Undeserved Largesse

It was too much of a good thing. From somewhere, a lovely bouquet of chrysanthemum and tuberose showed up, courtesy our president Mallika Kagzi.

Birthday cake... from Dhruv (rt, in black)

Before long, another bouquet, this time of gladioli and red roses materialized, thanks to Banoo Apa.
In between, our young friend, Dhruv Khadaria (Chanda’s son) conjured a huge chocolate cake with a beautiful card tagged on. Swati Punjabi came up with not one, but two lovely gift-wrapped presents… And so it went on.
But more than these material goodies, there was the intangible warmth and love on display, right from raising the fourth laughter and everyone singing the birthday song

Blog monster with wife

to Geeta Latte creating a unique photo collage and video on her mobile phone and above all, Bihari Milwani gifting a brilliant keepsake card, designed (and worded) in his inimitable style.

Celebration spills over outside the gate

And the undeserving recipient of all this largesse was your blog monster.
The bonhomie spilled outside the garden gate over countless rounds of Mallika’s tea and generous slices of rawa (semolina) cake, if only to prove that there can be so much of heart and feeling in birthday celebrations rather than reducing it all to a yearly robotic ritual. As Yusuf Rassiwala put it, “This happens only when you become so close as to share complete understanding with one another.”
“We have indeed become too close, more than a family,” added Mallika, rolling her eyes.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Happy birthday, Blog Monster. Nice to see everybody engrossed in the celebration very happily. God bless you all.
Bihari Milwani:
Heavens' choicest blessings were showered later in the day by the Almighty (in the form of rain) on the Diamond Jubilee birthday of Blog Monster. Many, many happy returns of the day.
Siba Prasad Maitra:
Dear Mr Bose, many many happy returns of the day. I wish all your desires get fulfilled in this year and and also pray to God to give you good health and long life. With your total involvement and untiring efforts, you have kept Big Laaf united like a family with emotional bonding. May God bless you.
Kiran Prakash:
Happy Birthday, Blog Monster. 15th September was Judgment Day. The verdict was loud and clear: The most loved person in BIG LAAF is our Blog Monster. Love was pouring from all sides in the form of gifts and gifts, bouquets and bouquets, cakes and cakes, steaming hot tea and lots of good wishes and blessings -- a dream for anybody on his birthday. Tum jiyo hazaaro saal, hum rahe tumhaare saath...
Dilip Babani:
Happy Birthday, Bose-bhai!