Lake Lokhandwala

The lake, in the background, has been fashioned out of what was a flowing creek till the 1980s

It was dark and wet in the morning. And still we kept our appointment with the lake (see post of June 13). No sooner were we done with the exercises than Geeta Sardhana led the march to the promised spot – described as a ‘lagoon’ (big difference, huh!) these days.

The 'Fevicol se' dance number

The place is not even one-and-half kilometre from the Garden and yet, many of us lost our way trying to find it. Those who drove up in their car or took auto-rickshaws abandoned the idea after some time and went away.

'Rimjhim girey saawan...'

Hot tea from the source

'Hookah bar...'

But Geeta persisted and like Mary’s little lambs, we followed behind, braving the intermittent shower and cutting through the dense under- growth, overgrowth and sidegrowth… till suddenly, from what looked like a forest clearing, we could see this vast expanse of water – a sheet of whiteness, cool and tranquil. We could not believe our eyes. But the watchman on duty assured us that this was the famous Lokhandwala Lake that has been in the news (for a variety of reasons) lately.
Hot tea came from Badmaash Company's chai adda (courtesy Harish Wadhwa) and Geeta rewarded her intrepid co-travellers with chips and wafers. The combination can never taste better, especially when it is windy and you are soaked to the bones.
But much more was to follow – what with Rehana Shaikh belting out Fevicol Se in her lusty uninhibited and inimitable style, followed by an equally robust number by Fehmida Khan and Harish singing “Rimjhim girey saawan” and Nafisa Sayyad doing a rapid rap version of “Mujhe tumse mohabbat ka…” and Ruksana Khan’s daughter dancing solo to ‘Hookah bar’. It was all impromptu, spontaneous and unrehearsed while tea flowed as though from a tap. Even Srichand Arora, who, despite an aching shoulder, was not short of his pranks – at one point demanding that he be poured hot tea direct from the flask since we had run out of plastic cups. Truly, everyone was in a boisterous mood – to let their hair down and freak out in the rain.
From fleeting moments like these, lasting memories are made.
Srichand Arora:
Wow, the morning was amazing! Our group of 20-plus members enjoyed the wet weather. We could cover ourselves with the many umbrellas we had, but who cares? And then the hot cups of tea with chips, diet chiwda, lhatta mitha etc. Thank you Geeta-ji, all this was possible because of you!
Bhaswati Bose:
We know how to have a blast, no matter where we are -- at a faraway resort or the neighborhood lake. Singing and dancing in the rain with endless rounds of tea and snacks... what a way to celebrate the monsoon showers! Thank you Harish and Badmaash Co for the tea and Geeta for the eats.