Gudi Padwa 2019

Kiran Prakash (standing) playing host of the most at High Point Restaurant 

Party in progress

Cutting the cake for his 70th birthday 

Gudi Padwa, an auspicious day in our part of the world. It is the first day on the Marathi calendar marking the onset of spring. It is also the day Lord Brahma created the universe, the day Lord Shiva performed the cosmic dance, the day Lord Ram was crowned after his surgical strike on Ravan and the day Lord Kiran Prakash celebrates his birthday.
At least, so was it today.

Yusuf Rassiwala presents calendar

And what a celebration that was!
For the first time in Club history, we were having a breakfast blast away from the Garden, in a restaurant proper (ref post of April 4). Nahid Khan, Geeta Latte, Rukhsana Khan, etc. came specially decked up for the occasion. En masse, we trooped out of the Garden, crossed the road and slowly made our way on foot to High Point in Lokhandwala Market.
It was early hours still, but Kiran Prakash had made prior arrangements with the restaurant management for us, which included setting apart an air-conditioned

Trooping out of the Garden gate for the restaurant

section meant exclusively for the birthday bash.

Bhaswati presents crystal glass memento

Bijoy Gupta got his opportunity to belt out a funny filmy number while Razia Khan waxed eloquent with shero-shayari suited to the occasion.
The food too was special – light, but wholesome – comprising idlis, a choice of dosas and medu wadas, washed down with hot, refreshing tea. And then came the moment we were eagerly waiting for: Kiran Prakash finally cut the birthday cake to the refrain of the birthday song and we got our dessert at the end.
Earlier in the morning, we sailed through the exercises in the Garden and soon after, the celebrations were flagged of by raising the customary fourth laugh and much back slapping and high fives. From the outset, we were conscious that this was Kiran Prakash’s 70th birthday and we needed to make it special for him.

Banoo Apa presents a personal gift

Geeta Latte presents a personal gift

Before long, Yusuf Rassiwala stepped up and presented him with the Club calendar amid a round of applause. Banoo Apa followed. She had brought him a personal gift, as did Geeta Latte. And then, it was Bhaswati Bose’s turn to present a special crystal glass memento – a tradition we have maintained as a mark of collective respect towards all those who have celebrated their platinum jubilee with us.
We do not know what the birthday boy made of all this. The way things kept happening all around him, he looked as confused and amused as a child in a circus for the first time. He kept smiling to himself, looking left and right, up and down, not knowing what to expect next. That look of bewilderment, to us, was the biggest takeaway from a memorable morning well spent.

Happy Birthday, once again, Kiran Prakash! Who will say this man has crossed 70 years?

Photo Credit: Most of the pictures in this post were clicked by GEETA LATTE
Geeta Latte:
It was a lovely birthday party 💐🙏