Diwali Bonanza

Shekhawat's treat

Urmila Sinha's prasad

Nahid Siddiqui's treat

Rakhee Bansi's treat

Banoo Apa's treat

We were in for a major windfall this morning with as many as five, rpt. five Diwali treats showered upon us soon after the exercises. This was unprecedented and totally unexpected.
In fact, Shekhawat had promised us a treat yesterday – even making an announcement the previous day for everyone to be present. But he had clean forgotten and came empty-handed to the Garden yesterday!
Today though, he came loaded with a big white bag of pedas, neatly pre-packed in pouches. Urmila Sinha followed with her ‘Diwali prasad’ comprising fruits and til laddoos. Then there was Nahid Siddiqui showing up after nearly two months with crispy jalebi-like sweets from Varanasi. Not to be left behind, Rakhee Bansi had a boxful of barfis waiting for us. And if these were not enough, Banoo Apa had her flask ready with cold, refreshing lassi to wash down all the stuff -- verily providing the proverbial topping on the cake!
Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd):
It is nice to see Rassiwala back in the Garden. He looks really cheerful and enthusiastic. I wish him good health. Diwali is one occasion enjoyed best collectively. Good to note that a number of people had come with their bags filled with eats today. Good show. Enjoy to your heart's fill... but also keep your health in mind.

Diwali 2018

On behalf of the club, Yusuf Rassiwala extends an invitation to all members to be present in the Garden this weekend, i.e. November 10 (Saturday) for the annual Diwali bash. The menu for the snacks and refreshment was also finalised. Sitaram Hivarkar had dropped by to wish us all a HAPPY DIWALI.

Back with a Bang

Yusuf Rassiwala (c) reassures everyone that he feels fit and fine

Diwali arrived with a BANG at the Garden as the exercises drew an unusually heavy turnout this morning. Significantly, Shekhawat was there, fresh from a sojourn at his village in Rajasthan. More significantly, Yusuf Rassiwala turned up also, back from the momentous mishap

Shekhawat is back

that raised a scare last week (ref post of October 31).
So it came as no surprise that people in the know stopped short on their tracks and converged around Yusuf R the moment he was spotted in the Garden. Vijay Bhai in particular, suspended his walk and seated him on a bench for a quick update. Urmila Sinha, Bijoy Gupta and other ‘early birds’ of the Club looked on, equally anxious. Shekhawat, who had no clue of the incident, was apprised of the situation.
Before long, a wave of relief swept across the many well-wishers when Yusuf R assured them that he was hale and hearty – just that he felt a little

Movie of the month

unsure of himself which, as he said, could “only be psychological”. His cardiologist had given him a clean chit (after going through his test results) and for all practical purposes, he was every inch his normal self.
Yusuf R however, sounded a cautionary note when he informed that his doctor had counseled against continuing with the ‘head rotating’ exercise – especially for those who had crossed the age of 50. This is very much in line with Angad Singh’s advice (ref comments of October 31). So without any ado, the exercise was summarily dropped from our regimen, effective today.
Meanwhile, the Club’s movie mavens today found a new excuse to set out – Badhaai Ho. With Ayushmann Khurrana, Neena Gupta and Sanya Malhotra in the lead, this unconventional dramedy on the effects of an elderly middle-class couple landing an unplanned pregnancy has been running to full houses for a fortnight – reason enough for Santosh Tyagi, Bhaswati Bose, Nahid Khan and a few others to sacrifice their siesta this afternoon. The movie outing comes close on the heels of another Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer, Andhadhun on October 23 (see post).

DAY 2699

Pic of the Week

WHAT DOES SHE REMIND YOU OF?

Tongue Exercise

Practising the Tongue Exercise

Yusuf Rassiwala’s shocking fall and subsequent memory lapse (ref previous post) has jolted us into introducing a small but significant change in our daily routine. Starting today, we are to stick the tongue out after our free-hand round – move it right, then left, ten times – before proceeding with the rest of the exercises.
Prescribed by the U.S.-based Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, this

Angad Singh (file photo)

“tongue exercise” is supposed to be effective in treating memory loss – not to mention reducing or curing hypertension, blood clotting of the brain, asthma, ear buzzing, throat infection, sleeping disorders and even paralytic attacks.
The idea behind introducing this exercise is that while our hour-long regimen (which includes a warm-up tai-chi round) takes care of all parts of our body we have been neglecting the brain. As senior citizens, this has been to our detriment when the fact remains that the tongue is the strongest and closest muscle to the brain that stimulates its neural connections. In that sense, Yusuf R’s mishap the other day had come as a wake-up call for us.
Lt Col Angad Singh (retd), who has been closely following these developments (through the blog) has additionally recommended that we disband the “head rotating” round to prevent any further casualty. “It is not good for us senior citizens,” the 85-year-old opined from Mohali (where he is based now). “Moreover, we do not require it as the exercise is preceded by the up-and-down and left-and-right neck movements… which should more than suffice.”
In his concern towards our welfare, Angad Singh has some more tips to share with us when he visits Mumbai in December. Meanwhile, Yusuf R informs that he is feeling “fit and fine” and has been consulting Siba Prasad Maitra and Banoo Apa’s husband, Dr Muhammed Farooq Khan with his medical papers. Both have confirmed that there is nothing really to worry any more.
However, only after a neurosurgeon sees those reports can Yusuf R be said to be out of the woods. Watch this space.