EDITORIAL
The Nature walk to the Aravalli Bio Diversity Park deferred
from last month happened on 5th January 2019. The magical
transformation that occurs as you leave the city precincts and enter the forest
is beyond belief. The tranquility, the fresh air and musical sound of birds
chirping are all indicators of what we miss in our daily city grind.
Unfortunately, a truant bug had laid low many Yamuna regulars which reduced the
number of people undertaking the walk. The numbers further dwindled because for
some others Saturday is a working day. Nevertheless, for those who ventured out,
it left pleasant memories. The orchid plants which are not native to Delhi was
grown in a sylvan valley with a pond and deciduous trees providing the required
shade and humidity, so necessary for the orchid’s survival. The grove with medicinal plants and
trees and the butterfly park were all lessons in plant diversity, their
usefulness to human beings and animals. The walk was rounded off by a movie
screening about the Aravalli Bio-diversity park, a reclamation project from
disused mines and pock marked land mass. Probably nobody realises the role the
Aravallis play in bringing rain to Delhi during the monsoon and it’s immense
contribution as a heat and pollution sink. Without the Aravallis, living in
Delhi may have been well nigh impossible. I collected two saplings which grow
into trees and are vital for butterflies larvae to feed on. These have been
planted in the park. Maybe in a few years we would get to see some butterflies
in our park.
The legacy of entrepreneurship in this country is embellished
with political patronage and is well lubricated with the grease of corruption.
In the current dispensation these connections are coming under the lens and the
noose in many cases is tightening. However, the legal system in this country is
known for its torpor and venality that even if all the evidences are available
none are likely to see the inside of a prison cell in their lifetime. Besides,
the likes of Nirav Modi, Choksi, Vijay Mallya have fled the country. They use all the money
power at their disposal to hire the best lawyers and stall all extradition
processes.
PM Modi's belligerent stance against Pakistan on TV is in
stark contrast of the image he wants to project on the International stage
where he comes across as an avuncular
dove. This is in line with his desire to be viewed as a matured
statesman. It has served India well as
his stock amongst International leaders is gaining ground. Unfortunately his
stock in the Indian firmament has lost its sheen with the loss of elections in
three states and his silence on matters relating to right wing shenanigans.
Yet, by far he remains the only leader in India’s current political scenario who
can take the country forward in a troubled world. The task for 2019 elections
is cut out. They say whosoever wins UP gets to rule Delhi. It won’t be easy as
this time SP and BSP are presenting a
united bulwark against the juggernaut Modi.
Most sportsmen who are approaching records say they are not
after numbers. But this is porky pies. This is why they get nervous when they
approach landmarks and thus struggle to get over the hump. Of course the media
and the public build expectations which gets into the psyche of the player.
Thus some succumb to this enormous pressure. Even the cool customer Dhoni
retired from Test cricket a tad short of 5000 Test runs and likewise for
dismissals and remained fourth and could
not break into the top three wicket-keeper batsmen of all time. Even in one
dayers, the World Cup may be his swansong although he still remains one of the
fittest Indian cricketers. He still runs like a hare between the wickets. He
however remains a batsman who either bats in first gear or fourth gear. There
is nothing in between. Therein lies the dilemma. Young Turks like Rishab Pant
with their belligerent batting skills and an attitude to match are making a
case for their inclusion.
Soon after the winter solstice, Europeans head to the beaches
in tropical countries which includes our own Goa, for some much required sun
tan. On the contrary we, who are blessed with so much sun, shun the therapeutic
qualities of solar rays by walking around
clothed from head to toe. No wonder, over 70% of Indians have Vitamin D
deficiency. Nobody is happy with the colour of their skin. The Caucasians
prefer darker skin and the Indians lighter skin. This time, the Europeans are
landing up in Prayagraj to take a dip in the Ganges during the Kumbh Mela.
Luxury tents priced over Rs. 35,000 a night is no deterrent for the goras who find the sight of hundreds of naked sadhus fascinating.
Would you believe it that there is big market for slum tourism also. Thus,
hordes of tourists are bussed to Dharavi slums in Mumbai and likewise in other
cities where they go trigger happy with their cameras busily clicking naked
kids frolicking and pigs wallowing in filth. Certainly, I have come to the
belief that it takes all kinds to make this world. For Madhavi Samson who works
with slum kids, it may seem all in a day’s work but I cringe at the thought of traversing these byzantine lanes trying to avoid muck lying around.
Heritage walk to Sundar Nursery took place on a bright and
sunny day. The name is very misleading. I sincerely feel they should change the
name of the place to reflect the rich historical heritage tastefully restored
by the Aga Khan Trust. While the place still has a running nursery but off
late the Mughal monuments and gardens have become the centre of attraction. The
tombs with frescos and stucco work look very pleasing to the eye. Part of the
vast area has been tastefully landscaped with stone and burnt brick masonry
pathways, water bodies, chevrons and flowering gardens. The rest of the area
has been left to grow as nature would deem fit. Thus you could follow the
tracks to the woods and stumble upon water streams and brooks. There is a
thriving bird life. It is a must see before it catches the imagination of all
and sundry and gets crowded like Lodi gardens. I posted the pictures taken at the site on a
Yamuna group and promptly came a reply from Deepak Varma from Mumbai with the
words, “Fantastic !! This is why Yamuna is so special !! A similar walk in
Bombay would have meant hiring a professional !!” Dr. Ramji Narayanan who was
the raconteur during the trip made the visit so much more enlightening with his
extensive knowledge of Islamic architecture, history, mores, beliefs and
culture. Over the years we have covered many heritage sites with him. Without
his depth of scholarship, visits to these places would not have evoked the same
interest and curiosity. Thanks Ramji.
There is a general feeling in the colony that the plumber and
electrician do not respond to complaints. While the Society has suggested
additional plumbers and electricians who could be called in case of complaints,
it is pertinent to mention that the Society is in a position to monitor only
those complaints which are entered in the Apna Complex portal. The complaints
lodged in the portal are monitored by the Society but if the resident calls the
plumber and electrician on the phone and does not enter the complaint on the
portal, the Society is unaware of the complaint. Actually, the arrival of the
mobile phones has led to this problem. In former times when mobile phones were
not available with the staff, the resident had to per force enter the cards
placed in the office to register the complaint and the Society could monitor
whether the complaint was attended to or not. This ensured speedy redressal of
complaints. If you want the same level of service, please enter your complaints
in the portal. Besides, residents are advised to close the complaint in the
portal when the job is done with their remarks about the quality of work for
which a template is available on the portal. As an aide memoir, I am repeating
the contact numbers of addditional electrician and plumber if Pappu or Manoj
are not responsive, in case of electric complaints and Vikram in case of plumbing
complaints. You may contact Naresh at 9811908245 for electric complaints and
Dayaram at 9810517156 for plumbing complaints. Needless to mention all the
electricians and plumbers should be paid for their services if it relates to a
problem in your flat. Only for complaints in the common area the responsibility
is that of the Society.
It was refreshing to see Soumya Srikant chipping in to
monitor some of the activities of the staff and get the needful done. Thus some
part of the load of the Managing Committee is being addressed. If more such
volunteers come into the picture, the Society will become more responsive to
the residents concerns. Three cheers to Soumya.
Politics makes strange bed-fellows. Arch rivals Mayawati and
Akhilesh Yadav have cobbled a coalition to fight the BJP. This has left the
Congress in the lurch thus putting the prospects of a Mahagatbhandan to take on
the might of the BJP in jeopardy. Congress has been left with no other
alternative but to throw in their trump card, Priyanka Gandhi in the ring. I
happened to hear a video where both Mayawati and Akhilesh are going hammer and
tongs at each other. Now the same arch rivals have got together to fight a
common adversary. Any alchemy of polarised personalities or with diverse
political ideology can only lead to a dysfunctional government that will come
apart at the seams sooner or later. In my view, for the Central Government,
only national parties should fight the polls. A fragmented polity with a
coalition or twenty or thirty parties will only veer the dialogue in their
respective states favour and will not consider any national imperative since
their support base is only limited to their respective states and their
performance will be measured on what they can do for their state.
The pot-luck lunch originally proposed for the Republic Day
was deferred due to doubts of weather staying dry. Since the on-the-spot
painting competition is scheduled for the 3rd of February, 2019, it
was felt that the pot-luck lunch be deferred to that date. Hence, the painting
competition will start at 10 am in the main lawn and conclude by 12 noon
whereafter the pot-luck lunch could commence. Last year both the painting competition
and the pot-luck lunch were big hits. We had a number of adults participating
in the painting competition, besides the kids. There is no better venue for
hob-nobbing over shared lunch whilst basking in the winter sun. Please
co-ordinate with all your friends to see who is bringing what for the lunch so
that we do not have too much of the same thing. Those who are going to
participate in the painting competition should bring their own crayons,
brushes, paints, palletes and supporting board. The Society will provide the
paper.
India Art Fair, the largest art fair in Delhi which brings a
lot of artists from around the world and India and features old and
contemporary art, is being held between 31st January and 3rd
February, 2019 at the India Art Fair, NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Okhla Industrial
Estate. Apart from displays of paintings and sculptures by famous artists there
are also curated shows and food stalls. It is a very enjoyable way to spend
your weekend. From Yamuna the group will leave at 10 am on Saturday, 2nd February, 2019. Those wishing to go there may
assemble at A Block gate at 10 am. It is advisable to take Uber or Ola or the
metro due to parking constraints. Shyam Nagar, Okhla Industrial Area metro
station is located at the entrance to the venue..
OBITUARY
We regret to inform you of the sad demise of Mrs. Pratibha
Nath of F-004 after a short illness at the age of 81 years on 28th
January, 2019. Yamuna residents convey their heartfelt condolences to the
bereaved family.
SNIPPETS
Anuja Upadhyay of H-307 has moved to her hometown in Nepal. Anuja
has been a long time fitness concious resident. She could be seen regularly
walking on the perimeter road. She felt the need to connect with her roots and
has moved back to Nepal. We will miss her. Consequent upon that she has put her
house on rent.
Mr. Arjit Bansal, working with Hindustan Lever Ltd has moved
into H-307 with his wife Alifya Loharchalwala. Both are from Mumbai which should
enrich the colony with south-western civility. Arjit plays the guitar to
Bollywood music. Should be handy for our entertainment programmes. He also
loves travelling. Alifya works with an International Grant making agency called
Empower. She loves, reading, doing yoga and trekking. Arjit can be reached on
9769333805 and Alifya on 9820828261. We welcome them both to Yamuna and hope
they become part of the Yamuna social milieu.
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Dr. Sushmita Bairagi A-004, an Anaesthetist in Safdarjung
Hospital has moved into A-004 from Kirti Nagar with her brother Baidyanath
Chatterjee. Baidyanath is a Financial Analyst with HDFC Bank. Apart from her
busy schedule whenever she gets time off she likes to travel whereas Baidyanath
has a cricketing bug like most Indians. Sushmita can be reached on 9953060597
and Baidyanath on 8587068891.
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In a move that is not going to
require the help of packers, Mr. S. K. Topno and family are shifting from G-202
to E-204.
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Dr. Abhilash Pillai of A-204 can easily earn the sobriquet of
peripatetic businessman, doctor and entertainer. I have not known anybody who
can carry off the most outre garments with style like him.Unfortunately, he is
moving out to spend more time with his family who live in Kerala. Kerala’s gain
will be Yamuna’s loss. He will be missed.
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CALENDAR
OF EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY, 2018
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DATE
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TIME
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ITEM
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VENUE
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2.2.19
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10 AM
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VISIT TO INDIA ART FAIR
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FROM A BLOCK GATE
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3.2.19
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10.00 AM
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PAINTING COMPETITION IN THE LAWN FOLLOWED
BY POT LUCK LUNCH
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MAIN
LAWN
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