Issue No. 135 I November 2012

EDITORIAL

The Sports Day was held on 4^th November in balmy weather under a thick blanket of haze, which kept most residents indoors. But the ones who ventured to the lawn were treated to a spectacle that was both exhilarating and comical. What once used be the playground of ‘under five’s’, the sudden depletion of numbers ensured that prizes were almost guaranteed for those who participated. With the newlyweds and those in the fertile age group putting away their decision to have children, the demographics of Yamuna is undergoing a sea change. With great effort we could muster three children who could compete in the under five category. With ‘picking the toffees’ always turning out to be raucous affair, what with the audience wanting to pick their own to cheer on. The children who were zapped with all the attention must have viewed the audience as a bunch of loonies letting out their steam. Tanvi Savarkar with three first place finishes was the star of the Sports Day. Vidhya Nair amongst the ladies secured first spot in both ladies events of lemon & spoon and needle & thread. Men took part in a race after hiatus of a year. Kunal Savarkar shot off the blocks and showed a clean pair of heels to the chasing mob! Anup Nair valiantly tried to catch up with him but finished second. Ved Sinha and Deepak Varma were in a dead heat and finished at joint third spot. Take a look at all the prize winners on the notice board.

As usual the show of the morning was the ‘Tug of War’, where men were pitted against women and girls vied with boys. The ladies and gents played a ‘best of three’ contest. I must confess I have not seen a more evenly and bitter pitched battle. After a see-saw contest in the first round which threatened to go either way, the men finally prevailed. The women did not want to give up easily as they took sweet revenge in the next round by hauling the men in like a sack of coal. This effort seemed to take a toll on the women as they caved in meekly in the decider. The girls and boys event was also an evenly matched contest with the boys scraping past the girls 2 to 1.

Pursuing matters with graft ridden departments of Government or Quasi Government bodies is always a challenge. Bharti, Seetha, Mr. P.K.K. Nair and Mr. P.Krishnamurthy with outside help from Umapathy are doing a stellar job in relentlessly following up with the concerned authorities to get the required approvals and overturning the financial demands placed on the Society. We need to be grateful to these members for sparing their time for the benefit of all the members.

Diwali Mela which was held on 10^th November, while being one of the best in form, content and stage décor, drew fewer crowds from both within Yamuna and outside. A surfeit of clashing events like a wedding reception of a former Yamuna resident and three other mela’s in the vicinity acted as deterrents. However, it did not in any way dampen the enthusiasm of the assembled congregation who played games, relished the eats and jived to the music till late into the night. Sujata Sundaresan was instrumental in arranging two of the stalls. Srikant Murthy lent the projector, Mohan Krishnaswamy and Raghav lent their motorcycles to adorn the music stall. Mr. Krishnaswamy donated some articles for the hoopla stall. Soumya and Srikant amongst others were very helpful in dismantling and putting away the equipment and games after the event. I applaud Prashant senior and his crew for putting up a fabulous display on the stage. My thanks go out to all those who made the event enjoyable. Having said that, I have reasonable cause to believe that it is an event which is fast losing its charm. This is noticeable from the extent of voluntary work in staging the show and dwindling crowds on the day. No doubt it is enjoyable on the day of the event but it just does not justify the effort required to be put over a period of a month. I do not see the event continuing in future years unless either there is renewed enthusiasm or someone else is willing to take over the planning and organisation of the event.

We are grateful to Jayashree Mohan for having introduced Chintan to the Society. Chintan’s scientific garbage removal and segregation has made the garbage dump more sanitised. In order that we make the environment more conducive to scientific waste management, we earnestly request you to give kitchen waste consisting of vegetable/fruit peels, food waste etc in a separate bag to the Jamadarni and not mix it up with dry waste like paper, plastic, bottles, metals etc. Likewise e-waste such as used batteries, CFL lamps and other electronic items should be deposited in the green bin placed in the Society office. E-waste is carcinogenic and can leach into the ground and render ground water poisonous. The added bonus of entrusting the task of garbage removal to Chintan is that they remove everything leaving the C block corner clean and sanitised and it is all done free of cost !

Diwali, the festival of lights started early for me. I was roused from my sleep by a burst of crackers at three in the morning. I admire people who follow tradition and wake up at two in the morning for Ganga snan and set forth bursting crackers. But Ganga of yore was pristine with pure mountain water from melted snow snaking through the valleys picking the goodness of medicinal herbs and minerals from rocks on the way to the plains. A bath in these waters was considered very therapeutic. Unfortunately, today the Ganga has been sullied by industrial effluents and sewage emptying into the river. A bath in Ganga water today could subject you to a host of illnesses. Hence, the significance of bathing in Ganga water is lost other than for the devout. Therefore, the tradition continues in some homes. I figured that after the initial burst of crackers there would be lull so that I could give my sleep deprived body some rest Alas no, there was a brief lull lasting all of fifteen minutes. Just as I was drifting back to sleep it resumed. This pattern continued till six in the morning until perhaps, the arsenal ran out. The prospect of a long day of hard labour for the illumination competition looming ahead, was not comforting. However, for the sake of keeping the tradition alive in a few homes, one is willing to put up with the inconvenience. After all it happens only once in a year.

The illumination competition was a humdinger. For a change A and B blocks, who were declared the winners had lots of residents taking part, making it a collective effort. C and D won the second prize. In the individual criteria, C and D won the first prize for the theme, “Communication Through the Ages” with E and F taking the second prize with their theme “Resource Optimisation Through Recycling of Waste”, A and B won the first prize for illumination and G and H took the second and in decoration A and B won the first prize with C and D took the second. It was gratifying to see so many residents in each set of blocks getting involved in the competition. This is one occasion when one gets to meet the new residents and establish friendships. All the blocks gave a good account of themselves. My personal feeling was E and F could have ended a few notches higher One or two residents felt that the competition should be moved to the badminton court and a corner should be provided to each set of Blocks to conserve resources and reduce fatigue. My personal view after seeing the demise of the Pookolam competition when we moved to a common area is that the competition will not survive. There is a certain pride in doing up one’s respective blocks which make the creative juices flow and bring along a feeling of camaraderie. This is the glue that has made this competition stand the test of time inspite of the rigour on Diwali day. Anyway, there is a clamour for the change in rules. Hopefully, the change will usher good news for the geographically and topographically disadvantaged E and F blocks.

Quizzing is an art and a science and involves great deal of planning and preparation. Sumathi has mastered the craft to perfection. She has always brought in an element of surprise in each edition of the quiz. Several new faces participated this year. There were five teams altogether with queer names like, “Vadra ke Dost”, “Clueless”, “What’s in a Name’, “Four Idiots” and “Einstein”. Vadra ke Dost who had the services of Kunal Savarkar (himself a quizzer), stole the show and took the first prize followed by a tie for second place between “Clueless” obviously did not do justice to their name and “What’s in a Name”, didn’t feel the need for a moniker. The “Four Idiots” were anything but that as they were leading the pack after four rounds of the six round quiz. They fell by the wayside in the last two rounds and ended up fourth. The questions posed by Sumathi were way out of my league and many felt the same in the audience. But, the fact that almost all the questions got answered shows that the participants are very erudite. Vadra ke Dost had the services of Geeta Menon, Anup Nair and Siddhant Nair in addition to Kunal Savarkar, Clueless was represented by Dakshina Raghavendra, Vidhya Nair, Anirudh Suresan, Pratap Krishnan and Vedika Arora and a rear guard action from “What’s in a Name” comprising Nisha Jayaram, Aditi Rastogi, Alka Arora, Tarun Balakrishnan and Anita Suresan capped of the proceedings on a very enjoyable and enlightening evening. Hats off to Sumathi for conducting a very interesting and challenging Quiz programme.

The Annual Day was deferred to 1st December, 2012 owing to the unfortunate bereavements in the families of two of the choreographers who between them were to do three items of the variety entertainment programme. This deferment may have also come as a relief to many who found all the weekends in this month locked up with society programmes. We have useful contributions from Mr. N. A. Seshadri who has donated Rs.1000 as scholarship for the topper in XII th class in the Science stream in memory of his late mother Mrs. K. G. Lakshmi Ammal. Likewise, Gita Rastogi has donated Rs. 1,000 for the topper in the Humanities stream. Mrs. Seetha Venkataraman has donated Rs. 5,000 for buying prizes for the participants in Sports events. Mrs. Bharti Ramakrishnan has donated T Shirts to be given as prizes. We are indeed very grateful to these members.

SNIPPETS

Dr. Nita Shah of A-309 who is a Wildlife Biologist and spent most of the time in the jungles of Gujarat realised that she didn’t really need to keep an abode in Yamuna. She has moved her baggage to Dehradun where her husband lives and will continue with her work with the endangered vulture in Gujarat. Nita with her cherubic and smiling face will be missed sorely.

Srichand and Kirti Bulani of A-005, after barely living a year in Yamuna have moved to a South American country. I can’t recall whether they mentioned Columbia or Venezuela. Kirti is in the Foreign Service and will have to complete a three year posting before returning home.

V. Jagadeesan of A-204 who was leading a bachelor’s life in Yamuna as his family lived in Mumbai was getting fed with the forced separation and has moved back to Mumbai to join his family.

Pradeep Amale, his wife Kirti Amale and their adorable twin children Ovi and Aadi of H-106 have relocated to Mumbai on a change of job.

Abhilash Vasukuttan Pillai has moved into G-105. This eligible bachelor owns five restaurants in Moscow and a host of other businesses.

F-003 has a new tenant. R.Venkataraman of (C-005) has taken the flat for his mother.

He established his turf fourteen summers ago at C-006 and became a member of the Zutshi family until life ebbed out of him on the morning of 22^nd. We are talking about Sultan the cocker spaniel who stood as a sentinel at the Zutshi’s entrance and welcomed or warned everybody with a bark. Children in Yamuna had a very close association with Sultan. His passing away left a void in Zutshi household and the family was inconsolable and distraught. May his soul rest in peace.

A Note of Thanks

Yamuna always rises to the occasion. My heartfelt gratitude to all the friends who came to help when my mother, Kausalya Krishnamurthi, passed away unexpectedly on the night of 27^th November, as well as the many others who have since been coming home to offer condolences. As much as we sorely miss Amma’s cheerful, warm and benevolent presence in our home, we are immensely consoled by the kindness and support we have received from the Yamuna family.

Poornima Narayanan(B-002/101)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR DECEMBER 2012

DATE	TIME	EVENT	VENUE
9.12.12	7.30 AM	YAMUNA ECO-DRIVE	ASSEMBLE AT BADMINTON COURT
23.12.12	10.30 AM	HERITAGE WALK/NATURE WALK	FROM A BLOCK GATE
24.12.12	6.30 PM	CHRISTMAS CARNIVAL WITH WINTER RAMPWALK, FOOD STALLS, ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC, DANCE.	AT THE BADMINTON COURT
31.12.12/1.1/13	MIDNIGHT	CAKE CUTTING TO USHER IN THE NEW YEAR	COMMUNITY HALL

Issue No. 134 I October 2012

Editorial

We are in the midst of the festive, wedding and activity season. These occasions come so thick and fast that before you can get over one, another one is upon us. But is anyone complaining? Nah! The spirit of the season, the colours, the lights, the attire etc. gives us such an adrenaline rush that we are all flushed with excitement. In previous seasons, during the Diwali rangoli competition, residents had complained about the high cost of candles making it difficult to light up the Rangolis adequately at night. With a view to mitigate the problem, it has been decided to leave the staircase lights on at the time of judging so that the residents’ efforts don’t seem futile.

The tribute to Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna through karaoke singing which was deferred from 29^th September to 1^st October was a bit chaotic as all and sundry, whether they had music in their genes or not, wanted to have their voice heard through the loud speaker. Nevertheless, it was fun while it lasted. Deepak, brother of Radhika Nathani ( A-301), who is an acclaimed singer, regaled the audience with his repertoire of songs sung to the strains of his guitar. Unfortunately, this musical soiree did not last long as others wanted a share of the pie. Thence, it was a free for all with Ramabadhran, Srikanth, Bhavani. Seema, Gomathi, Radhika, Murali, Raju, Sudha, Umapathi, Sahana etc. all lending their voices. The irony of the show was that none of them sang Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna’s hits although it was meant to be a tribute for these matinee idols. Ramabadhran brought the karaoke gear and the projector. This was preceded by a documentary of the origins of the earth. While it was very informative and extremely well shot, it had very few takers. Food offerings from Bhavani, Aruna, Soumya and Sudha were lapped up. Kashu with his sambar vada’s also did brisk business.

The time between Navratri and Diwali is a visual delight. Women flitting from one flat to the other dressed in their best Kanjeevarams and prized jewellery are a feast for the eyes and lift the mood. The prevailing bonhomie is infectious. As we men are not invited to this ‘strictly for women’ event, I had to rely on anecdotal evidence from my wife to report on the effort put in by some residents. The imposing Kolu of Sheela at C-005 was matched with the very creative and artistic ones of Sridevi (G-303), Shanti (G-004) and Mala (D-002), amongst others.

Programming the Quiz Competition bang in the middle of Navaratri was a bad idea when ladies are busy trooping in and out of homes and men are on call to take care of sundry tasks. Wiser counsels prevailed and the competition has been moved up the calendar.

Unseasonal heavy rains threatened to ruin the Dandiya Nite. It relented just in time for us to set up the stage, the food stalls and the equipment. Just as the show was to begin, a steady drizzle almost derailed the event. Just as we were considering winding up, the rain stopped and we were cranked to start but my laptop developed a glitch. Timely aid of a laptop from Aditi Rao of C-205 and a connecting lead from Srikanth set the ball rolling. The audience found the authentic garbha music too insipid to get their feet tapping. It required Srikanth the DJ, to rely on some Bollywood kitsch to get their bodies swaying and the dandiyas flailing. Amongst the women, only Aditi Rastogi, Aditi Rao and Meghana Chiplunkar wore the traditional dandiya attire and they looked absolutely gorgeous. Many of the girls namely, Radhika, Samiksha, Kiyana, Riya, Sreeja, Vedika and Vanshika however came dressed for the occasion and amongst the boys Aryan and Shantanu were a perfect match. It was great to see several women swaying to the music and generally having a jolly good time. Deepak Varma and Rohan Nayyar were the only men to dance in the midst of the gaggle of women. To lend them moral support Kunal Savarkar and I, both with two left feet, joined the fray. Meera Varma, Anu Nair and Vidya Venkat scorched the dance floor with some nifty moves. In contrast we men were a pale shadow. The food on offer was tasty and everybody had a whale of a time until another sharp shower sent us packing home.

Ram Lila has its strong adherents in rural and urban India. India’s rich repertoire of heroic tales is largely anchored to holy shibboleths. The countless unchanged retellings of the Ramayana have not lessened the public’s love for the tale. Riya Ramabadhran’s production of the truncated and contemporary version of the Ramlila, was enacted in the lawn on 24^th October. To identify with the times, Riya very skilfully wove Bollywood lyrics into the tale. To conceptualise the mammoth epic to such brevity – nine acts fitting within a 45-minute slot – requires great intelligence and foresight. Since many amongst the female cast wanted to play Sita’s role, the script had three girls playing Sita in different acts. There is a lesson here for us adults in conflict resolution! Riya also gave the cast the freedom to choose their own costumes. Such out of the box thinking from a person so young augurs very well for her future. The hero of the episode, Aryan, had the privilege of playing the lone Ram. Shreeya as Ravan, Shreeja as Sita and the golden deer, Tanvi as Sita and Kaikeyi, Sahana as Sita and Soorpanaka, Aparna as Manthara, Samyukta as Dasarath, Samiksha as Prince, Mani as Lakshman, Anirudh as Kumbakaran, Sachin as Shatrugan, Kiana as Prince Asur and Radhika as Jatayu did a commendable job. Shantanu as Hanuman was just awesome. I have not seen the depiction of Ramayana evoke so much mirth. The choreographer, Riya, and the cast did a splendid job. The show ended with the burning of the imposing Ravana symbolizing the victory of good over evil. Our thanks to Srikanth who donated the effigy of Ravana. He and his family, Mr. Krishnaswamy, Prashant Gopal, Sri Hari, Siddhant, Mukul, Gokul, Sashwat and some members of the cast toiled for hours erecting and stuffing the Ravana with crackers and paper. Please view the pictures in the Yamuna Photo Album.

TT has become the latest fad for most youngsters in Yamuna. They can be seen crowding around the sole TT table under the club house. The competition in the TT tournament was intense. Both girls and boys competed in the same category. The results went true to form and the following children notched up victories. Kudos to the winners.

Mr. Narayanan of C-008 and Manoj Subramaniam, formerly of H-206 have been very supportive of the Society by donating some prizes for the participants of various events. We thank them immensely.

Table Tennis Singles/Doubles Tournament

S.No.	Names	Address	Prize
1	Yohaan Abraham	A-008	1st
2	Anirudh Suresan	H-008	2nd
1	Aparna/ Jai Krishnan	F-103/A-302	1st
2	Anirudh/Sachin	H-008/A-202	2nd

SNIPPETS

Mr. Kumar and family of Kumar Caterers’ fame have temporarily moved into A-308 while major renovation takes place in their own house in Alaknanda. Radha, Kumar’s wife, helps him in his business. His eldest daughter, Renuka is doing Engineering in Tanjore, his second daughter, Ramya is in Amity School in Class XII and his son Ganesh is in Class X in Frank Anthony Public School. Mr. Kumar can be reached on 9380110730 or 9711260440.


Mr. Akhil Sarda is the new tenant in A-208. He has moved in from Chandigarh and works as the State Head for United Breweries for UP and Uttarakhand. He leads a happy bachelor’s life listening to Classic Rock, reading Ayn Rand and P. G. Wodehouse and loves to watch Formula 1 races. He can be reached on 9560825666.


Another Yamuna girl, albeit currently living in Bangalore, ties the knot. Nitya Krishnamoorthy of C-103, got married in Bangalore on 18^th October, 2012. In an elegant reception held at the Air Force Officer’s Club in Subroto Park on 27^th October, Yamuna-ites, amongst others, were treated to some retro music, delectable food and spirits for those inclined to imbibe it. Nitya and her husband Suraj seemed lost in each other’s company. Romance was blooming, as they say! Rohini and Krishnamoorthy were the perfect hosts.

HEALTH CAPSULE

Goodness of Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a wonder plant, loaded with extraordinary benefits that find application across a range of health problems. It’s also an effective, natural beauty aid, one reason why cosmetics manufacturers love it!  The juice of aloe vera is the most important extract of the plant.

Benefits for skin

• Aloe vera has long been used to soothe the skin. The juice quickly helps to ease the pain and itching associated with burns, cuts, sores, blisters and bug bites. Aloe contains both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties as well as ingredients that help to encourage cell regeneration and healing. High in collagen proteins, aloe vera is increasingly used in skin products like moisturizers and anti-aging creams.
• Aloe vera juice is said to prevent/reduce under-eye wrinkles and acne, and reduces dandruff.  

Aloe vera for dental health

The International Aloe Science Council has shown that aloe can be used to reduce mouth pain and swelling after oral surgeries. Studies conducted by the Council have also suggested that aloe vera can reduce the amount of bacteria found in the mouths of denture wearers. Aloe also helps to ease the pain of cuts and sores in the mouth.

Aloe vera for general health

Aloe vera juices help to improve the general immune system. It is used to control production of stomach acids and maintain the pH balance in the stomach. Aloe vera has a minimum of three anti-inflammatory fatty acids, which help in smooth functioning of the stomach and small intestines. It has a natural property to alkalize digestive juices and prevents over-acidity,  one of the common causes of digestive ailments. Aloe vera juice helps in absorption of nutrients and neutralizes toxic elements. 

Other benefits

• Helps to regulate blood sugar
• Helps with weight loss by increasing metabolic rate to burn more calories.
• Improves circulation.
•   Aids in healing damage to internal tissues.
•   Regulates blood pressure.
• Helps to reduce inflammation

Last but not the least!

• By using gels and sprays containing aloe vera, arthritis patients have experienced quick and significant relief from joint and muscle pain.
• Aloe vera gel works as a mild anaesthetic and is useful for reducing pain, swelling and itching. It also improves blood circulation to areas of injury.

Sangeeta Srihari (E- 103)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS - NOVEMBER 2012

Date	Time	Event	Venue
3.11.12	6.30 PM	Quiz Competition with Sumathi	Badminton Court
4.11.12	9.30 AM	Sports Day (for children and adults)	Main Lawn
10.11.12	5.30 PM	Diwali Mela	Badminton Court
13.11.12	6.30 PM	Judging of Illumination Competition	Between the blocks
24.11.12	4.30 PM	Annual Day - Refreshments followed by welcome of Chief Guest, Invocation song, speeches, prize distribution, variety entertainment programme. Dinner from food stalls against payment.	Main Lawn

Issue No. 133 I September 2012

EDITORIAL

Some of us are blissfully unaware of the perils we face due to the indiscriminate disposal of toxic waste. The plethora of deformed children, high incidence of cancer and other life threatening ailments can be attributed to a great extent to untreated waste disposal and high pesticide use. E-waste consisting of heavy metals, mercury and other toxic elements is one of the principal culprits. A bin has been placed in the society office to deposit all the e-waste like used batteries/cells, computer peripherals and other electronic waste. A carton has also been placed to collect fused CFL lamps. If we dispose these wastes in any other manner, it will be considered a cognisable offence. The Government has now appointed a single agency in the social sector called Chintan to collect e-waste, who in turn will segregate the waste and forward them to another agency who would either recycle the waste or dispose them off in such a manner that it does not leach into the soil or get airborne.

We have tied up with Chintan to not only remove e-waste from our colony but also other household waste. We should keep the kitchen waste consisting of vegetable peels, waste food etc in a separate bag and other dry waste such as bottles, cans, paper, plastics and polythene wrappers etc separately. Chintan’s workers are trained to handle and segregate different kinds of waste. We hope this measure by us and others will augur well for future generations. The initial stages of this switchover have worked very well. The garbage dump near the C-Block gate remains clean unlike in the past as they do not leave behind anything and also carry the garbage in a closed van as opposed to an open cycle cart used by the earlier contractor. Besides, Chintan does it for free, whereas we were paying Rs. 1,000 per month to the previous garbage remover.

We are already in October and there is very little time to prepare for the Annual Day variety entertainment programme scheduled in November. All residents who would like to take part in plays/skits, music, dance etc should give their names with details to Gita Rastogi of C-004. Likewise, those who would like to take part in the Quiz competition should give their names to Sumathi Chandrashekaran of H-107 latest by 15^th October. Residents who are going to take part in Badminton and TT tournaments may give their names to Raju P. Krishnan of F-103. Seema Chari is staging a Hindi play based on “Angur” for the Annual Day for which she has to finalise the cast. Aspiring actors may please get in touch with her. Please do not wait till D-Day to avoid disappointment.

“Sir meeting mein hain” and “Sir busy hain” are terms used by staff in Government offices to fob off callers and visitors. If the personage is particularly indispensable, bemused supplicants cannot be faulted for wondering when the big kahunas get time to do the quotidian work that keeps the wheels of Government moving. The whole scenario changes dramatically when the rusty wheels are suitably lubricated. Graft in India has come to stay. Graft is there in every country of the world but the degree varies. It seems inexorably linked to geography. It is the least in countries closer to the poles and proliferates as you approach the equator. That is why the Scandinavian countries and down south, New Zealand and Australia are least affected by graft. South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and some Latin countries are all plagued by a parallel economy of unaccounted worth. That one gets willy nilly dragged into the mire is borne out by past lapses.

Those of us who became apoplectic hearing the Government announcement that a household can be provided with only six gas cylinders in a year at the current rates and would have to pay nearly three times the rate for additional cylinders can heave a sigh of relief that succour is at hand. The handmaiden of God is going to shower blessings on Yamuna in the form of Piped Natural Gas. IGL who have laid the trunk gas pipeline across the road in front of Yamuna are awaiting Traffic Police and PWD permission to dig the road to lay the pipeline to Yamuna. I met the Marketing Head of IGL along with the Councillor to urge them to lay the gas pipeline in Yamuna Apartments and handed them a formal request letter. I was assured that they hope to get the approval from the concerned authorities in the month of October 2012 and complete the pipeline work in Yamuna by December 2012. A representative of IGL then visited Yamuna Apartments and took notes on the topography for installing the pipes. We would have to give a refundable deposit of Rs. 5,000 per gas connection and Rs. 2,000 for gas supply and if the pipe length per flat exceeds 15 metres from the node, we have to pay @ Rs. 145 per metre for the additional length. I was told by the representative that there may not be a need in most cases for the additional length of pipe. Hopefully, in the New Year we can bid goodbye to the clunky gas cylinders, the endless wait for the gas delivery boy and the nuisance of co-ordinating the supply.

In view of the scheduled tribute to Dev Anand and Rajesh Khanna falling on the eve of the AGM, the programme was deferred to 1^st October, 2012 (eve of Gandhi Jayanti).

The AGM started in a stormy fashion but soon settled down thanks to an overwhelming surge of support for the actions of the Managing Committee. A few resolutions were deferred since the anticipated approval from the Registrar for regularisation of allotment of flats in favour of members got delayed. It was very gratifying that the resolutions were carried through with near unanimous approval.

SNIPPETS

Frustrated by the long and stressful daily commute to his place of work in Gurgaon, Arjun Rao of A-205 has very reluctantly decided to relocate to the Millenium City. It’s going to be hard on Sowmya and the kids, Abhimanyu and Amogh who had lots of friends and integrated very well in the colony. We will also miss Sowmya’s choreography skills in arranging dances for the Annual Day. We wish them the very best in their new abode.

With the arrival of September, the marriage season began. First off the block was A.T. Ashok, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. T. K. Raman of E-104 who wed Vindhya at Shankara Vidya Kendra, New Delhi on 12^th September. The invitation card lucidly explaining the rituals of a Hindu wedding ceremony had the traditionalists asking for more. They were not disappointed. Although only a relatively small gathering was there from Yamuna, it had all the hallmarks of a memorable wedding. We wish the couple the very best for the future.

HEALTH CAPSULE

While walking around the colony, as informed by some Yamuna’ites, I had a look at this herb known in Tamil as called Kizhanelli and  then came to know about the abundance of medicinal properties these tiny leaves carry with them.

Phyllanthus niruri, to give the herb its botanical name, is also known as Bhumyamalaki in Sanskrit  or Buin Anvalah in Hindi. Typically, it grows in lush, green areas like river banks, lakes and paddy fields. In Yamuna, you can find it growing during the rainy season along the wall we share with Godavari Apartments. It has tiny, bright green leaves, deceptively like those of gulmohar. On its underside are miniscule ‘nelli’s – berries in Tamil – that distinguish this herb from other plants. Some of its curative properties:
- Kizhanelli is known to be useful in curing anaemia, skin problems, eyesight defects etc.
- For treating jaundice and other liver problems, leaves of kizhanelli with other herbs (known in Tamil as karisalankanni and thumbai) of equal quantity are ground to a fine paste. Around 15 gm of this paste is mixed in buttermilk and taken on an empty stomach in the mornings and evenings. This not only cures jaundice but also restores the liver to its healthy, normal level within a short period.
- The whole plant and its aerial parts are used for many remedies, mostly biliary. Some examples are kidney and gallbladder stones, hepatitis, colds, flu, tuberculosis, and other viral infections.
- Phyllanthus niruri lowers blood pressure.
- Its leaves are a popular remedy against fever.
- It can be used to increase appetite, while local application relieves inflammation.
- It is also said to be useful in treating anorexia.
Unfortunately, our mali, I am told, is happily unaware of kizhanelli’s wondrous properties and removes the plants wholesale, since they look just like weeds!

Sangeetha Srihari / E-103

LAUGHTER, THE BEST MEDICINE

If Columbus had been married…..
If Columbus had been married, he might never have discovered America, because he would have had to answer all the following questions:
• Where are you going?
• With whom?
•Why?
•How are you going?
•To discover what?
•Why only you?
•What do I do when you are not here?
•Can I come with you?
•When will you be back?
•Would you have dinner at home?
•What would you bring for me?
•You deliberately made this plan without me, didn’t you?
•You seem to be making a lot of these programs lately...
•Answer me, why?
•I want to go to my mother’s house.
•I want you to drop me there.
•I don’t want to come back ever!
•What do you mean, OK?
•Why aren’t you stopping me?
•I don’t understand what this whole discovery thing is about.
•You always do things like this.
•Last time you also did the same thing!
•Nowadays you always seem to do this kind of stuff.
•I still don’t understand what else is left to be discovered!

Blonde on the Sun
A Russian, an American, and a blonde were talking one day. The Russian said, 'We were the first in space!'
The American said, 'We were the first on the moon!'
The Blonde said, 'So what? We're going to be the first on the sun!'
The Russian and the American looked at each other and shook their heads. 'You can't land on the sun, you idiot! You'll burn up!' said the Russian.
To which the Blonde replied, 'We're not stupid, you know. We're going at night!'

Banta's Law of Motion Banta Singh badly wanted to be known as a great man. So after long research he made a new addition to Newton's Laws of Motion and expects to be nominated for the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics for his new "Theory of Motion" which says:
" A loose motion can never be done in a slow motion. "

CALENDAR OF EVENTS-OCTOBER 2012

DATE	TIME	EVENT	VENUE
1.10.12	6.30 PM	DOCUMENTARY SCREENING, KARAOKE SINGING-A TRIBUTE TO DEV ANAND AND RAJESH KHANNA-FOOD STALLS	AT THE BADMINTON COURT
20.10.12	6.30 PM	QUIZ COMPETITION WITH SUMATHI	AT THE BADMINTON COURT
23.10.12	6.30 PM	DANDIA WITH FOOD STALLS	AT THE BADMINTON COURT
24.10.12	6.30 PM	RAM LEELA AND BURNING OF RAVAN’S EFFIGY	AT THE MAIN LAWN

Issue No. 132 I August 2012

Editorial

There is a downside to prosperity especially if you are living in Yamuna. With increasing wealth there is a visceral need to buy big cars among other things. The problem with such acquisitions is increased parking woes. While it is a trifle easy to park hatchbacks in the small slots available to us, parking of large sedans and SUV’s in the same slot is a challenge. With a higher turning radius, many of these vehicles cannot be parked in the allotted space, leading to a clamour for change of parking slots. With the population of small cars dwindling with every passing month, the options available to residents for alternate slots is thus adversely impacted. Unfortunately, the vicissitudes of life are not always cherished. Anybody entertaining thoughts of buying an SUV should first assess if their present parking slot can accommodate an SUV with the required turning radius. In case this criterion is not fulfilled it would be prudent to shelve that purchase lest you be forced to park outside as it is unlikely that more SUVs can be parked within the complex.

With the latest spell of rains, the colony is looking very verdant and fresh. That is invitation enough to all the exotic birds apart from the usual crows and mynahs. I was informed by Mr. Ramabhadran that the Great Hornbill can be spotted often outside his flat on the gulmohur tree. The recently declared State Bird, the sparrow, while having disappeared from most parts of Delhi, can be spotted on a creeper running up the corner of E-001, at the rear. Aren’t we fortunate to hear so many song birds while we take an early morning walk? Living in a metropolis, we couldn’t be more close to nature than this.

While there was an overwhelming feeling of relief and hope at the possibility of getting our flats regularised, there is a very tiny minority which is loath to taking the proposed steps to unburden us from the malaise that has plagued us for the last 35 years or so. This small minority has acquired a kind of Stockholm Syndrome, feeling comfortable and secure at being held hostage by an unyielding bureaucracy. Nevertheless, we are moving forward and the results are nigh.

The first cultural programme of the season, Ras Leela on Janmashtami Day could not have come a day earlier. There was pent up enthusiasm as visible from the fairly large audience. The participants did not disappoint. Pardon my understatement, they were positively delightful. Dressed in shimmering ghagras, they danced to entice the diminutive Lord Krishna. Samarth, playing the Lord, couldn’t be bothered as he was not giving them the glad eye. Even the sight of older girls who were sensually swaying their hips was lost on our Krishna who was eagerly eyeing the pot of dahi, The handi did not yield to the repeated knocks with the baton and eventually had to be cracked open with a stone. The choreographers, Anu Nair, Vidya Venkat and Soumya Rao did a fabulous job, slaving for over ten days to bring the kids to a state where they could really shine. Mr. Thangathurai of B-302 was very generous in distributing sweets to the assembled audience and toffees for all the participants. Kunal, Srikanth, Soumya Srikanth, Anu Nair, Meera and Swati Dravid stayed back to help in winding up.

They say change is a constant. However, in changing our mindset we have come up short. It is perhaps the greatest anomaly that our past, while being a source of strength is also the source of our weakness. On the one hand it bequeaths the bedrock of history and tradition that keeps our feet firmly grounded. On the other hand it manacles our mind and makes us perpetuate the obsolete, long past its sell-by date. As we turn 65 as an independent nation, our essential conundrum remains what it has always been. How to reconcile our past with the present reality and future aspirations? Do you expect a Sahana or an Aparna to get swayed by our khadi clad politicians fulminating from the lectern? These so called leaders are so far removed from the current generation that it is hard to imagine that they would bring any good to society. Not that their sartorial preference by itself is the problem but it points to a mindset that abhors progress. Did our freedom fighters fight for this India, where even 65 years after the bugle call of Independence, we would be drowned in darkness for two whole days of total power breakdown never before witnessed in history? I think not. Let us all pledge to change the present order.

The sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds on the morning of 15^th August. It was a perfect setting for the flag hoisting ceremony. Yamuna was well represented by all those who wake up on a holiday at an earthly hour. Srikanth (C-003) had bought balloons in white, green and orange colours which were tied into triads and strung on poles, door handles and trees etc. to give the place a festive look. Srichand (A-005) bought flowers to wrap inside the tri-colour. As the flag was unfurled by Mr. C. V. Narayanan and Samarth (the oldest and youngest in the assembled crowd), a huge cheer went up and the National Anthem was sung by all to the accompaniment of the keyboard played by Vedika. After that Kalyani’s protégés sang a couple of Tamil ditties to mark the occasion. A duet by Shreeya and Shreeja was followed by a free for all as the spirit got into everyone and the entire assembly sang patriotic songs led by Deepak’s booming baritone and the lilting voices of Seema, Bhavani, Bharti, Radhika Nathani and Gomathi amongst others. After the sweets distribution, everyone dispersed to catch up on their lost sleep. Not many ventured to fly kites.

The Onam feast on 25^th August had 105 takers. The rain relented for a few hours for everybody to partake in the feast. Several chairs were placed outside the Community Hall for people to relax while they awaited their turn. This served as a meeting point for all as they hung around after the meal for some healthy gossip. The burp-worthy food and the sartorial feast was a double bonanza. Typical Kerala saris and mundu’s, Malayalam songs and the Pookolam reminded many of home. Earlier in the day, Tanvi, Sahana, Juilee, Radhika and Aaria amongst others fetched the flowers and Anu Nair, Meera Varma, Soumya Srikant, Sudha Easwaran and Seema Chari got together to make a very attractive Pookolam. View Sudha’s photos of the night in the Yamuna Photo Album.

SNIPPETS

Ved Sinha who works with HCL Technologies has moved into E-204 with his wife Urvi Maniar and four and half year old daughter Navya. Ved likes to play cricket and badminton in his spare time and Urvi shares his love for badminton. She also loves cooking and will vie with you in the cooking competition. Urvi works for Fidelity Investments. Navya goes to Sardar Patel School and will swell the already dominant group of female children. One thing is for sure, she will not be short of company. Ved can be reached on 9811618029. Yamuna welcomes them.

Separation pangs at living away from wife and daughter galvanised Manoj Subramanian to push his company to offer him a transfer to Mumbai. While they were here Manoj, Prema and Saishaa were very active in the social circle of Yamuna. They will be sorely missed. With that, H-206 has fallen vacant.

HOME REMEDIES

Curry Leaves – A Pharmacy in Your Kitchen!

The aromatic curry leaf (karvapellay/karipatta) that grows in Yamuna is loaded with medicinal properties. The leaf, which is used as a condiment, enhances flavour and is packed with amazing health benefits. Take a look:

• Fresh curry leaf juice along with lime and sugar is excellent in treating vomiting and nausea caused by excess intake of fat.
• Eating fresh curry leaves every morning for 3 months will help to prevent inherited and obesity-linked diabetes.
• It’s useful in treating burns, bruises and skin eruptions when applied as a poultice on the affected areas. Curry leaves also prevent early development of cataract.
• The root of the plant too has medicinal qualities; juice from the root relieves kidney pain.
• Liberal intake of curry leaves is useful in preventing premature greying of hair. It nourishes the roots and promotes growth of new hair with normal pigment.
• The berries from the tree appear green when raw but purple when ripe. The juice of these berries, mixed with an equal proportion of lemon juice, is effective in external application to soothe insect stings and bites.

(Sangeetha Srihari E-103)

HONOUR FOR THE HUMBLE SPARROW

The humble sparrow has been crowned the State Bird of the National Capital Region. For most people, birds are synonymous with sparrows .But their mass disappearance is a cause of concern. If you look at the reasons being attributed to the decline of the sparrows, most of these are also detrimental to human health. For instance, the widespread use of pesticide that has resulted in a rapid fall in the population of worms and insects that sparrow chicks feed on, also has serious consequences for humans.
So what will this honour do to the birds? Hopefully, it will  make us aware that sparrows are just not ordinary, dime-a- dozen birds, but could well be a bio- indicator of the perils that lie in the path of rapid urbanization – shrinking greens and the malefic radiation from mobile towers. Is the sparrow then a harbinger of a bigger disaster?

So residents of Yamuna – wake up and do your bit. Put up a nesting house and bird feeders (like the ones Namagiri of C Block has placed in the park), throw a few grains everyday and watch the Yamuna sparrow population grow !!.

Seetha Venkataraman (G-102)

LIFE’S LIKE THAT

CIGARETTE: A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end and a fool at the other!   MARRIAGE: An agreement wherein a man loses his bachelor’s degree and a woman gains her master’s   LECTURE: An art of transmitting Information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of students without passing through the minds of either  COMPROMISE: The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece   TEARS: The hydraulic force by which masculine will power is defeated by feminine water-power! CONFERENCE ROOM: A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on  ECSTASY: A feeling when you feel you are going to feel a feeling you have never felt before  CLASSIC: A book which people praise, but never read   SMILE: A curve that can set a lot of things straight!   OFFICE: A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life  YAWN: The only time when some married men ever get to open their mouth  EXPERIENCE: The name men give to their mistakes MISER: A person who lives poor so that he can die RICH!  FATHER: A banker provided by nature  BOSS: Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early  POLITICIAN: One who shakes your hand before elections and your confidence later

CALENDAR OF EVENTS - SEPTEMBER 2012

DATE	TIME	EVENT	VENUE
29.9.12	7.00 PM	KARAOKE SINGING - A TRIBUTE TO DEV ANAND AND RAJESH KHANNA - FOOD STALLS	AT THE BADMINTON COURT

Issue No. 131 I July, 2012

EDITORIAL

After we were toasted in the searing heat of June, the monsoon belatedly made its presence. The aroma of wet mud after the first rains on the scorched earth is very pleasing. The euphoria, however, was shortlived.. Through much of the month the clouds lingered only to deceive. Now we are staring at a drought.


We are not trying to be sanctimonious when we advise you about the responsibilities involved in keeping a pet. In spite of writing ad infinitum in these columns on the need to scoop the poop of your pet that litters the precincts of the colony, the advisory is followed more in the breach than in the observance. I get collared about this issue by miffed residents when I go for a walk as though I am the culprit. The population of canines having burgeoned of late, it is difficult to pinpoint the mutt that defecated on the road. While I am sure you love your pet, act responsibly and clean up after their constitutional so that others don’t despise you for owning a pet. Unfortunately, we become hypersensitive about our rights as residents but lackadaisical about our responsibilities.


Talking about responsibilities, residents were advised not to keep potted plants in the staircase or on the landing as its weight and the water that seeps through and enters the crevices are very bad for the structure. Our staircases are all cantilevered and not supported by any columns, therefore there is a dead load on it even without the pots being placed. Over the years the misuse has so severely corroded the structure that Mr. Narayanaswamy, who is a structural engineer, had warned of serious consequences if we continue to keep pots and water them. While pots were removed by all the residents from the stairs a couple of years ago, they have reappeared in some staircases. Kindly have them removed; else the Society will be constrained to have them removed.


The rain dance on 14^th July was greeted with glee by the children as it gave a welcome relief from the torrid heat. The inflatable pool remained flaccid as the closing valves were missing. Nevertheless, the kids made merry under the sprinkler and the garden hose. The adults who ventured to the lawn to get a douse included Seema, Kunal, Prema Manoj, Srikanth, Aditi Rao, Venkatesh and me. There were quite a few others who were loath to get wet and watched with amusement from the sidelines. These wary souls included Shekhar Nair, Anu Nair, Meera Varma, Gita Rastogi, Madhuri, Soumya amongst others. There was Bollywood music to entertain everybody. It was well past 8 pm and the children wanted the splash and douse to continue but in the interest of conserving water, the motor was turned off and the children were reluctantly dragged away to their homes by their parents. Pictures of the rain dance can be viewed in the Yamuna Photo Album.


Through the initiative of Mr. P. K. K. Nair, efforts are being made to regularise the allotment of flats. To this effect a Special General Body meeting was convened on 29^th July, 2012 to get approval for providing an indemnity bond to the Registrar from the President and Secretary indemnifying the Registrar from any claims if the list of allottees is challenged by anyone. We hope that we have the most eagerly awaited and vital document from the Registrar in the coming months . I am sure you are all cognisant of the fact that Power of Attorney through which sale and purchase of the flats in Yamuna had been taking place has been banned from 1^st October, 2011. Effectively, that makes us all squatters in a way with no rights at all of either selling our flats or taking loans against the flat. We must celebrate if the turn of events goes our way.


Another Bollywood legend bids adieu to this world. Rajesh Khanna’s death coming close on the heels of the passing away of the evergreen Dev Anand, has left us bereft of the candyfloss heroes of yesteryears. Their infectious charm left legions of female fans swooning. Their twisty dance, twinkling eyes and unique dialogue delivery has left an imprint that is hard erase from the minds of the generation who grew up during their heydays. There is a clamour to hold a musical night in their honour. When the weather gets kinder we will have a karaoke night to raise a salute to these matinee idols. Let us not forget the iconic Dara Singh who overhauled the much heralded King Kong in the ring. Not everybody’s typical hero, he nevertheless left a lasting legacy. We mourn his passing away also.


After mid-year cultural vacuum, we enter that phase of the year when better weather and a spate of religious holidays usher in our peak programme season. At the tail end of this newsletter you will find the calendar of events for the rest of the year. If that does not leave you salivating in anticipation nothing else will. Please plan your tour programmes and holidays in such a manner that you are present for all the exciting happenings in Yamuna.


Mr. Ramabadhran of E-202, has been a very generous contributor to Yamuna. Yet another example of his largesse has been the gift of a coffee making machine to the Yamuna store. Now you can get South Indian filter coffee while you shop in the store.

SNIPPETS

A packed hall was witness to Mallika Mahesh’s Arangetram at India International Centre on 7^th July, 2012. Mallika who has a Bharatnatyam dancer’s features, embodied the art with her grace, poise, expressions and balance in the Nrittas and Abhinayas. She enthralled the audience to such an extent that the Chief Guest, the famed Indian classical dancer, Dr. Yamini Krishnamurthi was moved to heap encomiums on her and her guru, Smt. Kanaka Srinivasan. The joy on Mallika’s grandmother, Mrs. Bhagirathi Eswaran’s face was immense. She was instrumental in Mallika taking up dance. I believe Mrs. Sukanya Sundaresan also had a role in grooming Mallika as a dancer. The vocal backing by Sudha Raghunathan was also excellent. All in all it was an enjoyable evening. Yamuna was very well represented. Mahesh was the perfect host.


Jazz dancing has taken Yamuna by storm. There are a number of Yamuna residents who are honing their skills at this form of dance. Seema Savarkar, Sahana Savarkar, Netra Sundaresan, Anjali Menon and Kavya Narayanan performed at the Talkatora Stadium to a full house on 7^th and 8^th July, 2012. They were all part of group ensembles, hence spotting them in them in the group was a challenge. Anyhow, the dances were superb and the atmosphere electric. We hope they showcase some of their moves at the Annual Day variety entertainment programme.


Kumar Chiplunkar and Meghna are so enamoured with Yamuna that, when the landlord of A-208 asked them to vacate, they did not mind moving into a smaller flat in E-003 rather than move out of Yamuna. Both Meghna and Kumar being designers, they have very tastefully done up their flat. Once inside their flat you could be fooled into believing that you have entered a very pretty and cosy Goan cottage. Such residents really embellish the colony and we hope they extend their skills to make Yamuna prettier.


Tanvi Savarkar of C-207, the pint sized dynamo of trivia, representing DPS team, humbled many of her fancied rivals by trumping 100 other teams in the largest inter school quiz competition. Her achievement comes as no surprise at all, as the Savarkar family is oozing with talent from every pore. Henceforth, accomplishments in quizzing must be measured by the Savarkar Index!

LARDER MANAGEMENT

Storing Food the Right Way!

How often have you stocked up on food-grains or veggies, only to find bugs romping in your rajmah or saag gone soggy in the refrigerator? Here are a few tips on how to store grains and other foodstuffs so they remain fresh and full of flavour:
Rice - Dry 50 gm of mint leaves, powder them and add to 10 kg of rice. Not only do the mint leaves keep insects at bay, they also impart a delicious flavour to the cooked rice.
Spices - Keep spices and herbs away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight. These elements hasten their loss of flavour and aroma. Avoid storing above the stove, sink or near a window.
Flour - Add some neem leaves to your flour container to keep atta insect free.
Garlic - Garlic is best stored in a cool, dry place. After you bring garlic home from the market, immediately take the garlic bulbs and place them in an airtight container or plastic bag, then store them in a cabinet, ensuring a cool, dark environment. The first thought for many people is to store garlic bulbs in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator or in the freezer. The cold temperature spoils the taste as well as the texture of the garlic cloves.
Ginger Roots – A common mistake is to store fresh ginger root in the refrigerator. Refrigeration dries out the ginger root and diminishes its flavour. Therefore, once you have taken the portion you need for your cooking, wrap the remainder of the root in aluminium foil with the ends folded down to completely seal or enclose the root.
Lemons - Place unpeeled, whole lemons in a bowl. Stack the lemons no more than two to three fruit deep. Otherwise the weight from the lemons on top might bruise or crush the fruit on the bottom. Set the lemons on the middle shelf of the refrigerator.
Lentils - Lentils should be stored in an airtight container and can be kept for up to a year. Although they can be used past this date, the colour will start to fade, and the lentils will take longer to cook. In the past, lentils were considered a staple food in many areas because of their extremely long shelf life. Keep the container in a cool area away from sunlight. If you purchase pre-packaged lentils, keep them in this package until you're ready to use them. Once opened, transfer to a container.
Cilantro (Dhaniya Patta): Keep the stems of the cilantro bunch dipped in shallow glass of water in the refrigerator. This keeps the herb fresh and alive for many days. You could also add a plastic bag on top to cover the leaves from overexposure in the refrigerator. Open the cilantro bunch and lay out the stems on a paper towel or newspaper. Roll this like a scroll and store in the refrigerator. This prevents the leaves from getting soggy. Alternatively, Pick the leaves off the stems and store them in an airtight container/Tupperware to prolong their freshness.
Fresh curry leaves - Curry leaves can be dried and stored. Remove the stalks, wipe clean and roast them lightly until they are completely dry. Store in an airtight box for up to six months. Another way to store them is to powder the roasted leaves in a dry grinder.

(Sangeetha Srihari - E103)

Date and Time	Event	Venue
10.8.12  7.00 PM	JANMASHTAMI-RAS LEELA & DAHI HANDI	BADMINTON COURT
15.8.12       9.00 AM	FLAG HOISTING/SINGING OF PATRIOTIC SONGS/KITE FLYING	BADMINTON COURT
28.8.12   8.00 PM	ONAM FEAST AND POOKOLAM	COMMUNITY HALL
13.10.12  6.30 PM	SCREENING OF MOVIE & POT LUCK DINNER	BADMINTON COURT
20.10.12  6.30 PM	QUIZ COMPETITION WITH SUMATHI	BADMINTON COURT
23.10.12   6.30 PM	DANDIA AND FOOD STALLs	BADMINTON COURT
24.10.12  6.30 PM	RAM LEELA & BURNING OF RAVANS EFFIGY	MAIN LAWN
3.11.12   9.00 AM	SPORTS DAY	MAIN LAWN
10.11.12   5.30 PM	DIWALI MELA	BADMINTON COURT
13.11.12  6.30 PM	RANGOLI AND ILLUMINATION COMPETITION	BETWEEN THE BLOCKS
24.11.12  5.00 PM	ANNUAL DAY (DATE SUBJECT TO CHANGE)/FOOD STALLS	MAIN LAWN
23.12.12  10.00AM	HERITAGE WALK	FROM A BLOCK GATE
24.12.12  6.00 PM	CHRISTMAS CARNIVAL-STAGE SHOW/GAMES/FOOD STALLS	BADMINTON COURT
31.12.12-MIDNIGHT	MIDNIGHT CAKE CUTTING TO USHER IN 2013	COMMUNITY HALL