Leg-pulling Galore

If it was Shekhawat's day yesterday, today belonged to Yusuf Rassiwala (right). Showing up after a fortnight, the Club’s popular 'Kali Topi Waale Pandurang Baba' responded to Shekhawat’s call to get regular in his attendance and stop playing phunti.
Naturally, Shekhawat had to be his first target of leg-pulling, right from the word go. The latter committed the mistake of informing him that he would be away at Rajasthan for 20 days from May 12 as there were two weddings in the family to attend at his village. Yusuf-bhai, in all earnestness, advised him to avoid a certain banyan tree, or else he would come back like a zombie, as it happened the last time in October.
Shekhawat, very innocently took his word seriously and gave him a vivid description of the location of the tree (“overlooking a well, next to two toilets”) and its resident ghost. “But have you seen it?” Yusuf-bhai asked.
“Haan, main ne dekha,” Shekhawat answered confidently.
“Dekhne mein kaise hai?” Bhaswati Bose asked. “Aadmi hai ya aurat?”
“Dono hai, ladies bhi hai, gents bhi hai,” he said amidst laughter, leaving Kishor Babani to conclude that the spirit must be some kind of a “chudail and chuda” bisexual!
As usual, during the exercises, Yusuf-bhai started ribbing everyone (since he was made the ‘man in the middle’) with sporadic “namastes” and “good mornings”. Today, he raised his bar by complimenting Mrs Harbans Singh (above), “Aaj aap bahut cute lag rahi hain.” And when Razia Khan (right) lost her balance and fell on her back during the kissa kursi ka exercise, he exclaimed, “Dekho, mera bachcha gir gaya hai,” only to be corrected, “Bachcha nahin, baby kaho!”
So, thanks to Yusuf-bhai, Razia became “baby” this morning. The jibes and light banter continued in the same vein with Tara Chand, Mumtaz Jahan and Nahid Khan also joining in for good measure.
At the end of it all, lest anybody took offence, he made a general statement, “Dil pe mut leh, yaar” – which was promptly echoed by Nahid Khan.

Feel-Good Spirit

Every day does not have to be eventful or action-packed for members to have a good time. A perfectly normal morning like today’s, without any high jinks, can also be enjoyable. We went through the exercise routine in workmanlike fashion, joked a bit on the side and departed from the Garden with a smile on our lips.
How this feel-good spirit is generated cannot really be explained. Nothing is scripted or rehearsed. We arrive at the Garden, little knowing who’d turn up and (more importantly) who wouldn’t. There are so many variables at play, including the moods of individuals and their relationship with one another, that nobody can have any real control over how the morning plays out. So when Shekhawat says, “Mazaak usi se kiya jata hai joh mazaak samajh sakta hai”, he has a reason. On another day, with another set of people, he would not have made the remark – let alone pull off a mazaak. This is what makes the difference between a dull day and a mirthful morning.
Today, was anyway Shekhawat’s (above) day. Who would have seen him dancing in gay abandon to Nazia Hassan’s Aap jaisa koi, while doing the Silent Laughter exercise? Later, while rotating his neck clockwise and then anti-clockwise, bent double, he had to be talking continuously on his mobile (Imagine the sight!) without a break. And given half a chance, he was coming up with one wisecrack after another and laughing himself silly. Little wonder, everybody started calling him “Happy Boy” – which Razia Khan corrected to “Naughty Boy”.
At the end of the exercises, Dilip Babani (right) helped distribute the prasad which brother Kishor brought from the Sai Baba shrine at Shirdi. The latter had taken his son (who is visiting from Canada) there. Probably this explains his absence from the Garden since the picnic last Saturday. Hopefully, he will be regular from now on.

Chain Snatching

The Club is buzzing with stories of chain snatching gangs on the prowl. At the Yamuna Nagar roundabout yesterday, a young woman walking alone and talking absent-mindedly into her mobile was struck from behind by two goons on a motorcycle. The mobile flew off her hand. Before she could retrieve it or shout, the men were gone. In an instant she realised the gold chain around her neck was also gone. But by then, it was too late.
Wait, the story does not end here...
Within minutes of a crowd gathering at the spot, two cops in civvies arrive on a motorbike, apparently in hot pursuit. The man behind, in khaki trousers and wielding a lathi, asks a few questions and the bike zooms away. The crowd melts, leaving the girl alone, but hopeful that the cops would catch up with the first bike. Later, when she checks with the Oshiwara Police Station, she discovers that there were no cops chasing the robbers. The duo on the second bike were covering the tracks of the first!
This is the latest in a series of incidents that have shaken our female members badly. Barely a few days back, an elderly Bengali lady was stopped by three men on the bridge overlooking the Garden. They introduced themselves as police, waved some I-card and advised her to remove her gold ornaments, lest she got mugged in broad daylight. In the presence of some 30 by-standers, she obediently removed her diamond-studded earrings, gold chain, bangles and finger-ring one by one and handed them to the strangers. They thanked her profusely and took off. “They had hypnotized me,” the old woman says now, as she hobbles around the Garden.
Mumtaz Jahan is convinced that the crooks have “informers” in the Garden who help with identifying their quarry. “How else would they know whom to attack, when and where?” rationalizes the lady, herself a victim of recent chain snatching.
The matronly Gujju-ben (above) who joined us lately, had the last word. She says she has already faced chain robbers thrice. Every time she was asked to remove her jewellery, she shooed the chhokrey-log away, saying: “Jaah-jaah, tu apna kaam kar, main apna kaam karti hoon!”
Maybe, there’s a lesson somewhere here: DO NOT PANIC when cornered.

Double Cheer

Tara Chand Seth (in blue stripes, right) is a funny man. He has quite an acerbic sense of humour and oddly enough, is also a stickler for time. So this morning, when he found that the exercises did not start at the dot of seven because Hari Singh Shekhawat had not yet turned up, he made his impatience known, in style. “Jab tak Shekhawat nahin aayega, saat nahin bajega,” he chortled, the time then being seven past seven.
Shekhawat showed up before long, looking young and sprightly as usual. Midway through the Laughter Round, suddenly Razia Khan remembered it was Shekhawat’s birthday today. So at the end of the exercises, we raised the customary fourth gun salute (oops! laughter) in Shekhawat’s honour, followed by the Happy Birthday chorus during which he also sang and wished himself (above) happily.
Later on, he explained why he was late today. He woke up late. He had a busy night at ushering in his birthday. His son was delayed at work and could just about make it before midnight. To complicate matters, Sajjan Kumar called up at night, inviting him and his wife for a kirtan session.
Well, there was Kiran Sajjan in the Garden, loaded with boxes and boxes of luddoos (above) from last night’s kirtan. From the looks of it, she had planned a box for every member, but upon seeing an unusually large group this morning – more than 30 actually – she decided to cut open the boxes and distribute the luddoos individually. Some took two, some three, some even five… and still the luddoos were not over.
Last seen, she was giving away luddoos to every Tom, D*** and Harry in the Garden.
Harish Wadhwa says:
As usual, I missed the luddoos again... LOL. (Mera number kab aayega?) Happy Birthday, dear Shekhawat-ji. You are the core member of our Club and we look forward to your guidance for many, many years to come. May you enjoy good health and happy days forever!
--Harish

Homecoming

It was a homecoming of sorts for Razia Khan today. She flew in yesterday from San Francisco and the first thing she did this morning was land in the Garden with a box of Snickers (chocolate bars) for the members. Many were surprised to see her come unannounced after a gap of one-and-half months. At the behest of Srichand Arora (don’t miss the French fuzz on his chin in the picture above), an extra (fourth) laugh was raised at the end of the exercises to welcome her back in our midst.
Razia happens to be one of those few key members of the Club whose presence every morning is taken for granted. Like Hari Singh Shekhawat, Nahid Khan and Arora, she has been conducting the exercise sessions regularly. There are a few others as well like Tara Chand, Kishor Babani, Ved Prakash Grover and Monthi Serrao who are just as regular in their attendance. Much as they do not conduct the exercises, even a day’s absence by any of them raises many eyebrows and several uncomfortable questions.
Thus Grover’s (left) continuing absence from the Club for the past five days has been causing some anxiety among members, particularly Tara Chand and Shekhawat, who have been voicing their concern. Well, as it turns out, there’s really nothing to be worried about. Grover is hale and hearty – just that his son’s family is out holidaying at Sikkim, leaving him alone at home to hold fort. He says it would be another ten days before they return and he is able to resume his morning routine.
Harish Wadhwa says:
The missing members must get their rightful share of the chocolates!
--Harish

Cocking a Snook

It is human nature to selectively recall joyous incidents in life, if only to share the happiness with those who were not part of those special moments. So was the case this morning on last Saturday’s picnic, but for a vicarious twist: “Too bad you missed it!” This was the common refrain of those who went on the trip, meant for all others who did not. Short of thumbing his nose and wiggling his fingers, Shekhawat was gung ho about the “enjoyment” the latter had deprived themselves of. After such repeated jibes, Gopvinita retorted that having taken diksha, she had decided to forsake such pleasures for good. But that did not silence Shekhawat. “I made two phone calls to Punjab to invite Mrs Singh,” he announced. The lady, who was back today after a month’s vacation at Ludhiana, said as her husband was not keeping well, she could return just yesterday. She had brought prasad from a gurudwara there, which Ramila Mistry (left) helped distribute.
Ramila too was showing up after an extended holiday, partly due to her trip to Haridwar-Rishikesh earlier in the month. Khatoon Baig pleaded that had she not developed a painful rash on her feet – presumably, an allergic reaction to the medicines she has been taking after her cataract operation – she was game for the picnic. And Monthi Serrao explained that she had a genuine reason for opting out because of the Easter weekend. She had beautifully packed sweets, replete with colorful tassels, in the shape of Easter eggs for all of us (right) this morning.
At the end of the exercises, Shekhawat came up with the idea of investing in a microphone for the Club, which could come to use at parties and picnics – particularly for singers like Sitaram-ji and during Housie sessions. The proposal met with lukewarm response after Mrs Singh pointed out that our singers were blessed with voices loud enough to be heard without mikes. Besides, the mike would come with amplifier, transformer, speakers, etc. which would be cumbersome to maintain if not put to regular use. Somebody suggested that the equipment can always be hired, if and when the need arises.
The proposal has been kept on hold, as of now.
Harish Wadhwa says:
Happy Easter, Monthi-ji. The Easter egg was just superb. Thanks also to Mrs Harbans Singh for the lovely Punjab de Biscuit. Shows how much each of them care for their extended families.
--Harish

PIC OF THE WEEK: 27

HOOOOO...Oops! How can this be happening?

We are slipping in the rain... those wonderful memories of our childhood days have just been fulfilled!
1...2...3... Let's see who can repeat this the way we just did!
--Renu Babani
KUSHTI BETWEEN UNEQUAL CHAMPS!
--Bhaswati Bose
DHO DALA!
I mean literally, not in a kushti dangal. Nice natural pic...
--Harish Wadhwa

Royal Garden Resort

It is not for nothing that Royal Garden Resort has become the most favoured picnic destination for the Club. Its proximity to the city, well-maintained swimming pools, relatively high standards of hygiene and good food prompted us to visit the place for the third time. Added to all this were the excellent arrangements made by Shekhawat in advance, the wonderful company and great atmosphere which together, made sure that everybody had a swell time. Even the octogenarian Tara Chand could be seen wading into the pool and having a ball. There were a few anxious moments though. The bus which took us there, forgot to take us back and it had to be summoned from someplace else, late evening. Earlier, on three occasions, three ladies mysteriously fell off their chairs inside the resort: Nazma Sayed, Kajal Babani’s mom and Mrs Shekhawat. And Santosh Tyagi had the most regretfully breathtaking and bone rattling ride of her life on the slide, down into the pool. For once men and women mingled freely in the waters – rather than remaining segregated in clusters – as one large family of 50 noisy members. Together, they gamboled in the pool, did the rain dance, performed the rail-gaadi around the shower pole, helped those who slipped back on their feet, treated one another to ice-golas… This kind of camaraderie that comes with letting go all inhibitions can rarely be seen on home ground. As usual, Shekhawat, Bose and Dilip Babani took their rum-cola breaks while Sitaram, Arjun and Pawar slinked away to a nearby resto-bar for an afternoon swig. Post-lunch, it was time for Housie (above), followed by Sitaram taking charge with his harmonium (left) and bhajans and geets and ably complemented by Mumtaz Jahan. But ultimately, it had to be Rehana Sheikh (below) dominating the proceedings with her power-packed songs and dancing. She was the prima donna of the picnic, from the time we boarded the bus, till we got down and all through the men vs women antakshari session. Pawar led the men’s challenge, though Harish Wadhwa turned out to be a surprise discovery for his singing talent – a face saver for the males. As Pawar put it, “Harish-bhai ne mardon ki izzat bachaa li!” The most gratifying part though was that we had one of the Club’s founder members, Purushottam Sharma joining us for this outing – the first time since his wife's untimely demise last year. Nice of him to still take us as family.
Purushottam Sharma says: Nice pictures. It was my pleasure to be with you all yesterday. You people are indeed my extended family.
-- Sharma
Renu Babani says: What a great picnic! Everyone left their inhibitions behind and decided to enjoy every minute of the time spent together. The resort was clean, food was good and there was some sort of fun for everyone. Kudos to Mr Shekawat for working so hard to ensure that things went smoothly. His helpers ensured that there were no hitches on the way. The singing and dancing added to the fun and laughter. This picnic was worth it no doubt and will be remembered with wonderful memories.
--Renu
Bhaswati Bose (right) sings: We had joy, We had fun, We had seasons in the sun... What a PICNIC!
--Bhaswati
Dilip Babani says:
We all enjoyed the picnic -- good food, plenty of ice golas, lots of fun, nice swimming pool and of course, wonderful members. Everything was great and well-planned. Sitaram's bhajans, Rehana's dances and songs, Harish-bhai's Chhupa Rustom act and Bose-babu's pictures covering the full picnic... The kids also enjoyed the rides and slides, rain dance and gulab jamums, jalebis, chicken, pav-baji, curd rice, pulav, etc. Thank you Shekhawat-ji, and all members. It was like one family having fun together!
--Dilip
Harish Wadhwa says:
Well, it was really great fun at the resort, thanks to the organising team, especially Shekhawat-ji. The crown for full entertainment undoubtedly goes to Rehana-ji. Wow, what great energy she has! It was also nice to hear melodies from Sitaram-ji.
--Harish
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Good Friday

On this day of prayer, let us spread the message of mercy and compassion. May the Lord hold you in his grace, enlighten your mind, and fill your heart with everlasting joy, peace and love. We seek his blessings on behalf of all members, regardless of faith and community, on this Holy Day… and always.
Monthi Serrao was obviously busy with the church services, which accounted for her absence from the Garden this morning. Renu Babani is biding her time at home, recuperating for the picnic tomorrow. Significantly, Yusuf Rassiwala also did not show up today, thus settling the myth about his Friday appearances.
Those who did turn up this morning were mainly there for last-minute instructions ahead of the picnic. Hari Singh Shekhawat updated us with the latest count of 42 taking the bus tomorrow. He asked everybody to be present at the Garden Gate by 7:15 a.m. as the bus would leave at 7:30 sharp. We would have our breakfast upon reaching the resort, by 9:00 a.m.
Since Gopvinita is not joining us this time, Dilip Babani has been entrusted with organizing the Housie game. Srichand Arora will be lending us his music system like last time and Kishor Babani is getting his song collection on CD. For some reason, Mumtaz Jahan wants a cordless mike also. In any case, Sitaram Hivarkar is getting his harmonium and will be roping in a dholak player for the 'live' entertainment.
All told, tomorrow promises to be a fun-filled, action-packed day.
Srichand Arora says:
The music player is the property of our Laughing Club. Hence "lending" it to the Club is out of question. On the contrary, I am thankful to everybody for having faith in me to keep the system, while anyone, at any time, can ask for it.
--Arora

All Set To Go!

With a day to go, the exercise of tying up loose-ends for the Royal Garden Resort picnic has begun. Apprehensions of the bus going half-empty were put to rest this morning when Hari Singh Shekhawat announced he had received confirmed bookings for 38 seats so far. He also started allotting seat numbers to them.
And thereby hangs a tale…
The idea of allotting seats in the bus came up following complaints from some members that they were treated shabbily on this count during the last picnic to Harshgiri. Almost everybody wanted front seats next to the window, little realizing that there are only a finite number of such seats. Moreover, in the absence of any reservations, they were “occupied” on a first-come first-serve basis. Thus, those who found themselves at the rear end of the bus, away from any window, had reasons to feel bitter.
This time around, that issue has been resolved to an extent. But newer issues have come to the fore. For instance, A does not want to sit next to B and B wants to sit with C, not knowing that C is quite happy with D, who actually wants to sit in between E and F, but cannot, because G has already been planted there… Shekhawat has declared that it is not his business how people adjust or exchange seats among themselves inside the bus, because on his part, he cannot possibly please everyone. The upshot of all this is that we are getting to recognise our true "friends".
Meanwhile, Renu Babani (left) got us in a flap this morning when she broke out of the exercise circle with what appeared to be a catch in her back. She tried to recline on a bench, but upon attracting undue attention of concerned walkers, she moved away pretending to be fine. Everybody advised her to take complete rest at home so that she recovers in time for the picnic. Hubby Kishor manfully declared there was no need to worry and that he would, should the need arise, carry Renu physically on his arms to the picnic on Saturday!
Just makes us wonder if that was a promise, or threat.
Srichand Arora says:
Renu, dear to all of us, will definitely recover by Friday night. I am sure she will be the first to reach on Saturday morning to occupy her seat in the bus. GOD BLESS YOU, dear Renu-ji.
--Arora
Renu Babani says:
Rest assured, I am much better and will be hale and hearty by Saturday. Shall rest it out on Friday as well and everything will be fine. Just imagine, poor hubby trying to carry me physically! Will surely cause him to have a back problem. The picnic excitement is picking up for sure and everyone is looking forward to Saturday morning. The turnout has been great and guess the bus will be filled to capacity. Royal Gardens, here we come!
--Renu
Renu Babani adds:
Mr Arora, thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement. They sure make me feel better and like I said, I SHALL be there on Saturday morning.
--Renu

Cynosure

It is not every day that you see a 10-year-old walking into a group of elderly people and joining them for exercises. Kids that age are usually shy, if not intimidated by the presence of so many adults, most of them more than 50 years senior by age. But here was a boy who, far from feeling inhibited, took on the whole lot sportingly and became the centre of attention for the time he spent with us.
Nazma Sayed came into the Garden to unleash her grandson, introduced simply as Ali. Monthi Serrao promptly picked on the name and welcomed him as “Ali Baba” in the company of Chaalis Chor. The little boy looked around and could count only half the number. “Baki kahaan gaye?” he asked impishly. “Baki ko chori karne ke liye bejj diye,” Mumtaz Jahan informed.
That broke the ice. Ali warmed up to us, standing next to his gran’ma and like any other restless kid, not always concentrating on the exercises. He had too many questions. He wanted to know where the music was coming from. He was told it was from a cellphone. He took out his cell to demonstrate that he too had music recordings. “We also have a camera with us,” Bhaswati Bose teased. The boy showed how he too could click pictures with his phone.
There were many distractions to engage the kid, but all the while, he kept a vigilant eye on his gran’ma exercising. At times he corrected her (as only cute kids do) and by way of explanation, said, “You know, she cannot do this (exercise) properly because her legs pain when she tries.” Srichand Arora got so taken in by the boy that he invited him to a snarling contest (lead pic) in the middle during the Lioness and Lion Laughter round. Later, at the end of the exercises, Shekhawat-ji insisted on dancing with him (left). No prizes for guessing who outdid whom on both occasions.
It was a morning well-spent, thanks to the little boy.
Anonymous says:
Thanks for posting this.
--Anon
Renu Babani says:
Let's just say kids these days learn while they are young. They are able to outdo anyone and their smartness is far beyond their years. Seems like a fun-filled morning; too bad I missed it. I am sure all those who are attending the picnic, are looking forward to Saturday, when we all gather at the Garden before heading out for the day. Kindly ensure that all of you reach on time.
--Renu

Bums on Seats

Hari Singh Shekhawat (left) is a terribly hassled man, just that he isn’t showing it. Many members who had enlisted for the Royal Garden picnic this week-end (see post of April 6), are backing out. Some of them who had demanded four or five seats in the bus, are prepared to pay for two now. As a result, he is worried if he’d have enough bums on the seats on Saturday. He can see around 20 to 25 seats going abegging in the bus.
Shekhawat-ji’s anxiety to fill those seats has led him to solicit the participation of non-members in the Garden – a prospect that many members have never taken kindly to. But even there, he is facing resistance. Everybody says it is too hot to go for a picnic now and the travel to and fro would be particularly tortuous. Assurances that the journey time would not exceed an hour (that too, in the comfort of a Volvo bus) have proved futile.
One member has offered to underwrite 50 per cent of the differential (about Rs 2,500), should an air-conditioned Volvo be booked. Shekhawat knows that he can easily rustle up the remaining Rs 2,500, but does not want to create any misgivings among non-paying members. At the same time, he is reluctant to overburden everybody by abruptly switching to an air-conditioned bus at this stage. So that possibility is ruled out.
Fact is, Mumbai has become unusually hot. The “discomfort index” (as experts put it) is incredibly high, which is already telling on our exercise routine every morning. We are witnessing not only a slump in attendance, the sense of bonhomie that has kept the sessions lively, is sadly missing these days.
Mercifully, Renu Babani’s (right) birthday today uplifted the spirits for a while as we all rejoiced and performed the customary Happy Birthday jig after the exercises. Somebody suggested having joint-birthday bashes on the last Saturday of the month, instead of the beginning (as Renu had done on April 9). Still, there were many who playfully kept insisting on a treat on-the-spot. Here’s wishing the lady once again, many happy returns of the day and an abundance of all things nice throughout her life.
* Many, many happy returns of the day. Happy Birthday and God bless you!
--Dilip Babani
* HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Aunty!
--Neelam
* HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Aunty!
--Juhi
* May the Almighty shower you with all his blessings and make your wishes come true. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
--Bhaswati Bose

He Came, He Saw…

Prakash Babani came in today from Canada to see what his parents have been up to every morning. His flight was inordinately delayed last night, leaving him barely a few hours to catch up on sleep. Yet, he was up at the crack of dawn and joined Renu and Kishor Babani to the Garden, looking fresh as daisy.
Aunt Kajal was of course, there to show him around, while Dilip Uncle joined the rest for the exercises. Before long, the boy was formally introduced to us and within moments he had won our hearts. Many remembered him from his last visit to India as a callow youngster, about two years back. This time around, Prakash looked more manly and mature and surely, as sociable as his parents. Here he is in the picture above (second from right), hanging out with us over tea outside the Garden Gate.
Otherwise, it was a normal Monday morning with most members choosing to oversleep after the extended week-end. Barely a dozen or so could make it for the exercises. Ram Sharan Shukla (right) was there after what seems like ages. He has just recovered from a bout of malaria, which had him hospitalized for 12 days. But he still appears weak and had to disrupt his exercises, time and again, for a breather on the Garden bench.
The odd part about attendance these days is that all those who were once regular have become irregular, whereas known absentees are beginning to take the exercises seriously. Even the trusted Nahid Khan was found absconding today, whereas Nafisa Sayed (left), who could herself never be sure of showing up, is coming more often. The latter suffers from an acute diabetic condition and keeps complaining about pain in the joints. Yet, she was there before time this morning, sporting a brave smile.
Surely, some inspiration can be drawn from women like her.
Renu Babani says:
Where was everyone? The regulars were nowhere in sight and today's attendance was dismal. I suppose with the school holidays on, everyone else has decided to play hookey. Please get back to your routine at the Garden. It is fun with everybody around. Thanks for welcoming Prakash so warmly this morning.
--Renu

PIC OF THE WEEK: 26

Can there be a more endearing imagery than this?


* Is this an ad for COLGATE... or HEAD 'N' SHOULDERS?
--Bhaswati Bose
* "Every time I am naughty, Didi forgives me!"
--Bhaswati
* YOU LEAN ON ME... AND I LEAN ON YOU; TOGETHER WE SHALL FACE THE WORLD!
--Renu Babani
* The smiling eyes and faces say it: "ALL IS WELL". Nice pic. Dosti ho toh aisi ho!
--Harish

Many Smiles

Hari Naraiyani has disappeared again. So has Yusuf Rassiwala. Srichand Arora came yesterday, is gone today. Tara Chand Seth was absent yesterday, present today. Nafisa Sayed was keeping low, but appeared today. Kishor and Renu Babani were coming regularly till yesterday. Today, both became scarce. Club grapevine has it that Kishor-bhai is busy sourcing kauwe-size chuddis from someplace (see blogposts of April 14 and 15)…
Monthi Serrao came in with her sister, Priscila (above, extreme right) to create an optical illusion for (of all the people) Sunita Jajodia (below). For only she can come up with something as, “Hai, doh-doh Monthi kaise aa gaye!” True, there is some resemblance between the two, as sisters normally share; but to imagine one individual splitting into two personas early in the morning while exercising is nothing short of a stroke of genius.
But then, we’ve got to grant it to Sunita-ji: When she gets going, there’s no stopping her. For quite some time she has been not keeping well and even as she’d make an occasional appearance in the Garden, she would not always take part in the exercises. Today, she was back in form, dominating the proceedings with her wisecracks and robust humour. So when it came to the Kissa Kursi Ka round, Shekhawat-ji, balancing himself on bended knees, called out as usual: “Rane, jahaan pe bhi ho, baith jaao!”
Promptly, Sunita-ji retorted: “Rane, toh abhi aam ke ped pe chadaa hua hai.”
Being the end of the week, everybody was in a relaxed mood and out to pull one another’s leg. Some members, who have been turning up on Sundays, declared that they would take an off tomorrow, because of the unusually warm weather. Khatoon Baig (right) showed up towards the end of the exercises, giving us a major scare. Looking rough and tough with a firm jaw and dark glasses, she was completely unrecognizable as she strode in with determined steps.
Turns out she has just had a cataract operation.
Srichand Arora says:
I missed the session as I was actually under the impression that almost all the members have gone for the picnic. Today, being Sunday, I missed again. But while returning from my regular morning walk, I found some people gathered for the exercises. I was already late from my morning walk (7.20 a.m.) and so decided to go home straight. Hope to see you all on Monday morning.
GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU.
--Arora

Muggy Morning

If there were to be a dull and uneventful day, it was today. The exercise and laughter sessions were wrapped up in clockwork fashion. Yesterday, we were done at 7:42 a.m. Today we were saying our prayers at 7:40 a.m. This was because there were fewer distractions. Which was because there were fewer members in the circle. Which was because the weather has become increasingly oppressive. Which was because summer is fast approaching…
The only diversion was that a bird shat on Bose. It missed his head by a couple of inches and landed splat on his right foot. Seeing the white squishy mess, Shekhawat cracked up instantly, but soon gathered himself and declared, “It must have been a flying bird.” (Big deal, flying or no flying, the damn shit was there for all to see!) Kishor Babani too was laughing his head off, but being more kind-hearted, comforted Bose, “This is in retaliation to yesterday’s blog!”
Now this should keep us thinking. If crows are also reading this blog, the mounting Page Views (on the right panel counter) must surely be inclusive of bird hits – literally. But then, Kishor-bhai had an added word of consolation: “These birds are not toilet trained. They don’t even wear chuddis (underwear)!”
Now, this provides some more food for thought.
Bhaswati Bose says:
Hopefully Kishor-bhai will bring some chuddis for the poor crows tomorrow!
--Bhaswati
Harish Wadhwa says:
Well, the bird missed the target during its aerial bombing -- straight into the gaping Bose, who was desperately awaiting breakfast. It at least landed on his foot, which was just a few inches to the right. Maybe, it will try better next time. Bose, though it is nice to train up as Survivor Man, take something better... lets have vada pav instead, with Badmaash Company. Presumably it will taste better than the white scrambled egg-like meal.
--Harish
Renu Babani says:
Yes, looks like the crow had its target well-aimed and felt it was payback time. They say revenge is sweet. But this was a case of revenge is... (Let's not use the language here, shall we?) Today I decided to join the Badmaash Company for a cuppa hot tea. I am definitely not a tea lover, but decided to join them just for the company. It was fun, even for those few minutes, before signalling my husband to make a move and head home.
--Renu
Dan Sharma says:
The Bird Hits. A brand new approach to blogging. It made me laugh, coming on the heels of the last blog post. These birds are considered clever. And vengeful.
--Dan

‘Garden’ Angels

Now you see them, now you don’t. When you do, through the dense foliage above, you’ll discover an army of them, peering down, beady-eyed. Dark, shadowy figures, perched on the branches and flapping their wings… Look harder and you could even spot a nest of dried, old twigs.
They are the guardian angels of the Garden.
But Kishor Babani does not like them. He would have nothing to do with them, even as his brother, Dilip assures him that the prasad they drop from above is “nice and warm”. He has been told also that he must consider himself incredibly “lucky” should they shower their blessings on him. Indeed, it would require a sharp sense of precision timing to target his bald pate and grant him the benefit of their benevolence.
Clearly, Kishor-bhai over-estimates the capabilities of these raucous characters. For the past week or so, he has been ceaselessly trying to dodge them while exercising under the tree that is their home. But then, he is not alone in their range of a direct hit. At least half-a-dozen people have been positioning themselves around him (ostensibly to gain proximity to the music of his mobile phone) in the hope of getting "lucky" some day with the aerial droppings.
On Kishor-bhai’s immediate left is Bose who makes no secret of his desire to have “breakfast” delivered straight into his mouth. He plants himself strategically beneath a populated branch and on the pretext of exercising, keeps gaping upwards in vain. On Kishor-bhai’s right, Shekhawat has been similarly hopeful, but keeps advising him not to bother about angels: “Kuchh nahin honey wala!”
Today, Kishor-bhai decided enough was enough. He is convinced that these angels are up to no good and not only he, but the whole lot of us could become victims of a possible carpet bombing. So he got us all to migrate to a spot close-by, but away from the tree and its blessed denizens. Here on the right, he is seen waving them good-bye -- for good.
Renu Babani says:
Yes, it is quite funny seeing these gentlemen doing their exercise while keeping a close eye on the 'visitors' on the trees. Despite trying to convince each other that none of them is going to get a free breakfast, each one of them is alert. Today they finally decided to move away from standing under the tree and I am sure they will be missed.
--Renu
Harish Wadhwa says:
Hello Kishor-bhai, are you listening? How about a birdie shot on some chosen ones below? We know you don't need a golf club to do that. Just perch on the right branch above and pot!
Harish

Happy Baisakhi!

Today is Baisakhi, the first day of the new year by the Hindu (solar) calendar. The day also commemorates the establishment of the Khalsa by the 10th Sikh guru, Govind Singh at Anandpur Sahib in 1699. A local Punjabi association is celebrating the occasion with a cultural programme this evening at the neighboring Celebration Club. On our part, let us wish all our members, their families and friends a bountiful year full of happiness, good health, peace and prosperity.
Hari Naraiyani (below) has returned from a month-long trip to Punjab, after obtaining the blessings of his family guru at Amritsar. His wife is not keeping well and last heard, she had been hospitalized with a severe thyroid and kidney condition. Hari-bhai says she is still suffering (“there’s been just a minor improvement of late”) which has been a cause for much worry and distress for him. Nevertheless, he promises to be more regular in the Garden for his exercises from now on.
Otherwise, it was a pleasant morning with Shekhawat-ji and Arora-sah’b back, both hale and hearty. As it gets warmer by the day, everybody tends to be more quiet and less exuberant while exercising. Even the ordinarily irrepressible Dilip Babani has become unusually withdrawn these days. Probably, it has something to do with the humidity sapping all the energy. Still, with Nahid Khan in the middle and funny comments coming from people like Tara Chand and Gopvinita, the mood was upbeat.
Towards the end, Bapu Rane (right) announced that this was his last day before he boards the morning train tomorrow for his village in Sindhudurg. He will have to stay put there, taking care of the annual harvesting of mangoes. This year, his alphonso crop has been particularly good and he even offered to send 10-12 crates of the fruit for the Club, if someone here would care to handle the logistics. Everybody discouraged him.
Bapu Rane will be back after two months – end-June.
Harish Wadhwa says:
1. Rane-bhau, have a great time at your village, enjoy good mangoes and the harvest. By the way, I don't mind one crate of good mangoes, if you are sending some to Mumbai. Needless to say, I will pay for them -- as long as they are affordable and reasonable.
2. To all the Punjabi folk: Baisakhi di twanu bahu bahu vadhayian!
--Harish
Anonymous says:
Спасибо за новость! Как раз думал об этом! Кстати с Новым годом всех вас ;) Крутой сайт! Все качественно сделано.
(Translation: "Thanks for the news! Just thinking about it! By the way Happy New Year to all of you:) Cool site! All quality made.")
--Anon

Vanishing Act

We realize the value of a tooth when it is not there. So it is said. In like manner, we value a person’s worth when s/he does not show up. So was it when not one, not two, but three key members did the vanishing act this morning. For once we were made to realize what it is to take Hari Singh Shekhawat, Yusuf Rassiwala and Srichand Arora for granted.
Not that the others don’t count for anything. For instance, had Nahid Khan not shown up today, we’d have had a problem on who'd conduct the exercises. Bapu Rane is here today, but from the day-after, he’d be gone to his village, leaving us handicapped for the laughter rounds. Likewise, whether it is Sunita Jajodia or Monthi Serrao, Tara Chand or Ved Prakash Grover, Gopvinita or Mumtaz Jahan, everybody has an important role to play. If nothing else, they contribute to the energy during the exercises.
Shekhawat’s absence this morning was perhaps the most surprising to everybody. He is by far, the most regular among us and in fact, a stickler for attendance. The immediate conclusion drawn from his no-show today was that he had had one-too-many last night and was too groggy to get up in time. Tara Chand however, gave him the benefit of doubt as today was Ramnavami and he could be having an early morning puja at home.
Yusuf-bhai’s absence has by now, gone well beyond the realm of speculation. As one who used to stand out for setting standards in self-discipline and correctness, he is now unable to explain his own erratic behavior. He says he gets up early, does his morning prayers, reads the Qu’ran… but his legs refuse to take him to the Garden!
And finally, there’s Arora-sah’b (right) whose continued absence can only raise concern. Not only is he, by nature, reluctant to burden anybody with a problem, it is completely out-of-character for him to play hooky with the morning exercises. We know how attached he is to the Club. And we also know how the renovation work at his house has taken a toll on his health. Let us hope he is done with it earliest and is able to join us at the Garden regularly, as before.
Renu Babani says:
Yes, our Principal had taken an off this morning. Everyone was quite surprised too. We sure looked like lost students, although we went through the exercise routine, but the question asked was, "Where is he today?" I guess everyone plays hooky at one point and time. So today was his turn. The turnout was surprisingly low, but the constant chatter did make the exercise fun.
--Renu

Back to the Grind

The beginning of another week. Balmy morning. As expected, low turnout… But as the exercises progressed, people began trickling in. More importantly, Yusuf Rassiwala took charge as the man in the middle. He looked determined on changing the prevailing perception: “If you see Yusuf-bhai, it must be Friday!”
Good for him. Good for us.
Hari Singh Shekhawat got busy collecting cash for the picnic on April 23. He and Kishor Babani have already confirmed the bus booking by paying an advance to the transport operator. So there can be no backing out now. Fortunately, the response of members has been quite encouraging so far. At this rate we can expect a contingent of around 50 to be descending on Royal Garden Resort during the Easter week-end.
Significantly, Razia Khan (left) called up the Club this morning while we were in the midst of our exercises. She is at present vacationing in the U.S. and obviously, has been missing her morning routine in Mumbai. Shekhawat took her call and informed us that she is doing fine and wishes everybody here well. We reciprocate the feelings through this blog and look forward to her early return.
Indeed, it was nice of her to think of us and make that call this morning.
Renu Babani says:
Yes, the picnic is the main topic these days and hopefully all those interested will respond positively. The spot chosen is definitely nice and that could be the reason for many people coming forward to ensure a seat on the bus. Although the turnout was low this morning, we did enjoy the chatter amongst ourselves. Despite the warm weather, everyone left in their usual high spirits, till the next morning.
--Renu

PIC OF THE WEEK: 25

In how many ways can you say "Happy Birthday" to SHANTI SINGH today?


* Very pensive photo... anyway, "JANAM DIN MUBARAK!"
--Renu Babani
* HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADI! I love you!!!
--Priyanka Singh
* HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MUMMY!
--Jinal Singh
* HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADI! I love you!!!
-- Shivani Singh
* Sooraj roshni le kar aayaa,
Aur chidiyon ne gana gaayaa,
Phoolon ne hans hans kar bola,
"Mubarak ho tumhara janam-din aaya"!
--Kishor Babani
* HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADI!
--Nilesh Singh
* AAPNAAR JANMO-DIN PROTTEIK BOCHCHOR EI BHABEY ANONDOTE KAATOOK!
--Bhaswati Bose
* HAAPPY B-DAE AUNTY!!:)!
--Juhi
* Tum jiyo hazaron saal,
Saal ke din ho pachaas hazaar!
--Harish Wadhwa

Another Big Bash

It's still raining parties at the Club. No matter how hard we try to restrict them – to the extent of clubbing several birthday celebrations into one – there’s no escaping the deluge. As many as four major parties were held in less than a month – not including the countless treats of sweets and prasad, and of course, an out-of-town picnic thrown in.
Today’s big bash was a combo event hosted by three birthday girls and one birthday boy (above) – Hari Singh Shekhawat, Shanti Singh, Renu Babani and Neelam Garg. They are all April-born and had decided in advance to celebrate jointly, rather than organize things individually on different dates of the same month. By default, the Babani brothers Kishor and Dilip got into their act and did all the organizing at the cost of their morning exercises.
The rest of us just sat back and collected the goodies.
Our yoga “guru-ji” (right) delivered a short speech, felicitating each of the four members by name and wishing them a long and healthy life. A couple of ladies touched his feet and were promptly rewarded with a wet swab from a cotton wool (soaked in attar) on their wrists. Shekhawat-ji (as indeed, all men) let it pass and instead concentrated on preparing for his star act – a Rajasthani folk dance.
He fished out a piece of paper with the lyrics jotted down, stood up and sang as only he can (above, left). No music, no beating of the chair… just the rhythm set by his feet moving to and fro and a clear-throated, rustic cadence that struck an instant chord among all those present. Neelam Garg took to the floor, keeping step and swirling around with green dupatta unfurled in style… soon to be joined by another Rajasthani, Kiran Sajjan.
The way they all danced was sheer magic – the very highlight of a brief but memorable birthday bash.
Renu Babani says:
What fun we had today -- a party alongwith entertainment galore. Yes, our parties are never-ending, but we surely know how to enjoy ourselves. The birthday wishes came in from everyone, despite the fact it was no one's birthday today. We always find an excuse to party and just being together for that while. Sharing in the happiness is what counts. We may criticise one another, sometimes get irritated or angry on certain issues, but in the end we come together. We have learnt to forgive and forget. If this isn't true bonding and a silent understanding amongst one another, then what is?
--Renu
Harish Wadhwa says:
Wow, Mrs Garg does wonderful ghoomer nritya. It was great to see the birthday folks in such a joyous mood: Thumka lagaa ke/ I'll rock your world/ Me Jodhpuri Girl/ Me Jodhpuri Girl... Happy Birthday, once again!
--Harish