Sobering Influence

Teja Singh

In a short time, Teja Singh Bhambra has endeared himself so well and become such an integral part of the Club that today, exercises do not start till he arrives in the Garden. His sense of punctuality is astonishing. As Ved Prakash Grover puts it, “It cannot be 7’0 clock till Sardarji turns up.” And that is when Sunita Jajodia would let out her clarion call, “Chalo uttho, Sardarji has already come!” By the time we would spot his blue turban, he’d have quietly reached the far end of Garden, slowly measuring his steps till we run up and take our position for the exercises.
A man of few words, Teja Singh’s silent presence exerts a sobering effect on an otherwise unruly group. So it was to him we turned when Shekhawat was hospitalized last Friday. Without much ado, he delivered an ardaas (see post of April 13), seeking the blessings of Wahe Guru for a speedy recovery. And yet, this is the same man who is also part of all the fun and frolic around. The other day Monthi Serrao politely apologised for a sudden outbreak of toilet humour in the group when Teja Singh gamely brushed her aside. “Koi gul nahin,” he quipped, eyes twinkling with amusement. “I am enjoying it!”

Today's Health Bulletin from Jagmohan Papneja

Today was no different. Santosh Tyagi narrated an unusually risqué joke on AIDS, wisecracks flew thick and fast, Nahid Khan repeatedly called for order during the exercises, Monthi was full of stories on her return from a trip to Gandhinagar, Udaipur, Mt Abu… but behind it all, one fact was clear: for all the pretence of normalcy and ensuring that the ‘show must go on’, everyone’s mind was hooked on Shekhawat in the ICU of Kokilaben Hospital. His absence had become louder than his presence.
As usual, Jagmohan Papneja cleared the air with what has come to be a ‘health bulletin’ on Shekhawat. We cannot do much in the circumstances, but for those of us who are unable to gain access to the hospital ICU, this daily ritual is the only means of having our concerns addressed and being reassured that he is well on the road to recovery. Thank you Jagmohan-ji, for keeping us updated.
Health Bulletin of Hari Singh Shekhawat - 3:
I visited Kokilaben Hospital at 4:15 p.m. today and met Shekhawat-ji. He was cheerful, sitting on a chair and could converse very well. He touched upon many subjects and seemed to have forgotten about his illness. He even spoke of the trip to Kerala in November! I gathered that he will undergo an angiography test tomorrow. Let us wish him the best. --Jagmohan Papneja
Srichand Arora:
Thank you very much, Papneja-ji for the Health Bulletins of our dear Shekhawat-ji. I request you to please keep it up. We all are very much interested in such updates. Thanks, once again.