Daylight Robbery!

Fahmida Khan's big fat birthday bash

Fahmida Khan looted a sweet shop this morning. More accurately, she delegated the job to Dilip Babani as it was her birthday today. She had to pick up her birthday cake. And Dilip was left to grab whatever he could lay his hands on in the shop – luddoos, patra, Chinese spring rolls, cake bread, samosas, onion bhajiya, potato wafers… to name a few.
If those were not enough, we had Banoo Apa’s divinely refreshing lassi to wash it all down.
Most of us did with the lassi only. It was practically impossible to have the rest and still stay upright. So we packed all the stuff in polythene bags (again provided by Dilip) to be consumed at leisure at home through the day – breakfast, lunch and dinner taken care of!
Earlier in the morning, we raised a fourth laugh for the birthday girl soon after the exercises and sang the birthday song before Kiran Prakash stepped up to present Fahmida with her birthday calendar.

Cutting the birthday cake

Fahmida Khan

Bihari Milwani had daughter Karishma (who is here on vacation from the U.S.) by his side, watching in amusement as we performed these time-honored Club rituals religiously.
Fahmida had come dressed in a flaming orange salwar-kameez that oddly enough, made her resemble a Japanese doll with a matching pink conical cap perched on the head.

Bijoy Gupta plays cheer leader

She cut the birthday cake with little ceremony while Banoo Apa quickly followed up, giving her the first bite.
And then there was our ever sprightly Bijoy Gupta who wouldn’t let go an opportunity to pull Fahmida’s leg and even sang a hilarious ditty for her on the occasion. With Shekhawat backing him and Fahmida retorting in full measure, word for word, we had a total riot at the Garden this morning.
In all the bonhomie and merrymaking, if we missed someone, it was Fahmida’s husband. Her granddaughter Saleha, who is also close to us, was supposed to come. But alas, of all the days, it seems she had to oversleep today.

Kiran Prakash presents calendar

The Milwanis, daughter and father

Banoo Apa feeds birthday cake

Geeta Latte:
Many, many happy returns of the day, dear Fahmida Aunty 🎂💐
Dilip Babani:
Happy Birthday, Fahmida-ji. God bless you.