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17 years on, Mangesh Tendulkar's cartoons instill traffic sense amongst citizens

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It has been 17 years since noted cartoonist Mangesh Tendulkar has been using Diwali festival as a platform to create awareness about traffic rules. Tendulkar draws cartoons which has a message to follow traffic rules and he himself distributes over 10,000 such post cards on city’s busy streets. He says Diwali is a festival, where people are relaxed and that is when he can reach them in a better manner.

He is 78 years old now. Still he moves swiftly through traffic at Nal Stop on Karve Road and distributes postcards with a message to follow traffic rules. He has been undertaking this social work for the past 17 years without fail. During Diwali festival, Tendulkar daily parks his two-wheeler near busy Nal Stop Chowk at 10 am for two hours and at 5 pm and distributes post cards to people who hault at the traffic signal.

On the day of Lakshmi Pujan on Sunday, dna spotted Tendulkar distributing the postcards. As soon as the traffic signal turned red, he would get down from the pavement and walk across the road distributing cards of his caricature with good wishes for Diwali, his signature and with traffic message and picture on it.

Many youngsters did not seem to be knowing the person who was distributing the cards, but there were some people who showed respect by touching his feet.

Talking to dna Tendulkar said, “Day by day the traffic is becoming troublesome. It’s not fair to expect that the police will teach everyone about traffic rules. Being a part of society, it is my duty to help the police in educating people. And sometimes painting speaks more than words.”

“It is not possible to distribute posters daily. During Diwali, all have holidays and all are in the mood of enjoyment. This is  the best way to explain my point to the 

citizens,” he said, adding, “There are people who do not respond at all. When I knock their car windows, they do not open.”

Senior citizen Vishwas Nagarkar (68) who helps Tendulkar in distributing the post cards said, “Three years ago, I was travelling and Tendulkar gave me a postcard.  I haulted for a moment and read it. I realised that this is really a good work and planned to be part of it.”

“Deputy commissioner of police (Traffic) Vishwas Pandhare said, “It’s really great to see a renowned man teaching layman about the traffic norms without any financial motive or not even bothering that his caricature will be copied. Every year, he comes with new ideas of caricature related to traffic and help us too.” 

Those who got these cards have this to say

A BPO employee Neha Mallige (25) from Mumbai, currently residing in Kothrud said, “I was not aware who this man was. I had only seen his cartoons. Now I will follow traffic norms regularly.”

Meenakshi Jadhav (35), a resident of Navipeth and mother of two children said, “During my young days, Tendulkar’s caricatures were famous and today, he came before me and gave me this postcard. Within no time,  he taught me traffic norms with just a smile and a postcard.”

Two wheeler riders Milind Sarpodhar and Jayant Godbole got a pleasant susprise after they received a postcard from Tendulkar. They  claimed that they have got the best gift on Diwali.

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