Bittersweet Weekend

Bus to Lonavala

A happy weekend, but tinged with sorrow. The Lonavala Picnic has taken off. The weather was also bright and pleasant to start with… but as the morning progressed, the skies turned dark and gloomy. And by the time the bus left for Lonavala, it started pouring.
Yusuf Rassiwala had spoken too soon while conducting today's exercises with a record three persons in attendance. “Why are those people going to Lonavala?” he remarked, pointing at the unusual hustle-bustle at the Garden Gate where the bus was parked. “It is so pleasant here this morning. Lonavala is already here!”
He had barely spoken when dark clouds gathered in the horizon and within minutes, the first drizzle sent everybody scurrying for cover. We shifted to the make-shift bamboo shed and continued to exercise.

Yusuf Rassiwala (in blue t-shirt) conducts today's exercises

The drizzle quickly turned into a downpour and by the time we were through, the only indication of people setting out on a picnic was the solitary blue bus on a deserted street washed by the rains – its door and windows firmly shut.
News of Ghasi Ram Garg’s hospitalization added to the air of poignancy. His wife, Neelam informed that yesterday, at around 10:00 a.m., he “suffered a massive brain haemorrhage” and had to be rushed to Kokilaben Hospital. “He has since been lying unconscious in the ICU,” she said tearfully while returning in an autorickshaw from the hospital this morning. “Please tell everyone to pray for him. He has not regained consciousness as yet. Only your prayers can save him.”

Geeta Sardana

Ghasi Ram Garg

We had vaguely heard that Garg was keeping indifferent health for the past few weeks, which perhaps accounted for his continued absence from the Garden and our exercises. But nothing had quite prepared us for this – a man looking so youthful, hale and hearty, and to be now struck by such a debilitating condition was beyond our imagination. We can simply offer ourselves to the Garg family in whatever way we could be of help and wish him speedy recovery.
Meanwhile, the annual Raksha Bandhan ceremony of the Club has been called off – not because it falls on a Sunday (i.e. tomorrow), but since Geeta Sardana’s ‘rakhee brother’, Srichand Arora is still in mourning. The rituals related to his brother-in-law's demise last week are not yet over. In these conditions, it would be inappropriate to celebrate any festival.
Jagmohan Papneja:
It was good to see that Shekhawat-ji and his brigade were all set for the picnic at Lonavala. Everyone was enthusiastic and eager to make the best of the trip. But it was also sorrowful to note that Mr Garg is in hospital and in a critical condition. We pray for his speedy recovery. I am sure Big Laaf members will extend every possible help required by Neelam-ji at this hour.