I don’t know how it is with you, but with me often the thought of a forthcoming event - say train travel - is more interesting than the event itself. This applies no less to Navaratri celebrations. Initially you are on cloud nine until complacency takes over slowly but steadily.
Days 1, 2, 3 started off with enthusiasm as never before with musical chair ruling the roost - to get a seat at the temple function, that is. Days 4 and 5 passed off peacefully, with steady signs of downslide. Day 6 touched the low ebb.
Like during office- days when one got an elated feeling on Thursday evenings: “Thank God It’s Friday, and weekend thereafter,” Day 7 rekindled joy at the forthcoming Durga Ashtami, Navami and Vijayadasami celebrations. And, there you were, fully geared for a final assault in a Kal Ho Naa Ho spirit.
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A resplendent air of festivity filled the PP3 complex with pujas, chantings of Lalitha Sahasranamam, Devi Mahatmyam, and stutis resonating, not to speak of ladies move around attired in their best.
The Gujan Paripalana management arranged prasadam in the morning and evening, and different kinds of payasam on all nine days, with no repetition. Distribution was clubbed with lunch and dinner so that everyone is covered.
During the entire period of celebrations the discerning eyes watched brisk movements in Vijayalaxmi, Geeta Rani, Dhivya, Saranya, Surya… ensuring that all arrangements were in order - be it for the busy morning puja arrangements, the evening seating arrangements in the auditorium, serving water to the audience who would not like to miss a minute (even the system-generated pressure had to wait till the interval), or make a special bus pick-up and drop arrangements to counter rain. ‘Anticipation’, seems to be the watchword for their operations.
In sharp contrast, Arvind, the Cafeteria Manager, was his usual unruffled self wearing his iconic calm and composed Buddha face. He shouldered the extra responsibility of packing and distributing Prasadams, payasams with his customary casual approach. For him, ‘This will also pass’ seemed to be the doctrine.
Yet another quiet, but smooth operator was our respected temple pujari Bharat. He performed all the rituals perfectly, but minus any pomp and show.
If the Management was so enthusiastic, the PP3 residents proved Hum Kisise Kum Nahin. In recognition of the year-long excellent services provided by PP3 staff in their respective fields, Shankaranarayanan & Co, from the resident community, collected/is collecting voluntary contributions from residents to be disbursed to PP3 staff on Diwali.
Meanwhile, for Navaratri the ladies collected voluntary contributions and offered ceremonious Manjal Kumkumam to the lady staff and resident ladies. No less equal to the occasion. Sky is the limit for such gestures. Long live that spirit.
Pujas and rituals all the way and no lighter moments is like all work and no play. Just not done. The Management so thoughtfully organized a series of Carnatic music recitals and discourse by a well known artist. Film-music dance and cultural programs featuring PP3 staff attracted special applause. God knows how and when they got time to rehearse these perfect-deliveries with the Navaratri-arrangement-responsibilities added to their routine work. No less, the in-house talents, enough and to spare, organized group bhajan, dance, singing sessions, food-for-thought speeches, not to speak of a full fledged drama . Befitting the retirement community that we live in, the theme was, “Age is never a bar to start a new venture”. By and large all the shows ran to packed audience, a fitting finale to residents’ day’s hectic schedule.
Finally, the inanimate objects. The good old original pattu, heavy-weight sarees that lay suffocating in the attic in an antique trunk, pining to see the light of the day, too got their annual turn to resurface, and to be their Owner’s pride and Others envy.
Bottom line: Our in-house varied talents may not match the best in town. No matter. We are a contended lot, and are hell-bent on enjoying life to the full.
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