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.