Vivek-uvaach: On Bloggers' Lunch again

“I saw you coming out of Hotel Kohinoor this afternoon. Don’t tell me you had gone there to meet Manohar Joshi.” Lulu, my parrot, said.

“I had gone there for our bloggers’ meet. We had lunch together. Are you referring to the ex-Chief Minister of Maharashtra? I do not meet politicians and I am not member of any political party. Why should I meet Manohar Joshi?” I asked.

“They say that he owns the hotel.” Lulu supplied ‘inside’ information.

“He may own the Hotel but presently he is more occupied with intellectual pursuits! Haven’t you heard that he has been awarded Doctorate recently?” I said. “The politicians don’t have cure for any problems of the people and the society, just like the doctors, so it is only fit that they are called ‘Doctor’ somebody. Like Doctors they are treating [if at all] symptoms and not the disease.”

“So the bloggers seem to have discussed politicians and politics over lunch.” Lulu said winking at me. “Did you discuss the forthcoming Bharat bandh? All political leaders are incorrigible.”

“Oh, Yes, That was the consensus.”

“That word reminds me of the survey Sucharita is planning. Did she handover any questionnaire?”

“No. It is still at the planning stage. But she did share some interesting discoveries at the ad agency where she is working.”

“You mean you were talking about some sweet young thing about to enter modelling – that is called a ‘find’ or a ‘discovery’ in the ad world. Funny. They use the same words when they find fossils!” Lulu was laughing now.

“Oh cut it out. Sucharita is a professor. And like the owner of the hotel, her interests are academic. She was talking about consumer behaviour. She said men use fairness cream but they feel shy about admitting it in public. That is what a survey revealed.”

“Fairness as a value is imbibed only in looks by human beings.” Lulu, my parrot, said.

“That is a gem of wisdom!” I remarked. “We only parrot fairness, Lulu.”

“Ha ha! I forgot to mention. I had spotted Gunjan or G as you call her, somewhere on a hill.”

“Gunjan is an accomplished swimmer but of late she is found trekking or climbing mountains more than swimming in the waters.”

“Well she is following the evolution route. Fish and amphibians moved from sea to land, isn’t it?”

“And when did they develop wings like you? I think you are unnecessarily getting intellectual.” I said with annoyance. “Talking of water, did you notice the coincidence? ‘Varsha’ was invited for our meeting and she brought a huge downpour along with her. By the time we left the hotel, Mumbai was flooded. Some people live up their name.”

“And she must have brought her little prince along with her, ‘Arush.’ Cute little kid. His name means first ray of the Sun. Isn’t that beautiful?”

“Yes indeed and he is a very lively kid. He sat at the head of the table like a Chairperson.”

“It was in the fitness of things. After all, you bloggers do become playful and child like when you meet. Your noise must have affected the serious corporate honchos sitting at the other tables.” Lulu said. “Sometimes I wonder whether smiling or laughing is banned by law in corporate world.”

“Leave them alone. Yes, we bloggers do become very chirpy like birds and make a lot of noise when we meet. Suranga and I are no exceptions though we are the elders by age in the group. Joining us was a young man whom we were all very anxious to meet.”

“Harish of Blog Adda. I thought that the man must have been a high ranking KGB Officer in his previous birth.”

“He knew what every blogger at the table was doing; he knew what every blogger had written in the past. It was almost as if he had a dossier on everybody.” I said. “The only man left out by him was perhaps Harekrishnaji, alias Priyadarshan Kale. He writes a blog in Marathi. Harish can’t read it.”

“Does he know Suranga alias Ugich Konitari?”

“Yes they know each other well because she has participated and won prizes on Blog Adda. Moreover she was interviewed on Blog Adda. Suranga is a very versatile lady whose intelligence, talent and enthusiasm are very high. Moreover she is not a fence sitter; she has a clear view on many subjects. She makes impact wherever she goes. I always enjoy my conversations with her.”

“So you had two new bloggers, Varsha and Harish, in your meeting.” Lulu said.

“Oh no. Aswathi and Neha also came. Neha is a lawyer, marathon runner and about-to-be-author of a few law books. Neha has taken to the internet like G has taken to water and hills. Aswathi is registered for Ph D in English literature. These young girls give me inferiority complex. They have accomplished so many things at such a young age.”

“You have a point!” Lulu said. “Wasn’t Kavi there? You did not mention him.”

“Kavi was rather silent yesterday. He once told me that he used to write poetry before he discovered blogging. Mystery surrounds these poets. I suspect he may go back to poetry. Poets are moody people, you know. He carried a bag and it looked like a mysterious package. He took it out at the end and distributed small containers of home-made payasams. Many bloggers finished them before reaching home. Delicious.”

“A cat with milk is always very silent and observant. Kavi must be a good cook.”

“Well, we can’t say. Payasam was made by Shanti, his wife and all bloggers want her to join the next meeting. And that reminds me. Nu brought namkeen for us from Indore. That was very nice. Namkeen is something that can be had anytime. We have resolved never to meet without Kavi and Nu.”

“I saw you returning home with Aswathi.” Lulu said.

“That is right. She stays at Thane”

“So you must have told her about your days in Kochi and used some Mallu words. You must have talked about the Backwaters, Karimeen-rice and Avial. ”