Taking Charge

Arun Patil holds chai pe charcha outside the Garden date

Arun Patil seems to have taken over from where our former president Mallika Kagzi left. He has a favorite tea shop in Goregaon selling nagori chai. Yesterday he brought some of that tea and shared it selectively with those hanging around after the exercises for the Annual Function preparations. Today, he filled up a huge steel flask and like Mallika, plonked himself right outside the Garden gate and started distributing the tea in styrofoam cups to all and sundry.
On a cold, December morning, nothing could have been more welcoming. But the result was that all those inside the Garden rehearshing their parts abandoned their posts and made a beeline towards the gate before the tea got over. In no time, a large crowd gathered at the spot and Arun was seen holding durbar over cups of steaming hot tea. It took a good deal of persuasion for Arun to be drawn back into the Garden and break the crowd. Needless to mention, half the tea drinkers left for home from there.
But there was also a salutary effect of this disruption.

Abrar, Eram and Ali harass their gran'ma, Nahid Khan this morning 

Arun has now been saddled with a new responsibility for the Annual Function. Given his film background, he has been made in-charge of the make-up and costumes for all the artistes. Most of it will of course, be sourced in-house. For instance, Karun Sharma has already rustled up the props and dress for his highly acclaimed Raj Kapoor act while Banoo Apa is loaning her son’s mojris for Yusuf Rassiwala’s Zohra Zabeen number. By and large, the ladies are managing among themselves. And their make-up should largely be taken care of by our choreographer, Nadira Khan.
The real problem though would arise for the get-up of the jailor and prisoners. According to Arun, no professional ‘dresswala’ (supplying costumes for movies and TV shows) would hire out such dresses because of law and order issues – unless our requisition is accompanied with a film industry card. Arun holds that all-important card. Only he is competent enough to stand guarantee should any prisoner or the jailor in uniform be out on the loose and perhaps, try entering a bank. Wish Arun luck!

Karun Sharma:
I was reminded of a truism upon observing the unalloyed joy of those innocent grandchildren of Nahid. When children are happy, we teach them how to be unhappy. And when they grow into adults, they take lessons on how to be happy. We must learn to be happy from these little children.

Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
Our behavior has changed a lot towards children. Whether we are looking after them at home or helping out in their school activities, we have brought havoc upon them. The result is that our children have lost their childhood. Their innocence has vanished. It is high time we nurture them, give them time and allow them to enjoy their childhood.