I have always believed that expensive lunches do not do much to increase team bonding. Apart from having some really good food and meaningless banter, there is not much that happens in any case.
When we embark on a common purpose, when there is work to be done (real work, not esoteric conversation) and when we encounter unique experiences together; bonds form. Our tryst with this experience occurred on Dec 18th 2011.
The Old Cask team decided to utilize their monthly team outing fund to spend some time with the Angels Orphanage. Some folks within the team came up with this suggestion and what started as an idea soon metamorphosed into a small project.
Shriram who had built their website, reached out to them to find out what they are looking for. Gopal (aka Lassi Baba) then reached out to the whole team and drove the plan. We had two team meetings. One at the beginning of the week and one 2 days before the event. In between, lots of discussions, negotiations and of course research occurred.
Sabina, the Angels’ caretaker mentioned to us that they had a practice of getting new sandals at this time of the year. So we decided to get them sandals. Sabina also mentioned that every year some of the senior girls would go out to get ‘em sandals. The issue for us was that we could not donate the amount. We had to purchase something, so that the bills could be reimbursed. So; one of our team members; Rosmi decided to accompany them on this sandal purchase expedition.
Some of the folks in the team also decided to use their Health and Wellness budget to buy some sporting goods for the team. Everyone had a role to play. Many had to do some preparatory work on Saturday. Buy groceries, buy sandals for the girls, buy sandals for the boys, buy sports equipment, buy gift and chocolates, prepare for quiz; and most importantly identify a cook to prepare special lunches for the day.
 |
| Sabina the caretaker |
Shahank brought the cooks and reached the Orphanage at 6 AM. Some came by 7:30. Some by 9. I myself came in around 10 AM. The Angels Orphanage is not very easy to locate. One needs to go down the Sivaginagar bus stop and pass through a couple of winding lanes. I had to call Sabina several times to reach the destination.
 |
| Lunch Preparation |
 |
| Tambola |
Some of us were already interacting with the kids; the others were still grouped together. I started taking some pictures. One kid asked me, if he can click a picture. I gave my DSLR camera to him. And within a minute, I was surrounded by 20 kids who wanted to take pictures. That broke the ice (not the camera). Now everyone who had brought cameras was fair game. Soon we were all chatting with the children. We played Tambola. Kids these days are very smart. When Anubhav shouted ‘ Three Two; Thirty Two ’; they striked off all three numbers; Three, Two and 32
Then we decided to have a quiz competition. We were under prepared. We realized, standards these days are very different. After 8 questions, they started asking us questions. We came second best.
 |
| Distributing Sandals |
We followed that up with lunch. We served. The most popular item was in fact buttermilk. Everyone wanted to drink lots of it. We ran short and had to rush out to buy some more. Then we gave the sandals and the sports goods away. In between all this, we had chocolates.
 |
| I was really tired. But these guys just wanted to keep using my camera! |
Happiness is a matter of choice. We learnt that from the Angels. They have not seen iPads and Galaxy Notes. Their meals are devoid of options. They have a set routine. They all go to near-by schools, which cannot be termed fancy by any stretch of imagination. The elder ones take up house-hold work after studies. None of that constrained their creativity or imagination. Their happy faces and unbridled enthusiasm are contagious.
We took some more group pictures in the end and started to trundle out. I got onto my car still mired in the warm haze contentment. I called home on my hands-free. There were guests at home. I had been delayed and they could not wait any longer. The warm haze transformed into thick airs of tension. Welcome back life!
Notes from the 2ndMeeting
Orphanage Address:
Angels Orphanage,
Anath Ashram,
Old Cemetery Road,
Shivaji Nagar,
Bangalore – 51.
Caretaker:
Sabina: 09901540582
More Info: http://orphanage.heroku.com/
Organizers:
Boys Sandals = Soumya, Experience and Shriram
Girls Sandals = Rosmi and Archanaa
Groceries & Veg = SimiJ and Gopal
Chocolates = Vinod
Directors of Photography:
Soumya and Shashank
Treasurer:
Soumya
Annual Allowance Contributors:
Gopal
Soumya
Adarsh
Shriram (1/2)
Annual Allowance Usage Organizer:
Sports(Batmiton, Net, Cork, Carom Powder and Coins and Chess) = Shashank
Confirmed Attendees/Organizers/Contributors Contact Numbers:
1. Amirdha Gopal – ******2991
2. Soumya Dutta – ******2096
3. Shriram Shridaran -*****9894
4. Vinod – ****9296
5. Karthik – ****4782
6. SimiJ – *****8626
7. Shashank – ****5893
8. Experience – *****2154
9. K3 – ****1281
10. Kumaran – ****7421
11. Rosmi – ****2038
12. Adarsh – ****7847
13. Archanaa – ****9288
Food Menu:
Rice
Lemon Rice with Capsicum
Kosumbri1
Kosumbri12
Veg Sabji1
Veg Sabji2
Sambhar
Rasam
Payasam
Appalam (Papad)
Sweet
Bajji
Groceries and Vegetables List:
Provision List
|
1.
|
Turmeric
|
100 gms
|
|
2.
|
Rice
|
25 Kgs
|
|
3.
|
Toor Dal
|
3 Kgs
|
|
4.
|
Bengalgram Dal
|
1 Kg.
|
|
5.
|
Urad Dal
|
1 Kg
|
|
6.
|
Green gram Dal
|
½ Kg
|
|
7.
|
Ground Nuts
|
½ Kg
|
|
8.
|
Byadagi – Red Chilli
|
½ Kg
|
|
9.
|
Coriander seeds (Dhaniya)
|
½ Kg
|
|
10.
|
Jeera
|
200 gms
|
|
11.
|
Pepper
|
100 gms
|
|
12.
|
Fenugreek
|
100 gms
|
|
13.
|
Mustard
|
100 gms
|
|
14.
|
Asafoetida – Hing
|
1 pkt.
|
|
15.
|
Salt – Granules
|
1 Kg.
|
|
16.
|
Table Salt
|
1 Kg.
|
|
17.
|
Tamarind
|
½ Kg.
|
|
18.
|
Bengalgram Flour
|
1 ½ Kg.
|
|
19.
|
Maida
|
2 ½ Kg.
|
|
`20.
|
Sugar
|
6 Kg.
|
|
21.
|
Chilli Powder
|
100 Kg.
|
|
22.
|
Poppy seeds
|
100 gms
|
|
23.
|
Cinnamon sticks
|
20 gms.
|
|
24.
|
Cloves
|
20 gms.
|
|
25.
|
Cardamom
|
20 gms.
|
|
26.
|
Raisins
|
100 gms.
|
|
27.
|
Cashew
|
100 gms.
|
|
28.
|
Vermicelli
|
1 Kg.
|
|
29.
|
Coconuts
|
10
|
|
30.
|
Refined Oil
|
5 Kg.
|
|
31.
|
Pappad
|
200 nos.
|
|
32.
|
Dalda
|
1 ½ kg.
|
Vegetable list
|
1.
|
Cabbage
|
2 kg.
|
|
2.
|
Potato
|
3 Kgs.
|
|
3.
|
Beans
|
2 Kgs.
|
|
4.
|
Cluster beans (Gorikayi)
|
2 Kgs.
|
|
5.
|
Carrots
|
1 Kg.
|
|
6.
|
Green Chillies
|
½ Kg.
|
|
7.
|
Elephant Yam
|
2 Kgs.
|
|
8.
|
Ash gourd
|
3 Kgs.
|
|
9.
|
Cucumber
|
6 nos.
|
|
10.
|
Capsicum
|
1 Kg.
|
|
11.
|
Lemon
|
12 Nos.q
|
|
12.
|
Coriander leaves
|
2 bundles
|
|
13.
|
Curry Leaves
|
2 bundles
|
|
14.
|
Ginger
|
50 gms.
|
|
15.
|
Milk
|
2 ltrs.
|
|
16.
|
Curds
|
3 ltrs.
|
|
17.
|
Ghee
|
200 gms.
|
|
18.
|
Tomato
|
1 Kg.
|
Very well written. I, especially like the fact that you took the time and visited an orphanage, not many people do that today. I respect you for that.
thanks for your kind words.
Congratulations Vinod for the fact that you never miss a chance to grab such opportunities and spend time with gods children. I was once fortunate to become a part of such an en devour for your wedding reception at another orphanage in hebbal. I thank you for posting your experience and inspiring the readers. Cheers to Vidya n Dhruv as well!
Vijitha.
Hi Viji – many thanks for your very kind words. Actually it was my team's idea. I just went along with it and had a good time.
Nice article…. In today's world, people rarely think of spending time for such activities…
Hello Vinod, thank you for sharing your experience. I'm thinking of visiting this orphanage can you please provide more information. e mail would be great. thank you.