Yes,
what with a host of activities.
Preparations
to celebrate the third consecutive Onam festival in SFV with excellent fun fare
in place kept resident-Keralites on their toes… until floods in Kerala forced
them suspend Onam plan in favour of relief operations. Col Paddy and Nalini
deserve special compliments for the outstanding job they did in coordinating
the efforts. No less was the enthusiastic response of all SFVians, which
resulted in another flood in Col’s house with relief items of all kinds.
Similar
efforts are now on for Kodagu area in Karnataka which is also affected by
unprecedented floods. The lady (Ms Komala?) on the ground floor just opposite
the entry to Food World (Maple 3011?) is coordinating, I learn.
Today
it is Yajurveda Upakarma – or popularly known as Avini Avittam. To quote a
reliable site, “The main purpose of the Upakarma ritual is to offer prayers and
express the gratitude to those Rishis who gave the knowledge of Vedas and
revealed Vedic Mantras to the mankind. The next day is Gayatri Japam day.” Gayatri Japam coincides
more often with Raksha Bandhan in North when sisters display their love and
affection to their brothers.
The
Varamahalakshmi puja was in full blast in SFV last week. This festival is more
pronounced in Karnataka though it is celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Andhra and
Telengana too. On this day sumangalis
observe vrata, fast, for the welfare
of the family in general, and the husband in particular. Sumangalis get invited
to each other’s house for haldi kumkum.
I can count having stood guard to my apartment at least six times that day when
Aunty kept honouring various invitations.
All
work and no play would render life monotonous. Both should go side by side. In
keeping with that, the sports wing of SFV was equally busy conducting BPL
Tournament (Badminton Premier League), this time for Seniors too. Today was the
last day with a host of matches lined up from 8 am till 7.30 pm. With the sky
overcast in the evening followed by a thunderous shower, one felt apprehensive
if the closing ceremony to be held at the Amphitheatre from 7.30 to 9.30 pm
would be a washout. That was not to be. The sky cleared by 7 pm to let us go
ahead.
The
ceremony also revealed some hidden talents. Manoj, of 3181, whom we have seen
frequenting the tennis court and the badminton court, is a versatile – he is quite
at ease as a compere, and kept the audience in good spirits in that open air
and inclement weather.
My
friend Professor Manikutty gave away most of the prizes and I, the rest of it. As
an aside, for the Independence Day it was nice of an Oak resident, working in a
school in Rajarajeswari Nagar, to request me to be the chief guest at the school
function. I had to politely decline since I was keen to be part of SFV
celebrations. Nonetheless I felt happy the lady decided to identify a commoner
for the honour.
Back
to BPL, different kinds of food stalls, cake shop and readymade garments had
sprung up in the Amphitheatre vicinity. I would guess all of them had brisk
business. For, when I was returning home, I still saw some residents trying
their luck, and the stalls cleaning up.
They
say not only must justice be done, it must also be seen to be done. Precisely
that is what the present MC has been busy with. They deliberated on a few issues
and in one go shot out five directives streamlining the operations. Empty gas cylinders will no longer be left
with Security staff for replacement, postal men will hereafter sort mail in the
respective mail boxes, no food items ordered will be permitted delivery after
11.30 pm, residents will collect electricity bills, if any, from Association
Office, etc.
And,
before we get a breather, Gokula Ashtami is due on 2 Sept, and Ganesh
Chathurthi on the13th, to be followed by Navarathri in October and Diwali in
November.
Yes,
being busy is the name of the game.
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