12th June - The day Humor died

The headlines of 13-June-2000 Loksatta said -
प्रिय पु.ल.
आज महाराष्ट्र रडणार नाही, यापुढेही नाही. तुमची आठवण काढून, एकेक शब्द आठवुन हसत राहील. हसता हसता डोळ्यात पाणी येईल एवढंच!

I felt just the same way while reading his every book or listening to his storytelling. His stories made me laugh hard and wet my eyes with emotion at same time. I spent my holidays feasting over his books and never felt like stopping. Whatever sense of humor I have is greatly influenced by his work.
My personal favourites which I carry with me wherever I go -

• Asa mi Asami (असा मी असामी)
  The fictional autobiography of a middle-class Marathi man
  
• Vyakti and Valli (व्यक्ती आणि वल्ली)
  A collection of fictional but quintessential Marathi profiles

His departure meant no new books, no new plays and no new katha kathan cassettes. No more Chitale mastar and no more Phulrani. For me, it was end of marathi humor.