Umbrellas Out!

Kiran Prakash conducts exercises today

After the punishing heat and humidity of the past few days (ref previous post), the weather abruptly swung to the other extreme today – grey, desultory and wet. It continued to rain from last night.

Tara Chand (file photo)

The results were the same though – an abysmally low turnout for the exercises.
“We are Hum Paanch today,” Nahid Khan declared, quoting the title of a 1980s Bollywood multi-starrer for the number of people present in China Hut when she came in. “Something is seriously wrong with us. When it is hot and sunny, we want rains. When it rains, we want sunshine. Either way, most people couldn’t care about the exercises.”
Nahid was herself late this morning. “Oh my God, how it rained last night!” she exclaimed. “I have never experienced such heavy thundershower in my life. I was having nightmares of Mumbai city getting submerged in rainwater. It was like the world coming to an end.”
“I too spent the night saying my prayers,” Shanti Singh added. “I could not sleep a moment. The flashes of lightning and rumble of thunder was terrifying. All night in the dark, I could hear only droom-droom droom-droom resounding in my head… It was so frightening. The moment daylight broke I left my bed and came straight to the Garden.”
We were all taken unawares by the sudden thunderstorm and torrential rain last night. Even the met forecast for the day is silent on such a dramatic change in the weather and as reports in today’s papers indicate, it was supposed to be “bright and sunny with the likelihood of a few showers”.
Tara Chand Seth left home as usual at 7:00 a.m., but had to retrace his steps midway when it began to pour heavily. “I wanted to personally take leave from you all,” he informed on phone. “My flight ticket to Delhi is booked for tomorrow morning. So I won’t be able to go to the Garden. Please apologise on my behalf to everybody for leaving without saying good-bye.”

Dilip Babani:
Even I got up at 3:40 a.m. because of the thunder and rain. Toofaan was on the way, like Irma or Harvey Hurricane. I was awake till 4:30 a.m. and then the rain stopped. Thundering also stopped. I slept alone in the room and got up at 7:55 a.m. I felt that a beautiful bhootni will come from outside by opening the front door and take me to the terrace. She would then force me to jump from the terrace.

Bhaswati Bose:
Only Dilip Kumar was forced (in Madhumati) by a beautiful bhootni to jump from the terrace. You are not Dilip Kumar, but Dilip Babani. Beautiful bhootni won't be interested in you. So don't worry!

Anonymous:
Of course, he should worry. What if an ugly bhootni got him? As he is not Dilip Kumar and therefore does not qualify for the terrace, what if he was pushed off the toilet window? He could easily end up with broken bones.

Karun Sharma:
Contrary to the comments above, I had sound sleep. I thought of leaving for the exercises, but because of small rains, decided to stay home. I must congratulate myself that I was able to isolate myself from what was happening around.