Within the Family

Now that local picnics at Chhota Kashmir and Gorai Beach are over and done with, attention has shifted long-distance, to Darjeeling and Gangtok. There’s just over a month left before a group of 25, led by Shekhawat, heads for the ‘promised land’ on the Himalayan foothills for a six-day holiday, beginning March 28.

Shekhawat gets into the trouble-shooting mode

Jagmohan Papneja treats us to crackers from Delhi

With this tour, the Club would have hit the four extremities of India – north, south, east and west.
Boarding, lodging and other logistic details, both at Darjeeling and Gangtok, had been finalized six months in advance. All 25 would be travelling to Bagdogra (the nearest air strip) from Mumbai and back by air, barring one. The lady member, for all good reasons, insists on travelling by train – even as she would be alone and the three-day journey (each way) involves a change of train at Delhi. And thereby hangs a tale.
Initially, many thought that it was a question of affordability and some like Srichand Arora, Yusuf Rassiwala and Shekhawat graciously volunteered to pool in and discreetly buy her a return air ticket. After all, “it doesn’t look nice that a lady is left to travel by train while the rest of us enjoy the luxury of air travel” was how they had put it.
But this member remained adamant. The problem here is that her train timing and the flight ETA cannot be reconciled. This creates a very real possibility of the entire group being stranded at Siliguri indefinitely (should her train be delayed) as the road journey to Gangtok can only be undertaken during daylight hours.
This morning a new option by train came to light, just that it would cost more. When the member was found hesitating, Shekhawat instantly committed Rs1,000 from his pocket without a thought – so long as the trip goes smoothly. Where else would this happen? In any other Club, the member would either have been unceremoniously dropped or compelled to fall in line with the rest and take a flight booking. Shekhawat’s prompt action just reveals the largeness of his heart. And this was not the first time we have seen such an act of selflessness. Every time a crisis arises, someone or the other steps in and resolves it swiftly without letting others to know. That’s what being with the Big Laaf family is all about. There’s more to it than meets the eye.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
It is the magnanimity Shekhawat-ji to intervene spontaneously. This was to keep the flock together, rather than having the whole group to wait for the single member or leaving her to fend for herself. Keep it up and good luck to all in the group.