Magnetic Pull

Much as we crib and complain every morning about getting to the Garden, there is something about our group that exerts a magnetic pull even on rank strangers. Forget the bemused looks from passersby who stop on their tracks just to watch us. We have visitors coming almost every day to join us for the exercises and be part of the fun. Many come unannounced and don’t even bother to introduce themselves. Some come escorted – like Mrs Harbans Singh’s daughter was today (the lady in black, above). A few merely sit on the sidelines and keep staring at us.
Maybe, they haven’t seen so many happy people together, at one place. Could be, it’s the vibes we give. Laughter, after all, is contagious. It casts its own magical spell.
The best part is that, much of what we do, is without intent or design. We don’t even realize that we can make others happy. It comes naturally – whether it is in the one-liners of Srichand Arora and Tara Chand Seth or Shekhawat’s jack-in-the-box antics, the witticisms exchanged between ladies like Razia Khan, Gopvinita and Nahid Khan or the manner Kishor Babani and Santosh Tyagi conduct the jokes’ sessions.
At the end of it all, everyone can only feel enriched and elated by this experience.
Renu Babani says:
Yes, we do have an audience watching us in amusement. Sometimes they must think, how can we laugh when there must be so much going in our heads all the time? I guess we forget all our stress for that one hour and make the most of it just being together. However, some new faces do join us, perhaps out of curiosity, or to be able to be part of the crowd. It feels nice to know that we are being noticed and maybe, even appreciated.
--Renu