The friends who couldn’t speak each other’s language

The Rao and Hagwane families, Pune, Maharashtra. 1962

Image and Narrative Contributed by Pavitra and Usha Rao

This picture was taken with my father’s friend Mr.Hagwane and his family. They were also neighbours. The most unusual thing was that Mr. Hagwane did not speak a word of English and my father did not know a word of Marathi. They perhaps communicated in broken hindi. Mr Hagwane ran a Jeenus (grocery) shop. And that is how dad got to know him. I was around four years old. Our family is on the right side of the picture, and Mr. Hagwane’s on the left with his one daughter and two sons.


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This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Interesting and unique.
    I am sure both the families got along well.
    From the photograph it is clear that both the family were very close.(going to the studio and taking picture was a great thing in those days)

  2. “We’ll be Friends Forever, won’t we, Pooh?’ asked Piglet.
    Even longer,’ Pooh answered.”
    ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

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