Happy Dussehra!

Dussehra celebration today, courtesy Geeta Latte (c)

When it rains, it pours. This was true not only of the freak showers during the week-end, but also of the sudden spate of Dussehra treats that brought an end to the seemingly indefinite drought and our enforced starvation every morning.
Santosh Tyagi opened the floodgates the day-before-yesterday when she treated us to ashtami prasad – platters of boiled chana and suji-halwa, rounded off with tea. She had organised a puja at home (as she does every year) and even kept fast. We did nothing of the sort but were rewarded on Thursday morning.
The following day, it was the turn of Urmila Sinha – the new lady who exercises with us unfailingly (she's not even a member) every morning. She too had brought us prasad – assorted fruits, home-fried salties, water chestnut, candy flakes, sweet boondi… to mark Vijaya Dashami on Friday. The refreshingly simple yet sumptuous offering made for the kind of stuff money can never buy off the shelf.

Santosh Tyagi (r) celebrates on Thursday

Urmila Sinha (c) celebrates on Friday

Today Geeta Latte pulled off a hat trick of sorts by celebrating Dussehra proper after the exercises. She came with boxes of Bangladeshi cake toast and crispy wafer-thin biscuits a friend had brought from Dimapur, Nagaland. Together with Banoo Apa’s addictive tea and plenty of eats to go around, the unique treat verily made our day.
Yet another major treat is in the offing with Rukhsana Khan today inviting all present to her birthday celebration on Monday. Meanwhile, here’s wishing everyone a HAPPY DUSSEHRA -- good health, peace and prosperity.

Bihari Milwani:
Raavan is dead, partying has started!