Name Calling

Everybody in the Club knows who our “Lord Hanuman” is. But he is never addressed as such. Just that, every time Kishor Babani (right pic) hails the monkey god in the course of our exercises, all heads would automatically turn towards the Garden gate. And there, sure enough, this portly gent would be seen, slowly making his way towards us.
Like Hanuman, we have a "Pandurang Baba" in our midst. As also a "Tedha Sher", "Qutub Minar", "Shahrukh Khan", "Dedh Futia", "Bhalu Chhey"… names that might sound idiotic, but well define the informal nature of our relationship and the abiding closeness we share as members of one family.
Yet somehow, ladies have insulated themselves from being 'named' – till Ramila Mistry (left pic), short of being called a hospital, became “Kokilaben” recently. And now Shekhawat (right pic, below) has earned the moniker, “Sheikh Abdullah” (after former J&K chief minister), thanks to his initiative at herding a huge group to Srinagar this September. “It takes a lot of courage to handle a group of 37 in Kashmir, unless of course, you are Sheikh Abdullah,” quipped Hari Naraiyani.
In this marvelous menagerie of oddballs strange things happen every day, as any follower of this blog would have figured out. Today, Srichand Arora had to restrain Nafisa Sayyad from breaking into paroxysms of dance steps while the song Mujhe teri mohabbat ka sahara… played on during the exercises. The lady was eager to demonstrate how this sublime number of yesteryears would be choreographed in present times – replete with pelvic thrusts, gyrations and punching the air.
But then, the biggest and happiest surprise of the morning came when Sardar Tohba Singh (left pic) announced the “new entrant” in his family -- a granddaughter. To celebrate the event, this otherwise quiet and self-effacing Sikh gentleman treated us to boxes of sweets and savories soon after the exercises. He needn’t have – because he is technically not a member. He does not even belong to Bombay. He is from Faridabad, on vacation and staying with his son in the neighborhood. To us, he is a guest. But we have obviously managed to corrupt him also.
Many congratulations to you, Sardar-ji! Our blessings and good wishes go to the newborn and her parents as well.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* "Look at us, always cheerful and happy and no one can change that!"
* "I am the senior amongst all of you and appreciate you accepting me as part of your group."