March of Time

Sitaram Hivarkar today

Sitaram on 23/12/2010

Time is taking its toll on us. Much as we pretend to be a young, happy-go-lucky lot in the Garden, there can be no escaping the fact that behind all the revelry, imbecility, mirth and madness, AGE is slowly and inexorably catching up on us. Once in a while we are struck by this grim reminder and then it takes a braveheart like Shekhawat to break into a folksy song, “Thaado Buddhapa Aayo Re…” and laugh it off.
Today, for the first time during the morning prayers, Sitaram Hivarkar committed a faux pas, stumbling and stuttering over the words. Ordinarily, this is no big deal as it can and does happen with all of us. But with Sitaram it is different. There has not been a single day since the inception of the Club when he has been present and not conducted the morning prayers. He knows the prayer backwards, even in his sleep. For him to goof up now, at age 75-plus, betrays a serious lapse somewhere.

Jagmohan Papneja distributes Shirdi Sai Baba's prasad

And that is no laughing matter.
Fact is, in all these years, we have got so taken up by the joyous abandon and merriment in the Club that nobody has kept track of time. So an incident like Sitaram's comes as a rude shock. Most of us were in our late fifties or early sixties when the Club was formed. Today, we are in our seventies – some of us even nudging eighty. And that can make a huge, huge difference, insofar as ageing is concerned. A cursory glance at the photographs taken in 2010 (when this blog was launched) would establish the difference just four years can bring about. The only comfort we can draw for all our complaints of ill-health, memory lapse and bodily pangs is that things could have got worse. Thanks to exercising every morning, religiously, we might have slowed the ageing process.
At times like this, we wonder whether members would like to be reminded of how time has overtaken them. Whether it is worth continuing with this blog? Wouldn’t we be happier simply living by the day, rather than having to look back?
Kiran Prakash:
You have stated a fact of life. It has to happen with everybody -- you, me and all. It is all the more important that we keep on coming to Garden every morning which can, as you rightly said, slow the ageing process. We must continue to do good too, to others which will keep us happy and peaceful. We can not fight with nature. Let us embrace it peacefully.
Jagmohan Papneja:
Age seems to creep up on us without warning. This may be inevitable but the rate of aging is not. There are many ways to improve your memory and avoid dementia. Diet and exercise are important. Laughter can also help to slow down the process of ageing. The continued absence of Sitaram-ji from the laughter exercises has resulted in the deterioration of his health. This is a lesson for others to attend the morning session regularly.