Saali Fixation

Anything for a saali: Shekhawat celebrates with luddoos

The wife’s sister, or saali, holds special significance in the psyche of an average Indian male. She’s not quite sister, nor can she be wife; she occupies a space somewhere in between. This ambiguity gives libidinous men the licence to flirt outrageously with their sisters-in-law and entertain thoughts that in any other culture would instantly invoke divorce proceedings.
In Shekhawat’s mind, saalis are special to the point of an obsession. He has four of them back in his village in Rajasthan – bona fide sisters of his wife. He obviously misses them and has gone on to create four proxies in the Club, making no secret of their identities. Effectively, during the exercises, he has 'saalis to the left of him, saalis to the right of him'… and everything has been going hunky dory, till one day, a saali decided to walk out on him. It broke his heart. But she explained that she would be shifting residence in June.
So the big hunt for a replacement began. After many trials and rebuffs, he zeroed in on one lady and dame luck smiled on him. Her husband also readily agreed to the proposition.

Sardar Teja Singh appears a little spaced out

But her name has still not been “officially” disclosed. Meanwhile, to Shekhawat's infinite surprise, another lady agreed to be his saali today, taking the count to six saalis as on date. Shekhawat turned delirious with joy and ordered luddoos to celebrate the new 'feather in his cap'!
The celebration was however, short-lived. Sardar Teja Singh, who was exercising with us, suddenly slumped on a chair, apparently struck by the sultry weather. He looked completely dazed, unable to respond to our ministrations. His wife came running over. Frantic calls were made to his son at home. Meanwhile, Bihari Milwani came driving into the Garden at full clip in his red car, like a fire engine – but eventually failed to negotiate a sharp bend and got stuck with a loud thud. By then Sardarji’s son had arrived.
After some anxious moments, he was able to make his father sip a lemon drink and before long, got him to slowly walk out of the Garden. “I think he is dehydrated,” the boy explained. “He’ll be all right. He looks slightly disoriented though. He suffers from a little dementia also.”
Shekhawat and his newly-acquired saali were forgotten for the day.
Kiran Prakash:
With six saalis around, a celebration with only luddoos does not really reflect the 'extra- ordinary' achievement. In the interest of member's palate, I wish Shekhawat-ji many more saalis. I hope also that Sardar Teja Singh has fully recovered. I pray and wish him a long and healthy life.
Bihari Milwani:
Shekhawat-ji, you need only one more saali to complete the count of seven -- a very lucky number and you can then name them Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd):
It is nice to have saalis. Let Mr Shekhawat have a complete team of eleven saalis -- like a hockey team. I wish him godspeed. During this sultry weather it would be better to have some cold drink such as nimboo pani with salt and sugar to overcome dehydration. This aspect needs attention instead of distributing laddoos.