Issue No. 114 I February 2011

EDITORIAL

The road works is on its final stretch. We thank the residents for having put up with the inconvenience while the work was on. The portions that have been laid give a different feel to the place. It is bright, spiffy and free of potholes. We have also been in a position to set right the drain covers dotting the road which were either buried under the tarmac or not properly paved. Besides, the H-Block gate access has become more secure. Hitherto, a visitor entered the complex to fill the register and if at that point some resident honked for the guard to lift the boom, the guard had to abandon the post and head outside the gate. If there were a stream of cars entering there was no way the guard could ensure that the visitor had entered the register. By installing a wicket gate and opening the guard house window outside, the visitor is compelled to enter the register outside the complex and allowed access through the wicket gate only upon doing so. An electrically operated boom when installed will further ensure compliance.

The painting competition held on 6^th February at the badminton court drew quite a few participants from tiny tots to adults. Asked to paint a monsoon setting, the creations were varied and interesting. When you let people’s imagination run riot, the result is magical. Irrespective of who won, the collective effort was impressive. Kudos to the winners, though.

PRIZES	NAME	ADDRESS
AGE GROUP-UNDER 5
FIRST PRIZE	VANSHIKA ARORA	A-106
SECOND PRIZE	ANJALI GARG	H-305
AGE GROUP-6 TO 7
FIRST PRIZE	SAHANA SAVARKAR	C-208
SECOND PRIZE	SAISHA SUBRAMANIAN	H-206
SECOND PRIZE	VIVEK VENKATACHALAM	F-003
AGE GROUP-8
FIRST PRIZE	SAMIKSHA NAIR	B-107
SECOND PRIZE	POORVAJA GANAPATHY	E-206
AGE GROUP-9-10
FIRST PRIZE	SHREEYA SRIKANT	C-003
SECOND PRIZE	TANVI SAVARKAR	C-208
SECOND PRIZE	VINAY VENKATACHALAM	F-003

PRIZES	NAME	ADDRESS
AGE GROUP-11-14
FIRST PRIZE	KAVYA NARAYANAN	B-002
FIRST PRIZE	VEDIKA ARORA	A-106
SECOND PRIZE	RIYA RAMABHADRAN	E-201
ADULTS
FIRST PRIZE	POORNIMA NARAYANAN	B-002
SECOND PRIZE	SEEMA SAVARKAR	C-208

YAMUNA MEETS GANGA

The trip to River Wilds in Shivpuri near Rishikesh starting on 11^th February was awaited with bated breath. While the train and bus trip was uneventful, the place itself exceeded all expectations. Everybody was allotted their respective tents which were very basic in terms of decor and comfort. Venturing into the small tents which were to serve as toilets was like a journey into the unknown. The area is a reserved forest sanctuary and therefore restrictions are in place for erection of any permanent structure and also for providing electricity. In any case, when you are setting out on an adventure you shouldn’t expect 5-star luxury. Anyway, reverting to the toilet, the tent was so tiny that there was only enough room for the pot, a bucket of water, a bucket of sand and standing room if you are less than 5 ft tall. Imagine the discomfort! So as soon as you enter the tent you are supposed to zip the front of the tent lest you have an unwelcome visitor. A half Monty with an exposed derriere disgorging its contents is not the welcome you will want to give your guest, so it would be wise to sing a song while you are in action, so that everyone knows its forbidden territory. When you have unloaded your goods, you are expected to scoop sand mixed with lime into the pit to cover the offending site and mask the stench. Nevertheless, nobody did a perfect job of this and hence you had to contend with wet seats, foul smell and much else. This was the only downside. The bath rooms were open to the sky and the only prying visitor could be a monkey hanging from the tree above wondering why the shapeless human mass was doing contortions in the confined space.

The expanse of sandy beach along the emerald green river that greeted us was so refreshing that we were drawn to it like moths to a flame. The beach volleyball court was where we headed, where teams comprising of men, women and children competed with one another to show the world how volleyball should not be played. Anyway, it was all good fun. The tiny tots kept themselves busy building sand castles. After partaking of a sumptuous breakfast consisting of puri- bhaji, omelette and toast, bananas etc we headed to the river front for our first foray of rafting and conquering the rapids. Partho, the owner of the resort who incidentally coined the phrase, “Yamuna meets Ganga”, that appears as the mast head of this story, is one of the pioneers plying this trade. He is a very meticulous person and quite finicky about safety issues. After what seemed like eternity to comprise the teams that would board the five world class rafts, we set sail into the rapids. It was a very exhilarating experience rafting down the river through some of the most picturesque sights. The rapids were challenging but not monstrous, so nobody was thrown overboard. We bussed our way back and gorged on a wholesome lunch. After a siesta in gorgeous weather we were ready for some snacks and tea. When dusk settled, out came the kerosene lanterns and a bonfire was lit. A crooner was at hand to belt some old English and Hindi numbers and many of us sang along. Drinks and snacks were doing the rounds and everybody was in high spirits and our very talented band of singers consisting of Seema, Bhavani, Sudha, Deepak, Raju and Ram took over and continued singing with the guest artist Rahul just acting as accompanist on the guitar. Somewhere, along the line Seema took a break; the forlorn Rahul wanted to know where the “curly haired girl” went. For the rest of the trip Seema was called the curly haired girl.

The next day on a trekking trip through the hills, some who were not used to the rigour dropped out. I was impressed with Radha Mani who kept a good pace and showed no signs of fatigue. After that, the ones with a lot of bravado wanted to tame the mightier rapids. Ignoring the sage advice of Partho who mentioned that the raft could topple over in a Category 4 rapid, the band of brave-hearts went ahead. Five rafters tumbled into the aptly named rapid, “Rollercoaster” . When they came out the rafts were bereft of three from one and two from the other. Manoj, Suresan, Bhavani, Tarun and Kavya were tossed into the air by a brute of a wave and deposited in the swirling waters. Suresan who had conquered the Bharatapuzha, was making no progress as the eddy of current was spinning him like a top, much to the amusement and anguish of those left on board. Although well equipped with a life jacket and helmet, with Guruvayurappa on his lips, he prayed to the Almighty to save him. Manoj’s choice was Sai Baba. Murali became delirious when he saw his wife Bhavani being swept away by the currents and was heard moaning that she could not swim. They were eventually rescued and Suresan particularly, swore he would not venture into the rafting again.

We thank Mr. Ramabhadran profusely for suggesting and making arrangements to this perfect holiday destination. Those who wish to make this trip at some time in the future may contact Mr. Partho at 09811603121.

The exams are staring at the kids. The dreaded Board exams exact a frightful toll of panic and despair. In order to calm the nerves of those taking the Board exams, let me quote a Winston Churchill saying. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”. I would therefore, advise the children to put in all the effort but not to think of the exams as the final frontier and lose heart, in case things don’t quite work out. History is replete with stories of famous people with humble academic achievements.

Caprice and subterfuge have felled many an individual. It was no different with Sanatan Das who worked as our supervisor and became a Man Friday for everyone. He put in his papers and moved out bag and baggage 6th February and is no more in our services. If anybody knows of an ex-serviceman from Engineering Corps he could be the right person to take on the role of a supervisor. Please get in touch with the Office if you know someone.

The Finance Minister has served another sugar-coated pill in the Budget. While all eyeball catching pronouncements are the sweeteners, the devil is in the fine print. This cloak and dagger affair of Finance Ministers has been going on since Independence. So, if you think you will have more money in your pocket because of the increase in the exemption limit of taxes and such other lolly, perish the thought. Remember, what you gain in the swings you lose in the roundabouts!

SNIPPETS

Big birthday bashes are meant for special occasions. Shourya of E-205, celebrated his birthday with much pomp and show in the Community Hall on 2^nd February for having doubled his age over a period of one year! Shourya’s parents, Shahin and Ganesh were very proud that their son who could barely stand on his two feet a year ago could now walk with a swagger. All the children of Yamuna and their parents were invited to dip into the sumptuous spread.

The timing of Srikant’s (F-002) reception was a tad disappointing for many of us who had gone on a rafting trip to Shivpuri at the foothills of the Himalayas. But that did not dim the glamour of the momentous occasion. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the bride Jyoti Luthra and Srikant looked radiant. The mood and gaiety was apt for the momentous occasion. I understand the lawn was resplendent and barring the few of us, the place was brimming with guests. We wish the newlywed couple who exchanged their vows on Valentine’s Day, an enduring romance for the rest of their lives. Mr. and Mrs. Krishnaswamy’s cup of joy runneth over.

Mirth Corner

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR MARCH AND APRIL, 2011

DATE	TIME	EVENT	VENUE
20.3.11	9.00 AM	HOLI	MAIN LAWN
2.4.11	6.30 PM	DEMONSTRATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF YAMUNA INTERACTIVE WEBSITE	BADMINTON COURT
2.4.11	7.00 PM	SCREENING OF MOVIE, “BAND BAAJA BARAAT”	BADMINTON COURT