EDITORIAL
Mr. G. Ramabadhran, President of the Society submitted his resignation late last month for personal reasons. This was reluctantly accepted by the MC at a meeting on the 1st of this month. As a consequence, Mrs. Seetha Venkataraman took charge as the acting President until the next AGM. We wish to place on record Mr. Ramabadhran's immense contribution in the regularisation of flats with the Registrar of Co-operative Societies. He was also the driving force in the implementation of the Apna Complex portal which eases communication between the residents and the office, among other things.
I do not recall the last time the sewage lines of the entire complex was cleaned. If memory serves me right, it has not happened in the last twenty-five years. No wonder many of the manholes were buried under the road and elsewhere. Since the blocked sewers could not be opened through manual intervention, a contract was given to an external agency who brought high pressure suction pumps mounted on a truck to suck out the muck. They unearthed a veritable loot of the nether kind including sanitary pads, wash cloth and other unmentionables. The entire odoriferous exercise was supervised by Seetha, Kunal, Mohan Krishnaswamy, Poornima amongst others. Kudos to them for braving the toxic fumes.
Have you come across some barbers who go jabber, jabber, jabber the moment you put your head into their hands? Many barbers have this proclivity to tonsorial small talk. When they ask me how I would like my hair cut, I am tempted to say, "Silently". For the life of me I cannot figure out why the barber thinks I should be interested in his taste in movies or music or what his brother does for a living. Anyway, this torment is not going to last. The alarming rate at which my cranial landscape is going barren, I will be an egghead ere long and sans the barber.
When we were in college and went out to a movie or lunch, we went Dutch which meant the bill was split equally and paid for. No fuss and everybody went their ways. But you must see the drama unfold in many of the expensive restaurants these days. I have been witness to such a hilarious charade played out on the adjoining table. I like to watch these charades. It makes for great entertainment. It is a well honed and practiced work of art and science.
There were these four friends having a jolly good time until the waiter brings the bill. One person suggests that they split the bill equally. Everybody agrees except one person who says, "You had the prawn thermidor (an outrageously expensive dish) whereas I had only the tomato soup". Suddenly all of them pull out their mobile phones and start furiously calculating. One person dives under the table to retrieve his credit card which has fallen while fumbling with his wallet. By design the card is out of arm's reach. The other one suddenly gets the urge to relieve himself and heads off to the washroom. The third one can't find his wallet and says maybe he left it in the car and heads to the parking lot. The fourth one, "the sucker", takes out his credit card and pays the waiter who by now has got very restless. As soon as the payment is done the three friends reappear with their respective credit cards and say in unison, where is the bill? When the fourth tells that he has paid, they all pipe in and say, the next one is on me. Does this sound familiar?
The Nehru jacket has become the sartorial metaphor that even the visiting NRI's covet. Winter is when Nehru jackets of all hues and cuts make their style statement at various functions. It however, remains Politician prêt-a-porter domain. At the last Annual Day celebrations, I saw many in the crowd who had donned the Nehruvian adaptation of this haute couture jacket.
The heritage walk and picnic to Lodi Gardens was called off at the last minute as several residents reported ill, probably due to the inclement weather a couple days prior. An impromptu decision was taken to hold a picnic in the lawn instead.
Several internet providers are peddling their services in the colony offering higher down loading speeds and data capacity to woo the residents. In order to sift fact from fiction, the Society conducted a benchmarking study, the finding of which has been sent to all the residents. While leaving the choice to the residents to select the vendor that best meets their requirement, the Society places a caveat that the residents choose only those service providers who meet the condition of underground ducting and keeping the terrace free of wires. As it is, with cable TV, Tata Sky, clothesline etc the terrace is a veritable maze of wires and ropes which makes it difficult for anyone to walk on the terrace without encountering obstacles. I have reasonable cause to believe that between MTNL, Airtel and Gigatel, they will meet all your aspirations.
In Tiruvaiyar and in Sabha's across the world the legend of St. Thiagaraja's lives on. This year will be the saint's 250th birth anniversary, which makes it special. The Society will conduct the Thiagaraja Aradhana in the Badminton Court on Sunday, 12th February, 2017 from 2.30 pm. Residents who like singing or hearing Carnatic music are cordially invited. There will be individual performances from 2.30 to 5 pm, thereafter, Panchratna Kirtana will be a group effort. Prasad will be distributed.
OBITUARY
Tragedy befell Yamuna when Mrs. Parvathi N. Swamy of E-006 left for her heavenly abode on 11th January, 2017 after a minor chest complaint. She was 86 years old. Whenever Mr. K. V. N. Swamy invited like minded friends to his house in Karol Bagh in 1956 to form the Society that we live in, it was Mrs. Parvathi who prepared refreshments for everybody. She has been a pillar of strength for the family. It has been a long innings. She was a kind soul.
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Tragedy struck Yamuna again the next day when Mr. V. K. Govil of B-106 passed away peacefully on 12th January, 2017. He was 75 years old. He had been ailing for a while but through his illness he remained calm and composed. At the prayer meeting on the 14th, relatives and friends were heaping eulogies on Mr. Govil. Hearing them speak, I can only say that Mr. Govil, was not only a magnanimous husband, father, friend and an inspiration to so many people whose hearts he touched, what he achieved through love in the face of cancer is beyond imagination.
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Mrs. Thilakam B Menon of H-104 passed away on 17th January, 17 in Holy Family Hospital after a prolonged period of multiple ailments. Whenever I met her she showed no remorse and took all her troubles in her stride with confidence. It has been a painful period for her and her family. In a way it was a kind of deliverance that at last she can now rest in peace.
It is unfortunate that three original residents left our midst in quick succession. Members of the Society convey their condolence to the bereaved families.
SNIPPETS
Mr. Debabrata Das has moved into B-304 with his wife Tania Kishore Jaleel. Both are journalists and are working with Fortune India. Debabrata's parents used to live in Yamuna in 1982. Debabrata is currently writing a book on aviation. He loves watching football and listening to 70's rock music. He supports Barcelona and Liverpool. Tania is fond of reading and cooking. Debabrata and Tania can be reached on 9833621905. We welcome them both to Yamuna.
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Kartick Shankar and Madhu of B-306 did not have to trouble the movers when they moved two floors down to B-006.
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Chayan Adhikari has moved into A-205 from Karol Bagh. He is a music composer and producer and member of two bands-one called Advaita which is into Indian classical fusion music and another called Chayan and Smiti which is into English Acoustic music in which he is the singer and guitar player. He is also Project Head at Music Basti, an NGO that works with underprivileged children through music. When not immersed in music he loves to watch sports channels, especially football. His girlfriend Anna Maury is a French national and will be moving in with him In February this year. Being an oenologist and chocolatier, she has secured a job with Brindco, a wine distributing company in India. She too has musical leanings, being an accomplished Piano player. With her moving into Yamuna we will have some Gaelic influence. They can be reached on 9999972507.
MIRTH CORNER
SOME FUNNY PUNNY SAYINGS
· Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?
· Don't marry a tennis player - love means nothing to them.
· Common sense is the least common of all senses.
· When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
· Why are they called apartments, when they're all stuck together?
· Why do scientists call it research when looking for something new?
· If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
· The trouble with political jokes is that they get elected.
· How is it possible to have a civil war?
· When there's a will, I want to be in it.
· Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.
· I'm a kleptomanic. What can I take for it?
· Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist but a person who drives a race car not called a racist?
· In a nuclear war, all men will be cremated equal.
· Be careful with that saw!, Tom said offhandedly.
· I was a banker, but lost interest.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR FEBRUARY, 2017
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DATE
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EVENT
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TIME
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VENUE
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5.2.17
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ON THE SPOT PAINTING COMPETITION FOR ALL AGE GROUPS
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10.00 AM
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BADMINTON COURT
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12.2.17
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THIAGARAJA ARADHANA
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2.30 PM
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BADMINTON COURT
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28.2.17/1.3.17
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RADHA KALYANA MAHOTSAVAM-
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ALL DAY
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MAIN LAWN
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The Yamuna Chronicle is a monthly newsletter published by The Yamuna Co-operative Group Housing Society, Alaknanda, New Delhi - 110019, India. Editor: Mohan Narayanan (B-002) e-mail:mohan.narayanan7@gmail.com. Phone: 9810153501 URL: www.theyamunachronicle.blogspot.in
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