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.