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