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Story of a Stone by Bicaji Ghanekar STONES are very interesting subjects. Many of us observe and appreciate different kinds of stones but there are a few who collect them. There are others who study them in a discipline called geology. My wife did her graduation in geology. Sometimes I refer to her as Fatram dotor (doctor of stones) in the same way that a neighbourhood plumber loved calling himself Nollancho dotor (doctor of taps). I am not one of those who has any liking for stones. The dislike only increased in standard 7 when I was forced to study geology. I still remember how a geology professor and his students used to come regularly to Usgao where I worked as the rural medical officer. Such was their interest in the old stones lying around that the rigours of travel or the blazing sun hardly bothered them. I cannot help thinking about something made from a particular kind of stone called ‘slate’. Little children hardly use them nowadays. You see, computers are faster and better. Those were the days when children learnt the alphabet using a slate and a piece of chalk. Today, this may only be visible in some decrepit government primary school. A stone like graphite will attract no attention. But subject it to intense temperatures and it will be transformed into a diamond. I do not need to dwell on how much attention a sparkling diamond commands. This is so much like how seemingly plain looking people command respect owing to a great personality which shines forth dwarfing the physical attributes. The mention of a stone does not usually cause alarm except when the word ‘kidney’ is prefixed to it. This ailment which can be very painful in the advanced stages is a boon for mushrooming health care institutions. One day, during my morning walk I noticed a few children piling up stones near a mango tree. When I returned on the same route after some time, the stones had been replaced by a heap of juicy mangoes. Stones can cause trouble too. In this country, mobs frequently resort to stone throwing since the missile is freely available. Is it not remarkable that the same stone that a geologist uses for constructive purposes becomes destructive in the hands of a fanatic?
