Coldest Morning

Mallika wraps her shawl around Sunita

Grover soaks in the warm sunshine

After an unusually chilly night, we woke up to what must have been be the coldest morning of the season. Yesterday, the temperature had dipped to 14.7 degrees – a clear 5 degrees below normal. Today, it could well have plunged to 10 degrees for all we know.
This is rather alarming for a coastal city like Mumbai, especially at this time of the year (March) with Holi a day away. As everyone pointed out, we ought to be celebrating the advent of spring at this time (for that is what the ‘festival of colours’ is all about) and here we were freezing in our cottons. Some narrated how they woke up shivering at night and wondered if they had caught malaria.
During the exercises, many like Tara Chand Seth and Siba Prasad Maitra were in full-sleeved polo shirts. For a change, Ved Prakash Grover chose a spot where he could catch the morning sun rays to keep himself warm.

Shekhawat wants to celebrate his wedding
anniversary on March 14

Others were not so lucky. They kept rubbing their palms in exasperation -- or perhaps to generate some body heat.
Mallika Kagzi kept wailing for hot tea. And when nobody paid any heed, she got hold of Shekhawat. “Please order for tea, sir,” she pleaded. “I am freezing. Mujhe thand lag rahi hai.” But where was Shekhawat listening? He was already prancing about like a jack-in-the-box and took Mallika’s plaintive cries to be his cue and broke into a ludicrous song: “Mujhko thand lag rahi hai, mujhse door tu na jaa!” That put paid to all hopes of anybody getting any tea this morning.
However, it must be said to Mallika’s credit that she was the only one to notice that Sunita Jajodia had come ill-prepared in the cold and was literally shivering during the exercises. Without ceremony she took off her heavy woolen shawl and wrapped it around Sunita. It was a touching gesture, not missed by anyone. All through, Mallika made do with a flimsy dupatta around her shoulders. Who would do this for anybody in today’s times?
No wonder Mallika is turning out to be so popular among the ladies.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
The sudden change in climate is not healthy, especially for senior citizens. They have to be extra careful as their immune system is now at a low ebb. The gesture of Mallika Kagzi towards Sunita-ji shows real brother(nay sister)hood -- a healthy gesture worth emulating by everyone.
Bihari Milwani:
Mr Shekhawat has the answer for the cold: Daru Piyo aur Dance Karo. You will not feel cold.