10th March 2014 – 16th Mar 2014 [Pre-Holi week]

 

“The soul is healed by being with children.”
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

"Holi brings out the child in everyone."

 

 

Next Monday is Holi. And after many years or is it after decades, we will be celebrating Holi with Chawla Sisters. All I remember of old Holi is NO – NO – NO. Only in first few Holi’s Bindiya participated. Then like her sisters, she always avoided, sulked, got angry and finally won as passive holi player.  Today, Bhabhi, Mona, Meena, Shobha are grand parents, let’s see what reaction is of new generation of Chawla Sister. Watch out for Holi pics.

13^th Thu: Kashyap – Dhwani are going off to Mumbai to attain Meet Doshi’s engagement. Meet is Kashyaps ‘Langotya Yaar’. One thing I can safely vouch for Kashyap is that he has collected wide variety of friends. His all buddies, friends are made from different ‘Sachcha’.  So is Meet. I know him when he was just 6-7 year old and used to come home in Ghatkopar.

As KPD-DKD will not be joining us for Holi, we celebrated wet holi after dinner. Akshay has gone more on in Nana Side of family in this respect. He really dislikes all this, but at the same time he knows if he shows his dislike, Kash & Myself will pester him more and make him angry.

Is this sadistic streak or is this Indian way of bonding? 

Muskan is getting used to this type of Holi and like Dhwani, she is also enjoying this. Hopefully we will have gala time on Monday.

On Monday, I was busy with Holi, so this blog was not updated. I am tempted to write about the Monday, but legally it is supposed to be released next week. So we will have to wait. Meanwhile, I can give pre-view.

Saturday was birthday of Mummy and Manju. These two opposite persons by natue, who share same date as birthday. How unconvincing. We planned a nice dinner with lot of chatter and 'chatkas' at our most favorite and reliable place, Ram Krishna Hotel. Nice food, great variety, excellent decor and great price. After light hearted banter and dinner, a cake was cut by odd couple of DIL & MIL. These type of occasions one will forget in few weeks time, but believe me, they are as important as the elaborated, splashy, expensive and excitement filled events. Maybe more so as these simple episodes in life teach you how to enjoy tiny day to day happenings. And one feels fullness of life. Bindiya and Mummy was also happy, as we returned home by 9.30! Nowadays Mummy is feeling her age and likes to rest and sleep more. She completed her 8th Decade on this earth, making few families around her as happy and satisfied families by her dignified, helpful, non-demanding nature. We brothers have inherited love for life from her only. Dad was more involved in sensitive, boarding side of life.

 On Sunday, Akshay started for the Holi party on cycle for Khandala! Muskan tried to discourage him by involving 3 M's, Me-Mona-Mummy. I tried half heatedly, mummy did not try and Mona failed in her attempt. As Akshay is going to Gym regularly, and Pune to Khandla is mostly gentle downhill, I was sure he will be able to cover the distance in five hours. So accordingly we followed him in Xylo, so that we all reached Khandla at same time.

 Kashyap and party of 18 people left Mumbai for Pune on Sunday morning to celebrate Holi. 9 couples, few just engaged, few just married. I left some 'Bhang' for them. So this Holi two parties will start, One at Pune, other in Khandala.

Lets begin with the Party. 

 

by P G Dodeja