Rites of Passage

Every member has a personal story on how he or she had joined the Club. More often than not, it had begun with curiosity – the sight of so many seemingly intelligent adults laughing their heads off without reason. To the uninitiated, this can be quite amusing. Soon amusement is replaced by interest. And once the decision is taken to try it out for a lark, you are either led to the Club by an existing member or, should you be bold enough, you would introduce yourself and start exercising the very next moment.
What happens thereafter differs from person to person. Some like Nafisa Sayed, Khatoon Baig and Sandhya Narang (above) have taken to the exercises like fish take to water and now, they are important constituents of the Club. Turning up every morning is not so much of a commitment with them; it is an addiction. But there are many who stray in and just cannot let go their basic inhibitions to laugh freely. Or else, they are incapable of keeping to the morning regimen religiously, day after day, for a variety of reasons. Either way, they would disappear in time. Angad Singh (above) is a prime example of these birds of passage.
Then there are those like Gulab Yadav (right) and Mohammad Nasir (below, left) who are neither here nor there. They have been regulars in the Garden for years and are familiar with everybody in the Club. Yet, such is their whimsical nature, they would choose when to walk in or walk out. Right now, they are with us – exercising diligently every morning without fail. But tomorrow one of them (or both) could present a different scenario. He would be seen hovering around us in the Garden, but refusing to participate in the exercises. And then, one fine morning, he could simply pop up again and join us. Allegiance to the Club means nothing to these free-spirited individuals.
Small wonder, Shekhawat-ji had to recently lay down some ground rules for membership to the Club. There would be no joining fees, but being regular in attendance for three months at a stretch shall be the criterion for inclusion in all other activities, such as picnics and parties. This assumes relevance as the next membership review is coming up at the end of this month. Some new entrants would be confirmed and a few old names dropped.

Renu Babani says:
Yes, talk about how people join the Club... Reminds me of when I returned to Mumbai in 2006 permanently. My husband was already a member and he told me let's go to the Garden and you can join too. Curiosity got the better of me and the next morning I got up to check it out. Initially I was not prepared -- when I saw the laughter session, followed by the routine exercise. I figured this is easy, so let me try it. It felt strange to laugh forcibly. But then, somehow I started to feel comfortable amongst everyone as all were so friendly and welcomed me warmly. So many names, how would I remember all of them? Today, going in the morning has become a habit. Seeing those smiling faces and being part of this family is so normal. I guess everyone just knew how to welcome any new member, making him/her feel a part of them. Thanks guys, considering I had made the decision to return to Mumbai permanently, you made it easier for me!
--Renu