Ramzan Begins

Nahid Bhai: Man among Women

It is not for nothing that Nahid Khan has been nicknamed ‘Bhai’. She is a toughie – the man among women. So while our Muslim members (coincidentally, all females) would en masse take an off during the holy month of Ramzan, Nahid is the only one among them to show up religiously every morning at the Garden for the exercises.

Picnic preparations

This has been her practice over the years.
“Are you observing fast?” Ramila Mistry asked this morning, if only to remind her that Ramzan begins today.
“Of course,” Nahid snapped back, clearly irritated at being asked the obvious. “Do you want me to hang a placard around my neck announcing that I am keeping roza?”
“Then how come all the other Muslim women have not turned up today?” Geeta Sardhana queried.
“How can I reply for them? Maybe, they cannot take the strain of exercises while fasting. They are obviously kamzor people (weaklings).”

Revisiting Grover's 75th birthday celebration

“That's why we call you Bhai!” complimented Ramila. “The behenein (sisters) will relax and rest at home while bhai (brother) shall go out. You are the tough one!”
The absence of Muslim members during the next 30 days of Ramzan has predictably put the brakes on a July picnic (see post of July 9). Shekhawat raised the subject soon after the exercises, suggesting that we shift the date to August, if it is acceptable to all. In the meantime he would check with the guesthouse at Lonavala (where we had stayed earlier) on the availability of accommodation.
The prospect of an overnight stay has however, caused a split in opinion as many in the group argued that it would be tiresome to undertake a trip to-and-fro Lonavala the same day. The alternatives then thrown up were Royal Garden Resort (where Arun Patil can pull off a discount) and Tikujini Wadi Water Park at Thane (which Srichand Arora prefers, but Shekhawat feels is needlessly exorbitant). Either way, this would be conditional upon Shekhawat’s doctors giving him the go-ahead when he goes for a check-up tomorrow.
Meanwhile, interest on Ved Prakash Grover’s big birthday bash at Blue Waters continues unabated. At the request of some members who could not make it on June 30 (see post of July 8) photographs of the event were loaded in a tablet and circulated around. The Diamond Anniversary celebrations are bound to continue for some more time. Watch this space.
Harish Wadhwa:
* For sure, the picnic can wait. But why a sudden brake on local/ daily celebrations? It has been long since just fafda-jalebi-chai happened. We at Badmaash Company are used to chai, but not the occasional fafda-jalebi.
* It is creditable that Nahid-bhai is not just regular but also cheerful while conducting the exercises. I have seen her exercising even after the group disperses. No wonder she is so fit. Bole toh Bhai se koi panga nahin lene ka!