Annual Kanji Fix

TOKEN OF THANKS to Razia

PEHCHAAN KAUN-9 Trophy

WOMAN OF THE YEAR Trophy

We got our annual fix of kanji today. Santosh Tyagi finally agreed to treat us to the sublime, carrot-fermented pink drink that she alone can make. The sun rose earlier than usual.

Santosh Tyagi treats the Club to kanji

Normally, it is still dark when we enter the Garden. But today, it turned day before time. The heavens smiled because Santosh was treating us to kanji.
Santosh was herself in for a surprise. She had been told (as was everybody else) that the Woman of the Year and Pehchaan Kaun trophies (see post of March 12) would be presented to her on Monday – just before the Holi celebration in the Garden. Subsequently, the club management realised that this would be risky as the delicately crafted set of crystal glass trophies could get damaged in the Holi revelry. Unknown to her, the presentation date was advanced to March 15.

Santosh diaplays her trophies with Razia 

So there she was, taken unawares when defending champion Srichand Arora stepped up soon after the exercises and without much ceremony, presented her with the Pehchaan Kaun-9 winner’s trophy. Before the applause could subside, the senior-most lady member present, Khatoon Baig stepped up to present the Woman of the Year trophy.

WINNERS ALL: With kanji trophies

And then, there was the youngest lady member present, Kajal Babani presenting Razia Khan with a smaller trophy as a token of thanks from the Club for her support in the Pehchaan Kaun contest.
The funny part about this all-woman’s show was that it had made some male members (who are anyway in a minority) unhappy – if not jealous. The women stealing a march over them was one thing, but the sight of Santosh Tyagi holding aloft two trophies in both hands was quite another. Many wondered if the time had come for instituting a 'Man of the Year' trophy. Some volunteered to go for a sex change. Arun Patil said this in as many words, eventually settling to come and exercise every morning in a burqa for a full year if that would entitle him to a trophy in 2015!
All this and more as litres of kanji flowed copiously from barrel-like plastic bottles with Arora and Kajal lending a helping hand. Santosh had thoughtfully brought pickled carrots and yellow boondis as add-ons, little knowing that it would all make for such a heady mix that men could consider going for a sex change!
Jagmohan Papneja:
The awards (trophies) reaffirm that with knowledge and determination, one can achieve a goal. This is what Santosh-ji has shown. Congratulations once again for everything!