New Morning

NEW DAWN: Bhaswati Bose greets everyone on Poila Baisakh

Anybody who thinks that what gets into the blog is for effect must think again. Nothing that is reported here is made up or planned. When we enter the Garden, we have no clue how the morning would unfold. Every day is a new day. And every morning throws up new surprises.
Like this morning – when Srichand Arora walked in without his shorts. It was one of those rarest of rare occasions when he had his track pants on -- prompting Yusuf Rassiwala to comment: “Today, he is without half ticket. He has got full ticket!” Arora pretended not to hear, but the message was loud and clear for everyone to titter: “Arora has grown up to be an adult!”
Or take the lively music playing on Jagmohan Papneja’s mobile phone this morning. The lyrics of songs – suggestive of bleeding hearts and fire on water and vice-versa – were a constant refrain, inspiring hilarious mindless parodies, the target being Shekhawat (naturally)!

Acrobats in action

At one point, much to our surprise, Razia Khan (who was conducting the exercises) got so carried away by the songs that she stopped keeping count and instead, began singing merrily – thus leaving us all in a limbo. Only when Ved Prakash Grover protested aloud, “Arrey, what are you doing?!?” did Razia realize what she was doing.

Nafisa Sayyad

All this while Nafisa Sayyad went on needling Shekhawat on every mention of “dil” in the songs -- the obvious suggestion being that he better keep his dil in control, now that his heart has suffered a stroke. Not to be cowed down, Shekhawat boasted that his dil is stronger than ever after his heart surgery last year. “In that case, let’s see if you are man enough to do gulatis (somersaults) on the ground. Look there,” Nafisa urged.
At a distance, a couple of young bearded men were engaged in some peculiar acrobatic exercises – from doing headstands and somersaults to turning cartwheels and walking upside-down on their hands. Shekhawat gave them one dirty look and refused to turn in that direction again.
With Nafisa teasing Shekhwat for chickening out, the banter went on uninterrupted till Bhaswati Bose ushered in Poila Baisakh with a box of coconut luddoos. A happy morning and the beginning of yet another new year – this time for the Bengalis -- ended on a sweet note. Shubho Naba Barsho!
Harish Wadhwa:
Shubho Naba Barsho to the Bose family and other Bengalis. Today is also the Tamil and Malayalee new year. Thanks for the lovely yummy luddoos.
Jagmohan Papneja:
Every season has its charm and all communities have their own typical way of welcoming the New Year. Poila Baisakh is here and so is the festive box of coconut luddoos (mishti madhur anonda) by the Bose family. On this auspicious day, I wish Mrs and Mr Bose a very happy Bengali New Year.
Harish Wadhwa adds:
Look at the lovely sunbeam as a spotlight on Bhaswati-ji, the star of the morning, with color faded tresses in the background. Beautifully clicked picture.