Community lunch

Malcolm Baug, with its sylvan surroundings, is a real haven for the more than thousand residents who live in it. The residents all live in a peaceful surrounding and there are many firsts to its credit. It is the first colony to house an agiary, to start humbandagi, to have a gymkhana, etc.

Among the various "firsts” is a unique program which is held on January 26 every year for the past more than 15 years. This program is a "community lunch” where more than 30 odd residents volunteer to cook mutton dhansak for about 20/25 persons each and then all the cooked rice, dal, etc is mixed into huge vessels. Most of the residents, men, women and children partake of this lunch. The brainchild of Homai P. Katrak, it is indeed a unique way for all residents to get together and interact. A lot of selfless effort is involved but for Katrak and her band of dedicated volunteers it is a real pleasure.

There is always someone or the other to "donate” some dessert which makes the lunch all the more enjoyable. If only other Parsi colonies could follow the example set by Malcolm Baug, no doubt in their own way, it would be a nice gesture. Meanwhile we, in Malcolm Baug, will surely continue with this tradition for decades to come – God willing.

ADI M. TARMASTER