Annn…nother Party

IT'S PARTY TIME, YET AGAIN!!! Shekhawat is in red Tee

SHEKHAWAT MAKES NEW OFFER NOBODY CAN REFUSE

For all the madness and mayhem many may blame us for, we must surely have done some good deed in our past lives to deserve not one, not two, but three mega Diwali parties this year.
What began with Chanda Khadaria’s extravagant treat on October 28, led to an equally lavish bash by Swati Panjabi the following day and this morning, it was Shekhawat’s turn to have yet another blast, fittingly as a grand finale to the Diwali celebrations.
Today’s feast also marked the beginning of a new year – according to the Vikram Samvat calendar (observed by India’s mercantile community).
As usual (and rather, unfairly) Banoo Apa brought tea from home while Dilip Babani had to do the run-around early morning for the eats. Shekhawat had just about briefed him on what “not to bring” and it goes entirely to Dilip's credit for laying out a sumptuous spread that will be remembered in a long time – unlimited kachoris, phapda with the mandatory jalebis, pedas and loads of onion bhajiya. Washed down with tea, it was as somebody commented, “filling but not heavy”.
But trust Shekhawat, who felt it was still not enough and that we deserved more. (This after most of us had two or three helpings and with Shekhawat eventually having to carry home the unopened phapda packets in a huge bag.) So he announced that he would like to throw another party, ostensibly for the MHADA flat he was offered (ref post of October 27) and did not accept!
In fact, Shekhawat counted three options for us to choose from: one, he would be happy to host a sit- down dinner at home with the choicest whiskey, rum/vodka and red wine; two, we could go for a no-holds-barred meal in a fine dining restaurant of our choice; and three, he was prepared to take us on a free day-picnic anywhere within Mumbai’s metropolitan limits – the venue again, of our choice.
Guess what? Instead of thanking him (and politely saying no-thank you) for his generosity, many are seriously weighing the options – the overwhelming majority pitching for the free picnic (as of now). Still, Shekhawat has given them three days to take a final call.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
It appears that there is competition -- nay, a war for eats. Beware of The Battle of the Bulge!
Siba Prasad Maitra:
Congratulations to Mr Shekhawat. Extremely happy to learn about his offer of three options. All are excellent but for someone like me, OPTION 1 will be always preferable.

DAY 2063

Pic of the Week

DIWALI CELEBRATION: MOTHER AND SON

Very nice photo of mother and son. Happy Diwali to all in BIG LAAF family. --Dilip Babani

This shows the love and affection of a son toward his mother. Happy Diwali to every one. --Lt Col Angad Singh

Another Diwali Bash

Swati Panjabi (centre) attends to the guests individually

Today was Swati Panjabi’s day. Here is one person who, at the drop of the hat, has been treating us to sabu-dana khichdi, suji halwa and many such delicacies every other day. Now that Diwali is upon us, she did not even attempt inventing an excuse to ply us with her culinary magic yet again – oven fresh dhokla, crispies and chips,

Banoo Apa

kachori, besan luddoo… all home-made.
Nobody asked her either. “There are such people who, regardless of everything, enjoy feeding others,” observed Yusuf Rassiwala. “Call it generosity or large-heartedness, you cannot reason such things with them. On the contrary, they’d feel insulted if you discourage them from being so generous. Swati belongs to that rare breed of do-gooders.”
Much as Swati reiterated that nothing gives her more pleasure than seeing people enjoy her food (“I don’t like eating, but I love seeing others enjoy my cooking”)

Shekhawat announces his Diwali Party for Monday

a lot of time and effort (not to mention, money) had gone into today’s bash. After all, she was catering to 30-odd mouths. So the preparatory work had begun a week back and last night, from 2:00 a.m. till daybreak, she had been on her toes next to the gas stove, rustling up the sweet and salties. “But I am still not satisfied with the besan luddoo,” she remarked in passing.
Banoo Apa added the topping to the treat with biscuits and once again, divine home-brewed tea. She has come in for all-round praise for yesterday’s tea (on Chanda’s bash) though she made light of it by comparing her preparation with that of Mallika Kagzi. “My tea is nothing compared to Mallika's,” she said with pronounced humility.
Meanwhile, Shekhawat has ‘booked’ Monday (tomorrow being a holiday) as his day for another Diwali party. He said he would have liked to call us home in the evening, but since his wife is not keeping well, he has had to drop the idea. Lest he were to change his mind any further, the ladies assured him that a ‘Garden party’ would do just fine!
Dilip Babani:
HAPPY DIWALI to all! We are enjoying Diwali parties. All are happy. God bless you all.
Kiran Prakash:
It is beyond anybody's imagination that Swati gets so much pleasure in feeding people. She does not do this as a formality. She puts her heart and soul in it and treats us as if we are guests in her house. Thank you very much, Swati.
P.S.:The besan ladoos were delicious. I had three ladoos!
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
There are normally two Diwalis -- Chhoti Diwali and Barri Diwali. In Big Laaf we find three Diwalis -- Chhoti, Barri and Barri Barri Diwalis. Are these Diwali celebrations or a competition for accumulating calories? Anyway it is a good gesture. Keep enjoying, but not at cost of your health.

Diwali Delight

Chanda and Dhruv Khadaria (holding white bag) usher in Diwali

Diwali arrived early for us as Chanda Khadaria celebrated in grand style at the Garden today. She was accompanied by her son, Dhruv who is as close to the Club as any other member. And if their treat was not enough, there was Tara Chand Seth also, celebrating with crispy crackers and marking his return (earlier in the week) from Delhi.
Chanda had sounded us in advance that she would like to “throw a Diwali party” on Friday morning. But nobody had expected it to be on such a lavish scale as to actually make us feel guilty. What began with beautiful boxes of home-made chocolates, moved on to crunchy biscuits and cookies outside the Garden gate,

Tara Chand (c) unpacks the biscuits

followed by freshly fried samosas, pakoras and bhujiyas (sourced by Dilip Babani) and finally, topped by steaming hot tea (lovingly brewed by Banoo Apa).
What more could anybody have asked for? It was far too much to be consumed on the spot (and much too tempting to refuse at any point),

Mallika Kagzi (file photo)

thereby leaving us with no option but to carry home sizeable portions in what looked like little ‘bounty bags’. If anything, this should suggest a bountiful Diwali and a prosperous year ahead. Thank you, Chanda and Dhruv!
The other major talking point of the morning centred on Mallika Kagzi showing signs of recovery from the dengue attack (ref post of October 25). Yesterday, she was discharged from hospital and her daughter-in-law, Heena had thoughtfully sent us the following text message: “By the grace of the Almighty and countless prayers of all friends and well-wishers, mom is now back home. Her platelets have risen to 70k. (There’s) still a long way to go but she is on the road to recovery. A big thank you for your continued support and concern. Please keep her in your prayers.”
Najma Sayyed’s sister, Nadira also had some good news for us. Najma is out of danger and has been shifted out of ICCU to her room. The doctors are “trying to make her stand” on her feet and once she finds the strength to do so, she too would be discharged from hospital.
Let us hope for the best.
Bihari Milwani:
Every morning are you people coming to exercise or have parties and put on calories?
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
It is nice that Mallika Kagzi is out of hospital. She must take care of the platelets and continue taking medicines till she is back to normal. There is also need to be careful about dengue mosquitoes. These fly up to knee level. Apply coconut oil on your legs up to the knees. Also it is better that socks are worn along with shoes.

Chicken Coop!

Shekhawat discusses his dilemma over the MHADA allotment

The song and dance over ‘winning’ a flat in a MHADA lottery (ref post of October 25) has fizzled out with Shekhawat today announcing that he has no use for a 340 sq ft one BHK accommodation on the 17th floor of a Virar highrise.
“What shall I do with that chicken coop?” he said. “I saw the place yesterday with my wife. Let alone stay there, it is not even worth investing in. That apart, I am entitled to a bigger apartment. What they are offering is meant for the LIG (lower income group) – obviously because there are no takers for it.”
The allotment has come through after seven failed attempts in MHADA’s annual lottery scheme – that too, after Shekhawat had lost out in the initial draw of lots. “My application was kept on hold in the waiting list,” he revealed. “I got through under the ex-Servicemen’s quota this time.”
Another reason Shekhawat is not interested is that he is already heavily invested in several premium properties across Mumbai and beyond. The Virar flat, costing Rs22 lakh, is chicken feed to him and by his own admission, managing it is not worth his while.
At the same time, he concedes that this could well be godsent, considering that he had gone on an extensive pilgrimage of Bihar and Rajasthan recently. Moreover, news of the allotment had come on the eve of Diwali when Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth is invoked. As a deeply religious person, he cannot afford to reject her blessings, however ‘small’ that may be.
He said he would take a final call after consulting his family members.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Shekhawat-ji, take the flat and enjoy the sober climate of Virar.

Hanging Out

Moments of tomfoolery after the exercises today

We were just three when exercises began at 7:00 a.m. today. In the next 10 minutes, five more joined us. At 7:20 a.m. we were a dozen. At 7:30 a.m., we remained a dozen. Then at 7:40 a.m. a miracle happened: We struck 20 and by 7:50 a.m., towards the dying minutes of the exercises, the numbers had ballooned to a mighty 27!
Now, this is nothing unusual. Every day, it is only at the end of the exercises that we receive more than 50 percent of our regular complement -- all smartly togged, many in sneakers, ready to do business. Instead, what happens is nearly an hour of mindless gup-shup and tomfoolery and it is not before 9:00 a.m. that the last of us leaves the Garden!
This is in sharp contrast to our routine not so long ago, when late comers could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Punctuality was of primacy then. And within moments of the final laugh, we would disperse for the day.

Karuna Waghmare (in red) explains the 'Petticoat Game'

Nobody cared to hang around.
So what has changed?
The only explanation to be found is that over the years, bonding between the members has become so strong that exercises have ceased to be a priority. Meeting up in the Garden is more important. For today, we are not just colleagues or friends, we are brothers and sisters and it is critical we stay connected. At no other time of the day, not even at home, do we get to relive our childhood – joke and fool around, pull each others' legs, behave crazily, let our hair down. Big Laaf gives us the license to indulge in all this and more.
Karuna Waghmare’s antics this morning, best illustrate this. She is of the 'Chaar Anna-Aath Anna' fame. So when told to teach us a new game, she came up with the most bizarre caper imaginable – just that you have to wear a petticoat for this one. You need to stand up and place a bowl between your feet and then slip some coins, one by one, down your waist (under the drawstring) aimed at the bowl below. You score every time a coin drops in the bowl.
If this is not madness, what is? More so, because Karuna refuses to clarify whether the petticoat is to be worn over your clothes? Or should you have to be au naturel before wearing it? Before we could ask for a demo, Dilip Babani hastily cautioned against wearing a white petticoat – because it would be “transparent”!!!

'Fingers Crossed'

Singing the birthday song for Karuna Waghmare (centre)

Today was Karuna Waghmare’s birthday. Surprisingly, nobody remembered. And nobody wished her when she arrived in the Garden. In fact, nobody even noticed she was lugging a huge white bag, obviously filled with goodies – her birthday treat. It was only when she kept interrupting the exercises, merrily singing and talking to herself, that we realized she was deliberately seeking attention. “Don’t you people know that today is my happy birthday?” she blurted aloud. And then the nickel dropped…
But first things first:

Shekhawat: Hitting jackpot!

Kiran Prakash is glad to have contracted viral fever (yesterday’s post)! He got his blood test reports last evening and sent in a pithy message: “It’s normal. No malaria, no dengue. It’s viral… It’s good. I should be in Garden by Wednesday.”
Najma Sayyed’s sister, Nadira has also been in touch. This morning she confirmed that there has been no change in Najma’s condition, except that her blood oxygen level has dropped to a precarious 85 per cent. “The doctors are struggling to raise it to at least 90 per cent to prevent hypoxemia,” she said. “Blood oxygen below 80 per cent can compromise the functioning of heart and lungs.” The latest is that Najma was shifted to ICCU in the afternoon.
As for Mallika Kagzi, we were informed by Navin Bhai in the Garden that he had found her “slowly recovering” when he visited the hospital yesterday. Late evening though, her daughter-in-law Heena informed that a major cause of worry was that Mallika's platelet count had dropped further to 12,000 mcL (150,000 – 400,000 mcL is the norm) and fresh platelets might have to be injected.
This morning, Heena text messaged: “Some good news after days. Till yesterday night her platelets had fallen to an alarming 12k. Doc said if it goes below 10k, she has to be given platelets through IV. We couldn't sleep whole night. Early morning test showed that it didn't fall through the night. It stabilised at 12k. Let's hope it starts going up from here now. Fingers crossed. Prayers continue.”
Meanwhile, Shekhawat found a reason to rejoice. He has bagged a house in a MHADA lottery and promised to treat us to “not a party, but a free picnic” the day he gets the keys. But that is another story.
Dilip Babani:
Congratulations Shekhawat-ji, for winning the lottery!
Bihari Milwani:
Baa Baa Shekhawat ji, have you any flat?
Yes Sir, Yes Sir, three flats full!
One for my Big Sali, one for my Middle Sali
And one for my Sweet Little Sali who lives in the Village!!!
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
It is strange that no one remembered Karuna's birthday, not even the Blog Monster. Not believable. This has not happened in the history of Big Laaf. Anyway, it is enjoyable that such things happen. It is also good that Shekhawat-ji got a flat on concessional rates. Congrats Shekhawat-ji.

What’s Happening!?!

Rukhsana Khan's pending birthday treat

News of Mallika Kagzi being hospitalized with an attack of dengue came as a rude jolt to us last Saturday (ref post of October 22). The very same evening, we were informed that Najma Sayyed had been admitted to Criticare Hospital, Juhu with a broken leg. Now we are told that Kiran Prakash is running high fever for the past two days and went to get his blood tests done this morning.

Kiran Prakash

The report is expected in the evening.
What’s going on?
Like most dengue patients, Mallika had ignored the early warnings of fatigue, body ache and excessive weakness from her trip to Surat and had even turned up at the Garden last Tuesday and Wednesday.
She did not exercise though and merely complained of “not feeling well”. A casual blood test at the nearby Millat Hospital revealed symptoms of dengue and soon after, she was rushed to Arogya Nidhi, Juhu on October 21 evening.
Mallika’s platelet count continues to hover in the region of 20,000 mcL (as against the norm of 150,000-plus mcL), but that is only expected till such time she responds to the medicines being administered intravenously. She has lost appetite, become nauseous and irritable and needs to be given mild sedatives to rest. According to her daughter-in-law, Heena, she is beginning to show signs of recovery from this morning and has stopped vomiting.

Tara Chand Seth (in white) is back from Delhi

She has also been able to sleep last night, but the weakness persists.
Najma’s condition is not so encouraging, largely because of her obesity. She had lost her balance on the way out of her house and the fall resulted in her thigh bone splitting into two. According to her sister Nadira, the surgical procedure that followed has been successful, but for a person who has never taken sleeping pills, the pain killers and sedatives could be having a counter effect.
The doctors attending to her say that all her vital organs are functioning well, but because of the nature of surgery and her constitution, she is unable to even shift position in bed, thereby leading to “accumulation of carbon di-oxide” in the body. They are trying to shift her to ICCU the moment a vacancy arises. Meanwhile, she is drifting in and out of consciousness.
Do remember these ladies in your prayers.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
It is unfortunate that a number of our worthy members have thought of falling sick simultaneously. Dengue requires special care. The best medicine is papaya leaf juice which helps in increasing platelets. Or one can take the juice of the leaves of haar shingar (night jasmine). This is very effective. It is worth trying. I hope our members recover soon and return to the Garden.

DAY 2056

Pic(s) of the Week

KERALA STORY EVERYONE IS STILL TALKING ABOUT

Warm Welcome

Shekhawat holds forth on his return from a trip to Bihar and Rajasthan

Hari Singh Shekhawat was accorded a warm welcome this morning, befitting his position as a club chairman. This was the first time in ten-odd years that he was away from the Club for such a long time – almost a month.

Bijoy Gupta (l) greets Shekhawat

And it was very much a pleasure to find him back fully refreshed, radiating energy and mischief in equal measure.
Bijoy Gupta was among the first to greet him with a hug and handshake, but apparently not so much for the joy of having his old friend back, hale and hearty (ref previous post). He pretended to be unduly concerned, wondering whether Shekhawat was treated well in prison. “When did they release you?” he asked cheekily.
Shekhwat was stumped for words but recovered soon after when Gupta explained that he was collecting Rs500 from everyone towards furnishing his bail bond.

Happy Birthday, Rukhsana Khan!

“You may require a bail bond, I don’t,” Shekhawat retorted. “I am a fauji, an ex-serviceman. Nobody can dare arrest me. You better watch out for yourself!”
Before long, Shekhawat went on to recount details of his trip from the time he left Mumbai last month for Patna and onward to Gaya to attend a religious congregation meant for propitiating the spirits of ancestors. “It is a huge mela, held once in ten years,” he narrated. “I was lucky to find a priest of my (Shekhawati) community who could fish out records from my great-great grandfather’s time.”

Mallika Kagzi: Get Well Soon!

Back home in Rajasthan in time for the Navratrati festivities, Shekhawat went on a pilgrimage of some holy sites,

Chocolates from Vasudev Batheja

including Nathdwara, Pushkar and the Sanwariya Seth Temple of Rajsamand. “We were a group of 12, mostly ladies,” he said. “I wanted to treat them to air travel this time, something they have not experienced. But one of the ladies had misplaced her Aadhar Card and it wouldn’t have looked good had we left her behind. So we traveled by road, in hired cars.”
While Shekhawat held forth on what was obviously an eventful trip, Rukhsana Khan celebrated her birthday with a round of Swiss rolls. Pity, the snacks’ boxes she had ordered did not arrive in time; but then, there was Vasudev Bhateja quickly making up with fistfuls of chocolates he had picked from a recent trip to London.
In all this revelry, there was a spot of disturbing news: Mallika Kagzi is down with dengue. She had been suffering from body ache and fever for three weeks, little realizing that her platelet count had crashed drastically. She is now in intensive care at Arogya Nidhi Hospital, Juhu. Further details are awaited.

Bum Chums

The love-hate relationship Bijoy Gupta enjoys with Shekhawat is the kind of stuff bum chums share. On the surface, they would appear as arch enemies, constantly taking digs at one another, much of which is of course, meant for public consumption/ amusement.

Bijoy Gupta, busy spinning yarns

For deep inside, they are bound by a strong sense of mutual love and camaraderie that is hard to come by these days.
It therefore came as no surprise that Gupta should disappear soon after Shekhawat took off on his Rajasthan holiday late last month. He stopped turning up in the Garden, obviously because there was nobody for him to spar with during the exercises.

Shekhawat

(He is not as close to anyone else who he might call a “rusty engine”, “virus”, etc.) That apart, the monsoon had turned really foul and Gupta was down with viral fever.
Now that the weather has cleared, Gupta has started showing up and is back to his old ways. That he misses his dear friend is evident from the manner he makes discreet inquiries about his welfare and when he is expected back from Rajasthan. Outwardly though, he never spares an opportunity on going hammer and tongs at Shekhawat, accusing him of various acts of misdemeanor – clearly, all a figment of his imagination.
His latest now, is that Shekhawat is behind bars for an unspeakable crime that he too would rather not utter. “I got to know he was arrested in Jodhpur last month,” Gupta told Fehmida Khan this morning. “For how long can he escape the law? A notorious chap like him deserves to be behind bars. I had warned him earlier...”
Fehmida walked away, realizing Gupta was pulling a fast one on her. Before long, he moved on to Bhaswati Bose and Geeta Latte to spin another yarn. And then, on to Swati Panjabi… when the truth is Shekhawat would be boarding the train to Mumbai this afternoon from Jaipur. He has had a “first class" tour of the pilgrimage spots of Rajasthan and is now itching to narrate his experience to us.
“I will be there at the Garden day-after morning,” he informed on phone.

Back from Kerala

Yusuf Rassiwala examines a video clip on Kajal's mobile

Members of the 'Kerala Gang' are back, having landed in Mumbai airport (from Kochi) around 4:30 p.m. yesterday. Just about five of them -- Kiran Prakash, Kajal and Dilip Babani, Bhaswati Bose and Nahid Khan – made it to the Garden this morning.
As expected, their return was greeted with much rejoicing and merriment. A fourth laugh went up for them soon after the exercises. Later, Mallika Kagzi hosted a formal reception in their honor over surati nankhatai and special tea from home.
Given the vulnerabilities of age and health, for seniors to return from an outstation trip safe and sound is no small accomplishment.

Nahid hasn't stopped laughing

They have braved inhospitable terrain, the vagaries of weather, a strange language, new faces, unfamiliar food... At a younger age such things do not matter. But now, for them to have survived all of this without a single mishap or untoward incident is remarkable.
Significantly, nobody saw the trip this way. What mattered to them most was the “amount of fun” they had with Nahid Khan best articulating the general sentiment: “I have never laughed so much in my entire life as I did in the last six days.” And she was still laughing her guts out as one by one,

Mallika hosts tea party for the Kerala group

everybody recounted the most hilarious tales from the trip, often supported by video clips recorded on their mobile phones.
Through all their road travel, hotel stay and sight-seeing, what seemed to have left lasting memories were the moments of togetherness – bonding over food and drinks, going shopping, playing Housie and above all, dancing on the houseboat. Some incidents narrated were personal in nature, leading to wanton leg pulling with Kiran Prakash emerging an unlikely target.
Nahid herself was the butt of many jokes after she had attempted walking through a glass door in some hotel lobby and ended up with a grotesque black eye. Her friend, Lakshmi Hadimani sprung a major surprise by taking to the floor one evening and proving to be an accomplished belly dancer! And so the tales unfolded, on and on.
Clearly, more than the locale, it was this shared sense of companionship that had made all the difference to the small, compact group of 16 like-minded people.
Kiran Prakash:
It was a wonderful trip, very well organised. I had stepped out of my house with lots of apprehension about the level of hotels and quality of food, etc. but returned loaded with excitement, joy and happiness. Tons of thanks to Bhaswati Bose for organising this memorable trip and to all fellow travellers for making it so exciting. Honestly, this was beyond my expectations.
Post Script: I would specially like to mention the name of Rukhsana Khan who, though, physically challenged, took this trip, enjoying every moment of it and setting an example for many of us. Dilip Babani was always there to help people in whatever way he could. Dilip-bhai also clicked not less than a thousand pictures and today, everybody's mobile is loaded with moments captured by him.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
A trip to Kerala is always enjoyable. It is a beautiful state. One feels quite happy about the trip. It is good that a large number of friends have been to Kerala and they enjoyed every moment out there.

Honorary Members

Sitaram Hivarkar

Ram Shankar Shukla

Najma Sayed

President Mallika Kagzi today returned to a rousing welcome in the Garden after her trip to Surat. Siba Prasad Maitra is also back after an extended break for the Durga Puja festival. Fehmida Khan has started showing up as well. Tomorrow, members of the ‘Kerala gang’ are expected to join us back for the exercises. In another three days, Shekhawat too should return from his month-long sojourn in Rajasthan.
As we regain our original complement, what has become a cause of increasing concern is the continued absence of our Honorary Members. This special category of membership was created in April specifically to enable some of our senior members retain their membership without having to mark attendance on a regular basis.

Limping back to normalcy

There are five such members who enjoy this privilege, as the panel alongside indicates.
Today, Arun Patil raised this subject, pointing out that none of the five have “shown their faces” in ages. Of course, two are not in Mumbai. Tara Chand Seth is in Delhi (ref post of September 22) and at age 87, is keeping indifferent health. Lt Col Angad Singh may be in Mohali physically, but is otherwise actively in touch, as the frequency of his blog comments indicates.
But what about the other three based in Mumbai?
Now, till about two months back, Ram Shankar Shukla used to show up, even as those visits were quite erratic. At times, he did not even join the exercises and simply walked away home. He was betraying signs of forgetfulness. But it has to be said that he had a supreme sense of punctuality and for the times he turned up, was never late.
So when Shukla stopped coming, we presumed it was because of the rains. At least, Sitaram Hivarkar admitted to this in as many words since he suffers from a chronic knee problem and cannot negotiate the treacherous potholes and puddles on the road leading to the Garden. Najma Sayed is similarly handicapped because of a major weight issue and is today, toying with the idea of whether to go for a knee replacement surgery or not. She nevertheless maintains that she “misses the Garden and would be dropping by some time soon”.
We wish them all speedy relief and good health.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
My domestic commitments are holding me back in Mohali. One of my grand children is forcing me to be with her for quite some time. I have promised to go her and after that, God willing, I should be in Mumbai to enjoy the daily morning regimen, which I miss so badly.

DAY 2051

Pics of the Week

IN GOD'S OWN COUNTRY

The Martians have landed!

Gliding away...

Backstage at a kathakali show

A quick shower

Appointment with Jesus Christ

Housie session in hotel room

Kerala Tour 2016

What is this odd man doing in the midst of so many ladies?!!

Munnar was very nice with good climate and mountain view. There was too much fog though, creating a cloudy atmosphere. But we enjoyed a lot and had nice breakfast. The driver was also very nice, singing Malayalam songs of (film star) Mohan Lal and Ayyappa bhajans. Then we all sang Ganapati Bappa Morya bhajan. We saw nice tea gardens on top of the mountain. It was so beautiful, like heaven. We had elephant ride and nice masala tea. Then rain started and all were having bhutta, pineapple and coconut water. We went to a dam built by the British -- the first dam in Kerala. Everybody enjoyed a lot. Now we are in Thekkady. We all got very nice rooms. All are very very very happy! --Dilip Babani (reporting from Thekkady)

Idle Time Pass

Shooting the breeze on a pleasant morning

A casual call from Kerala triggered a massive dispute in the Garden with Arun Patil eventually walking away in a huff. It was just that some members on the tour (ref post of October 13) like Bhaswati Bose, Dilip Babani and Kiran Prakash wanted to update us on their trip and likewise, check things out in the Club. Apparently, they had reached Munnar last evening and were having a good time.
The call had got over when someone suggested that they should be told to get us some herbal ‘massage oil’ on their way back. Arun promptly struck down the idea, saying no airlines will permit such liquid in an aircraft. Geeta Latte explained that the oil usually comes in fancy bottles, “sealed and gift-wrapped”, which can easily be brought with the check-in baggage.
Furthermore, Chanda Khadaria argued that Arun is

Swati pacifies Arun Patil

unaware of airlines’ rules and that she has been regularly carrying a particular brand of massage oil from Mumbai for her aged father in Jaipur as part of her check-in baggage. “I don’t even have to declare it to the airlines,” she said. “So what is Arun talking about?”
Yusuf Rassiwala intervened pointing out that there is a precedent to this discussion and since the issue had already been settled, there was no point raking up a dispute now. “We are merely making a mountain out of a molehill and it is not leading anybody anywhere,” he observed.
But Chanda was adamant and as Swati Panjabi and Arati Bhatt joined her with their knowledge of airlines rules, Arun stood up abruptly and walked out. The general impression was that he does not like being contradicted on whatever he says. Fact is, in the absence of anything substantive, everybody needed just about an excuse to hang around and shoot the breeze on what was otherwise a very pleasant Saturday morning.
Ultimately it took Swati's good sense to run and bring Arun back from the gate and pacify him with some pep talk.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
This again proves that there must be something to be discussed - howsoever relevant or irrelevant. Anybody interested in getting things by air will find some means to get them. Rules are meant to be bent.

Filling In

Filling the vacuum

Nature abhors a vacuum. So also is it with Big Laaf. The vacuum in the Club created by the recent exodus to Kerala (ref yesterday’s post) is now being filled by an influx of some new and not-so-new faces, appearing out of the blue as though on cue.
For one, there was Arati Bhatt who had gone missing after our Annual Function on September 10. For another, Chanda Khadaria introduced her friend (and neighbor) Nandini for the exercises today. Yet another surprise was former member Neelam Garg (who showed up first with her husband the day-before) exercising with us for the third day in succession.
And then, there was this tallish, bespectacled lady in white we were seeing for the first time who could well be a bird of passage. She stepped in on her own volition and began to exercise without even introducing herself.
That’s all very fine. But the biggest draw of the day was our good old Karuna Waghmare.

Karuna is fed up and shuts her eyes instead of ears

She was apparently in a cranky mood and started out by demanding a mosquito coil in the middle of the exercise circle. “Otherwise I cannot exercise,” she protested. “There are too many mosquitoes biting me.”
When nobody paid any attention to her, she turned to Arun Patil, accusing him of being a Pakistani. “His job is to attack everybody, even for talking,” she said. Arun promptly told her to shut up.
Then she spotted Swati Panjabi walking past and called her a jailbird.

Karuna and Swati make up in the end

“Have you ever been hit by her?” she asked, generally. “Those hands are made of iron. They have become so hard because she used to actually break stones in jail!”
Swati was to soon hear of this; but remarkably, she kept her cool. She bided her time till Arun and Yusuf Rassiwala began discussing the houseboat ride on their last trip to Kerala in 2014. “I was also there,” Swati piped in. “It was great fun, wasn't it?”
“Did you see the hordes of elephants on the river banks?” Karuna asked.
“What elephants? There were no elephants,” Yusuf and Arun chorused.
“Yes, I saw one big fat elephant,” Swati interjected. “It was called Karunamayi. I ran after it with a big stick and drove it out of Kerala.”
A free for all broke out with the two ladies trading abuses, much of which is unpublishable. But the good thing is that in the end, they called a truce and shook hands. That’s how things ought to be.
Kiran Prakash from Kerala:
Blog Monster, we are not so unlucky. Your information about Kerala being declared a 'dry state' appears to be not so accurate. We easily got beer here. It appears that the ban is only on whiskey. However, to set the matter straight, I will find out the latest on this. Thanks.
Dilip Babani from Kerala:
We are all enjoying the trip. It is a little cold in Munnar. While coming here, we encountered heavy rain and strong winds. Rukhsana was so scared that she kept telling the driver to go slow. All were enjoying nice Kerala food -- currimeen with rice, appam and chapati. The food is very spicy but tasty. We had very sweet pineapples at a very big waterfall on the way. Nice breakfast and nice rooms. Pooja Bathija and her husband are in an enjoyable mood. Munnar is having good fog and very nice scenery. Lovely people here, always enjoying. We had beer in Cochin -- nice bar, chicken biryani and parathas ... We are enjoying a lot.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Nature does not like vacuum. So also with the members of Big Laaf Club. There must be some topic to be discussed, howsoever, trivial or irrelevant. The hardened concrete effect of Swati's hands has to be felt to be imagined. But all's well that ends well.

Skeletal Presence

HOLDING FORT IN THE ABSENCE OF THE KERALA GANG

The Garden wore a deserted look today as a sizable chunk from the Club had left in the morning for a tour of 'God’s Own Country’ (ref post of October 7). In the absence of those members, we are left with just about a skeletal strength to carry out the exercises through in the next six days.
Yesterday, ‘Kerala veteran’ Arun Patil took upon himself to brief members of the group on how they should conduct themselves during the tour -- the dos and don’ts, precautions they must take, medical emergencies, etc.

Arun Patil conducted a 'briefing ceremony' yesterday

What he did not mention though was that Kerala has turned into a ‘dry state’ since his last visit (on February 2014). Chances are that as you read this, Dilip Babani and his pals would be scouring the infamous hooch joints of Kochi for their sundowner.
Out here in Mumbai, news of the passing away of Sardar Teja Singh Bhambra (yesterday’s post) left us devastated. A pall of gloom descended midway through the exercises the moment the call from Faridabad came. Not much was spoken thereafter, barring Yusuf Rassiwala and Fehmida Khan who recalled some of the moments Sardarji had shared with us – the time he went on a picnic to Chhota Kashmir by auto-rickshaw, the way he used to play Holi with us, the day he surprised Shekhawat with a bottle of sparkling wine...
Now, there will be no one to recite passages from the Gurbani to us; or to tell us, “You are in my good books”; or to resolve Club disputes with an assuring “Koi nahi”; or to get us started for the exercises every morning at the dot of 7:00... Sardar Teja Singh was not just our timekeeper, he was our conscience keeper as well. There cannot be a more gentle, benign and loving individual than him. We have lost a gem of a gentleman.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Arun Patil's advice is good and must be followed in a 'dry state' like Kerala which is actually quite wet!
Teja Singh Bhambra's absence will certainly be felt. He was a man of principles.

Teja Singh Bhambra

Teja Singh Bhambra

For all the laughter, love and the joys of living that we celebrate every morning, there are times when life throws you a curved ball. You cry, in silence. As we did, when news came in of Teja Singh Bhambra, lying critical in a hospital at Faridabad. He is on ventilator. The doctors have given up on him, his wife informed on telephone.
“Doctor ne jawab de diya,” she said.
Teja Singh shall forever be the ‘Benign Sardar’ we have known him all along, from the time he joined Big Laaf in November 2011. The last we had him with us was till about six months back when he paid his membership renewal for 2016-17. “I will have to leave for Faridabad as there are some pressing tenancy issues I need to attend,” he said. “I’ll be back in two months.”
According to his wife, his return ticket to Mumbai was booked for July 3. But a day earlier, he suffered a nasty fall at home, fracturing a leg. “They inserted a rod in the leg which was to cause infection and then he had a paralytic attack,” his wife went on to narrate. “Since then he has remained bed-ridden and helpless.”
Apparently the doctors had feared the worst in September and the family had summoned his son from the U.S. to be by his bedside. The crisis blew over and the son went back to his job. Now, they are waiting for him to return.
“Sardarji is running high fever and had become disoriented,” his wife said. “But he used to remember you all in hospital. Till the other day he would tell me to wake him up early morning because he has to go to the Garden. My other son (who lives in Mumbai), when he heard this, asked me if I had informed Big Laaf. That is why I am calling.”
What can anyone say after this? It was like being hit by a sledgehammer. We were rendered speechless. Stunned.
Post Script: Sardar-ji breathed his last today, at 2:10 in the afternoon. We shall never see him again. May his soul rest in peace. Also, our condolences go to the family -- his brave wife and children in particular.
Kiran Prakash:
Very sad news about Sardar-ji's demise. May his soul rest in peace. We will never be able to forget him. He will always be in our heart!
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Teja Singh Bhambra was a lively person, always cool and calm. He was very regular and punctual at joining the daily routine of Big Laaf whenever he was in Mumbai. We all miss him. May his soul rest in peace and family bear the loss courageously.

Dussehra 2016

Dussehra Party at the gate

Vijaya Dashami day. The festival of nine nights (or Navaratri) is over and we are now on the tenth and last day of the Dussehra festivities. It is the day for immersion of the ten-armed idols of the mother goddess, Durga. It is also the day when giant effigies the ten-headed demon king, Ravan are set aflame in a symbolic and

Kanta Sharma

time-honored display of good triumphing over evil.
Even before any of this could happen, we went about exchanging Dussehra greetings with one another in the Garden. Seeing our eagerness to celebrate before time, Kanta Sharma announced a treat befitting the occasion. Soon after the exercises, she gave us a carte blanche (“depending on whatever is available in the shops nearby”) though specific mention was made of samosa. Within minutes Dilip Babani located a shop selling samosas and idlis and together with hot tea, we had an impromptu Dussehra party at the gate.
These post-exercise celebrations outside the Garden are turning out to be increasingly popular, though for reasons hard to figure. We are exposed to a busy street alongside, the space here is severely restricted, two overflowing garbage bins stand close by… And yet, nobody minds. In fact, even if there’s nothing to eat, many of us have made it a habit to stop by on the way home for what is being described as a ‘gate meeting’.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Dussehra marks the beginning of festivities. Nay, for Big Laaf, every day is festival day. Members flock in for laughing and the eats are the byproduct. Enjoy all the rewards, but be careful of your health, the primary goal of Big Laaf club.

Festive Fallout

Depleted attendance this morning

Santosh Tyagi (c) and Swati Panjabi (foreground)

With the Dussehra festivities peaking now, the effects of an action-packed week-end were in evidence early morning. Followers of Goddess Durga had gone on a pandal-hopping spree over the past two days while others danced the nights away to garba beats at the many Navratri celebrations in the neighborhood. Some elders spent the Sunday in solemn prayer over Ashtami Puja at home.
Small wonder, when the exercises were to start at 7:00 a.m., there was nobody in the Garden, except for Kanta Sharma. At 7:10 a.m. Khatoon Baig made an appearance. At 7:15 a.m. Arun Patil and Rukhsana Khan walked in. At 7:18 a.m. Nasir Putani Shah marked his presence. Then Swati Panjabi joined in and the exercises could finally take off at 7:20 a.m.
Never before have the exercises been so delayed by 20 minutes, as it was today. Kanta Sharma was openly critical about the “lack of a sense of punctuality” in the Club. But soon, all was forgotten as Geeta Latte, Nahid Khan, Santosh Tyagi, Chanda Khadaria and Karuna Waghmare trickled in. Still, several key members like Yusuf Rassiwala, Kiran Prakash, Bhaswati Bose and Banoo Apa were conspicuous by their absence.
On the up side, those who turned up were rewarded with a double treat of ashtami prasad. This was completely unexpected. Swati Panjabi had brought along suji halwa and chhole and Santosh Tyagi, by a strange coincidence, also brought suji halwa and chhole. Tea was an add-on, thanks to the latter. Given the low turn-out today, everybody had two or three helpings of the delicious combo – apart from generous takeaways for those who wanted to carry some of the prasad home.
Clearly, both Santosh and Swati had a problem of plenty. And when it was all over – after distributing to the milk man and watchman and their brothers – the ladies heaved a sigh of relief. As Swati put it: “Thank God, nothing was wasted!”
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Whenever you join the exercises, it is never too late. Those who did not join today must be feeling the brunt of missing the special prasad of Ashtami. Blessed are people like Swati Punjabi and Santosh-ji who provided enough prasad!