Freewheeling Funsters

You don’t need to skid over a banana peel to get a laugh. Nor is it necessary to make silly faces, create embarrassing situations or mock other people’s misfortunes, follies or deformities… Common everyday situations provide enough material for generating laughter – provided of course, you have a sense of humour.
Leave aside the past-masters in our group like Srichand Arora, Kishor Babani and Nafisa Syed who have an inborn flair for comedy. Instead, take Hari Naraiyani (right) for example. Returning to the Garden after a long hiatus, he is a master at deadpan humour. Least bothered about whatever happens around, he inhabits his private universe, exercising at his own pace, discontinuing at will and choosing his moments to pick a fight. Whatever he does is always funny. The funniest part though is when he sings along with the music in the background, completely off-key and oblivious to others laughing at him.
Cricket-crazy Bapu Rane (left) is another natural. Every morning he comes with a new prank up his sleeve – whether it is his jack-in-the-box antics or letting out peculiar sounds of wailing babies and animals, or interrupting the exercises with sudden barks of “Namaththey”, “Jai Thri Kritna”, “Thath Thriyakal” – even an odd “Good Morning” reserved exclusively for Monthi Serrao. Silence is total anathema to him.
And then, who can ignore Sunita Jajodia (right)? Much as she does not usually stick around till the end of the exercises (due to certain domentic obligations), her presence is always larger than life. A wonderful person at heart, she is much misunderstood because of her sharp tongue – which becomes her USP and makes everybody crack up at every verbal lashing from her. Arora is probably the only one capable of taking her head on, as he did this morning. He abruptly stopped her from saying “kamra ghoomana” (as in “kamar ghoomana” or “roll your hips”), only to apologise later. By then, the lady had forgotten about it!
These three may not be as proactive as others in our day-to-day activities. But they surely lend colour and character to the Club. They also serve.
Renu Babani (left):
Fun, laughter, mimicry, crazy antics... all these ingredients make for a beautiful morning. Everyone has his/her own way of adding to that one hour when we are together. So, unique and rare, that even those on the track pay heed to what goes on. We have that influence, not only on each other, but on outsiders too, who like 'migrating birds' join in the exercises when they feel like. If this is not a special group, then what is?
Harish Wadhwa (right):
Nice and encouraging words about some of our members, Blog Monster. All the funsters joke and laugh, spreading their infectiously broad smiles... They are true gentlemen at heart. I only wish that each one of us, smile and laugh throughout our lives as we do at the Garden everyday. Laughing Club (Big Laaf), Zindabad!