Forever Kids

A mosquito in Shekhawat's bonnet?

Yet another wet morning, forcing us back to the concrete ground outside China Hut. But more than the damp grass and slush, the mosquitoes of the Garden have become a major cause of annoyance. With the extended monsoon this year, they seem to be getting bigger and bolder by the day -- at times causing acute embarrassment by getting into the nostrils and ears, not to mention unmentionable places inside the clothes. Ram Shankar Shukla is so fed up of them that his visits to the Garden are nowadays timed with the appearance of sunshine.

Sunita Jajodia

If it is a wet day, he stays out – because otherwise the mosquitoes would chase him away. Or so he believes.
The funny thing about Shukla is that he lives by his own rules and couldn’t care less what others make of him. Outwardly a jolly good fellow, he quite enjoys the leg pulling Shekhawat subjects him to on his so-called gurukuls (see post of September 30).

Ram Shankar Shukla

But inwardly, he has his kinks – particularly on matters of punctuality, discipline and fitness. For instance, he believes the Garden’s neem tree (azadirachta indica) is the panacea of all his bodily ills and no matter whoever might prevent him, he would procure a pole (even an umbrella handle will do) and pluck its leaves in broad daylight. That this is his birthright, is non-negotiable. Or so he believes.
And yet he is the same man who wouldn’t mind anyone calling him by any name because of his towering height. The latest is “Tadh Deb” as in palm tree, coined by Arun Patil. Earlier, Sunita Jajodia had christened him “Qutub Minar-ji” which soon became the nickname all members addressed him as. But when Sunita went a step further and addressed him as “Electric Pole” in Hindi, he got upset. He kept quiet for a while and then, like a spiteful kid, hit back by calling her “Moti” (Fatso) during the exercises!
Whoever thought we had outgrown such behavior from our school days? Fact is, some people forgot to grow up.
Jagmohan Papneja:
Neem provides the answer to many incurable diseases. Modern research also confirms neem's curative powers. We should follow Shukla-ji and start using neem leaves for improving our overall body mechanism.