Remembering Mr. Ramesh Deo

February 2,2022.

( This post was written for one of my saree groups yesterday)

It was sometime in February 1981. It must be around 6 am. I was up early morning in our home in Khopoli. As I sat in the living room studying for my SSC ( 10th grade) exam I heard the door bell ring. I went to check who was at the door. The tall man with a broad friendly smile on his face was familiar but certainly not expected at our door ! Yet I did not let my surprise spill on my face. I opened the door and before I could ask anything he asked for my dad. I let him in and politely asked him to take a seat before going inside to fetch my dad.

Dad was doing puja at the time. I went back out and told the guest he would be out in just a few minutes. He seemed happy to wait. I got back to my studying in the same room. 

A few minutes later my father came out to greet him. He was very charming and profusely expressing gratitude to my father. Turns out they were visiting Khopoli to meet some friends and in the middle of the night his wife had an asthma attack. So my dad was called and he rushed to help. His wife was doing much better by morning. He had come to say thank you for the timely help. 

The man was none other than the well known Marathi and Hindi film actor Ramesh Deo. 

Since that day he and his wife Smt Seema Deo became friends with my parents. They invited us to their home in Juhu soon after this first meeting in Khopoli. We were also their guests at their Marathi theater performance. Both of them were very charming people. Seema Kaku was quieter of the two. He was always super charged with excitement whenever we met him. A very talented, famous, yet very down to earth couple is how I remember them. He was so proud and happy when he heard my success in the SSC exam. He would tell my father, I haven’t seen another kid who wasn’t bothered by Ramesh Deo walking into the home and carry on with her studies in his presence 😁

Today is a sad day for me. Mid morning my husband shared with my mom and me the news of Ramesh Deo passing away. Both Aai and me have fond memories of him. Indeed his passing away seems like the end of an era. The charming pair on the silver screen that I adored much before I met them in person will hold their charm on me forever. Rest In Peace Ramesh kaka. 🙏🏼🙏🏼💕💕

Photos taken earlier this morning before sunrise. A pastel green Venkatgiri cotton saree with ikat design in the lower border is a breeze to wear. The sheer fabric is very much reminding of chanderis. A truly fine weave from the Nellore district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Venkatgiri got its GI tag in 1999.