neighbours and he had talked to some NGO which took care of stray dogs and he would be giving some money for their expenditure. Strange I thought, the animals have started to harass the human, the most dangerous animal. I don’t know how he felt after the departure of his companions. I visited his home on my second trip to Jodhpur to discover that he had left to stay with his daughter at Ahmedabad. The communication between us broke since then. Yesterday when I visited his house on my present trip to Jodhpur I had a sort of fear in mind. The house was locked. Dry leaves and dust had occupied the entire premises. I knocked at the neighbour’s door and enquired about him. ‘Chale gaye’ the reply came, the feared had happened. My throat choked. But the heart was not willing to accept. I again asked if he had gone to his daughter’s house. ‘He is no more’ the neighbour said. He left for the heavenly abode some 5-6 months before. I wish I could see him for the last time. May his soul rest in peace!