NRISA meet offers excitement, music and literature

Northern Region Indian Seniors Association (NRISA) grabbed the honour of being the first organization to hold its meeting in the hall at the Indian Consulate’s new premises at 344 St. Kilda Road in the city. NRISA combined the evening with a literary Sahitya Sandhya, a monthly programme that alternates with its musical counterpart Sangeet Sandhya, leading toan evening of Indian music amalgamated with Hindi literature. In the spirit of Diwali, seventy odd members attired in typically Indian dress and humility enthusiastically wished each other blessings of the New Year.

As we arrived - typically to Indian standards if it may be mentioned, the temperamental karaoke system was put to test and, to the chagrin of the organisers, stuttered. While the experts worked on it, the tea and coffee-making equipment emanated steam which the Fire Brigade mistook as flames and rushed in, sirens blaring. Within minutes the Australian Federal Police landed on the premises; being a foreign country consulate required the situation to be dealt with diplomatically, which Dr. Santosh Kumar, NRISA President, handled with tact. Since the Chief Guest Consul General Anita Nayar took her time in arriving, a smiling MC Dr. Nalin Sharda, NRISA Vice President, combined jokes with pertinence to appease the gray matter within frowning foreheads. Vice Consul Rakesh Kawra finally announced that Ms. Nayar was not attending, and Nalin asked his wife, Dr. Hema Sharda, an academician visiting from Perth, to light the symbolic festival lamp. Dr. Kumar briefly welcomed members and declared that the evening festivities had commenced.

Nalin invited Chandraben to sing bhajans to highlight the festival. Just as Mrs. Sunila Patel was building up the festive atmosphere further by singing, “Mele hain chiragon ke, rangeen Diwali hai”, the system failed. Nalin requested members to tell jokes and encouraged us not to give up. The system revived, Prabhakar Rajah sang “Mitwa” in his rich, deep voice, and lo and behold, the system died again. Nalin shot a Delhi Transport Undertaking (DTU - Don’t Trust Us) joke to fill the gap. The system revived again, and Rajah sang “Aane wala kal, jaane wala hai,” followed by Mrs. Shilpa Ram’s delicate rendition of “Kaisi hai yeh paheli”, and “Jadoo hai, nasha hai.” Nalin asked us, mostly seniors, to clap vigorously as the movement creates friction and aids blood circulation.

Sushil Sharma, Prince from Bangladesh, Mrs Neela Unadkat and Mrs Sunila Patel all kept us attentive with their delightful renditions, while we joined in too. The evening took a turn from music to literature as Santosh Kumar formally introduced is organised, there are no diseased stray dogs or cows, and no noise. But, he laments/recites nearly in tears, no amount of comfort or pleasure here is as enchanting as life was in overcrowded, corrupt India.

Karela and bhindi are readily available, Dr. Jha recited, so are all kind of Indian sweets. Diwali here is of higher standard: electric lights instead of a poor man’s oil and wick lamps, “but it does not compare with the festival at home!” How true to life, we accepted, and how apt the caption! Shri Subhash Sharma also spoke of Mother India and the musical gratification soon