Show Must Go On

The Garden, wet and deserted

It rained all night and it was still raining in the morning. There was not even a moment's let up in the downpour for the time we were at the Garden. And yet, the exercises were held on schedule, from start to finish. The show must go on, after all.
Of course, attendance was down to a bare minimum – just about 10 today. Apart from the rain, Ramzan had robbed us of a good chunk of regulars. Worse, we were without our twin food sources – Banoo Apa and Mallika Kagzi. They would be fasting for a month and as Bihari Milwani commented yesterday (see post), have subjected us to its rigors by default.
Siba Prasad Maitra’s first utterance on arriving at the China Hut was “khichdi”.

Nahid  Khan imposes 'penalty'

Taking everyone by surprise, he had to elaborate, “This is the perfect weather for having khichdi!” Before the import of his statement could sink in, Shekhawat, in right earnest, retorted that it is the perfect weather to get sloshed. “Have three-three pegs of daru and exercise,” he prescribed. “Then watch the fun!”
Nahid Khan proposed a ‘middle path’ between khichdi and daru. But it had to be done indirectly. She pulled up Shekhawat when he suddenly strayed away from the exercises to talk to a lady passing by. “Every time you break away from exercising, you will have to pay a penalty,” she shouted angrily. “You will have to treat everyone to tea today.”
“But I was talking to a woman only,” Shekhawat pleaded. “Do you think I would abandon the exercises if Mohar Singh were to be passing by?”
“That is exactly my point!” Nahid was at her headmistress best. “Go, order tea!”
Shekhawat fumbled for some time, looked around mischievously and then just as he was fishing out his mobile, Nahid stopped him. “Let this be in your account. Don’t order now because I am on roza.”
Nahid is the only Muslim to religiously fast during Ramzan and yet, not miss a single day’s exercise at the Garden. Come what may, the show must go on for her also.
Bihari Milwani:
Today's attendance proves beyond doubt that our primary object of meeting is laughing and exercising. Having party is only by-product.
Jagmohan Papneja:
Hope, love and laughter, warmth and wishes, joy and a bouquet of Eid wishes... Wishing Ramadan Mubarak to all.