51st Anniversary

It was an occasion that comes but rarely in life and only the very fortunate can bear witness to. After all, how often do we get to be part of the anniversary celebrations of a couple who have spent over half a century together in happy matrimony and are still going strong?
Yesterday was Hari Singh Shekhawat’s 51st Wedding Anniversary. Today, along with his better half Mohan Kanwar (right), he hosted a party in the Chinese Hut to mark the occasion and seek the blessings and good wishes of his friends. In a short and simple speech soon after the exercises, he asked us to pray for him and his wife so that they get to celebrate their Platinum Jubilee next with us in the Garden.
It was an emotion-charged moment that only Srichand Arora could diffuse with his trade-mark humour. “Aren’t you ashamed standing there and asking for blessings?” he rebuked Shekhawat-ji in mock seriousness. “You should be bowing down before your elders.”
Clearly anticipating this, Shekhawat-ji ran up to Tara Chand-ji and hugged him before making a pretence of touching his feet. “He is the only one here who is older to me!” he said.
The rest of us looked on in admiration at the man who remains so young at heart and for his years, has not lost any of his simplicity or childish innocence. His wife was there by his side, having ensured that he was smartly turned out, just as any mother would for a school boy on his annual day function. She herself was a picture of dignity and grace while receiving compliments from friends and well-wishers.
Dilip Babani brought in the refreshments from Jagruti while wife Kajal and Renu-bhabi, accompanied by Neelam Garg and others (above) helped in the distribution with assembly-line efficiency. Earlier, Ramila Mistry presented Shekhawat-ji with a beautiful pink flower (very thoughtful of her) on behalf of the members. Somebody brought chocolates which vanished within seconds. The ladies sang “Bar-bar yeh din aaye…” while Mr and Mrs Shekhawat, seated at the far end of the Chinese Hut (above right), smiled and blushed like young, newly-weds.
Harish Wadhwa says:
Shekhawat-ji looked very young today sporting a bright blue T-shirt. Kya baat, Kya Baat, Kya Baat... It was also a wonderful moment to see his bindni blush when he offered her some jalebi. It is different that she soon reciprocated by offering him a bite too. Wow! what an ideal couple. Thanks for the lovely treat too.
--Harish
Dilip Babani says:
We enjoyed Shekhawat-ji's wedding anniversary treat with nice dhoklas, jalebis, phaphra and garam potato wada. May God bless the couple with a long life. Really, Shekhawat-ji is such a jolly person, almost like an innocent kid -- bahut maasoom, always ready to laugh and make others laugh. He wants us all in the Laughing Club to be happy and in good health. Let us now hope that he arranges a picnic soon. Also, since Holi is coming, Shekhawat-ji and Arora-ji should arrange to celebrate with thandai, paphra and big jalebis called 'geehara' in Sindhi.
--Dilip

PIC OF THE WEEK: 19

Recognise them?Fifty-one years to the day, on February 27, 1960, these two members tied the knot at Rojod, a little known hamlet in Rajasthan. This pictorial painting captures the magic of that moment when the couple celebrated their Golden Jubilee at Mumbai last year. Let us all wish them MANY, MANY MORE YEARS of marital bliss and happiness together.
Such a beautiful picture! God bless them always and may they have many more years ahead of togetherness. A priceless picture indeed.
--Renu Babani
"Hum Bane, Tum Bane, Ek Duje Ke Liye..."
--Bhaswati Bose
Congratulations and God bless the most loving, charming and caring couple! Really, they look young and lovely. Also, congratulations to Big Laaf for the good job done.
--Dilip Babani
большое спасибо было интересно читать
(Translated:"Thanks a lot. It was interesting to read.")
--Anonymous
What a lovely picture! May God give them a long and a very happy life together -- that they celebrate the Diamond Marriage Anniversary too. They surely make a great couple and have set an example for the next generation too. My sincere regards and greetings.
--Harish Wadhwa

Back to Normal

A pleasant, sunny morning. It is no longer dark when we arrive at 7:00 a.m. with the lights still on in the Garden. Summer is setting in. The birds are out in the trees and the mood, upbeat. Besides, it is the week-end.
Bapu Rane was surprisingly in his elements, speaking incessantly out of turn and making everybody laugh with his wry humour. He came in, in measured steps, arms jabbing the air like a drunken dancer and sporting a toothless grin. During the exercises, time and again, he broke into mimicking the musical interludes of Kishor-bhai’s songs – tu-tu-tu-tu… And when Sitaram-ji came, followed by Motwani, everybody as usual raised a chorus of “Jai Siya Ram!” Bapu Rane, in the same tone, exclaimed – “Jai Motwani!”
It was a lively, fun-filled morning, although the attendance was not very high. Shekhawat-ji was back to keeping count of every late-comer showing up and no sooner the number of women crossed that of the men, than he stopped counting. As usual, he went all out at Ramila Mistry during both the Slow and Fast laughter rounds. Significantly, the latter was in a terrific playful mood (above, right) determined to outdo Shekhawat-ji at what he is known to do best. She won. And what can you say of Mumtaz Jahan being equally aggressive at out-snarling everybody in the Lion and Lioness rounds? Finally, in keeping with Club tradition, Bapu Rane and Shekhawat-ji performed the Ho-Ho Ha-Ha dance (left) to round off the exercises.
It was clear from the very outset that everybody was into having a good time and making one another happy, without letting the unpleasantness of the past two days get over them. Even Sunita Jajodia was extra-jovial while conducting the exercises, even as a nagging leg injury kept her limping right through. Nafisa Sayed too was her normal self, after taking a break yesterday.
The only dampener though, was Razia Khan (right), who dropped in late. She came to say her byes before she leaves for Dubai tomorrow. She is an entrepreneur, heading Innotek Ingredients (P) Ltd. and has a trade fair to attend and pitch her dietary supplements and cosmaceutical products. We wish her a safe and fruitful trip.

Avoidable

Kishor Babani’s music provided the only solace to an otherwise stressful morning. It has to be said that a lot of thought and application has gone into the selection and sequencing of the song recordings, such that people of all tastes and inclinations are drawn to them automatically. A vintage Ramaiyya Wasta Vaiyya is followed by a modern Holey Holey Pyar… and in turn, by a soulful Phoolon Ke Rang Se… and then a foot-tapping Rahat Fateh Ali Khan… Whether it is Khatoon Baig or Hari Singh Shekhawat, Srichand Arora or Nafisa Syed, everybody gets equally absorbed in this moody musical mélange.
But for this, the less said about today’s developments the better. Big Laaf will desist from commenting on them in the hope that good sense prevails among members who use the language of coercion, threat, browbeating and bringing others to tears (yes, it happened today) in order to have their way. This is plain unnecessary.Nobody is obliged to begin the day in these stressful conditions. At the same time, it is imperative that the group remains together through thick and thin. Every member is important. So, instead of adding fuel to an already flagrant situation, the blog chooses to distance itself from whatever happened in the morning.
On a positive note though, here’s something (left) that might cheer you up:
A wise man once sat in the audience and cracked a joke. All laughed like crazy. After a moment he cracked the same joke again and a little less people laughed this time.
He cracked the same joke again and again. When there was no laughter in the crowd,
he smiled and said: “When you can't laugh on the same joke again and again, then why do you keep crying over the same thing over and over again?”
Forget the past and move on…
Renu Babani says:
Oh my goodness me! Just when I thought things were all in the past and everyone moved on, it is strange to know that people hold on to petty things for so long. I think there are better things to consider and worth thinking about. We are a group and one would think we have known each other for a while now to hold on to grudges and move on. Is it worth dragging such a small topic, which had no meaning to begin with, and dig deeper into the subject, thus making a mountain out of it? I haven't been attending the morning sessions for a while now, but am updated by the blog. Please, let's live for today and try to bring in more happiness amongst each other. There are enough sorrows in this world!
--Renu

Childhood Replay

You could call it the ‘Kareeb hangover’ of the past two days (see posts). Or you could name it the ‘Dilip Babani-effect’. Or else, you could say that the mice were at play while the big cats were away.
In what appeared to be a defiant, yet hilarious expression of newfound freedom, the chatterboxes had a field day, talking and laughing non-stop as none of their ‘minders’ showed up this morning. There was not a dull moment and nobody was spared. The dreaded ‘k’-word came up at least a dozen times, particularly with Dilip-bhai (right) getting big kicks out of telling everybody, “Kareeb Mut Aaiyeh!”
Earlier in the morning, he had accompanied Shekhawat-ji to the Garden and brought up the subject (as he was not present yesterday). Shekhawat-ji’s explanation was simple: “We come to the Garden for an hour to enjoy. Who are they to tell us to remain within limits? We are all grown-up and responsible people. We don’t need to be told our limits. We know our limits very well.”
During the exercises, a spectre of Talibanisation was created with almost everybody coming up with a horror story of being pulled up for inappropriate dressing (“look what she's wearing”), which female shook hands with which male (“body nahin touch karne ka”), why somebody said something to somebody (“ghalat baat hai”)… Like tittering school kids, the ladies went on and on, disregarding Sunita Jajodia’s half-hearted appeals to “talk shaam koh”. She too was enjoying the fun.
Fed up of the incessant prattle, finally Razia Khan tried to enforce some discipline. “Girls,” she shouted from the middle. “Stop talking!”
“We are not girls,” Ramila Mistry yelled back. “We are woooooo-men.”
“No, we are girls,” corrected Mumtaz Jahan. “None of us has crossed 35 years.”
Dilip-bhai got his cue: “No, we men are 35. You all must be below 18 years!”
The dispute over age continued for a while amidst rousing laughter, till Nahid Khan (left) brought about a truce: “You boys are all under 18 and the girls are yet to be born!”
That made sense to Dilip and Co. The women simply don’t exist!

Moral Policing?

Kareeb has become a bad word in the Club. After all the hilarity yesterday over the antics of Shekhawat and Nafisa Syed (see post), suddenly an embargo has been placed on the word by some sourpusses determined to play spoilsport. They have found a soft target in Razia Khan, all because she had said “Kareeb Aaiyeh” first to indicate that we close in for the second session of the Laughter round. Somehow, having too much fun is not acceptable to these self-appointed guardians of morality who want things to be “within limits”. Now, who decides the limits?
The simmering discontent over this issue was put to rest when Shekhawat-ji (above), soon after the morning prayers, appealed to everybody not to see too much into all the merriment that goes on among us in the mornings. “To impute motives and misinterpret every action is uncalled for,” he clarified. “We all enjoy hansi-mazaak at our age. We are no longer children...”
“Haan, jawaani toh khatam ho gayi,” Mumtaz Jahan butted in cheekily. “Ab hansi-mazaak ke din aa gaye.”
Her attempt to diffuse the tension did not work though. Mrs Harbans Singh (right) was quick to intervene on behalf of the detractors: “We don’t say you must not have fun, but everything has to be within limits.”
Before Shekhawat could reason out, Nafisa registered her protest against the wet blankets bent upon spoiling our fun. “It is not as though we meet outside or visit one another’s homes, even for a cup of tea. Whatever little hansi-mazaak we have, is here, in the Garden. After this, we disperse and go our own ways. Even then, they have a problem! I don’t understand this.”
Much as the discussion was inconclusive, the good thing was that an effort had been made to resolve a vexatious issue before allowing it to fester like a dull sore. There are bound to be different points of view in every group and ours is no exception. It goes to Shekhawat-ji’s credit to draw out the dissenting voices and for better or the worse, move on. Nahid Khan though had the last word when she saw everybody happy after having their say. “Hasnaa manaa hai!” she cautioned.
Additional reporting by Renu Babani:
All said and done, let's just leave things as they stand as one cannot please everyone. It is sad that some members misconstrue certain words when there is no harm intended at all.
Now on a lighter note, my observations of the members who arrive at the Garden before 7 a.m.: By the time, Kishor and Renu arrive, Mr and Mrs Bose are already sitting on the bench, doing pranayam. Mr Grover, follows suit after his walk. The three of them are joined by Kishor, after his two or three rounds in the Garden. They are busy chatting away, laughing and enjoying the weather in general.
On the opposite side, one can see Mrs Nahid Khan listening to her music and just relaxing. Tara Chand-ji sits around, after a few walks too.
Sunita-ji and Mrs Santosh (before she shifted residence) are usually sitting on the bench close to where the exercises will begin, chatting amongst themselves and greeting familiar faces. Razia and Nafisa, whenever they make an appearance, sit close by observing everyone else.
Mr Bose and the rest are joined by Mr Arora, and then in comes Mr Shekhawat. After a few words of fun and merriment, he leads the group to start the exercise.
Sometimes as I am walking by, I wonder what on earth are these people talking and maybe, one day, I too shall join them... Yes, I'm just curious, I guess!
--Renu
Harish Wadhwa says:
I don't recall Yusuf-bhai mujhe kya funda sikha rahen hain...LOL. I just know to laugh and that, to be happy should be the only motto of this group. So just have a great time.
--Harish

Tit for Tat

Hari Singh Shekhawat met his match this morning in Nafisa Syed (below, right). For long he had been needling the ladies with mindless pranks – what with his 'target practice' during the Slow and Fast laughter rounds, constantly keeping count of them, snarling extra-long during the Lion and Lioness rounds… Today he got paid in his own coin.
Soon after Srichand Arora finished with the free-hand exercises, Razia Khan took over and as usual, called for everybody to close in for the second session of the laughter round. As is his nature, Shekhawat joined her in chorus, “Kareeb aaiyeh, Kareeb aaiyeh” and moved towards the ladies's semi-circle. From nowhere, Nafisa broke out of the semi-circle and moved ominously towards Shekhawat-ji. It happened within seconds. As though in a trance, she kept propelling forward, arms out-stretched and muttering aloud, “Kareeb aaiyeh, Kareeb aaiyeh, Kareeb aaiyeh…”
Shekhawat blinked. We too could not believe our eyes. Seeing the advancing presence of what seemed an automated giant doll, Shekhawat stopped in his tracks, trying to gather his wits. But Nafisa was unstoppable: Kareeb aaiyeh, Kareeb aaiyeh… she kept chanting. Just when she was within arm’s length, Shekhawat turned and took to his heels. With a “Oht-teri, maare gaye!” he simply fled and in moments, was sighted far out of the circle.
Never before have we seen Shekhawat-ji laugh so much. And rarely have we all laughed as much at something so bizarre. “Aap ne bola ‘kareeb aaiyeh’ aur main aapke kareeb ja rahi thi,” Nafisa said, justifying her act. Harish Wadhwa could not help remarking, “Shekhawat-ji ke toh hawaa nikal gayi!” Long after the laughter had subsided, Arora-sah’b kept shaking his head, admiring Nafisa’s natural “sense of humour”.
The other important lady of the day (though, in absentia) was Rachika Majerekar (left). Today was her birthday. As she has joined the Club a couple of months back, we have not got to know her well as yet. Besides, by nature, she is a reserved person and keeps to herself. Still, this is a good enough occasion to wish her a long, happy, healthy and contented life ahead.
Harish Wadhwa says:
1. Nafisa's spontaneous walk towards Shekhawat-ji today did get every face smiling and then burst into laughter. She indeed has a good sense of humour. Do you recall her earlier one-liner of the song, Tum jo aye zindagi mein baat bigad gayee...? Just thinking of those words brings a smile to all faces. Guru-ji’s Gyan on Santa-Banta today were also lovely. I wonder where he gets all these select jokes from.
2. Many happy returns of the day, good health and happiness to Smt Rachika Majerekar-ji on her birthday.
3. Smiles on the faces of Dilip-bhai and Shekhawat-ji in today’s picture are really infectious. One just can’t stop smiling looking at them. Good natural pic, Blog Monster.
--Harish
Renu Babani says:
Talk about a taste of one's own medicine. I am sure Mr Shekhawat will not forget today and watch his words the next time. It was hilarious indeed watching Nafisa advance in full force and he was actually taken aback. One lady even suggested that that all the ladies should advance forward, thus the men will definitely move many steps back. Naturally, that didn't go too well with all the ladies present, who felt that they didn't have the guts to do that.
Another suggested perhaps during Raksha Bandhan, that would be a better reason to advance forward. As usual, the morning air was filled with our laughter and lots of fun before everyone went their own ways.
--Renu

Queer Quirks

Yusuf Rassiwala has a beautiful simile to describe how inseparable Razia Khan and Nafisa Syed are. He calls them “Doh hanson ki jodi”, thereby suggesting that when one comes to the Garden, the other would automatically follow. As long as both ladies stayed in the same apartment complex, it was usually Razia who led and Nafisa who followed. As a result, both showed up quite regularly every morning. Now that Nafisa has shifted to another neighborhood, both are irregular in their attendance. Their jodi is broken.
This is just one of the many quirks members betray about themselves in the course of our daily morning encounters. Yusuf-bhai (below, left) himself cannot do without interrupting the flow of exercises and greeting people around him at the oddest of moments. His favourite is “Jai Ho Pandurang Baba”, which only Kishor Babani (below, right) can reciprocate in true spirit: “Jai Ho Kaley Topiwale Pandurang Baba!” Otherwise, Yusuf-bhai is very methodical and regarded a perfectionist at conducting the exercises.
Then there is Bose who must perforce light a cigarette and have a cup of tea the moment he steps out of the gate. Nahid Khan cannot do without the music playing in her earplugs the moment she steps into the Garden. Renu Babani is always punctual, but joins the exercises only after the laughter round is over. Till then, like Mrs Harbans Singh and a few other ladies, she must continue walking round and round… and round the Garden.
And what can be said about Shekhawat-ji? He is the one who needs to perform the Ho Ho-Ha Ha dance with Bapu Rane after the exercises. He is the one who has to “empty his cartridges” during the Slow and Fast laughter round. He is also the one to “sound the siren” or let out a “Eeeee… haw haw haw” shout the moment he catches sight of a member entering the gate. There can be no rational explanation for such behaviour. But like all other quirks and kinks, it is all in good fun.
The latest is the practice adopted by Bose, Kishor-bhai and Shekhawat-ji, whereby they must necessarily stand side by side (in that order) during the exercises. They constitute a trinity of sorts and the space between them is sacred and inviolable. Anybody trying to edge in between, is promptly but discreetly evicted – the reason being, both Bose and Shekhawat have to be closest to the music playing in Kishor-bhai’s pocket.
Where else would you find such madcaps ganging up religiously every morning?
Harish Wadhwa says:
Leg-pulling between the exercises, subtle remarks, non-offensive satire, Santa-Banta jokes and the Masters' comments exchanged so spontaneously make the Big Laaf club interesting. Keep it up and going.
--Harish
Renu Babani says:
I have always said, each one of us is unique in our own special way and that is the reason we make a special group. Where would you find such wonderful people who turn up every morning, just to be in each other's company even for that one hour and forget about everything else? So many new faces may come and go, but the regulars stick by their routine and when they are not to be seen for a few days, they are missed. Here, age is no bar and every individual has the freedom to voice his or her opinion, regardless of being heard or not. The main thing in the group is respect for each other and also no one ever invades the other's privacy. We meet at the Garden daily and whatever is discussed is left at the Garden, amongst ourselves and we go home, continue with our routine as if nothing happened. We are so lucky and should be grateful to have one another. So let's keep it going guys!
--Renu

PIC OF THE WEEK: 18

Any idea, how does one procure their autographs?It is never possible to get autographs of priceless stars... So dream on!
--Renu Babani
Nice to see the stars on billboards. I wish this dream turns true as many of them are stars of our Big Laaf group.
--Harish

Rs100 Effect

An excursion for senior citizens from the neighboring Garden all but hijacked our Club. For a hundred bucks (what could otherwise cost Rs 500) per head to a distant holiday resort, travel and food included, it was a steal. As a result, barely 13 members showed up this morning. A majority of the ladies, including regulars like Razia Khan, Nahid Khan, Khatoon Baig, Geeta Sandhana, Nafisa Sayed, Sushma Gupta, Mumtaz Jahan and Harbans Singh were absent.
Santosh Tyagi (right) was also supposed to go, but opted out after paying for her seat. She has not been keeping well for a week and could just about make it to the Garden today. In her delicate state of health, she did not want to risk a long road trip by bus. The good thing was that she chose to walk down from her house instead of taking an auto-rickshaw.
The best part though was Srichand Arora (below, left) inviting Sunita Jajodia (below, right) to conduct the exercises this morning. He said he had read in the blogpost day-before yesterday (when he was not present) that she, along with Nahid Khan had conducted the morning’s proceedings – even as it was the laughter round. Obviously, he could see the potential in her to graduate to taking charge of the free-hand exercises as well and wanted to remove whatever inhibitions she might have.
Actually, Arora-sah’b had a larger game plan, which became evident only later. He is trying to groom a second line-of-command for conducting the exercises, since two key members, Yusuf Rassiwala and Sitaram Hivarkar have become quite irregular these days. In their absence, the burden of conducting invariably falls upon Nahid Khan and Razia Khan – and of course, Arora-sah’b himself. As he mentioned, he is looking at Hari Singh Shekhawat and Santosh Tyagi also as additional back-ups. Only someone with foresight and having the long-term perspective of the Club's interests can think along these lines.
Sunita-ji was however, all at sea, as she could not see the bigger picture. When Arora-sah’b told her, “Bas, aaj se aapki duty lag gayi,” she felt she had been led into a trap. “Mujhe, kahaan phansaa rahein hain?” she complained. Nevertheless, she took on the challenge gamely and did a fine job of conducting the exercises – except in the beginning, when Bapu Rane and Tara Chand requested her to slow down a bit.
At the end, when everybody complimented her, Sunita-ji became all the more suspicious. She could not believe that she had pulled it off so well. Only when Santosh-ji demanded a treat for being praised by everybody, did Sunita-ji start believing in herself. Tomorrow, after her son returns from Chennai and shows her the blog on his laptop, would she be convinced completely.
Renu Babani says:
Tick-tock, on the clock: 7:40, on the dot... And we are done. It is a hat-trick! Three days in a row and the exercises completed on time. Yes, Mr Arora certainly ensured that the laughter and exercises were completed really well and with such few members, it was done in silence. However, the more the members it is definitely better. So once the weekend is over, hopefully everyone shall be back. We saw the senior citizens' picnic bus head off towards its destination and do hope that they had a blast. Hopefully we shall get a full report and perhaps our next picnic shall follow in their footsteps.
--Renu
Anonymous says:
Interesting theme, I will take part!
--Anon

Desultory Day

This has to be rather short today. Within minutes of starting the exercises this morning, Srichand Arora ticked off Razia Khan and Nafisa Syed for talking to one another. Moments later, he pulled up Nafisa Syed and Nahid Khan for the same ‘offence’. On both occasions, it was a polite reprimand, Arora-style, with folded hands: "We come here to exercise and improve our health, not to talk. You are disturbing everybody here!"
After that, the exercises were conducted workmanlike and but for Kishor Babani’s music playing in the background, there was total pin-drop silence.
The absence of Hari Singh Shekhawat (left) only added to the overall glumness. This is one man who cannot be contained by anybody’s say-so and his free-spirited antics and prankish behavior, punctuated by bouts of loud laughter can be extremely contagious. When in the mood, he alone can keep the entire group in splits.
So, when he turned up after the exercises and prayers were done, everybody looked at him anxiously. Arora too was taken aback and took a dig at him: “Why have you come so early and woken everybody up?”
“Arrey, kya karoon, so gaya tha!” he said, eyes twinkling in amusement. “Pehli baar aise hua... aankh nahin khuli.”
This was the only bright spark in an otherwise uneventful morning.
Bhaswati Bose says:
1. A few more sessions like today's and our Laughing Club will turn into Mourning Club. We attend the exercises every morning not just to stay fit physically, but also to unwind mentally. For that we need to exercise in a relaxed, happy and cheerful manner. Little distractions should always be welcome. They only make the sessions more enjoyable. And rushing through the exercises isn't going to benefit anyone.
2. Fortunately, the music played on Kishor-bhai's mobile or Arora-ji's system is not yet considered a distraction and stopped. Or else, the Club would resemble an army camp and we would all be behaving like jawans (and jawanis)!
--Bhaswati
Renu Babani says:
Rest assured, our Laughing Club shall remain the same. We come to exercise, and it is necessary to stick to the routine. I would personally like to thank Mr Arora for ensuring that the routine was followed today and the exercise was completed on time. We do talk in the midst of the exercises but at least it shouldn't get out of hand to the extent of forgetting what exercise comes next, and just wasting time as well. The mood changes instantly when everyone decides to talk at the same time and then there is no fun. Let's keep the chatter for after the routine is over, so that everyone is free to do whatever they want after that. Let us enjoy the exercise and each other's company too, but also make sure that what we exercise does really work for us in the long run.
--Renu
Bhaswati Bose adds:
The wisecracks and one-liners exchanged spontaneously DURING the exercises is what makes the sessions so enjoyable and encourages everybody to laugh. Isn't that what the Laughing Club is all about?
--Bhaswati
Renu Babani adds:
I agree, a little fun is good -- but within limits. Everyone ends up having too much fun, don't you think?
--Renu
Bhaswati Bose counters:
So what? What's wrong in having "too much" fun? It's good for health!
--Bhaswati
Dinesh Sharma says:
A loosely formed voluntary group such as this should try to accommodate occasional and spontaneous distractions. There is no reason for anyone to feel suffocated or regimented. It will not promote participation. At the same time, order is necessary in any form of public event.
--Dan Sharma

Fast Work

One of those odd days when we winded up the exercises in double-quick time. We started five minutes late and ended ten minutes earlier than normal. By quarter-to-eight, we were out of the Gate!
The reasons for this mad rush lay fairly and squarely on the two ladies who conducted the exercises this morning. While Sunita Jajodia (below-right, in the foreground), reputed to be the archetypal woman-in-a-hurry, took charge of the laughter rounds, Nahid Khan (below- left) raced through the free-hand exercises as though she had a flight to catch. In the absence of seniors like Srichand Arora, Sitaram and Yusuf Rassiwala, there was no one to put the brakes on these two ladies and they were done with us in 30 minutes flat.
How we were done with deserves some elaboration. Much of the time, before we could, for instance, exhale (or inhale), Nahid Khan had moved on to the next step, doing the opposite. After a point everybody was on to doing their own thing with no pretence of coordinating their movements with one another. Some just stood and gaped around foolishly. Poor Motwani and Tara Chand became so hard-pressed that they had literally run out of breath and were looking at their watches anxiously. Ramila-ben and Harbans Singh made some defiant noises initially, but they too gave up after a while. There was no time even to say the customary “Very Good, Very Good” as Sunita Jajodia had moved to the final claps by then.
Ultimately, Tara Chand-ji had to describe the two ladies as “super-fast express” – a fair analogy which should make say, Sitaram-ji, by contrast a “passenger train”. Arora-sah’b would probably qualify for a “mail train” and Yusuf-bhai, a “local train” that would stop-start, stop-start… something that gets on Sunita-ji’s nerves. And Razia Khan, for the way she conducts the exercises, should be the good old “goods train” that trundles on and on with very few stoppages.
But still it was fun. Despite the pressing urgency in wrapping up the exercises, there was still time to comment on the songs Kishor-bhai was playing, discuss why Yeh Saali Zindagi is an ‘adults film’, make snide remarks on a lovey-dovey couple who had settled on a bench behind the ladies, ogle at some of the walkers… All in a day’s work!
Renu Babani says:
Frankly speaking, I thoroughly enjoyed exercising today. It was done well, both the laughter and exercise routine and completed in time. I actually went and complimented Mrs Khan for the way it was conducted. Exercises should be done well and not with too many distractions. The instructor should be the least distracted, because otherwise the rest tend to follow suit and this causes unnecessary chatter and waste of time. So, kudos to the two ladies today and hopefully the others will follow their example to some extent. I genuinely enjoyed it today.
--Renu

Eid-e-Milad

Let us join in the celebrations to mark the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad and wish one another the very best on this occasion. May the blessings of the Almighty be showered on you and all your dreams come true in a spirit of compassion, self-righteousness and dignity.
Among us, if there is anybody who needs divine intervention now and the strength to tide over a distressful situation, it would be Hari Naraiyani (below, left). For the past eight days, he has been at the mercy of the doctors at Kokilaben Hospital (see Renu Babani’s note of February 13), following the detection of an acute thyroid condition, coupled with kidney infection, in his wife. She was admitted to the ICU in a state of emergency and since then, this octagenarian gent has been running around and tending to her night and day all by himself – such that he did not even have the time to reach out and inform us. Luckily, his daughter and son-in-law got to know of his plight and have been giving him company for the past few days.
Last evening, Mrs Naraiyani was discharged from the hospital and Hari-bhai has brought her home. But his ordeal is far from over. As he says, the ailments have been brought "under control" but she would require protracted post-remedial care – which includes controlled diet, physiotherapy, nursing, etc. Strong medication has made her weak and beyond the daughter and her husband, the couple has no one to count on in this time of crisis. Yet, Hari-bhai made light of his situation and promised to "mark" his attendance in the Garden in the next few days. “I may be late by 10-15 minutes, but I will be there,” he kept saying cheerfully on the telephone.
Otherwise, it was a relatively quiet and dull day with the skies overcast (we had a light drizzle after the exercises) and attendance somewhat depleted due to the festival. Ladies like Khatoon Baig and Nazma Sayed showed up, while the two Khans, Nahid and Razia held fort in the middle. Ram Shankar Shukla (right) was also there, back from a nine-day trip to Kanpur where he had gone to leave his daughter. She had been on a holiday to Mumbai and even taken part in our exercises – just that her father did not introduce her to us then.

Mid-month Merriment

Record turn-out this morning, prompting a lovely photo-op. Kishor Babani’s pocket player woke up after a long time to belt out some good old evergreen hits. Shekhawat came in looking dapper and debonair, striped black T-shirt tucked into dark chocolate-brown trousers. His wife was there too, dressed in a pretty salmon-pink Rajasthani outfit. On an impulse, he plucked a flower from the Garden and much to everybody’s surprise, walked up to her and planted it neatly in her hair. The V-day hangover from yesterday has obviously not left this adorable couple (above, right).
The famous foot-tapping Lata-Amirbai duet from Samadhi (1972) was playing in the background: “Gore Gore, O Baanke Chhore, Kabhi Meri Gali Aaya Karo…” Seeing how frisky and absent-minded Shekhawat was getting, Kishor kept teasing him as “Baanke Chhore”. But Nafisa Sayed took things to a different level. In the course of the exercises, she started singing in tune: “Gore Gore, O Baanke Chhore, Kabhi MHADA Aaya Karo…” MHADA is where she stays, the acronym deriving from the apartments of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority close to Lokhandwala Circle.
Santosh Tyagi did not quite like the parody. “Kyon MHADA mein gorey chhorey nahin miltey?” she asked.
“Nahin,” Nafisa replied straight-faced. “Isi liye, main inko bol rahi hoon…” she said pointing at Arora, who happened to be conducting the exercises in the middle. Quick on the uptake, Arora ran up to her with folded hands and asked: “Kyon, jootey khaney? Mujhe jootey nahin khaney MHADA mein jaa ke!”
The high point of the morning was however, the birthday bash hosted jointly by Vasudev Bhatheja, Santosh Tyagi and Mumtaz Jahan (right). Their birthdays were on the 1st, 10th and 14th of this month respectively. Mrs Chandra (in spectacles), a ‘friend’ of the Club, also pitched in to celebrate the birthday of her son. So as usual, we all trooped into the Chinese Hut and wished them a long, happy, healthy and fulfilling life ahead. The unusual part was the servings from a new confectioner, Anupam – hot, divine samosas, jalebi, dhokla, gajar ka halwa, chiwdas… and tea. In all, a very rich and sumptuous offering.
Renu Babani says:
It was great being back at the Garden after a break of a few days. I got a warm welcome from everyone and it felt like one big family once more. The party was fun, no doubt. As usual, everyone was in their element and nobody was spared. I guess, that is the norm with us. We have learnt to take things in our stride and somehow just laugh it away as usual. Hoping to see the new group photo soon.
--Renu
Dinesh Sharma says:
I have known of this Laughter Club phenomenon from its inception (when it was covered by the U.S.media) and observed it in person last Saturday. While I was circling the park, the laaf energy was infectious. It wasn't odd. I wonder if others feel the same way. The best part was when I was asked to join the inner circle and I was able to let it out. Felt great. Such mindless laaf, but it was therapeutic. Keep it going.
--Dan Sharma

Valentine’s Day

It can only happen to one of us on Valentine’s Day: Wife shuts husband at home early in the morning, instructing him to complete the household chores. She walks out merrily to shoot the breeze and strangely enough, informs everyone about it. Sporting hubby happily does the house work and follows her to the Garden half an hour later.
This was precisely what had happened today with the most loving and loved couple of our Club, Kajal and Dilip Babani (above). What’s more, Dilip joins us for the exercise and then tells Kajal aloud (for all to hear) that he has done the dishes properly, ironed the clothes, kept them neatly folded and so on. Amidst all the laughter, the message was not lost on anybody: While the rest of the world may say it with roses, here’s a couple who know how to lend meaning to Valentine’s Day.
This little incident set the tone for all the light-hearted banter and leg-pulling for the rest of the morning. Srichand Arora and Sunita Jajodia were in a particularly garrulous mood and even Bapu Rane pitched in with some wisecracks. Ramila Mistry was however, somewhat restrained during the Slow and Fast laughter round as Shekhawat was not his usual aggressive self while “emptying his pistols” on her. After all, today was V-day!
Today was also the birthday of Mumtaz Jahan (above). She came running into the Garden just in time for the final claps so that we could wish her before dispersing for the day. Tomorrow she joins Vasudev Bhateja and Santosh Tyagi in hosting a party at the Chinese Hut for all members. Meanwhile, Kishor Babani distributed prasad upon his return from the Sai Baba shrine at Shirdi the day-before yesterday (above). He is the only one to remember us all every time he goes there (which is pretty often) and without fail, bring back little sealed packets for every member as a token of Sai Baba’s blessings.
Also, Tara Chand Seth (right) is back from his winter sojourn with his family at Delhi. He has acquired a rugged tan over the past three months and his hair has turned snow white. Everybody joked about his long absence, saying that he must have purchased the whole of Delhi in these months. But he was in grief: His nephew from Roorkee, who was obviously very close to him, has succumbed to a bout of jaundice -- barely ten days back. He was only 42.
Renu Babani says:
Hey, surely every husband does chores around the house and Dilip is no different. Does anybody want the 'silent treatment' at home? Be honest now... I am certain the banter must have been real fun and knowing Kajal, she took it in her stride. She is a wonderful sport, forever laughing and always cheerful. The reason everyone loves to tease her is due to her spirit and quick replies as well. Dilip has the knack for bringing a smile to anyone's face, no mattter what the mood maybe. So I guess these two are really wonderful people to have around.
--Renu
Srichand Arora says:
Just learnt about Mrs Hari Naraiyani's health. I hope she recovers soon and then our Hari-bhai would attend the Laughter Club as usual. May God give her a fast recovery. Let all us pray for her.
-- S.V.Arora

PIC OF THE WEEK: 17

This gentleman has been absconding for quite some time and robbed us of our entertainment. Any clue where he could be?
Mr Hari Naraiyani's wife was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital recently, ICU ward. I called the residence line before getting onto the blog, and got in touch with someone at the house. I was duly informed that Mr Naraiyani is yet at the hospital with his wife. She is better now and has been transferred to the ward. Let us pray for her speedy recovery so she gets back home and we are able to see Hari-bhai back to the Garden as well. Shall keep you all posted whenever I get more information.
--Renu Babani

Elitist Streak

Has a streak of needless elitism entered the Club?
Unfortunate as this may sound, some of our members appear to have got increasingly vocal about their prejudice towards those who may not be as financially privileged as they are. Not only are derisive names given to these new entrants, their very intention of joining us for the exercises is being questioned and as it became evident today, efforts are being made to debar them from having anything to do with the Club in future.
This is the second day running when the snooty ladies kept up their tirade against a young man who they insist on calling “Bhaji-wallah”. (It is another matter that he is not a vendor of vegetables.) Fortunately, he was not around today to hear their remarks on the comical manner he swings his arms during the exercises, the way he laughs, whether he is the father of two children or three or four… Yesterday, they even went up to Shekhawat-ji and demanded that he be stopped from coming for the exercises. “Yeh main nahin bol sakta,” he said firmly, dismissing them outright.
Today, things got nastier when one member began commenting aloud that soon hutment dwellers would be joining the Club. “Jhopdi-waaley aur hum mein kya farak rahega?” It did not stop there. Another lady started imputing motives of criminal intent. She claims to be a victim of chain-snatching and is now convinced that criminal gangs plant their members in laughter clubs to report on who looks loaded and wears how much gold, etc. so that they can be robbed on their way to the Garden. “Yeh log unke CID hain,” she declared with a flourish. Significantly, the men listened to the unending diatribe, without responding.
One happy diversion this morning was the participation of a new guest, Dinesh Sharma (above, in red shirt) during the exercises. A software engineer, he is married to Bose’s sister and is presently on a two-day visit to Mumbai from Atlanta, USA where he is based for the past 26 years. But he is basically a Punjabi from Rajasthan and found a common connect with Shekhawat-ji, as also with another engineer, Harish Wadhwa. Here they can be seen picking each other’s brains.
Funnily, none of the ladies picked on this man!

Party Postponed

The party scheduled for Saturday, February 11 has been pushed to next week. This morning Shekhawat announced that the three main hosts -- Santosh Tyagi, Mumtaz Jahan and Vasudev Bhateja -- would decide among themselves on a new date for their joint-birthday celebration – which would most likely be the 15th or 16th. No reasons were given for the postponement (see yesterday’s post). And no questions were asked either.
Regular readers of this blog could be under the impression that the raison d'etre for our Club is its frequent parties. The truth is that parties do constitute an important activity of the Club, but surely that cannot be the sole reason for everybody showing up in the Garden religiously every morning. In fact, many among us – particularly those who are diet-conscious – are strongly against having parties and some even say (rather, unthinkingly) that the food packets they get here are later given away to the household help and building watchman!
The reasons for attending the Club go far beyond the parties – or for that matter, picnics and the monthly movie shows. To people like Hari Singh Shekhawat, Nahid Khan, Srichand Arora, Ved Prakash Grover, Khatoon Baig (right)… and many others, this is nothing short of an addiction – their daily fix without which time hangs heavy. For some like Bapu Rane (below), Kishor and Renu Babani, Razia Khan, Sitaram Hirvekar and Geeta Sardhana, this is more of a passion – to sustain a fixed fitness regimen and catch up with friends at the same time. For others like Ramila Mistry, Bhaswati Bose and Santosh Tyagi, this is simply their only opportunity to socialize on a day-to-day basis.
Significantly, the first question Santosh asked when her son wanted to shift residence was whether the new place would be within walking distance from the Garden. She takes an autorickshaw to-and-fro nowadays.
And then, we have Sunita Jajodia (top, left) who had met with a freak accident on the way to the Club and sprained her leg. It is almost a fortnight since that mishap and the swelling has not yet subsided. Still, she showed up limping slowly into the Garden this morning and even took part in the exercises for a while. When the pain got the better of her, she made a silent exit.
This is dedication. It means commitment – a sense of attachment to the Club and our friends. It is a feeling we all share that cannot be described in words.

Big Deal!

Today was the birthday of a highly respected and the senior-most lady member of our Club, Santosh Tyagi (below, right). Razia Khan made the announcement and in keeping with tradition, we raised an ‘extra laugh’ in her honour (after our customary three laughs) and everybody went up to wish her individually on the occasion.
Santosh-ji wishes to treat us at the Chinese Hut on February 12 (Saturday) together with Vasudev Batheja (whose birthday was on February 1) and Mumtaz Jahan (whose birthday falls on February 14). Another lady, who wants to celebrate her son’s birthday with us, would also be pitching in for the joint celebration.
And thereby hangs a tale.
Not many know this fourth person well, although we have been seeing her often in the Garden. She is not a member and is not interested in being one. She does not take part in our exercises. But she manages to gain entry into our parties by virtue of being friendly with a few members. Other members feel that by contributing to the joint celebration on Saturday, she would legitimize her "backdoor entry" to all parties in future.
Now, this puts Shekhawat (below, left) in a fix. He has already announced that barring personal guests of the hosts, our parties are meant strictly for members. But here, for the first time, he has a non-member playing host and does not know how to deal with her. He kept taking Mumtaz and Santosh aside, talking to them separately in a bid to resolve the issue. His suggestion of incorporating the fourth person as a ‘guest’ is not acceptable as it would not only set a precedent, but could lead to inflated guest lists in future for which other contributing members would have to bear the burden. And to bar this person now from the Saturday bash would be downright rude.
Somehow, Vasudev Bhateja is quite cool about a few extra people joining the parties even as yesterday, Srichand Arora tried to reason out that “party ka kachra ho jata hai” when ample provision is not made for freeloaders. Genuine members would get left out. Besides, how do you pick your guests if entry is open to all and sundry?
Complicated as this may all sound, it is really no big deal. How does it matter if someone gets left out or that there’s not enough to go around because of some extra mouths to feed? Nobody takes such things to heart. It can happen in any family, any time. In the Club we are family – to rejoice with everybody when the occasion arises. That is what matters, ultimately.
Renu Babani says:
Since I shall be away this weekend, here's wishing everyone who is celebrating their birthdays: Many happy returns of the day from Kishor and myself; may you have many more and God bless. Shall return to the Garden by the 15th/16th. Meanwhile, will keep in touch via this blog. Shall pray for all of you while in Shirdi and may His Blessings be upon all of you, no matter where you are.
--Renu