All Happened in Our Sector (31)
Is it time to revisit the manner in which we celebrate our festivals? Firecrackers for Diwali, polluting fires for Lohri and Holi. Processions for Muharram and Durga Puja. Visarjan, jaagran
for many. Roadside prayers for Friday prayers, loudspeakers for EVERYTHING!!
Would someone please enlighten me? Is Lohri the end of winter? Or peak winter? Or after reaching the peak, there can only be a downward journey?
Ok. Bhaashan, gyaan and philosophy over. Now HAPPYYY Lohri!!!
It didn’t start off too well. A surly president Bhatt was sulking because his dream project of creating a playing ground for the children of the Sector was close to fruition, but he hadn’t been able to get much traction to his suggestion for a Sports Day on the site: the event being hijacked by Chetan and Ritu Dillon, our general secretaries and transformed into a Winter festival. It took some coaxing to get him from washing his hands off the event. Finally, we were able to convince him, that Lohri being performed in the area next to the playground would rehabilitate the entire area. Always one to seize the opportunity; he roped in the Noida Authority to send a JCB to clear the area, and do substantial levelling. The huge pipes of the Electricity Board were dragged to one side. Labour was employed to level the field, and remove rocks and debris. The odd-job man spent 3 days cleaning up the litter and sweeping the area. The car park area was reorganised and shifted away from the proposed site. Finally, the area began to look usable. The bonfire, immaculately erected to army standards by Col. Vikram, and artistically decorated with coloured chuna was centre stage. Think-tank now decided on the rural look. The gardeners residing in the tenements behind were inveigled into using their natural talents to create 2 macchaans, complete with thatched roofs and lanterns, old colourful sarees were wrapped around the bamboo poles, to create a rustic look. Manjis were borrowed from the Sector Khasras, and hookahs were installed, replete with tambaku. The final touch was the appropriation of a cow from Saroj ka Khasra and tying her to a wooden Khooti. The Kittens Club generously offered to sponsor the moongphali, revari and coffee. There were also generous contributions by residents…
7 o clock was congregation time and barely a resident was visible. Had we mistimed? Was no one coming??
Sweety Gulati wasn’t helping any, by hissing in my ear that the “Pratha” was to celebrate the fire at home to rid the home of bad karma sins blah, blah. Meantime, the gardeners’ children were happily quaffing coffee and looking spaniel-eyed at the revari, popcorn distribution Kitten volunteers. The khatiyas in the machaan became an impromptu village scene, as gossiping auratan bemoaned the …bahu newly arrived into the village. A giant stride in sex equality is achieved with the Choraas, Prez Viren and Vikram with Saala in tow participating in the gossip.
1930: Fire lighting time. A couple of residents trickled in and I held my breath. Would we have a quorum – at least 40?
1940: it was a Vidya Balan Moment (The Dirty Picture.) Residents poured in, in droves, and the ‘urchins’ who had been ensconced on the chairs were unceremoniously dispatched to provide a chair for senior citizens. It was lovely to see our super citizens and my personal favourite Shreshtha Gagneja.
The Kittens are quite blasé. Used to taking control, revri, popcorn and moongphali are dished out with japan assembly line proficiency. Anita Bhalwar takes over the proceedings in her inimitable style, initiating an impromptu dance circle. My favourite performer is Dr Vashisth who is equally magical with dogs, daktri daughter and dance. The Mittals danced hand in hand, reviving romantic memories, though other males are chary of shaking a leg. The firewas lit and the ritual phera was taken. Photos are clicked and hectic socialising ensued I breathed a sigh of relief. Another successful social event for the residents!
by Anita Singh (9810027974)
