Booking Closed

Monthi Serrao accounts for cash receipts meant for the trip

Tara Chand Seth also wants to pay Monthi some money

The House Full board has come up for the South India tour (ref post of September 3) beginning November 24, 2015. The required number of 30 members has been reached and no further booking is being accepted. However, in the face of mounting pressure from other interested members, a ‘waiting list’ is now being drawn up in the event of last-minute drop-outs.
As things stand, the itinerary for the tour is as follows:
Departure Mumbai (by air): 24/11/2015
24/11 (night stay): Bangalore
25/11 to 26/11 (two nights): Mysore
27/11 to 28/11 (two nights): Ooty
29/11 (one night): back in Bangalore
30/11: overnight train to Hyderabad
01/12 to 02/12 (two nights): Hyderabad
03/12: Return to Mumbai (by air)
Significantly, the steadily lengthening ‘waiting list’ already has five members – among them, regulars like Bijoy Gupta and his wife, Pushpa. In all probability, Shekhawat would like to include them also, leaving nobody disappointed. But this more-the-merrier attitude is being strongly resisted, the argument being that the group would become ‘totally unmanageable’. The 40-member troupe on the disastrous Kerala tour of 2013 is being cited as a case in point.
There is yet another problem. Reports from the tour operator in Ooty indicate that any bus larger than a 30-seater would not be able to negotiate the sharp hair-pin bends on narrow hill tracts, thereby entailing a good deal of walking for the seniors.
Nobody wants to be caught in such a situation. And engaging two medium-sized buses would only raise costs – not to mention the individual liability of paying higher air fares for booking late.
How these issues are resolved depends entirely upon Shekhawat. He would have to take the final call when he returns from his vacation this month-end.

In Top Form

Action replay of the pick-pocketing act

Srichand Arora nearly got pick-pocketed during today's exercises. Stationed at his usual position in the circle, he was flexing his muscles and swinging his arms in the air, blissfully unaware of a hand that had stealthily slithered into the right pocket of his shorts. It pulled out some house keys, replaced them, then began exploring the other contents of the pocket… and still Arora was unaware of the intrusive hand.
Only when he discovered that everyone in the circle was staring at him open-mouthed, did he realize something was amiss. He swung around and came face to face with the owner of that hand: Mallika Kagzi. “She is the only person in the world capable of such mischief,” he deduced.
“But don’t you ever keep cash in your pocket?” Mallika asked cheekily.
Mallika was in superb form today.

Mallika won't give up on Arora easily

For more than a month, she had been unusually quiet and keeping low, often speaking about her brother-in-law who is critically ill in Surat. Even yesterday, when someone asked why she appeared off-colour,

Sitaram Hivarkar will be away
from tomorrow to nurse his knees

she revealed that her brother-in-law was still in ICU. But this morning, she was back to being her former self.
She started out by holding durbar in the China Hut with her famous weather forecasts. “It won’t rain today,” she declared, even as the sky was heavily overcast. “Go ahead and exercise bindaas in the middle of the Garden. Nothing will happen today, I'm telling you. But tomorrow morning, be careful. It will rain heavily. And the day after, it will be dry again!”
Even before the Arora-episode, Bijoy Gupta was to get another taste of the Mallika treatment. He needlessly provoked her, demanding to know what she and Santosh Tyagi were giggling about. “What’s so funny?” he bellowed. “I want to know!”
Out came Mallika like a bulldozer and proceeded towards Gupta with measured steps. Suddenly Gupta looked a pipsqueak before a larger-than-life entity, actually backing off to avoid a fatal collision. He blabbered something about being inattentive, not to talk while exercising and so on while Mallika kept advancing. She had one question for Gupta: “What's preventing you from talking?" and went on to cajole him. "Talk, talk… talk right now, let me hear what you have to talk.” Gupta clammed up instantly.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd) from Mohali:
This shows what female enterprise and skills are all about. Mallika Kagzi has demonstrated her expertise with hands -- which is not restricted to the enjoyable tea she makes.

Health Check

Harbans Kaur

Rainfall in Mumbai is said to be ‘below normal’ this year. And now, with the monsoon waning, there comes a sudden spurt in viral ailments of all variety. Not a day passes without news of someone or the other in the Garden down with some affliction – the most common being viral fever. Santosh Tyagi had it last week. Now it is Harbans Kaur’s turn. Even as she is recovering well, she remains home-bound and is yet to summon the strength to walk up to the Garden to exercise.
Given this backdrop of mounting health concerns, Jagmohan Papneja today extended

Jagmohan Papneja distributes papers on KDAH treat

an invite from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH) to high tea in its premises on Friday, September 11 at 4:00 pm. If that is not enough, there shall also be free lunch two days later, on Sunday, September 13 at the same venue. “It will be a five star fare,” Papneja assured while distributing copies of the invite.
Such uncalled-for generosity from an Ambani enterprise came as a surprise – more so, as KDAH is known for being the most pricey, exploitative and sub-standard medicare facility in our neighborhood. But then, to obfuscate matters, mention was also made of two seminars on Obesity and Diabesity and Alzheimer – words that were lost on practically everyone present this morning. What mattered was the free “five-star fare" Papneja was promising at KDAH’S expense and everything else on the sidelines be damned!

Big Deal

A new ‘joy train’ was commissioned today with Mumtaz Jahan taking Shekhawat’s place at the head as engine driver. Even Bijoy Gupta could not believe his eyes. “Thank God for this,” he clapped in joy. “I was sick and tired of seeing that black engine driver every morning leading the train.

Happy Birthday, Monthi Serrao

From today, we shall be having a gori engine driver!”
“This is our train from Kashmir coming directly to the Garden,” remarked Mohar Singh.
“And it is the only train from Jammu to arrive in Mumbai early morning,” added Mumtaz.
“So long as the train does not end up at Radhe Maa’s ashram…” Gupta joked.
The human train is an innocuous, if juvenile ritual enacted at the end of the freehand exercises and in effect, marking a transition to the second laughter round. Nobody ever thought much of it till Shekhawat made it a prestige issue, appropriating the right to be its engine driver and getting himself a whistle to do the honors every morning without fail. Nothing in heaven or earth – least of all Bijoy Gupta -- could make him surrender this right even for one day.
So, Mumtaz taking charge this morning became a big deal. And nobody could be happier than Gupta, who had faced Shekhawat’s wrath for the 'audacity' to lead the train once.

Checking Monthi's birthday calendar

Eggless cakes and chocos for all

He almost got socked on the face for doing the unimaginable in the latter’s absence. Now, with the drama replaying in almost similar circumstances, he is dying to see the reaction when Shekhawat returns and is informed of the “gori engine driver”.
Meanwhile, Monthi Serrao celebrated her birthday this morning with scrumptious eggless cakes and chocolates. She turned up late from the morning mass at church, resplendent in a striking gold-and-mauve silk sari that made her unrecognizable for a moment. But then, today was not just her special day. September 8 happens to be also the birthday of Mother Mary – otherwise known as Monthi, minus the Serrao.
Harish Wadhwa:
A very Happy Birthday Monthi-ji. Wishing you good health and joy in life.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd) from Mohali:
Happy Birthday, Monthi-ji. Wishing you a very happy, healthy and enjoyable year ahead. A fair-complexion engine driver is always welcome. Everyone will keep his/ her eyes glued to the front and the train will operate smoothly. Good luck to every passenger.

Belated Celebrations

Happy Birthday Najma Sayeed

Najma Sayeed celebrated her birthday today in absentia. She is in poor health and does not come to the Garden these days. On her birthday last Saturday, she had sent us a box of sweets with her neighbor, Khatoon Baig.

Khatoon Baig celebrates Teachers Day

But since we were in mourning (over Kishor Babani’s untimely demise) the treat was deferred by two days. We wish her the very best on the occasion and look forward to seeing her back for the exercises, hale and hearty.
Khatoon also wanted to treat us on Saturday, but for the same reason kept the celebration in abeyance. September 5 was Teacher’s Day. Today, the former high school teacher distributed kaju barfi to a round of applause and we even composed a song for her. A few mischievous old men went up to touch her feet and seek her blessings, the way kids do in school. It was all in good humour and Khatoon, though initially confused, took it sportingly.
Yet another reason to rejoice this morning was Arun Patil being able to walk into the Garden without support – not even crutches. Ved Prakash Grover was the first to notice this and when Santosh Tyagi joined him in congratulation, we realized that Arun was relying entirely on his prosthetic foot.

Birthday sweets from Najma

This was the first time since his amputation last April that he looked entirely self-reliant and in control.

Dilip Babani (centre) puts up a brave front

Still, we advised him not to take chances yet and move around with a walking stick in hand, just in case.
Despite the good cheer, Kishor Babani’s shadow hung heavy over the Garden through the morning. Time and again, his name cropped up during the exercises. As we were about to disperse, Dilip Babani met us at the gate. He was in grief no doubt, but managed to put up a brave front, acknowledging the condolences of well wishers with a look of resignation. After all, it is not easy to get over the loss of one who has been much more than an elder brother to him.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd) from Mohali:
It is nice to see Arun Patil walking without support. Initially one has to be careful, but gradually one builds the confidence to walk easily. Sheer determination and continuous effort will enable Arun to walk comfortably. Good luck to him.
Srichand Arora:
Very good news for all of us at Big Laaf: Mr Raghuvir Shekhawat has won the best TV writer award of 2015 from ITA (Indian Television Academy)). Congratulations, dear Raghuvir. May God bless you.