Winter Sets In

It is already dark at dawn in Mumbai these days. Those of us who reach the Garden early are treated to a very ethereal spectacle of familiar people assuming ghostly shapes as they scurry around the walking track, silhouetted against the half-lit morning sky. The temperatures haven’t dropped really, but woollens can be seen. There is a pleasant nip in the air.
Another indication of winter setting in is that birthday celebrations in the Club have almost stopped. From a happy high in September, the number of birthdays dropped to just two in October (but neither Nafisa Sayyad nor Tara Chand Seth could celebrate) and then Mrs Harbans Singh was the only one to make hay in November, with halwa. Heaven alone knows why people are so reluctant to be born in winter.
Thus, Bapu Rane’s celebration this morning came as a welcome reprieve in a season of drought. His birthday was yesterday, but he made sure to come loaded with home-made luddoos (lead pic) for all of us. (We all thought, we had missed this one also!) Like Mrs Singh’s halwa, this too was out of the world.
Thank you, Bapu Rane and many happy returns of the day!
Harish Wadhwa:
* Happy Birthday, Rane-ji. May you have a long and happy life. The luddoos were great.
* Some people got generous armloads of luddoos (like the one in pic) as an incentive for being more regular in the workouts. It is different that as a simple person, Vandana gracefully returned them, keeping just her share.
Renu Babani:
Harish-bhai, certain people believe in limiting themselves to what is offered
Harish Wadhwa responds:
* Very true, Renu-ji. It is their goodness and simplicity. Then there are some who got two and some who sneaked away with more than one without being noticed. No wonder they are active members of the Badmaash Company -- especially on Saturdays!
* Just realised there is someone holding the luddoo in the lead pic for the third time!