Orphaned!

With the Kashmir group gone, we have been rendered headless – if not legless, bodyless, brainless… After all, all the Club biggies are currently on that train to Jammu Tawi. And they include Srichand Arora, Nahid Khan, Yusuf Rassiwala and Razia Khan who have been conducting our exercises regularly every morning. To borrow an expression from Bhaswati Bose, we have been left orphaned!
And yet, the turnout at the Garden was extraordinary – if only to establish that the show must go on. Many non-regulars like Dilip Babani and Ram Shankar Shukla (who has just recovered from a viral attack) as well as two new ladies joined us for the exercises.
What’s more, Jagmohan Papneja was also there. He was away on vacation to Canada and had brought along a box of Lindt chocolates – one of the oldest ‘super-luxury’ brands of Switzerland. He was not sure when his friends were leaving for Kashmir and had hoped to catch up with them this morning. But they had already left and happily, the Lindts meant for Shekhawat & Co also ended up in our mouths.
Effectively, their loss was our gain.
Harish Wadhwa:
Their loss was certainly our gain, as each one of us got an extra chocolate. Just to confess that even I had two! [I can already see some readers smiling:)] But thanks Papneja- ji for those lovely chocolates. You should visit Canada more often!
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
"You talking to me? Sorry, I'm busy relishing these chocolates!"
Harish Wadhwa adds:
Renu-ji, what I was prompting Ramila-ji was that if she could 'steal' a couple of extra chocolates for me. She happily obliged. Thank you so much. That's how I got my second helping.

Going, Going…

The Club today gave a warm send-off to the 33-member group bound for Kashmir. At 7.55 a.m. tomorrow, they would leave by the Swaraj Express from Bandra Railway Terminus and after a 31-hour journey, alight at Jammu Tawi on Saturday afternoon. After a brief rest, they would hit the road by bus and after another journey of nine hours, reach Srinagar on Sunday.
On behalf of the Club, Sitaram Hivarkar garlanded Hari Singh Shekhawat for having taken the initiative and pains in organizing the trip and wished him and the group a very happy and safe journey (lead pic) ahead. He recounted how, over the past three months, the latter had worked tirelessly round the clock at putting this trip together – enlisting the participation of so many members, getting their bookings confirmed, handling the accounts and against all odds, bringing things to a head today.
In April, soon after the Goa picnic, when Shekhawat came up with the Kashmir idea, nobody had given him a chance in hell at ever pulling it off. After all, never before had anyone from the Club organized an excursion of this scale. Today, it all seems a miracle. Indeed, were it not for Shekhawat (left pic), this trip would not have materialized.
However, his job is far from over. He of course, enjoys the moral support and backing of Srichand Arora, who has volunteered to shoulder much of the responsibilities during the tour. Between the two, decisions on the itinerary, mode of travel, handling of cash and unforeseen exigencies will be taken on behalf of the group. It was only appropriate that Arora was also garlanded (by Tara Chand Seth) this morning.
Since today was the last day before the group takes off, the Chinese Hut had turned into a beehive of activity – the area resembling the departure lounge of an airport (right pic). If someone wanted to know a seat number in the train, another needed clarification on money matters and a third was barking instructions on how to reach the station and a fourth was confused on the exact date of return… In this chaos, there were well-wishers telling the group to return in “single one-piece” while out of nowhere, a joker broke into a soulful song: “O jaane waley ho sakey toh laut ke na aana!” No, this was no airport lounge. It was a pucca mad house.
Harish Wadhwa:
* Kudos to Shekhawat-ji for his untiring efforts at making this trip happen. As a key organiser, he took pains to dig information, share it, get travel ticketing done, bookings, cancellations, money matters, follow-up and persuading members to join, coordinate with Mumtaz-ji... Great job ! He truly deserves to be felicitated for all that he has done for mobilising a strong group of 33 people for this trip. Kya baat! Kya baat!! Kya baat!!!
* It was also nice to see the big and warm send-off by all other members wishing them happy time, great fun and memories from this trip. For many days, it will be a 'talk of the town' and gossip. All the best for the trip.
Bhaswati Bose:
Wishing a happy journey to "jo savere wali gaadi se chale jayenge... aur kuchh leke aayenge!" Have a great time!
Kishor Babani:
Wishing all the 33 members a very happy and safe journey. A message for them: Please take care of each other. And come back safely with beautiful memories of Kashmir.
Renu Babani:
Farewell, till we meet again. Have a blast, all of you. We shall await great stories upon your return. God Bless!
Harish Wadhwa adds:
Renu-ji and Bhaswati-ji -- We shall await their return with "kuchh le ke aayenge". It could be (as Kishor-da said) a Kashmir ki kali or apples, walnuts, almonds, cherries, apricot, figs, dry fruits... I hope someone on the trip is reading the blog to understand our humble expectations.

Two Days To Go…

Another wet morning, forcing us all into the Chinese Hut for the third day running. But by the time the exercises were through, it had turned bright and sunny outside – much to the relief of the 33-member group headed for Kashmir the day-after-tomorrow.
The group members were doubly delighted because the met department had raised a ‘high rain alert’ yesterday. This could only mean that it would be nice and dry by the time they leave. The fear of water-logging on the rail tracks and train cancellation had vanished by that singular prediction.
The other good news was that both Monthi Serrao and Santosh Tyagi are fast recovering (see yesterday’s post) and would not be backing out of the trip. Santosh’s BP is almost normal now and Monthi informed on phone that all she needs is some rest to recuperate fully.
Shekhawat informed that he had called up Mumtaz Jahan (left pic) in Srinagar and was re-reassured of “A-1 arrangements” there. The mighty lady has already sacked a watchman at the hotel there and tightened security outside the rooms allotted to our members. She has also negotiated a “good deal” with the gondola operators at Dal Lake.
Shekhawat also appealed to the group members not to leave behind their club caps and if needed, borrow from those not going on the trip. He further suggested pooling together for cabs to the railway station in the early hours of August 31.
Also, Srichand Arora took formal charge of the documents that would facilitate day-to-day operations during the trip – thereby leaving Shekhawat with the onerous task of managing the finances only. Much of the morning was taken up by these last-minute nitty-gritties – as the lead pic reveals.

Three Days To Go...

With three days left for the Kashmir trip, the monsoon scare has become real. Just as it looked like we were done with this year’s (meager) rainfall, the rain gods have hit with a vengeance. It has been pouring continuously since Sunday. Today the papers reported 'the wettest 24-hour spell' of the season with large scale water-logging, traffic snarls and disruption of air and train services. A 'heavy rain alert' has been sounded for the next few days coinciding with August 31, the day the Kashmir group is scheduled to leave.
More than the possibility of a train cancellation, what is keeping everyone on tenterhooks is the outbreak of monsoon-related diseases, including new strains of malaria, pneumonia and viral infection which do not respond to treatment. Monthi Serrao (top right) has not quite recovered from a viral attack earlier this month and still complains of bouts of fever and weakness. She had got a blood test done yesterday, which has eliminated any chance of malaria. But why she gets the shivers and fever every morning remains a mystery.
Santosh Tyagi (top left) too isn’t sure of making it to Kashmir, even as she is very keen on the trip like Monthi. Her problem though, is one of loss of self-confidence. Her BP has shot to alarming levels (presumably, out of anxiety) and refuses to normalize. And then there are enough mischievous people around ribbing the Kashmir group for abandoning the cool comfort of their homes and the wonderful weather of Mumbai for the uncertainties of food and stay, possible landslides on the journey, terrorist attacks and so on. Only Tara Chand Seth has been rather encouraging towards the group while maintaining matter-of-factly that this could be their last opportunity to be visiting the proverbial ‘paradise on earth’.
Meanwhile Hari Singh Shekhawat has his task marked out as he goes about (bottom pic) tying up all loose ends for the trip. For all intent and purposes, he is responsible for the group. From keeping individual accounts to allotting seat numbers in the train to coordinating with Mumtaz Jahan in Srinagar and obtaining confirmations from all concerned, he has a lot on his plate. And time is running out…

Four Days To Go...

With four days to go for the Kashmir trip, Purushottam Sharma (left pic) has come over from Delhi and took part in the exercises this morning. He is the only outstation member to be taking the train with us from Bandra Terminus on August 31.
Meanwhile, Mumtaz Jahan left for Srinagar by an early morning flight today (after depositing a box of utensils for Shekhawat to carry by train). She has been given letters to represent the Club with the Directorate of Kashmir Tourism, which would facilitate necessary permissions for direct access to certain scenic spots during the tour. As de facto trip organizer, she assures us of “A-1 arrangements on rena, kaana-peena, goomna…” in Kashmir.
As an added bonus, we have Arun Patil (below left) preparing the ground to witness a day’s location shoot of Yash Chopra’s (hitherto untitled) film in Kashmir. A special effects wiz, Arun is part of the film unit and had left for Srinagar yesterday. He will be coordinating with Srichand Arora on the date and place for the group to converge and witness the shoot in the company of Shah Rukh Khan and possibly, Katrina Kaif.
On Shekhawat’s part, refunds have been made to those who have opted out of the trip. They include Tara Chand Seth and Mr and Mrs Harbans Singh. A couple of non-members have also been paid back the advance they had made at the time of booking three months back.
Now a question mark hangs over Monthi Serrao, who has been keeping indifferent health since her viral attack and has virtually stopped coming to the Garden. Last year, around this time she was down with malaria at Mangalore. She is experiencing similar symptoms and yet, does not want to skip the Kashmir trip. Let us hope and pray that all turns out well for her.
Yet another cause of concern is the delayed/ extended monsoon this year. Today, heavy rains interrupted our exercises and we had to take shelter in the Chinese Hut for close to half an hour (centre pic). The fear is that the monsoon buildup could disrupt train services by this week-end – as it happened across Delhi and Rajasthan last week.

Day 745

Pic of the Week

Boy, somebody's goose is cooked... nice and proper!

* Looking for gold! --Renu Babani

* "Yeh daath mujhe de de Thakurain!" --Bhaswati Bose

* "Dhoondo, sone ka daath dhoondo, sona Rs31,500 se upar ho gaya hai" --Dilip Babani

* But seriously, aren't they well past the age of playing 'Doctor-Doctor'?!? --Anonymous

* Dr Harish Wadhwa, you are very expensive. Rs9,000 for root canal? My God! That's my monthly salary. --Kishor Babani

Dr Harish Wadhwa replies: Kishor-da, my fee is very modest -- just smile. See how Mrs Garg is smiling even after losing two teeth. It was generous on my part, since she had come with a problem in one!
* Dilip-bhai, I actually tried to look for gold in her teeth, but Mrs Garg has a very healthy set. She lost a couple of them when she tried some nice dal-bati without ghee!
* Bhaswati-ji, 'Thakurain' is laughing because I extracted the lower one first even as she had pain in the top one. I thought of removing the supporting structure first (the bottom part) before bringing down the top storey. Eventually, I extracted two of them at the cost of one... Hee Hee... See, how generous I am.

Toothless Tigers

All the toothless tigers (and tigernies) of the Club bared their dentures at the doctors of Signature Smiles today. Organized by Srichand Arora, the mobile ‘dental clinic’ (left pic) pulled up inside the Garden early morning and became functional soon after our exercises ended at 8 a.m. (posts of August 21 and 23).
Not all those who queued up were toothless though. Many had natural teeth and luckily, nothing major was detected in them during this free check-up – barring of course, usual tartar and cavities – which says a lot about the oral hygiene standards of our members. Bapu Rane was especially overjoyed on being given a clean chit, but had a hard time trying to convince the ladies who disbelieved him. He insisted he had a couple of molars still nestled somewhere in the deeper recesses of his mouth – but could not show any!
However, much of the morning tamasha had occurred earlier during the exercise sessions. With two new ‘trainee teachers’ brought in to conduct the proceedings, everything that could possibly go wrong went merrily for a six. While Dilip Babani blundered through the laughter round (and struggled manfully at keeping his trousers from sliding down his waist), Ramila Mistry (right pic) was another spectacle in the middle, bungling on the sequencing and making wrong calls (and then covering up by snapping at us).
But then, who wants correctness and order all the time? Not only was today great fun, training new ‘teachers’ in this manner amounts to grooming a second ‘line of command’ for times of crises. A crisis looms large when all the regulars (including Arora, Razia, Nahid and Yusuf) leave for Kashmir next week-end. And then the onus of holding fort would fall on the likes of Dilip, Ramila and yesterday’s Monkey Man.
Post Script: On behalf of all members, Big Laaf wishes to place on record its gratitude at the initiative taken by Signature Smiles on holding the free dental camp at the Garden today. We thank all doctors and the staff present -- in particular Dr Ankita (lead pic).
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* Smile. You are on candid camera!
* "Ooops! I can't seem to get anything right today!!!"

Monkey Man

From Nahid Khan to Yusuf Rassiwala and Srichand Arora to Razia Khan, the ‘teachers’ who conduct our exercises come in all shapes and guises. If one is regular and systematic, another would be casual but correct, a third may be moody and authoritarian while yet another, pleasant and playful. Over time we have learnt to deal with their angularities and idiosyncrasies, almost to the point of taking them for granted. But nothing had quite prepared us for the monkey man who was to land in our midst this morning.
Short of descending from a tree, he occupied centre space for more than half an hour and on the pretext of conducting the free-hand exercises, demonstrated what Arora politely described as ‘monkey tricks’. With zero sense of rhythm or coordination, the man tore through the session like a bandit from hell, leaving everyone exasperated and laughing their heads off (see pic) in disbelief. Poor Mumtaz had to complain, “He’s going too fast!”
But this man couldn’t care. He committed one goof-up after another, laughing to himself continuously. Let alone look around or bring about a semblance of orderly action, he could not even count to save his life. (At one point people wondered aloud if he had been to school at all.) He had become a law unto himself. And to make matters worse, there was Yusuf-bhai giving a running commentary: “Look, he is under tension; see, how he is scratching his head; now he has taken off his cap…”
But in the end, Yusuf was generous enough to award the man 35/100 -- just about “pass marks” for conducting the exercises today.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
"I seriously have no idea what I'm doing!"
Harish Wadhwa:
Lovely pic of a school boy doing the exercises. Close observation shows his bellybutton (Oops!) but the two seniors giggle seeing it.

Heightened Anticipation?

Morning surcharged with an air of heightened anticipation – as though something momentous was in the offing. Nothing happened, except for some johnnies objecting to our exercising at a particular spot today. Apparently we had encroached upon their ‘area’ in the Garden. They could as well have told us directly; but they waited for Srichand Arora to turn up and conveyed their unhappiness through him. It was their way to ruin our happiness (lead pic) also.
That apart, the good news was that Razia Khan will not be withdrawing from the group booked for Kashmir. Looks like there has been some major damage control at work behind-the-scenes to persuade the lady into reversing her decision (see yesterday’s post). But Shekhawat announced that should anybody still want to opt out, s/he had one more day to decide. After August 25, he will not entertain any request for cancellations.
Alongside, Arora drew up a list of those wanting to avail of the free dental check-up offered by Signature Smiles (see post of August 21). The mobile clinic will be stationed at the Garden gate at 8.00 a.m. sharp on Saturday, August 25.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
"Please be patient. Everyone will get a chance to speak."
Harish Wadhwa:
Good to get your dentures fixed and dental problems solved before the trip, so that you can enjoy the Kashmiri cuisine. After all we don't want some of our members to lose some prized teeth behind in Kashmir!

Kashmir Countdown

We are now exactly 10 days away from the Kashmir trip taking off. Srichand Arora today distributed (right pic) copies of a check-list of 35-odd items to be carried individually by those proceeding on the trip. The items include essentials like proof of identity, woolen shawl and medicines as well as emergency basics such as bandages and cotton, a small torch, whistle, needle and thread, pen knife, candles and matchbox, twine, antiseptic cream, etc.
Still, confidence seems to be waning in many as August 31 draws close. Ved Prakash Grover (left pic), for one, admitted to being struck by nervous pangs since he would be undertaking such a long journey for the first time without his family and somehow, feels a little lonesome. He had been counting on the company of Tara Chand Seth. But after the latter pulled out citing health reasons, he finds himself suddenly at a loose end.
Mrs Harbans Singh had also opted out along with her husband. And now news comes in of Razia Khan wanting to excuse herself, apparently due to sickness in her family. The alarming part is that her absence eliminates Nafisa Sayyed automatically as also a Gupta family Razia had brought in. There are also conflicting rumours of one Rita Aggarwal (a non-member) and her husband also wanting to withdraw from the trip. Besides, Monthi Serrao is in a very delicate state of health, having just recovered from a bout of viral fever.
According to Shekhawat, who took the pains of making reservations, the number of dropouts could possibly hit 10. (But Arora is optimistic and feels we will still be a 30-strong contingent.) In any case, the one to be most disturbed is Mumtaz Jahan since she has already finalized all arrangements at the Srinagar end. She declared that her izzat is now at stake and threatened to disengage herself from the trip if there were to be so many quitters at the last moment. She also demanded that Razia’s booking amount be forfeited!
Eventually, Yusuf Rassiwala had to intervene and cool down frayed tempers with a box of chocolates (pic above right). This was actually his Eid treat for which he was being pestered by the ladies since the day-before yesterday. Clearly, he believes it is pointless getting agitated over matters on which no one has any control. Water will finally find its own level.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
Group discussions, doubts, queries, fears... all amounting to an Eid treat no matter the outcome.
Harish Wadhwa:
Yusuf bhai, hope you have kept my share of chocolate! Shirkurma toh kabhi-na-kabhi khilana hee padega. I will come with my family and friends from Big Laaf to your home so that you are not inconvenienced into bringing it to the Garden!

Tinku Rani

The Garden woke to greetings of ‘Eid Mubarak’ as all those who had taken their Ramzan break resumed exercising this morning. Khatoon Baig came in looking fresh and rejuvenated. Mumtaz Jahan was resplendent in a flaming pink salwar suit while Nahid Khan showed up in a gorgeous turquoise blue outfit. Despite the rains playing spoilsport for a while (pic below), these ladies stood out for their sartorial elegance befitting Eid.
Hari Singh Shekhawat (right pic) too came in formally dressed – in dark brown trousers and full-sleeved shirt, spectacles dangling on his chest – just that he wasn’t going to the Colaba military hospital today. Instead, he said, he had an appointment with doctors at Four Bungalows where he would be taking Tinku Rani at 8.00 a.m. Apparently she is suffering from a problem of the uterus and would have to get a tooth extracted as well.
Shekhawat spoke at length about the ailment, but refused to divulge who Tinku Rani is. “The doctor attending to her is so good that you need to get an appointment with him at least ten days in advance,” he told Nahid Khan who simply could not hold her curiosity. “But who is this Tinku Rani?” she kept insisting.
Meanwhile Srichand Arora announced that a mobile dental camp is being organized by a multi-specialty dentistry clinic, Signature Smiles outside the Garden gate. Members may avail of its check-up facilities and advice on oral health free-of-charge on a date and time convenient to them. Santosh Tyagi and others felt it best to have the check-up done on the morning of August 25 (Saturday) soon after the exercises. Arora promised to get back on this.
As for Tinku Rani, the mystery was soon resolved when Shekhawat, before leaving, clarified that she was his “pet doggy”, aged 13 years.
Harish Wadhwa:
All these women seem to have ganged up for some prank... Bach ke rehena padega!
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* I shall always be around 'cos I am here to stay.
* A little rain will not dampen the spirits of these fearless ladies.

Eid-ul-Fitr 2012

A day of celebration. Yusuf Rassiwala showed up after more than a month and wished everyone ‘Eid Mubarak’. For him, the celebrations had begun on Saturday while for all others, including Razia Khan, Nazma Sayyad and Khatoon Baig (who are guided by the sighting of the moon) Eid-ul-Fitr was today.
We wish them and their families the blessings of Allah, fulfillment of every wish and forgiveness for all their transgressions. For, “Allah is the guardian of those who believe and He is the one who brings them out of the darkness into light”. Here Harish Wadhwa (lead pic) cannot be seen in a warm hug (like many others) with Yusuf-bhai at the Garden.
Today was also the day when Teja Singh (left pic) was formally co-opted as a member with Srichand Arora presenting him the Club’s blue cap at the start of the exercises. This benign and ever-smiling sardar from Faridabad is an active participant in all activities of the Club (he even celebrated the naming ceremony of his grand-child with us) and has been attending the exercises religiously every morning. He says that the daily regimen has cured him of a severe nerve problem in the neck for which no doctor could provide any relief in the past 11-odd years!
Teja Singh is the second member after Purushottam Sharma to be "capped" by the Club.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* What a lovely welcome!
* Namaste, I am honoured being made a member.
Harish Wadhwa:
It was a great feeling to hug Yusuf-bhai on Eid as he reciprocated with equal warmth. Happy Eid to all my senior brethren. Besides the warm hug, I wanted him to know that we were desperately awaiting a treat of shirkhurma, but he didn't seem to pick up the clue. May be next time.

Day 738

Pic of the Week

Bapu Rane's EXPERIMENT WITH TRUTH!

A young, pretty woman by my side, this is my lucky day! But kya karoon Ram, main toh Budhdha ho gaya?!! --Renu Babani

Bapu Rane, kya kartos? Egypt madhe ahhey ka? Mala pan belly dance baghayecha ahhey lavaney bagun me thaklo. Kadi me yehu, tu time fix kar majayasathi. --Dilip Babani

Lazy Weekend

After a fairly busy week, we got to let our hair down today. Being a Saturday, everyone was in a relaxed mood and went through their motions of exercising with minor diversions here and there. As ringmaster, Nahid Khan kept up her non-stop banter – often breaking into hilarious English. Arora was equally upbeat during the laughter sessions and for a change, did not holler at those taking liberties or talking among themselves.
Someone said it was the Parsi New Year and we laughed extra. Then Santosh Tyagi served her breakfast jokes and we laughed more. Thereafter Mrs Harbans Singh narrated a Santa-Banta joke (top pic) and we laughed still more. In fact, this was the first time she had narrated a joke in the Club and as everyone noted, the lady sure has incredible style!
Before long, action shifted to the chai shop, the happy hunting ground for the Badmaash Company’s (bottom pic) badmaashis – just that these gentlemen have sobered down ever since ring leader Kishor Babani has rationed his so-called X-rated jokes. These days they talk of weighty issues, ranging from women and movies to technology and state of the nation. Whatever it be, the morning is never complete without this half-hour ‘super- enlightening’ session.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* Time for some real fun and laughter.
* So much to discuss in such a short while.

Kashmir Cancellations

Of the 37 who had signed up for the Kashmir trip, three have pulled out: Tara Chand Seth and Mr and Mrs Harbans Singh. Shekhawat today announced that he would cancel their bookings and the penalty/ damages should, in all fairness, be borne by them.
Tara Chand has had to change his mind because of health issues. He says that following a "heart scare" recently, he has lost the confidence to undertake long trips. And Mrs Singh had reported earlier on of family commitments in Pune, coinciding with the trip between August 31 and September 8.
Others are of course, gung ho on this first ever cross-country excursion from the Club -- though the fear of viral epidemic hangs heavy in the air. Monthi Serrao has just recovered from the fever and joined the exercises today. Pratap Bhatt is still unwell. So is Prakash Motwani. Hari Naraiyani is likely to be discharged from Kokilaben Hospital (see post of August 15) this evening.
The latest in this list of casualties is Bhaswati Bose, who has been down with a crippling back problem. Strangely, this is as much a subject of concern as of amusement in the Club – all because of a horrendous 'witch doll' (right pic) she had picked from a recent trip to the Czech Republic. Any unsuspecting visitor to her house would get the heebie-jeebies for the way the damn thing lets out a loud cackling laughter while breaking into a dance with arms and legs flailing about, eyes flashing red and swinging to and fro.
Santosh Tyagi jumped out of her skin the day she encountered this bizarre phenomenon in person and promptly dubbed it a "chudail". She warned Bhaswati that it signifies bad omen and ought to be banished from the face of earth. The latter’s back pain now vindicates her belief. In this, oddly enough, she enjoys the support of Nahid Khan who, for the life of her, cannot understand why any married man should want to “keep two chudails” at home.
Here, in the lead pic, she can be seen at the centre sharing her brand of deadpan humour during the post-exercise jokes session.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* "I love being the centre of attention!"
* "I ain't no witch, just a doll with a bad name."
Bhaswati Bose:
Kya Nahid 'Bhai', aapne mere jaise PARI ko CHUDAIL bana diya? Milenge kal garden mein!

Love Blossoms

Come monsoon and romance blooms in the Garden. Nothing wrong with that. It is always pleasing to the eye when senior citizens flirt among themselves, cozy up on the benches, have their little tiffs, talk incessantly one day and turn glum the next… Even a kid can tell the status of a relationship watching them.
Of course, no names can be taken. But one couple deserves mention. The lady has been coming to the Garden for the past three years or so. Tall, mid-thirtyish, slightly plump but pretty (in a geeky sort of way, with spectacles) she has the air of a spinster about her. She turns up unfailingly in black trousers and white t-shirt, has no friends and speaks to no one in the Garden. In every sense, she's been a loner.
Enter Prince Charming, a retired army colonel who turned up first day with a set of golf clubs and started whacking the air for several days – till the tract of land he ‘played’ on was taken over for a cricket pitch. That was four months back, in April. Ever since, he has been more heard than seen as he engages all and sundry in loud conversation on the walking track.
Predictably, he had to hit on our lonesome lady and wonder of wonders, she is responding. She is not only smiling and talking, but has acquired the proverbial spring in her step. Today she appeared particularly upbeat, walking with her chin up, head held high, catching up with the fast-walking fast-talking colonel, flicking the imaginary hair off her face every two seconds… Clearly, something was cooking, but the colonel was to abruptly disappear at the Gate.
As we waited for the next act, Kiran Sajjan produced a box of laddoos to celebrate her birthday (lead pic). Srichand Arora, Monthi Serrao, Geeta Sardana and other absentees deservedly missed them. But they can surely join us in wishing Kiran many happy returns of the day – good health, long life and many more laddoos in many more birthdays to come.
Harish Wadhwa:
Do you see the pleasant smiles of celebration on the face of the two leading ladies? This is what sharing and caring is all about. Kiran-ji, a very Happy Birthday to you and thanks for the nice laddoos. Whose birthday is it next (for the laddoos) by the way?
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* "Laddoos for everyone! After all, it's my birthday and nothing like a celebration."

I-Day 2012

Pandraah August: On this day, last year, Renu and Kishor Babani set a wonderful precedent in the Club by celebrating Independence Day. They had brought along little paper flags and holding them, we assembled after the exercises (see post of August 15, 2011) on that rain-soaked morning to sing the national anthem. It was a short and simple ceremony, which went down very well with everyone.

This year too, it was the Babani couple who brought the Indian tricolour to the Garden. But for a change, we had two charming guests – Nahid Khan’s grandchildren, Alviya and Eram. The cute little girls held the flag (in pic) while all of us gathered around and sang Jana Gana Mana… in chorus. Like last year, not much ceremony – but it left us all in a happy, feel-good state.
Amidst this celebration, comes the news of Hari Naraiyani (left pic) being critically ill once again. Last evening he was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital (13th floor) with high fever and bouts of breathlessness. This time the family did not take chances, given his recent history of illness (post of August 9) and advancing age. His daughter and son-in-law are said to be looking after him.
Let us all pray for Hari-bhai’s recovery and good health.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* What a joy to celebrate today as one! Jai Hind!!!
* "I'm trying hard to keep up my spirits... I don't know what else to do?"
Harish Wadhwa:
Get well soon, dear Hari-bhai.

‘Where Is Others?’

A sudden cloudburst minutes before the exercises brought the attendance down to barely 13 today. Only four ladies turned up – Santosh Tyagi, Nahid Khan, Renu Babani and Bhaswati Bose. All other regulars, including Monthi Serrao, Harbans Singh, Sushma Gupta and Kiran Sajjan were conspicuous by their absence. Among the men, Srichand Arora, Harish Wadhwa and Pratap Bhatt were not to be seen.
In situations such as this, flagging off the morning proceedings becomes a problem. Nahid can be relied upon to be present daily and ideally, taking charge of the free-hand exercises. It is the initial laughter exercises, though relatively easier to conduct, that usually gets neglected and in a sense, exposes the vulnerability of the Club.
Today Bose (in the absence of a better option) had to step into the circle and conduct the laughter round. The peculiar thing about this man is that he has no sense of time and tends to go on and on and on… with every number, till someone from the side interrupts and puts the brakes. Many feel that a better way to keep him in check is to start counting aloud and cut him short at an appropriate point. Yet, so infinitely talented is this man at messing things up that he could stop an exercise as abruptly as he had started it – thereby turning the session into a maddening start-stop stop-start routine.
Unfortunately, we have to suffer such people while the regulars play hooky. People got so fed up with Bose today that towards the end of the exercises, when he asked everyone to “press” (massage) their necks, the ladies, led by his wife Bhaswati (bottom pic) threatened to throttle him instead.
Shocked at the aggression, Nahid decided to name the ring-leader, 'Gaddaar Biwi'!
Harish Wadhwa:
* What Bhaswati-ji, you should have taken your act to its logical conclusion... Hee... Hee... (LOL). But this man who conducted the laughter session today is one of the most lovable, regular, big-hearted, time conscious and a wonderful human being! His erratic counting during exercises (as reported) does not have any significance. People just enjoy going with the flow. Who's bothered for perfect counts, more so when you are a part of the Badmaash Company?
* I got a great and refreshing morning sleep today and didn't feel like waking up to get wet in the rain showers outside. Cosy bed with nice kadak adrakh ki chai is heaven-like in such weather!

Mental Match

Tara Chand Seth is back at the Garden after five months. He had left for Delhi on March 7 for what was supposed to be a short “pre-summer vacation”. But he got caught in a series of family issues -- some happy, some tragic -- which made it obligatory for him to extend his stay. As he says, he had to make a few trips in and out of Delhi also. And in a couple of months, he would again have to be in Delhi, for a wedding.
While everyone was happy at having Tara Chand back (see pic) after such a long time, Srichand Arora was particularly overjoyed. For, it was like finding his mental match again. Few are aware of the special equation they share in terms of emotional rapport and sensibilities. In fact, if there is one person in the Club who can measure up to Arora’s witticisms and wise cracks word for word, it is Tara Chand.
Sample this. While casually giving Tara Chand an update for the period of his absence from the Club, Arora suddenly pulled a fast one. “We are trying to fix a ladki for Grover-sa’ab”, he informed. Quick on the uptake, Tara Chand suggested making that “two ladkis” – unless of course, Grover would agree to share with him the one he gets. “I will need her only to make roti, nothing else,” he assured Arora, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Now, what can anyone say to this?
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
"I'm back, with 'my family'. It feels great!"
Harish Wadhwa:
Welcome back Tara Chand-ji, our most senior member. Nice to see you back rejoining the morning exercises with all of us.

Day 731

Pic of the Week

What is Nahid Khan's problem if Shekhawat wants to sing a song?

"OMG! I better get back my earphones on before I am forced to listen to what he wants to sing!" --Renu Babani

"Lagey Raho Munna Bhai" --Dilip Babani

"Tujhe kya sunaoon mein dilruba/ Tere samne mera haal hai..." --Harish Wadhwa

Geeta is Winner!

So the mystery has been solved. The boy in the July 22 post is none other than our ever-smiling KISHOR BABANI. And the one to get it spot-on was Geeta Sardana. This was the third time she has been declared winner for correctly identifying the person featured in our ongoing series of the guessing game, Pehchaan Kaun.
Actually there were four other claimants for the prize: Harish Wadhwa, Harbans Singh, Ramila Mistry and Sitaram Hivarkar. Like Geeta, they had all identified Kishor correctly from his childhood photograph. But since there had to be one winner, a draw of lots was conducted with Teja Singh picking the winning entry.
But the highlight of the morning was the way Dilip Babani officiated as the ‘master of ceremonies’ (lead pic). A surprise package (usually Srichand Arora plays this part), he took his position on a chair like a school master and launched off in style, keeping everyone in splits with witty remarks and risqué jokes before declaring the results. He was at his naughtiest while questioning the wisdom of the ladies, most of who had voted for Ved Prakash Grover.

Dilip was particularly unsparing towards Kiran Sajjan, who had made Santosh Tyagi a ‘suspect’ – in effect, turning a male into female! “For this big blunder, we shall have to disqualify you!” he declared arbitrarily. It took Kiran a while to figure out why she was being made the butt of many jokes and she even apologized to Santosh later. But by then, the latter had presented her with a ‘consolation prize’ – a chocolate bar (above left).
It was a hugely entertaining morning – memorable in many ways, but more importantly, a welcome diversion from our regular routine. Arora did the honours of presenting Geeta (incidentally, his rakhi sister) with her prize (top right) while Kishor received a token memento (above right) for contributing to all the mischief and excitement. Others had to make do with ‘gift boxes’ of luddoos!

Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* Class in session!
* Prize distribution ceremony: Everyone's a winner!
[P.S.: Kudos Dilip, good job. You always have it in you to cheer everyone up. Only you have this unique quality and can get away with it as no one gets upset or feels insulted. Yea, why shouldn't I be proud? He's my brother.]
Harish Wadhwa:
* We knew it had to be our own Kishor-da, with nice dark hair during school days: Meri smile bhi sexy/ Meri chaal bhi sexy/ Meri adaa bhi sexy/ Meri tange bhi sexy hain... (LOL).
* Dilip-bhai of course (and obviously) knew that the picture is of his brother, but chose to maintain a secret silence. Nice pic of you Dilip-bhai being the MC for the day. Great quizzing, Blog Monster!
* Congrats Geeta-ji for being the winner. Kya parkhi nazar hai!
* I appreciate the pun from Kiran-ji. After all, why should men have all the fun? Women can instigate fun and laughter too.

Wishful Thinking

Time to say ‘Many Happy Returns of the Day’ again. This time it's for Lord Krishna. Today's his birthday -- Janamashtami. So in keeping with Club tradition, we raised an extra laugh for him after the exercises. And Sushma Gupta distributed sweets (left pic) in his honour. But we did not clap and sing, ‘Happy Birthday to You’. Gods don’t like such rejoicing, in English.
Gods like pujas instead – the more elaborate the better -- even if it leads to skipping the morning exercises at the Garden. Lord Krishna would love you to also be soaked to the bones as strange-looking women pour buckets of water from their balconies on your head. ‘Govinda aala re’ songs play full blast on Bombay’s streets while hordes of dark, half-naked people form human pyramids, risking neck and bums to crack open a stupid matki strung on top. But that’s what janamashtami is all about.
A proposal is now pending with the club for celebrating the festival from next year with dahi-handi and the works. Srichand Arora is petrified. According to him, whether or not we manage to crack open the matki, “some of our members would surely crack open by the end of the day”.
But then, there are already some intelligent brains at work, planning out the formation of the human pyramid. At the base level, there would be the heavyweights like Dilip Babani, Kishor, Sitaram, Arora, Yusuf Rassiwala, and so on. Standing on their shoulders would be the medium weights – Harish Wadhwa, Bose, Arun Patil, Shekhawat, Jagmohan, etc. who in turn would support the ladies and left-over males like Bapu Rane and Grover in one or two tiers. And right on top would be Pratap Bhatt!
Now that's something for the Managing Committee to chew on.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* "Prasad for a special occasion."
* "Main nahin maakhan khaayo!"

Anxious Moments

Bapu Rane (below left) was in a terribly animated state this morning. He had lost his cap. So the first thing he did upon entering the Garden was lodge a complaint with Hari Singh Shekhawat. After that he started accosting all passersby, even total strangers -- “Mera topi dekha?”. He was about to grab the watchman by the neck when he noticed the cap dangling from a rafter in the Chinese Hut.
But that was hardly the end of it. For all through the exercises he kept grumbling, pulling up anyone not wearing a cap, demanding that a uniform blue t-shirt be supplied by the Club… till a sudden hush descended on the group. A frail and unshaven Hari Naraiyani was being slowly escorted into the Garden by Kishor Babani.
We all knew that Hari-bhai was unwell (see post of August 7), but for him to have pulled down so drastically in a few days was shocking (pic above) beyond words. And then we realized that it was his birthday today. In spite of his illness, this 85-year-old gent had thought it necessary to celebrate with us. He had stuffed two big bags with biscuit packets and lozenges and accompanied by his son-in-law, came to the Garden in an auto-rickshaw.
Even more touching was his sincerity in thanking everyone profusely for enquiring about his health and wishing him well. The good news was that the white spots detected in his lungs, is “nothing serious”. He said that last evening, much to his relief, his doctors had cleared him of the possibility of tuberculosis -- as was suspected initially.
But still, Hari-bhai needs rest. He needs to take it easy for a while, regain his strength and bounce back, fully charged with renewed vigour. We all want to see him happy, in the pink of health. It was extremely thoughtful of Srichand Arora and Kishor to conduct a special prayer (bottom pic), literally ‘begging’ the Almighty to grant him a long, healthy and peaceful life. Yes Hari-bhai, we all wish you the very best. Many happy returns of the day!
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* "I told you I shall be back, nothing can stop me now!"
* "Mera topi, sirf mera hai!"

Keeping the Routine

An early pre-dawn shower cleared the skies, enabling us to exercise out in the open. A small patch in the Garden had also been cleared, saving us the hassle of negotiating the tall, knee-high grass growing wild all around. Still, there were many anxious eyes looking out for an unusual movement in the grass since rumours are rife about a snake or two slithering about in the dense undergrowth.
Srichand Arora and Nahid Khan did their bit to lighten the atmosphere with occasional jokes and repartees while conducting the exercises. These days, in the absence of any other ‘teacher’, it has become incumbent on them to take charge of the proceedings every morning. Others like Razia Khan and Yusuf Rassiwala are on an enforced break because of their Ramzan fasting. Our only other option is Sitaram Hivarkar, but in spite of being told to come in time, he is invariably late or does not show up at all.
Hari Naraiyani’s condition (yesterday’s post) continues to be worrisome and dominated the discussions after the exercises. Unfortunately, we can just about empathise and beyond comforting him on the phone, there is little else we can do. Let us hope and pray that he is back on his feet at the earliest.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* Discussions at the Garden.

Get Well Soon

All is not well with the Club. Just as we rejoice in one another’s happiness, should anybody be in distress, it becomes a cause of collective concern. So closely-knit are we as a family that even the sudden absence of a member can raise alarm bells.
Hari Narayani (right pic) is not to be seen for over a fortnight. He was said to be down with high fever and coupled with coughing bouts and breathlessness, he has had to remain bed-ridden. Enquiries this morning revealed that his condition had deteriorated in the past four days with white patches appearing in his lungs. Doctors have advised him to run a battery of tests – better still, get admitted in a hospital. But he has become so weak that he cannot stir out on his own. He says that the whole of yesterday he was lying virtually unconscious at home.
Hari-bhai is in his mid-eighties and very lonely. His wife is also ailing. Barely two weeks back she had sustained a knee fracture following a nasty fall in the neighboring Garden. She has since been discharged from Criticare Hospital and a nurse is taking care of her 24x7 until she recuperates. Meanwhile, Hari-bhai plans to get admitted in Belle Vue nursing home tomorrow, should his condition not improve by then.
Another member not to be seen for some time is Jagmohan Papneja (left pic). But then, there's no need to be alarmed in his case. It is just that he has taken off for Toronto last Sunday. He did not inform us before leaving, but that’s all right. We wish him a safe and happy trip.
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* "This too shall pass and I will return, as always, smiling!"
* Canada, here he comes! Watch out!!!
Harish Wadhwa:
Get well soon, Hari-bhai. No doubt the news of anyone being unwell disturbs each one of us. May God give him strength to regain his health and be back with his daily routine.

From the Heart

There are birthdays and birthdays. Some celebrate because they have to, not because they want to. Many wait for others to celebrate before joining in. A few do not celebrate at all. And then there are those who overdo it – little realizing that fries and sweets on an empty stomach early morning does no good to anybody.
It is only rarely that someone dispenses with ceremony and celebrates a birthday from the heart. Like Ramila Mistry today. The song and dance was left for us to perform while she distributed chocolates (right pic). Yes, simple chocolates for “moonh meetha” (sweetening the mouth), much to everyone’s delight. Shekhawat had earlier made the birthday announcement, which was followed by the customary ‘extra laugh’ and the chorus of singing and clapping that accompanies all celebrations. No useless frills, no pretensions. It was an event, short and sweet – and memorable.
As always, action was soon to shift to the tea shop with members of the Badmaash Company ganging up for their daily dose of ‘genuine’ laughter. (For many, laughter during the exercises is perfunctory and forced.) But for a change today, the focus of conversation was on the advancements in software technology with Kishor Babani demonstrating the latest applications and features in his tablet PC (pic above). Arun Patil now wants to acquire this fascinating 'toy' and with Harish Wadhwa playing the Gadget Guru with suitable updates, the session turned out to be both educative and entertaining.
Surely Badmaash Company is not all that bad as it has been made out to be.
Srichand Arora:
Ramila-ji, Happy Birthday and Many, Many Happy Returns of the Day. MAY GOD BLESS YOU!
Dilip Babani:
Ramila-ji, Happy Birthday. GOD BLESS YOU!
Harish Wadhwa:
Ramila-ji, Many Many Happy Returns of the Day. Thank you for the Toblerone chocolates. They were really nice. Can you celebrate your birthday, twice or thrice during the year if we have to get such good treats? We promise you that extra laugh, birthday song, clapping, congratulating...
Renu Babani's PICSPEAK:
* "Treat for everyone to share my special day!"
* "Aren't we all tech savvy?"
Ramila Mistry:
Thank you, everyone. Will bring in more chocolates soon! Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha...