Ed: This Reunion Report is in two parts. The first was an email to me immediately after the event. The second part was the full report compiled by Shobha a few days after the report. The photographs are available at a yahoo site and the link is given. Most of the pictures are about the ladies who were at the event. Shobha said that the men were busy at the bar!! I hope Shobha will provide a link of more photographs of the event, as she has promised to do.
Dear Jacob,Lovely to know that sitting there on top of the world, 'midst the polars and snow, you know of the heat and fire generated at the Reunion of the '67ers.
37 years after leaving School, the bonding still remains. The head is short of a few hair, the waist is thicker by a few inches, the eyes are a wee bit dimmer, but the sparkle in them still remains bright.
A bevy of 67er beauties The girls, of course, looked young and well turned out. Age had only matured them like good wine. The boys with salt and pepper manes, looked dapper. Old school flames looked at each other and giggled and blushed, The spouse was then introduced to the their youthful paramour. Lots of back slapping, lots of jokes, lots of oooohs and aaaahs, and the general feeling of bon hommie all around.
Spirits flowed as spirits soared. The boys school song, 'Pima in Indus, Gateway of India....' was belted out with great enthusiasm. I had taken xerox copies to be shared, among the 50 of us gathered in the room. The girls school song, was sung with more piety than we ever gave it in school!
An evening of nostalgia and magic. Where CEO's and Captains of Industry rubbed shoulders with housewives and those leading a life of leisure, living off old family fortunes, spouted forth on the importance of industry.
The spouses smiled at our idiosyncrasies, our excitement, our shouts of glee. The old Head Girl Zarine Kotval, spoke a few words of praise, and her husband an old Head Boy, Homi Bhedwar, applauded with enthusiasm.
An assorted gathering of men and women in various fields of Life, bonded by the tag Cathedral - Class of '67.
I promise to post some photos on the website, as soon as they are loaded. But for now let it suffice, that meeting after so many years, never lessens any of the camaraderie.
We just picked up from where we had let off. And had a blast
I had made out a Class Directory for our '67 batch, and we could source out 50 kids from our batch of 88 girls and boys who graduated that year. I had done a detailed report on each person, with date of birth, Wedd Ann, spouse, children, tel nos, mobiles, emails, line of work listed against each person.
It was tough work, but the result, encapsulated in a small purple covered book (school colours) with a page on each person, to make future networking possible.
Everyone was thrilled with the effort, and that was the end to a great evening.
Will keep you posted
Shobha Jhunjhunwala
Ed: For the photographs please go to this Yahoo Photo Web Site of Anita Watumull
Ed: And here is the final Reunion Report from Shobha:
Girls & Boys,
The reunion was a grand affair, about 40 of us turned up, and there were about 11 spouses. In total, we were about 51- 52 people.
The girls were all looking so amazingly young and well turned out. Some of the more conscious ones like Anita Sakraney, looked no older than 30ish. Dimple was tall and leggy, with a tight firm butt, Poosie was wearing a white dhoti outfit and carrying it off with grace. Meherhomji looked about the same, Sheela has lost weight, Hilla was cute and cuddly, Shirin was still beautiful though a few kilos plumper. Avan and her husband Cyrus were celebrating their 28th Wedding Anniversary that evening and we organised a cake for them to cut. Erna Manekshaw and Veena Khemka both flew in from Delhi. They were both looking charming. Veena is a grandmother, but she definitely did not look it! Prerna Shah and hubby were having a ball, she thrilled at meeting old friends again, he thrilled with the spirits around him...Zarine Koti looks just the same, and Homi is a sweetheart...Jogesh has turned into a beautiful lady with an equally charming husband
Ashok Kurien had a white head of hair. Jayant and Rajesh Bahl have lost half of their hair. White, bald or balding was the norm of the day. Jehan is still the same, only taller and huger. The drastic change was in Tanko. He has dwindled down to 1/3rd his size, and was breathing forcefully. His debauched lifestyle had played havoc on his physique. Kavas Jehangir had salt and pepper hair, Cooji was looking handsome with a very sweet wife besides him, One of the Guzder twins was there, looking dapper. Virajan Nath has put on weight and Partho was looking swell with a beautiful Bengali biwi beside him. Ranjit Bhawnani wanted to keep a minutes silence for the departed 4 souls from the class, but everyone told him to stop being morose. Let's celebrate the living first. Next time we meet, god knows how many will still be around! Kersi Vachha is still a bachelor at large, Neville Mehta was divorced, Rajesh Shah is today the Managing Director of Mukund Iron, ...Cyrus Ghasvala, Sharook Munsiff and Ranjit Sinh had prior appointments and couldn't make it that evening as also Victor Macmull.
Retro music played in the background. But there was so much interaction, backslapping, ooohs and aaahs, no one even bothered to listen.
The boys school song was sung with great enthusiasm and gusto. The girls school song did not get as much support from the boys. They always played unfair, even back then...
I had taken a couple of xeroxes for everyone.... time and age does dim the memory.
Spirits flowed and spirits soared. 5 veg starters and 5 nonveg starters kept the taste buds going. Dinner was laid out by 11 pm There was a live pasta counter with veg & nonveg choices. An almond and broccoli soup accompanied by Garlic toast, tossed salad, and Thai curry and rice. Dessert was a chocolate truffle cake (we got 2 - one for Avan to cut and eat there. The other for the couple to take home) Then there was a hot rum raisin pudding with vanilla ice-cream and chocolate sauce.
Champagne flowed along with wine, baccardi, rum, and scotch whisky. Jehan, mad fool had invited Patki, the Chemistry sir (remember him) He had come along with his brother. the two of them drank sooo much, that it was difficult to walk. Jehan gave them money to take a cab home. God knows what they did....
Zarine's husband, Homi Bhedwar, our old Head Boy, was clicking pictures. He has gone back, but I don't think he has loaded them on the comp yet. Nor did Anita. As soon as I get them I'll forward them to you
I distributed the Class directory over there. Yes, I did get a calls from people telling me they had a ball, and the diary was a real help. I will courier yours shortly. I had to order a reprint.
Next time we plan another affair, we'll give you guys ample notice and try and synchronize it with your annual visit schedules. The only absentee was Feroza Pocha who was also in town but had a party at her mother's house. She said she'd try, but I suppose she got stuck. Tony Singha and Kapil Mathur ditched among the boys.
Other than that all those who promised turned up. In fact Anita Cambatta, Monica Chudasama and Debbie Richardson with hubby also came from the Class of '68. I think Tanko told them.
The bonding was instant, the camaraderie ancient and we picked up again 37 years later, as though we had never been apart.
Wish you Jasmine, Homai, Madhu, Syloo, Vimla, Rustom, Jehangir and the rest of the boys were there to add to the Nostalgia.
But there is always a next time and I'm sure there will be many more of us on that occasion.
Cheers to the Class of '67 - those who came, and those who couldn't come in person, but I'm sure were thinking of all of us and the masti they missed.
Love
Shobha Jhunjhunwala
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