Journalism of Courage
Madhusudan Ghanekars life is a series of experiments with techniques that spreads happiness and brings smiles on peoples faces
Life is a joy ride for Madhusudan Ghanekar. So much so that his visiting card reads ‘laughter contact number’ instead of a simple ‘contact number’. And do not misunderstand if a bearded man in his late 50s approaches you on the streets and after appreciating your smile and hands over a certificate that declares itself to be the laugh international award. With his roles of being a graphologist,actor,palmist,comedian and musician centrifugally focused around the word smile,spreading happiness is Ghanekars career and a means of earning not money but satisfaction.
The result of the decision was the foundation of the Ha Ha Ha Laugh International,an organization dedicated to spreading smile across the globe in 2007. The first contest we organised was in 2008 and it was about a smiling photo contest. It did not generate the desired response but rather than getting disappointed,I decided to make the mission more intense. Thats when I started handing over the laugh international award to anyone and everyone who I noticed had a captivating smile,even when I am walking on the road, says Ghanekar.
It was a continuation of the same efforts that made him undertake Vishwa Jodo mission earlier this year. And while he was busy traveling to Sri Lanka,Thailand,Malaysia,Singapore and other countries,spreading happiness amongst people of different castes and colour,another surprise was waiting for him in the form of a record. It was a great surprise when I was registered in Limca Book of Records for having done about 18 one act plays,having studied and predicted palmistry- based futures of over 1800 tourists and having analysed signatures of about 2000 people in just 13 days, says he.
Along the lines of Gandhis ‘Experiments with Truth’,it would not be inappropriate to call Ghanekars initiatives his ‘experiments with smile’. Gandhigiri,for instance,is something that he unknowingly tried much before Munnabhai MBBS was released. While working with MSEB,I had a colleague who would taunt me for anything and everything. That time,rather than reacting to him,I adopted a different approach. I started appreciating him for the good qualities he had. I would ask him to accompany me for a cup of tea,breakfast and so on. Months later,the same person became a close friend, smiles Ghanekar.
Awarded with a doctorate by the Sri Lanka Government,Ghanekar is also credited for invention of a technique in meditation called Bramhadhyan. Dhyanayoga talks about concentrating on breath and about filtering thoughts that occupy ones mind. For many who complain that it becomes difficult to follow that technique,I have come up with this new technique which says that if you cant stop thoughts from occupying your mind,see to it that the thoughts are only positive and happy ones. Meditation might be making one selfless,calm and composed,but my meditation makes me greedy- not for materialistic possessions,but for bringing happiness on peoples faces. And like many who count dollars,I count the number of smiles I have created. Given that every smile is worth a million,I am still the richest man in the world, he concludes as he leaves to hand over yet another laugh international award and earn a million more!
