Vidarbha’s Maruti Chitampalli goes back to his hometown in Solapur

Making the Marathi language richer by 1 lakh words while he roamed the dense jungles of Vidarbha for 45 years, octogenarian writer, conservationist, and naturalist Maruti Chitampalli has left for his hometown in Solapur.

People from Vidarbha and its headquarters of Nagpur gave an emotional farewell to the veteran, who will now spend time deciphering his diaries of 45 years and writing books.

“It is very difficult for me to describe….as I leave Nagpur for my hometown Solapur,” said the 88-year-old Chitampalli, whose knowledge of flora and fauna and its relationship is unmatched.

With a long flowing beard, he is known as ‘Aranya Rishi’, a sage of the jungles.

Born on November 5, 1932, in Solapur, he completed schooling and enrolled himself in State Forest Service College in Coimbatore. Thereafter, he joined the forest services in Maharashtra from where he retired as Deputy Chief Conservator of Forest.

He is among other things credited with the development of Karnala Bird Sanctuary, Navegaon National Park, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, and Melghat Tiger Project.

An author of 25 books on wildlife, he also presided over the Marathi Sahitya Sammelan at Solapur in 2006 – a rare distinction for a wildlifer.

Holding back emotions, Chitampalli said, “I roamed in Vidarbha’s rich jungles…I met Adivasis, who speak various languages…..I have learnt one lakh words….I go richer from here…these words that I learnt are very expressive.”

Many of the words from the languages of the tribes of Madia, Korku, and Adivasis in Vidarbha's zadipatti forest areas are now part of the Marathi language.

Chitampalli, who has written books like Ratawa, Ranvata, Pranikosh, Pakshikosh, Mrugpakshishastra, Shabdanche Dhan, and Jangalache Dene, said that there was much more to be written. “I have my notes, I will keep writing,” he said, adding, “I cannot walk in the jungles…age has caught up…there is no energy for that, but I can surely sit, think and write.”

“The younger generation does not want to invest years of dedication. They want everything fast. Hence, I did not exert myself on finding a successor. My readers and various organisations are my successors,” he said as he signed off from his ‘karmabhoomi’ of Vidarbha.

Maruti Kaka is a guru and guide to many and is admired by all across Maharashtra and outside the state.

“He was a friend of journalists. He was more than willing to help out journalists in their pursuit of writing and understanding about nature. He used to take us to jungles,” said veteran journalist Dharmendra Jore, who hails from Vidarbha and over the past couple of decades, works in Mumbai.

“His contribution is unmatched and he guided generations of nature lovers,” added Sachin Main, who is the founder of NEST.