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!
