Sorry, V R Too Busy

SORRY, V R TOO BUSY That is what echoes around Srishti. Yesterday morning Srishti-ites had a gala Independence Day celebration - way ahead of the earlier ones . At this rate you could expect a lot more in the years to come, I bet. The "Mishri uncle", "Kalkandu uncle", or the"Tic Tac" uncle, as he is variously popular with kids, Mr Janaradhanan (B-407) unfurled the national flag. Mrs Shymala Lakshmipathi (B-806), guest speaker, recounted India's independence struggle, and appealed to the younger generation to take the country to greater heights. The kids, not to be outdone, presented a programme featuring the various communities that the country is made up of, paying obeisance to Bharat Mata. The ladies, individually and in groups, inspired the audience with patriotic songs, with a welcome debut by Chitra, daughter of Mr and Mrs Srinivasan (A-305) - a solo of the evergreen song "…Woh Bharat Desh Hai Mera…' (To keep records straight, hers was a 'debut' for Srishti; otherwise she has several CDs to her credit on Hindustani music and bhajans.) Mrs Krishna Bhattacharya, of A-603, whom Srishti-ites have now begun to count on whenever she is around, gave a pep talk to the youth a la Vivekananda: "Awake, Arise, and Stop Not till the goal is reached." (How are you Mrs KB? We saw you gasping for breath during the speech. Please do take care.) Coinciding with Independence Day celebrations, the Managing Committee had arranged a puja to formally inaugurate the A Block new lift, just readied. Residents had a test ride up and down before everyone clapped in unison: "Smooth, noiseless, fast,…' The solitary exception from a quarter was: "No mirrors?". The Kone representative clarified that mirrors would interfere with electronic functioning and hence licensing authorities don't sanction their installation - or some such thing. I wish I were more attentive. My mind was preoccupied with the Samosa and burfee carton about to be opened outside and my hurry to get there on time. We learn, this time the contract was given to a local guy, and it would seem he has ensured a berth for himself for future Srishti events. When congratulated on their excellent job on lift, the two MC representatives present accepted it with a rider: "We wish the person to whom the real credit goes, Sunil Talreja, were here. His is off to Kenya on duty travel." Then, well done Sunil. A day before, on the 14th August to be precise, Srishti witnessed a motorcade (8 to 12 cars) leaving the premises in the morning. Yes, it was heading for a high-end hotel in Yelahanka. My ex-next door neighbors Srinivas Rao and Amulu were solemnising their daughter Srikavya's wedding. We still cannot forget the scene when, with a half-ton school bag on her back and an unfinished sandwich still in one hand and wishing her parents bye bye with the other, she would rush to the lift. And now here she was, a charming bride on stage awaiting the knot to be tied by Krishna Teja, a very handsome bridegroom. No wonder we heard someone whisper, "For selecting the best bridegroom, take help from Amulu and Srinivas." We wish the newly marrieds many many years of happy wedded life. That was also an occasion to renew contact with Jayasree (Amulu's sister) now in a villa in Devanahalli. "So, does Ramakrishna still go for his morning walk?" "Yes, he does, but the problem is he never returns. He likes the openness, and fresh air over there so much." Speaking of moves, Srinivas/Amulu, our neighbor on left (704) had moved to NOIDA sometime ago. Now, on right, (702), Siva/Prashanti will leave Srishti at the end of the month. Anyway, I leave for Kerala next week, and I will need to spend some time with astrologer Panikkar to check if these moves are because or in spite of us as neighbors. Back in Srishti, yesterday evening witnessed no less activity. The Bajajs (B-202) had organized a bhajan in their house. They have a community group which conducts bhajans in every member's house by turn. With a mike that was working, a dholak to bring vibrancy to the atmosphere, and spirited singers in action with gay abandon, it was an evening well spent. To cap it all, what was laid out on the table as prasad, turned out to be a buffet dinner. (I bet, Bajaj's apartment was originally Shriram Property's model house.) I told you, we are busy in Srishti. V.V. Sundaram B-703 16 Aug. 2014

Srishti Day 2014

Srishti Day 2014 Let me - before someone else does - recap last evening’s Srishti Day celebrations. The event per se took place yesterday but the Yoga Room, the Gym, the sit-out, and some apartments, never witnessed more buzz than in the past month with Srishti-ites ranging from toddlers to a septuagenarian agog with rehearsals. The programme, slated to start at 5 pm, took off on the dot an hour later. Soon the area was jam-packed with parents and siblings wielding cameras, videos, Ipods. The tent contractor had erected a sturdy stage that was just one meter short of a football ground length, and was exceedingly well decorated. “The best so far,” said one. If only the mike had been a little cooperative, it would have been a sone pe suhaga (icing on the cake – Google). But it chose to disown us at regular intervals. “We too should settle the contractor’s bill in instalments,” quipped a tit for tat observer. Surekha rendered the invocation song – a soothing number from Anup Jalota’s Bhajan collections. The still-a-learner Sujata gave an able keyboard support. A series of entertaining programmes followed. The toddlers dance, ever a feast for the eyes, was well received despite the youngest in the centre standing unmoved gazing what in the world her other friends in the stage were doing. The dance of the five-to-eight year group girls in glittering costume was nothing short of a professional performance. So were the dances of others in varying age groups, not to omit the ones by the office-going menfolk, another by the ladies and, not the least, by seniors. Was it dance all the way? No, not at all. There were children and adolescents who could run their nimble fingers through the keyboards and violin strings to reproduce some of the popular English and Hindi numbers. There was a skit by the ladies on ‘10 years in Srishti’, another by the young ones on the judicious use of the depleting water supply, talks by veterans (the earliest settlers in Srishti), question-answer sessions with the audience in between programmes… Had a panel of judges been asked to pick the best programme, perhaps that would have been the toughest job. When I named to a discerning observer two events for a possible top slot, he quipped, “Well, I would short-list three, and unfortunately you couldn’t view the third yourself.” Inwardly I felt happy the programme where I featured had not misfired, but pretended to refute him. Last but not the least, the food was good. Post-dinner, one could see a contended face among those who had a paisa vasool agenda. V.V. Sundaram B-703 03 Aug 2014