REUNITED AT RANTHAMBORE

 

Reported through a wonderful verse by Mr P Ramnath. The PGP 1972 reunion highlighted here was organised on February 21-24, 2020 in Ranthambore and Jaipur. As we read through each lyric that expresses reminiscing emotions, we inevitably feel that there is no better way for the batch mates to celebrate 50 years of togetherness.

 

 

It was at Mahabaleshwar that we had last met, perched at the Dina on the rolling hills of the Sahyadri. The bracing weather got many of us out of bed bright and early to sight Jupiter and the sunrise. But there was this guy who would appear on his balcony as we made for Breakfast, sporting a languorous yawn and that ‘All’s right with the world’ look. We just had to get him to do some work, didn’t we?

 

And so it was that Anshu Balbir was voted in as the guy to plan our next ReUnion at Jaipur.  And Boy! Did he and his team deliver!

 

“Haven’t seen you in aeons”, “Looking good, man!” went the refrain as our group of 64 converged at the Foyer of the Royal Orchid, Jaipur that February morn.

 

 

Ranthambore, here we come!

The Old Boys with wives gathered at Jaipur

Bonhomie, backslapping a plenty

You wouldn’t think to look at them

They were all over seventy

 

A pleasant drive to Regenta Vanyamahal

An imposing Mahal, this place

One could well envision

Its bygone days of Royal grace

 

Welcomed by our man Anshu

Looking every inch, the Don

Putting this RU together

How many hearts he sure has won

 

The RU Tiger looked cuddly

Smiling invitingly at the door

Perveen’s design was cute

It will go down in RU lore!

 

THE Toast

That evening Garth did raise a Toast

With the customized RU mug

Featuring almost forty of us couples

Many in their own Tigerish hug!

 

While the mugs of cheer did flow

We had our ‘case’ to prepare

Listening to stories of the tigers

And exotic birds so rare

 

 

 

The Safari

For the Safari up bleak and early

Cold and chilled to the bone

Wrapped in blankets, scarves and beanies

Don’t Tigers feel cold? We did moan

 

Some of us did sight a Tiger

Lucky you in Canter 4

But in Canter 1 with gear unstuck

It was only the engine that did roar!

 

Spotted deer we did see though

And a few of the Nilgai

And some birds that perched on Puja’s head

Were identified as the Treepei

 

Chilling in the Sun

After Breakfast it was Photo op time

On the lawns, we did gather

Give us a choice twixt sun and cold

Any day this warmth we would rather

 

Ravi was his active peppy self

He had a most pleasant thing to do

Huge greeting cards he had got signed

To felicitate our organizing team led by Anshu

 

The Fort Temple Climb

Determined climbers all of us, post lunch

The afternoon saw us on the Fort’s wall

Tales of treason and valour we did hear

Of Tradition, sacrifice and all

 

We imagined the Queens of days gone by

Awaiting us at the Tower

Welcoming victorious armies

Whom with flowers they did shower

 

And then did we reach

The Temple of three eyed Ganesha

The Trinetra they do call it

May he bless us all hamesha

 

Sufi Night and the ZORBA

Dinner that night on the Lawns

Was a twinkling, fairy tale affair

The ladies in their colourful best

Did you wear flowers in your hair?

 

Great wines and whiskies did flow that night

As we sat around the bonfire

If the liquor didn’t get us all high

The camaraderie did get us higher

 

We enjoyed the energetic singers

The Sufi had us in a trance

And it was again the ladies

Who led us to the dance

 

Baljee got his karaoke

And had everyone join in

The food and service par excellence

Indulge, indulge it was pure sin

Perveen was bang on

The hotel staff to laud

Both at HROJ and HRVR

We were My Lady and M’Lord!

 

You might have said your good nights

The evening up well nigh

But the Zorba dance was not to be denied

The ladies were on their high

 

The Memento

Awaiting us back at Royal Orchid Jaipur

Were the Ranthambore mugs and the Memento

We just had to unpack them to see

Garth’s year long passion and then Lo!

 

It’ll remind us every time we raise a glass

This Wine cooler, yes, not a pail

Of the great time had with you

With a Tiger on our trail

 

Magical Jalmahal

We had to round off the RU then

With another lovely eve

The lights of Jalmahal shone brightly

To tell us not to leave

 

Yet another magical song and dance

Of Rajasthan’s artistes so rare

Miraculous was the performance

And so delectable the fare

 

As ever our ladies did join them

But for them where would we be

Standing by us through thick and thin

Creating life long bonds for you and me

 

 

Auf Wiedersehen

Retiring to our rooms at HRO that night

What did we on our bedside see

Baljee had us graduate this time

With cakes of scroll and board and A Degree!

 

 

For the organisers another 3 cheers then

Some behind the scene

If I didn’t mention Danga, Vaze or Kapil so far

It is ‘cos they did all their work unseen!