It is my pleasure to talk about three Shivajis. One great, the other greater and finally the third and undoubtedly the greatest Shivaji.
Shivaji Rao was a great Shivaji to me. He was the proprietor of Shivaji Rao and Sons Tailors.
I came in contact with them in the late sixties and continues till this day, the shop being managed by one of his sons. For those of you who do not know Madras (a.k.a. Chennai) of the sixties, it was just a big village. Shivaji Rao and Sons had a small tailoring shop in Pycrofts Road (a.k.a. Bharthi Salai) and even in those days his shop was older than the other old shops, some of which were modernising. Shivaji Rao was old and used to only sit and do the button hole stitching. His two sons were the tailors. Shivaji was always pleasant and when the customers came in, he used to greet them and take the measurements himself. A pencil tucked above his ear, he would remove it and begin writing only after all the measurements were taken. They did (and still do) a great job and I have never ever thought of changing them. But with the advent of readymade shirts and pants, these days I go to them only with the shirt and pant bits so enthusiastically doled out to me in marriages, upanayanams, et al!!
Next comes the greater Shivaji, Shivaji Rao Gaikwad a.k.a. Rajinikanth. From humble beginnings he has risen to very great heights and is now a Super Star. He has kept himself away from politics. I doubt if there be any one among you who have not seen atleast one or two movies of his.
The greatest Shivaji is undoubtedly Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was to India what Napolean was to Europe. Please browse the web and try to fathom his greatness.
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