DAY 3004

Pic of the Week

DANCING UNDER A STARLIT SKY
Photo Credit: Bihari Milwani

Bijli chali jaye, aur andhera hi andhera ho, socho kabhi aisa ho toh kya ho? --Bihari Milwani

Bijli chale jaye, aur andhera hi andhera ho, toh yahi moka hai dil ki adhuri khwaish puri karneka... chahe phir kuchh bhi ho jaye! --Yusuf Rassiwala

A Restless Lot

Busybodies plan out Alibaug trip

Till yesterday we were talking about the Sports Day next month. But now it seems that February 14 is far, far away. Instead of waiting so long, why don’t we plan out something in between to keep ourselves busy?
Thus, when Zarina Khan suggested going on a two-day picnic to Alibaug, everyone jumped at the idea. From Nahid Khan to Bijoy Gupta and Bhaswati Bose to Banoo Apa, Naseem Khan, Lakshmi Hadimani, Rukhsana Khan and Qadir Bano, the general feeling was that this was a now-or-never opportunity.
“We’ve never gone to Alibaug from the Club,” argued Zarina. “All we need is to book our stay in some resort or hotel for one night. And please don’t think of driving down by bus. The journey by road is easily six hours one way, even more. We will rather catch a ferry from Gateway of India. It’ll take us only 45 minutes from there to reach Alibaug.”
Zarina was speaking from past experience and hearsay. “I had gone there more than 15 years back,” she said. “We took the ferry to Mandwa jetty then.

Bijoy Gupta (l) fails to persuade Shekhawat

Recently my sons went by the same route with their families and they wanted me to join. But I did not want to disturb their privacy. I am more comfortable travelling with our Club members.”
Seeing the enthusiasm all around, Yusuf Rassiwala suggested that we don’t waste time in planning. “If you delay, the programme will fizzle out,” he cautioned. “Just decide on a date and get going. The weather is fine right now. Later on, it may become difficult. Alibaug is known to be warmer than Mumbai.”
The only dampener was Shekhawat. Despite Gupta’s persistent efforts to persuade him, he came up with multiple excuses to wriggle out. At first it was his wife not keeping well. Then he put it on his building lift which is out-of-order. Then he said his grandson had come from London and till he leaves on January 18, he cannot go.
As things stand, the excursion is fixed for January 7 or 8 depending on availability of suitable hotel accommodation. Bhaswati Bose will be checking out the possibilities. All members of the group are expected to converge at a pre-determined spot near Gateway and from there, board a ferry together for Alibaug. What happens thereafter is anyone’s guess.

What Next?

Thanking Siba Prasad Maitra (ext rt) cannot be enough

In a span of ten days we have successfully feasted on junk food at Juhu Beach, hobnobbed with Santa and the kids on Christmas Day and celebrated New Year’s with a blast. Never before in the Club have we done so much in so little time and lived to tell our tale.
But that is clearly not enough. The heart yearns for more. So this morning when Siba Prasad Maitra turned up and we kept thanking him for organising the New Year’s bash so well (ref post of January 1), there were many whose minds were already ticking for the next big event on the Club calendar.
“What about Sport’s Day?” Banoo Apa reminded us. “We will

Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd)

require time to prepare ourselves. Moreover the weather is very good these days for practising. Even before we realise it, February 14 will be upon us. So let us get started, earlier the better.”
It was decided to call a meeting of members, preferably on January 11 (Saturday), to discuss details for holding the event. Drawing upon our experience from last year we might have to identify new sporting disciplines and also lay down certain ground rules in order to make the competition more exciting, equitable and inclusive for all participants.
Meanwhile, for all those wondering why Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd) is not commenting on the blog posts of late, here’s some news. He has got his left eye operated for cataract and must stay away from the computer screen on doctor’s advice. Otherwise, he is keeping good health. But he is unable to bear the intense cold in Mohali and has shifted to his daughter’s in Bangalore.
He said he intends to drop by in Mumbai end-January.

Bihari Milwani:
Instead of having only one party on New Year's day, i.e. 1st January, why can't we also have a New Month party on the 1st of every month?

Tragic Marriage

Zarina Khan treats us to wedding sweets

“I have got married,” Zarina Khan declared this morning as she held out a box of exotic sweets to mark the event. “We have been taught since childhood that if someone wants to stay with you for life, it is better to marry him. These sweets are meant to celebrate my nikaah!”
The announcement evoked mixed feelings. It was clear from Zarina’s expression that she was not joking. She meant every word she said: “My doctor tells me that I will have to live with diabetes for the rest of my life. There’s no way diabetes will ever leave me. So I thought it proper to formalise

Banoo Apa treats us to hot tea

our relationship with a nikaah.”
Zarina is the only one among us capable of turning tragedy into humour, however dark it may be. Such is her nature – always chirpy and smiling. Nobody remembers her being ever depressed, angry or in grief. Our only response in the circumstances was to wish that her marriage does not last long. “We pray for your early divorce,” she was told.
The rest of the morning was devoted to reminiscing the high points of the party last night (ref yesterday’s post) – how well Siba Prasad Maitra had organised everything, choice of venue and the sumptuous food on offer, the entertainment organised by Banoo Apa and Bhaswati Bose, Yusuf Rassiwala dancing with his wife, as did Bihari Milwani and Maitra, how Bijoy Gupta and Shekhawat were in high spirits, the energetic performances of Karun Sharma, Fahmida Khan, Naseem Khan… There was never a dull moment.
Everybody agreed that whatever was lacking at the Juhu Beach party on December 22, we more than made up with our New Year’s bash yesterday. “We made up three or four times over,” Yusuf R corrected us.

Foggy New Year

Invoking the blessings of the first rays of the sun in 2020

Twenty-twenty began on a note of bitter chill, dense fog and low visibility. Luckily for us, it was not too windy in the morning. But the woollies were out. And the Garden was near deserted. Some said that it had rained in parts of Mumbai last night, thereby bringing down the temperature and dampening the spirits of revelers.
Our New Year party is scheduled for the evening today (ref yesterday’s post) and post-exercise, we sat down together to tie all loose ends. Broadly, Siba Prasad Maitra will be taking care of hosting the event and liaising with the caterers while Yusuf Rassiwala shall be in charge of the programming and overall supervision. Bijoy Gupta and Banoo Apa have been entrusted with lining the entertainment for the evening (together with Karun Sharma and Bhaswati Bose) and Shekhawat has volunteered to provide the ‘liquid entertainment’ as well as keep accounts of the event.
Celebrations at 7:30 p.m., Link Garden Towers, Yamuna Nagar, Mumbai.

Banoo Apa

Siba Prasad Maitra

Vignettes from our New Year celebration 

Bhaswati Bose addresses the guests

Fahmida Khan & Karun Sharma

Bihari & Sunita Milwani

Yusuf & Niloufer Rassiwala

Section of the guests

Bijoy Gupta & Shekhawat
also shake a leg

Awaiting their turn

Settling down over dinner

Final round... of antakshari

Apologies: Many pictures are of poor quality due to low-light conditions.