Fun, Food, St Anthonian Gang: Hijack by ‘Naga hospitality’

While concluding a previous blog on September 25, 2015, I promised to write another on our St Anthony’s Shillong gang get together. Here it’s.

Nov 8, 2015 Meet

These writings are difficult more from an individual perspective. Struggling to key in first initial words, one had to fight back the tears – certainly the tears of joy. But the incorrigible ‘tears’ do blur our visions nevertheless. If all these years – we had parted ways around 1984-85 – I was wondering what’s happiness all about, by August-September in 2015 when our group was born on ‘whatsapp’ tool; I realized it’s all about FRIENDSHIP. The feeling that you have friends and you too are a ‘friend’ of some individuals – highly successful ones in life an career – gives one some POWER.

This POWER HEIGHTENS one’s happiness!

We had another meet on November 8, 2015 – as Mumbai-based Samik Bhattacharya – he calls himself Sam B’charya and Shillong-based Congress neta Sanjay Das landed here in Lutyen’s city. Sam is truly a ‘be chara’ (please spare political element in you – Lalu Prasad here) – as Sam is only ‘bachelor’ in our group till now ! Moved in bag and baggage, we have promised on Delhi variety of ‘hospitality’, but this globe trotter says he has learnt all tricks of ‘hospitality’ in Africa ! Sanjay Das laughed little with gusto – cheerfully.

Sanjay, like most Congress netas, had a blast that day as Narendra Modi was humbled in Bihar and his party had something to cheer about after months!

So, perhaps Sanjay's laughter had a vengeance as he was ‘teasing’ this Modi bhakt – your’s blogger! Was the former cricketer in our school team still playing gentleman's game?  

Ainul Haq Mazumdar , our admin/moderator in Whatsapp group, played a 'cool customer' and kept things “safe” as he did not have wife’s permission to drink on a day – Modi was knocked off in Bihar!! But the cool customer kept his smile all along and kept encouraging most of us to press refresh memories about our good old days in Shillong! A good moderator is like a shepherd keeping the flock together.

Surajit Bhattacharya played his usual mischief. He wore his old-heart on his sleeves throughout. But like all dutiful husbands, the fellow got unmindful - scared - at times as his in-laws had visited his house and he was with us in 'very important business conference'.

But classic was Gautam – the UN official – throwing the usual googly, “today all you have is only beer”. Everybody kept a momentary silence – mourning the absence of hard booze.

Snaps were posted on whatsapp already and ‘jealous’ guys outside Delhi were already worried, whether Hangover is over ! There was no lion in the room.

Christopher, Odisha-based cop, landed in Delhi but missed the fun as his job ensured he should not move out of the Delhi airport. Poor fellow!

Good jobs often deny you good times.

No time to talk: Business First

But Life is like that. Mere fun and friendship would not make your life the way you want to shape it.

Rightly goes the Jagjit Singh number, Apni Marzi se kahan apni safar ke hum hain
Rukh hawaaon ka jidhar ka hai udhar ke hum hain

(This journey is not of our making,
We go in whichever direction the wind blows.) 

Gang with Naga neta Thomas Ngullie

The song stands true not only for cops, it’s for everyone. 

Another thing in life is uncertain is who will host party for whom. Our ‘mutual party’ in terms of footing the bill turned topsy turvy as a former Nagaland minister Thomas Ngullie walked in. He too shared the ‘secret’ that he is Anthonian (by college) ! 

He had a cup of ‘fika cha (black tea)’ as we savoured popular Naga dishes and as he walked out, he said, “enjoy Naga food guys, its all on me”. 

Do you still doubt the ‘power’ of God’s will? Do you still doubt the traditional Indian theory – tolerant India or ‘intolerant’ India – that every corn is named after you or someone? Is there still any question about 'Naga hospitality'? Do you still doubt that Nagas have big hearts ?

Thank you Anthonians ! Thank you Thomas Ngullie. Happy Diwali.

(ends)