Human Train

The Human Train is back in operation

We are back with the most celebrated feature that sets us apart from all other laughter clubs – the Human Train. For the third day running, this ritualized lining-up of back thumpers has been signalling the end of our hour-long routine in the Garden.
Introduced as part of our tai-chi warm-up exercises last year, the train had to be disbanded since summer for a very peculiar reason -- thumping the backs of one another made our hands wet and smelly with other people’s sweat. This interfered with our partaking of the delicious

Happy BirthdayManisha Kolhe!

treats that invariably followed the exercises every morning.
Now that winter has set in and nobody sweats so profusely, we can risk going through the drill again without ‘dirtying’ our hands. Moreover, there is no denying that it serves a very useful purpose.

Shekhawat helps Lakshmi with change for a Rs2000 note

Our back, which gets left out in the course of the full-body tai-chi exercises, now gets a vigorous pat down, leaving us thoroughly refreshed for the rest of the day.
But then, this is not the only train that runs through our daily routine. There is another one, entirely of Shekhawat’s making, that has been in operation for the last two years. It is his way of demonstrating his authority, particularly over lady members who follow him (like Mary’s little lambs) round the circle and in effect, marking the end of the free-hand part of our exercises.
In fact, this routine has become a cause of much amusement and hilarity, what with Bijoy Gupta coming up with a new description for the train every morning, just to deflate Shekhawat’s ego. He of course, refuses to board the train because, as he says, “it is meant for disciples of Asaram Bapu (the godman)”, that it is “badly rusted and would derail any moment”, that it “is headed to a jail”, that “not even a bangar wallah would pick up its metal as scrap”... and so on.
The only time Shekhawat got worked up was when Gupta remarked that he would never join the train because it stinks. “Baas marta hai!” he declared, holding his nose in mock disgust!
Kiran Prakash:
Happy Birthday Manisha. Many happy returns of the day.
Lt Col Angad Singh (from Mohali):
Happy Birthday, Manisha-ji. Thumping the back is very energetic and enjoyable, provided it is done vigorously. Back thumping is part of a Korean system of therapy for healing backaches.