Getting Curiouser

Siba Prasad Maitra (in red tee) holds a briefing for the Annual Day function

Things are getting curiouser and curiouser by the day about the club's Annual Day function. All that was discussed and decided the day-before (ref post of November 27) was overturned this morning as Siba Prasad Maitra took over the reins of the event.
But it was with a caveat: “I am assuming responsibility provided the initiative comes from you all. This has to be a joint show with everybody involved.”
For starters, the function will not be combined with the New Year’s celebration on January 5 (as decided earlier). It will be held on an evening and mounted on a proper stage like the last time -- with lights, sound system and the works. “Dilip Babani has committed to putting up the stage for Rs 5,000 only,” Maitra revealed.
However, no date for the show has yet been announced. Bijoy Gupta was entrusted with staging a one-act play and he promptly came up with a brilliant ‘rough draft’ on the #MeToo movement that had us all double up in laughter. He asked for time to develop the idea.
There will also be the usual items of variety entertainment, such as group song, dances, skits, mono-acting, etc. as part of the programming. As of now, this remains work-in-progress.

Bihari Milwani:
Wonderful! The entire programme, including the story, actors, the stage, etc. has been finalised, but not the date of the event. It is like the baaraat is ready and on the way, but the date of marriage is not finalised.

Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd):
It is nice that the Annual Day programme is being chalked out. Hope I too will be able to join you all in time. My best wishes, as always.

Another Reunion

Banoo Apa shares gajaks with us

Siba Maitra gets us special sandesh 

Urmila Sinha distributes methi luddos 

Banoo Apa finally showed up at the Garden this morning. It was almost a week since she returned from the Mt Abu-Udaipur trip (November 16 to 22) and while other members of the group have been sharing their experience and gajaks with us, Banoo Apa has remained bed-ridden at home, battling a nasty bout of cough and cold. Not a day has passed in the Garden without someone or the other inquiring about her welfare and every time she kept assuring us she would make it the following day.
That day dawned today. Banoo Apa strode into the Garden with rare resolve, carrying a box of gajaks and loads of stories on the recent trip. But she looked pulled down and chose not to exercise today.

File photo of Razia and Tahira (r) in happy times

Mohammad Aziz

“I am still unable to do any cooking at home,” she pleaded. “We have been ordering food from outside.”
With Siba Prasad Maitra also, we had a reunion of sorts. He was back from a 12-day visit to his hometown, Calcutta and brought along a box of nolen gurer sandesh – a prized Bengali delicacy. He had gone for a wedding in the family and combined the visit with trips to certain holy places of Bengal.
If that were not enough, our good old Urmila Sinha came up with a treat of home-made methi-luddoos for reasons best known to her. It was not for us to question why but as always, to eat and… (well, some day).
Amid all the gaiety and laughter, Fahmida Khan broke the news of bereavement in Razia Khan’s family. Mohammad Aziz, the noted playback singer succumbed to a cardiac arrest yesterday. He is Razia’s daughter-in-law, Tahira’s brother. Later in the day, Razia was to inform that the last rites would be performed at Santa Cruz Qabristan this afternoon. “Tadfeen will take place from 3:00 pm onward,” she added.
Our condolences are with the family in this hour of grief. May the departed soul rest in peace.

Gajak Season

Naseem Khan distributes gajak from a trip to Gwalior

It is that time of the year when we shall be feasting on gajaks every other day in the Garden. If the past is any indication, this wintry confection of sesame seeds shall be the staple of our morning treats – particularly from those making a trip to north India.
We have had five rounds of gajak treats already. It started with Shekhawat on November 8, followed by Kiran Prakash on November 22 -- when he returned from the Mt Abu- Udaipur tour (see posts).
Two days later, Naheed Siddiqui and Bhaswati Bose did an encore. And today again, Naseem Khan gave us gajaks upon her return from Gwalior.
This, even as winter hasn’t set in yet.
Meanwhile, plans for the Annual Day function have taken a new turn. What was discussed last Saturday (see post of November 24) has been summarily scrapped and is now being rethought into a morning spectacle in the Garden lawns (minus stage, props etc) to celebrate New Year’s on January 5. The programme would comprise an ingenious hodgepodge of song and dance, sporting events, Housie, Musical Chairs, a skit and god-knows-what else… all within a space of roughly an hour.
Since sentiments are involved and nobody wants anybody hurt, everybody nodded politely, knowing perfectly well what the outcome would be!

Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd):
Frequent distribution of gajak is an indication of winter setting in. One can continue to munch these delicacies unmindful of any ill- effect. Enjoy for as long as you can endure it!

Day 2713

Pic(s) of the Week

RARING TO GO: MEMBERS OF THE GROUP ON THE MOUNT ABU-UDAIPUR TOUR 

Crowd Control?

Inside the bus

Vivekananda Shrine, Mt Abu

Nafisa Sayyed

Gulab Bagh

Four Musketeers at Brahmakumari Ashram

Lake view

Laughter exercise early morning

Shopping break

Speed-boating on Fatehsakar Lake

Morning tea by the wayside

Palace complex

Banoo Apa and her roommate
Nafisa Sayyed

Photo op at Udaipur

Run out of breath? 

Packing after shopping

Last tea together at the end of the trip 

Time to head home...

Snapshots from the Mt Abu - Udaipur trip 

(November 16 to 22, 2018)

Everyone seems to be very happy and has put on some weight. Congratulations to all for having put on so many kilos. --Bihari Milwani

Wonderful 😍😍👍!!! --Geeta Latte

Fresh Initiative

Yusuf Rassiwala delivers a pep talk for putting up the Annual Function 

A fresh proposal was made today to hold the club’s Annual Day function at the earliest. Plans (ref post of September 22) to meet the original deadline of December 8 have obviously fizzled out, presumably due to absence of initiative and/or interest from our members.
This morning, Yusuf Rassiwala summoned all members after the exercises and informed that Kiran Prakash would like to assume responsibility for organising the function like last time and that we ought to extend him every support and cooperation in making it a grand success.
If anybody was overjoyed by this announcement, it was Bijoy Gupta who had already scripted a couple of plays/ skits for the event. His only condition was that it should be mounted on a proper stage (with lighting and sound systems) so that “we get an audience”.
What Kiran Prakash had in mind though was a relatively low-key affair coinciding with our usual New Year’s party in the Garden – sans stage, props and effects. The suggestion was partly out of financial and time constraints, but mainly to ensure that the effort and time Gupta had invested (in his scripts) were not wasted.

Udaipur gajak from Bhaswati Bose

Udaipur gajak from Naheed Siddiqui (c)

No doubt, this would be a feeble compromise – more so, after expectations were raised last time, as many pointed out. Karun Sharma was also of the opinion that if we need to have a proper function, it had to be staged – even if it were to be at a slight elevation from the ground.
After discussions, it was settled that the space outside the Health Centre in the Garden would we appropriate. “We shall spread a durrie or carpet (for the performing area) and cover it around with a curtain while the audience will be seated on a lower plane,” he suggested.
As for the date, it was decided that instead of New Year’s Day, the function will be held in the first week of January and in the evening -- so that we get a good audience. Rehearsals shall begin as soon as programming is finalized. Razia Khan was asked to compere the show.

44th Anniversary

Fehmida and hubby Rashid Khan flanked by well-wishers on their anniversary celebration in the Garden today

“Today we have completed 44 years of our journey together,” announced Fehmida Khan’s husband, Ustad Rashid Khan, thus setting off their wedding anniversary celebration this morning in the Garden.
When asked how eventful the ‘journey’ has been, Fehmida promptly retorted: “Don’t ask.

Shekhawat salutes and presents a bouquet

Husband 'n' wife cut the anniversary cake

Just ask how I have endured this man all along!”
“I can only say that everybody should get a wife like her,” the genial banjo exponent declared. “We wish we could have this celebration more often, but this occasion comes but once in the year. Thank you all for being here and making it so special for us.”
Taking the cue from this light-hearted banter, Shekhawat stepped up, clicked his heels and pulled off a smart salute before presenting a bouquet of flowers to the Khan couple on behalf of the Club. Instantly, everyone broke into a loud chorus, clapping and singing, “Congratulations… and celebrations!!!”

The couple share the 'first bite'

Fehmida distributes sealed packs of sheera

Earlier in the morning, we raised the customary fourth laugh at the end of the exercises. Fehmida had ensured a sizeable turnout, having personally invited her friends for the occasion. (But where was Banoo Apa anyway?) Fehmida had also burned the midnight oil to prepare sealed packets of sheera for all invitees as takeaways.
The most heartwarming moment though was when husband-‘n’-wife jointly cut the Anniversary Cake amid another round of applause. Fehmida gave Rashid Miyan the first bite and the latter reciprocated in like manner. Only thereafter could we devour the cake -- wiping off the remains in minutes!
Indeed, we could do very well with the celebration more often.

Homeward Bound

UDAIPUR STATION: Escorting Nafisa (seated in specs) back to Mumbai

After what has arguably been the most harrowing and momentous tour in Club history, the group (ref post of November 19) is on its way home. While Kiran Prakash and a couple of others took the flight back from Udaipur yesterday, the rest are reaching Mumbai by train today afternoon.
Significantly, Nafisa Sayyed is in that train.

Kiran Prakash (l) shares gajaks

As regulars in the Garden would know, she had been hospitalized at Udaipur, following a medical emergency for the second time in two days. Preliminary diagnosis revealed a “cardio-asthmatic attack” and her son, Imran had to be urgently summoned from Mumbai.

Mohammad Gulzar (file photo)

This was serious – a life-and-death situation.
After extensive tests a stent for the heart was suggested by the Udaipur doctors, but Nafisa would have none of it. She insisted on returning to Mumbai and even resisted taking injections.

Razia Khan (r) celebrates Eid-e-Milad

Fortunately, Nafisa’s condition took a turn for the better and she was eventually given the go-ahead to travel by train.
In all this, the role of Mohammed Gulzar and Kiran Prakash deserves special mention. Nafisa (who was sharing her room with Banoo Apa in the Udaipur hotel) had suffered the attack in the wee hours of Tuesday morning when it was still dark outside. Bhaswati Bose was also woken up and together they escorted Nafisa out of the hotel -- just that there was no transport at that hour ready to go to the hospital.
In pitch darkness, Kiran Prakash ran up the road, hailing whatever vehicle (even a passing milk van!)

UDAIPUR MEMORIES: Under the watch of Maharana Pratap

he could spot till he found an obliging autorickshaw at some chowk. At the hospital also, he was the one who did all the running around at getting Nafisa admitted, speaking to the doctors and nurses, completing all formalities, etc. while the ladies cradled Nafisa, comforting her.
Gulzar meanwhile, had touched base with Nafisa’s family (they were neighbors at one time) and from time to time, kept WhatsApping the test reports. The son was to arrive in the evening and till then, Gulzar and his wife, Tabassum kept Nafisa company.
Only upon Kiran Prakash’s assurance that all was under control and that Nafisa was in good care, were Banoo Apa and Bhaswati able to leave the hospital. Till then, the rest of the group in the hotel were blissfully unaware of the developments.
Kiran Prakash was in the Garden this morning (he was the first to be back, by flight) to share his experience and also distribute some delectably crunchy gajaks he had brought for us. Razia Khan too had a sweet surprise for us – soft, mouthwatering pedas in celebration of Eid-e-Milad yesterday.

Karun Sharma:
Good to see them all back smiling, even if the conditions were challenging. I too came back last night and slept at 01:30 a.m. It was an excellent get-together with my IIT-BHU friends at Bangalore and Mysore.

In Continuation…

Boating on Nakki Lake, Mt Abu

In continuation of the post last Saturday (ref post of November 17), the news is that the group reached Mt Abu on Sunday morning, thanks to the timely intervention of a good Samaritan who ensured a mini bus was made available at Vadodara Station in the dead of night. Everything looks hunky dory now, as is clear from the picture at the left.
However, Nafisa Sayyed raised a scare when she reported ill upon reaching the hotel at Mt Abu. It was quite possible that the strain of the overnight journey had taken its toll. But since she is an acute diabetic with multiple ailments (including a delicate heart condition) no chances could be

Nafisa Sayyed (file photo)

taken – more so, as Mt Abu is not connected by an airport.
Luckily for everybody, a heart attack was ruled out.

Outside the Garden, Arun Patil (l) anchors a discussion on the trip 

But on the doctor’s advice, she had to stay put in the hotel all day, taking complete bed rest. By the evening, she had reportedly recovered fully and was back to her cheerful self, up and about with the rest of the group.
The odyssey evoked mixed responses in the Garden this morning. On the one hand, a highly amused Arun Patil dismissed all the hardship as an “adventure” that ended well. On the other hand, Shekhawat and Bijoy Gupta expressed their concern, anxiously counting the days left for the group to return “safe and sound” in Mumbai.
However, for the ladies like Razia Khan, Khatoon Baig and Rukhsana Khan, the reaction was more in the nature of sour grapes. Many thanked their stars for not having ventured out and being able to enjoy life in the Garden!

DAY 2708

Pic of the Week

Rai Bahadur Karun Sharma

Sawai Raja Harisingh Shekhawat

HRH Nizam Bijoy The Gupta

Nawab Siba Prasad Maitra

Royal

Baaraatis: 

Where's 

the 

shaadi 

tonight?!?









The royal baratis had gone to receive the newly-married couple Ranveer and Deepika upon their return from Italy.  (Excellent App used to put turbans on the eligible candidates.) --Bihari Milwani

The images are very close to the way these people look. Wonderfully related. --Karun Sharma

Living Nightmare

IN THE BACK OF BEYOND: Female 'tour warriors' after breakfast at Bileshwarpura

An air of uncertainty hangs over members of the group that had set out for the Mt Abu-Udaipur tour (ref post of November 12) by the 9:55 pm train yesterday. Last heard, they were in the middle of nowhere – some place on the highway between Chhatral and Mehsana having breakfast en route this morning.
Obviously they got off the train and were now on the road far, far away from their destination. And thereby hangs a tale.
The trip began on a wrong footing. An Ola-Uber strike yesterday had caused great distress to many (mostly senior citizens) who had to cab it to Bandra Terminus with luggage. But more than the harassment and suffering was the utterly callous attitude of Indian Railways which almost scuttled the tour.
A text message in the afternoon informed ticket holders that the train from Mumbai had been 'diverted' from Vadodara and would not be touching Abu Road Station as scheduled. No indication why – just instructions to either take your refund (and effo) or disembark at the “nearest station”.

The Club wore a deserted look today morning

No mention where that station is or what the diverted route would be.
A frantic call on the Railway Help Line yielded an even bigger shock: The train had already left Mumbai at 9:55 a.m.! (Surprisingly, tickets did not indicate time of departure.) Scouring the Internet revealed that the train would leave on schedule at 9:55 pm, but it had indeed been diverted from Vadodara and would connect with Ajmer via Ratlam.
This threw up three options: (a) Getting down at Ratlam and taking the road to Mt Abu; (b) Go on to Ajmer and then undertake a nine-hour journey to Mt Abu; and (c) scrapping the trip altogether. After consultations (on phone) with all members, it was decided not to abandon the trip, but get down en masse at Vadodara and leave the rest to the Almighty above.
This was exactly how things panned out – except that a kind co-passenger, who overheard our members at Bandra station, offered the contact number of a transporter in Vadodra. A few phone calls later, when our 'tour warriors' got down at Vadodara around 2:30 a.m., a mini bus was waiting outside the station to take them to Mt Abu. The rest remains in the realms of mystery.

Born Again

Khatoon Baig (r) gives her blessings to the group setting out on the
Mt Abu-Udaipur tour this evening

Exercising regularly is all very good for the body and soul. Or so have we learnt over the years. But the contrary can also be true. Or so did we learn this morning when Khatoon Baig turned up looking unusually bright and upbeat, fresh as a daisy. “I feel like I am blessed with a new life,” she declared to a bevy of astonished admirers.
Khatoon did not come to the Garden to exercise for the past three months. “I had developed severe pain and swelling in my backbone and knees,” she explained. “I could not sit, stand or lie down. The doctors said it had something to do with wear and tear of the bones and put me on physiotherapy for 90 days.

Shekhawat (file photo)

That’s why I was away for so long.”
The last we saw of Khatoon was when she used to show up in the morning, already tired out and exhausted. We knew she had an acute asthma issue. Very often, she would break away from the exercises and doze off while seated on a bench. So when she stopped coming with the onset of monsoon, we assumed that the asthma had got the better of her.
“The asthma attacks and wheezing have disappeared miraculously,” Khatoon revealed flashing a radiant smile. “It is not as though I had to take special medicines. Of course, I still run out of breath whenever I exert myself too much. But the breathlessness is never as acute as earlier. As I said, I feel I am born again.”
In contrast, Shekhawat is showing signs of a relapse of the problem for which he had undergone a surgery in his chest barely two months back (ref post of September 18). Today he had to be escorted home midway through the exercises when he started wincing in pain and could not even remain seated properly. He was supposed to apply a certain lotion on the affected part before coming to the Garden, but had forgotten this morning.
The pain however, persisted through the day and now he is planning to meet his surgeon at the naval hospital in Colaba on Monday.