Journalism of Courage
The very first book and a website on mallakhamb by Shrinivas Havaldar has won him an entry into Limca Book of Records.
As a sport,mallakhamb is not exactly one that people are seen enjoying outside every second street. But for Shrinivas Havaldar,that detail is of no consequence. He has not only made a career out of his passion,as a mallakhamb instructor,but has also now entered Limca Book of Records for a book and website about the rustic sport. To Havaldar,mallakhamb is a one- stop destination for not just building a sound body,but also having a peaceful mind.
The book,Ma…Ma…Mallakhambacha Maharashtracha,is a collection of 22 articles written by him for the Marathi newspaper Loksatta from the period between 2008 to 2010,while the website gives more information about mallakhamb and explain its benefits.
Havaldar,manages a shy smile when he sits down to recall his latest achievements. The idea of the book was born in 2008. I have been a regular contributor to Loksatta. My first article was printed in 1995. But I chose to focus only on the articles written from 2008-2010. They primarily deal with the evolution of the sport,it’s standing in the modern day scenario and also its relevance in our day-to-day lives. The book came out in 2011 and the website was operational in 2012. I also applied to the Limca book of world records in 2012. In January this year I heard from them,citing that the records were created for the first book and the first website dedicated wholly to the sport of mallakhamb, he says.
Havaldar’s journey has not been one without its own share of pitfalls and successes. He says,It was not easy convincing children and college going youngsters to sign up for Mallakhamb. There were no sponsors either. But there was passion and also hope. A lot needs to be done even now for the sport,but it’s encouraging that the sport is finding popularity and that both the book and the website have received a good response is encouraging. Currently he has also translated the book into Braille. He hopes that the original book in Marathi will garner enough responses and sales to fund the publication of the book in Braille so that visually challenged children will be able to read and benefit from it. Even his website is currently available in English,French,Spanish and Japanese. I hope to find more translators for the matter so that the sport can go to audiences globally, he adds.
Interestingly it was through his website that a film making crew from Germany contacted Havaldar to make a documentary on mallakhamb,which will release in June. Right now I am focussed on teaching mallakhamb to visually-challenged,hearing impaired and children with special needs.
Also I am working on finding sponsors for publication of the book in Braille. There are plans to take it abroad and to people in the rural parts of India too. Hopefully,they will all materialise,one step at a time, he adds optimistically.
