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.