Editorial
In the New Year one is looking for hope, leaving behind a year of despondency and despair. Are there any signs? For starters, inflation is on the retreat. Petrol and cooking gas prices have become more affordable. Winter has not been that severe and unkind. Teachers and Government servants have got a pay hike. It’s the private sector, which is still in need of resuscitation. I have reasonable cause to believe that the worst is over and we are in for a period of consolidation. Inflation is expected to touch 2% by April/May. Lending rates should come down to between 7 and 8% which should revive buying, thereby boosting the economy. Hopefully, after the lessons learnt from the Mumbai terror attack, our intelligence agencies are better prepared and the security forces are better equipped to prevent terror strikes. All in all, the signs are encouraging.
We were in for a pleasant surprise on 9th January. Mr. K. Rajagopal, a cousin of Gita Rastogi.and a crooner par excellence. was passing through Delhi. Gita latched on to the opportunity and made him agree to a performance in the badminton court. Raju, as he is referred to amongst his friends, is very familiar with Yamuna,as several of his school mates are current residents of Yamuna. His pretty wife, Sandhya, an alumnus of DTEA, also has several friends here. So, in a quirky sort of way, it was homecoming for them and his performance came from the heart. Raju, who is based in Chennai, has sung in several Tamil films and has performed on the stage in India and abroad. His repertoire includes the old classics of Mohammed Rafi, Mannadey, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh etc. He could sing these songs with the background music, thanks to a karaoke mike and music provided by Raju Parameswaran and TV monitor by Akhila. He regaled the audience with his mellifluous voice and nostalgic numbers. In some numbers Bhavani joined him. Others who lent their voices were Lavanya, Gomathi, Umapathi, Raju Parameswaran and Ramabadhran. He signed off with a medley of Tamil and Hindi songs intricately woven into each other that it appeared like a seamless whole. The performance went much beyond the scheduled duration as hehad to oblige the audience with their requests. Gita Rastogi gave a vote of thanks to Raju. If you thought the night was over after the couple’s departure, you are sadly mistaken. Yamunaites when roused into a passion, go the whole hog. So, you had the likes of Sujatha, Netra, Vatsala, Sudha, Tejasvini and several others singing away through the night beside the dying embers of the bon-fire.
The heritage walk to Vijay Mandal and Begumpuri Masjid (Tughlak era monuments) scheduled for the 11th January had to be called off for the second time due to lack of adequate response. It is a pity that people today are only interested in pursuits that guarantee instant gratification. Nobody has the time or inclination to explore, savour and reflect on things of a bygone era. A heritage walks kindles one’s curiosity ; it takes you to a world far removed from us, making us imagine the skills and technology of the builders and planners who, in a world without computers or modern technological tools, built these marvellous edifices. The scale of some of these structures is so awesome that you would be wonderstruck, how without mechanical means such structures could be built. Of course, there are elements in it of slave labour, palace intrigues and other frailties of the human mind, which were prevalent in much greater measure then. But that is history, and history no matter how wicked, has lessons in it for us. The loss is ours, as Ramji Narayan is a master raconteur.
Lohri, which signals the end of the coldest period of winter, was celebrated with gusto in the badminton court on 13th January. For Prashant and Isha, it was their first Lohri after marriage and thus entailed a small ceremony. Lavanya, Radhika and Madhavi sang some Punjabi songs to make Isha’s family feel at home. The people gathered exchanged traditional Lohri eats. The absence of some of the usual Lohri singers like Deepak Verma of H- 208, Sudha of H-202, Sujatha of H-308, and Aseem of E-301 was felt. The singing lacked the gusto one associates with Lohri singing. The bonfire didn’t disappoint, though the programme came to a premature end due to the following day being a working one.
In former times I used to always wonder what the big deal was about parenting, when I ‘d heard parents constantly cribbing about various things. Now I realise that it is indeed a big deal if not the biggest. Trying to reason with the kids is an exercise in futility. When we reprimand them, they view us as humourless monastic types who stay indoors and watch the news. They don’t want us to mess with their idea of fun. The only problem is the fun never ends. Besides, they are always found with I- Pods or mobiles vying for their eardrums, so that they can always claim that they never heard you. If you deprive them of either, they suffer from separation pangs. If a person can find a magic formula to defang the kids, I am sure he will have many followers.
Slumdog Millionaire is a movie of events that happen in our midst, but we who are cocooned from the nether world of crime, grime, subterfuge etc, as we stay in our private isles, are not quite privy to the seamier side of the city. The movie, brilliantly directed by Danny Boyle, brings you face to face with a world we could do without. It is a cruel world that preys on the innocent, the gullible and the hapless for their own profit. These parasites see opportunity in poverty. There were several brilliant performances by the cast. The impish naughtiness of two brothers who are thrown into a world of crime due to circumstances, the canny and wickedly brilliant game show host played by Anil Kapoor, the evil exploiters of the innocent children who carry out their gruesome deeds under the mask of a beatific smile, are all roles which have been executed with panache. City slickers like us should definitely see this movie.
There has been a news item about DJB planning to impose restrictions on use of water supplied to households for use in gardens and washing of sundry other things. Notwithstanding this advisory, we should take cognisance of the implications on the environment by indiscriminate use of water and electricity. We would therefore, request all residents to conserve water and electricity.
It is not uncommon for Committee members being collared by residents, while taking a walk, to be told about their grievances on various issues. In order that all the concerns of the residents get the attention it deserves, it is advised that they drop their complaints/suggestions, with their names and addresses, in the Society Office letter box. We would like to assure that your suggestions, if practical and beneficial to the residents at large, will be considered favourably in the monthly Managing Committee meeting.
OBITUARY
Fate dealt a cruel blow to Harish Krishnamurthy (C-103,) when at the young age of 23, he lost his life in a road accident in Bangalore. The residents of Yamuna share the grief of this loss with the bereaved family.
SNIPPETS
On the 4th of January Sri Jogdhian Hari Bagwan Rastogi Charitable Memorial Trust conducted a bone and joint disease detection camp for senior citizens, in the Community Centre. Free consultations, bone densitometry and osteoporosis tests were conducted for those who attended the camp. Dr. Dhananjay Gupta, Senior Orthopaedic Consultant and Gita Rastogi, Senior Physiotherapy Consultant, Orthonova Hospital, conducted the camp with the help of 6 junior doctors. Ace logistical support was provided by the Trustees, Nalin Kumar Rastogi, Deepa Rastogi and Madhubala Rastogi.Below poverty line patients were asked to approach the Trust for free medical and surgical treatment whenever required.
It has been a case of return of a die-hard Yamuna resident, when Mr. Balasubramaniam and his family returned to B-202 from Bangalore, where they spent a few years. Undoubtedly they love their homecoming.
Separation pangs got the better of Srividya and Aanavi of A-308 who had spent the better part of a year without Anand whose job took him to Singapore. Lets hope the united family find life in Singapore a lot better than Yamuna.
Consequently, Hariharan, who used to live in B-202, had to vacate the premises for the return of Mr. Balasubramaniam; he has now moved to A-308.
Tejaswin Harishanker (G-106) has proved to be an all-rounder in sports, as he lifted the trophy for Best Athlete in the Primary School Championship of Sardar Patel Vidyalaya. Way to go, Tejas !
Healthfile
WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS RIGHT…..IS WRONG!
*Reading in dim light can ruin eyesight
No way! Dim light tires them, dries them out and can unfocus them, but does not cause near or far sightedness.
*The harder the mattress, the better for your back
Truth is, those who sleep on moderately firm mattresses are twice as likely to have back problems. Be choosy, like goldilocks and pick one that is neither too hard, nor too soft. When you lie down, the mattress should mould itself to the shape of your back.
*Cooking veggies kills all nutrients
Vitamins come in several shapes, sizes and characteristics. Relax – while it’s true that cooking does cause loss of some Vit. C (which is water soluble), it actually makes other antioxidants like beta carotene (in carrots, turnips, pumpkin) and lycopene from tomatoes more easily available. Confused? Simply cook some veggies, eat others raw. Don’t throw away the water in which they’re cooked. Even better, let them cook in their own juices or steam. (Health)
Letter from Singapore
