Monsoon Recedes

The rains are over in Bombay. This is in spite of the monsoon delayed till September, which should (naturally) now run its course into October. But last Wednesday, the weather bureau jumped the gun and stupidly announced that the wet spell would continue till October 22. Instantly the skies cleared and the rains stopped the very next day.
The effects are already being felt at the Garden. Energy-sapping humidity and worse, stillness in the air had produced an all-consuming dullness during the exercises.
Or possibly, it was the proverbial ‘Monday morning blues’ that had done us in. We went through our motions mechanically before Jagmohan Papneja broke the ennui with an important announcement (lead pic): Lions’ Club is holding a five-day medical camp at Seven Bungalows, Versova between October 3 and 7. Senior doctors would be volunteering their services in conducting free check-ups and offering valuable advice on the prevention and cure of age-related ailments. All are invited.
Meanwhile, Srichand Arora has touched base from Singapore after an inordinately long spell of silence. Like every year, he had gone there to celebrate Ganpati Puja with his son, Pankaj and family. But as he says, he had got so caught up with his circle of friends in Singapore that he could send us a picture of the puja at home (above) only today. “Although the visarjan from our side was on the fifth day, but some of our friends had invited Ganpati-ji for 11 days and so the final immersion was completed on Saturday last,” he explained.
Well, he is taking the flight back this Sunday and we can hope to see him in the Garden exactly seven days from today.
Harish Wadhwa:
* Kya baat hai, Mrs and Mr Arora! Looking great while doing the puja. It seems you have forgotten your Badmaash Company friends while being with the loved ones at Singapore. Missing you and your witty jokes.
* I wish the weather department had kept silent and not made a forecast. As usual, it turns out to be opposite of what they say. It has become very sultry and hot, literally.
Bhaswati Bose:
How wrong you are, Blog Monster! For once our Met Deptt got it right. It's pouring now (in the evening).
Harish Wadhwa adds: Once in a while they can be correct. They still have a long way to go to prove their predictions right up to October 22. On a lighter note, once in a while women also, like the Met Deptt, make correct statements. (Bhai logon, BACHCHAAAO!!!)