Goli No 13….gundu invites....mukesh ambani

Year 2001………2002……………… Our new neighbour ………. Prakash Mani….…. his seven year old son Gundu Mani……… Prakash had joined Reliance Infocom….. Part of a crack team to build ………..Reliance Infoco………..DAKC Navi Mumbai……. was buzzing with activity…………… lots of people from all over India …… had joined Reliance Infocom………Mukesh Ambani was the visionary ……He was Reliance Infocom’s Big Man…………Big Boss..... then

Gundu mani had become my daughter’s best friend by now……………..One day he joined us for dinner…………..My daughter ………..wifey…………and me on dinning table……………eating puliyodarai……………Thair Chatam.….Gundu saw a black brand new Reliance connection on side Table…….How come you have Reliance Communication ………He thought only Reliance employees could get Reliance Connection………………..

I started my Goli ……….I ignored Gundu's questions……. Told wifey….. Mukesh had called up……..asked….. If the phone was working…………..Gundu gasped with open mouth…………curd rice in his mouth…………eyes wide open……….what…….. I continued……. Sunday mostly Mukesh and Neeta will join us for lunch……… Mukesh wants………….Idli with Gunpowder…….. and Paal Payasam………..Neeta wants…...Vengaya Sambar…………wifey continued……..check out with Mukesh…………if Neeta would like Vethal Koimbu…….. or Mor Koimbu………Gundu drank water……….My daughter used to our Goli’s………added…… please remind Mukesh uncle to get New Barbie set………..

Gundu silently finished his dinner…………with a lot of questions in his mind………. He said Mukesh Ambani was his father Boss…………How come we know him…………He is a Big Man etc…………..I didn’t give him any explanation…………..Gundu went home by 10.00 clock…………….by 10.30 we heard noises ……….from Gundu's house above us……….. I had my doubts …… May be My Goli was working…….By 11.30 ………Our bell rang……we saw Prakash Mani in banyan………….Lungi ……with Gundu in his arms…………..angry and crying…… his wife following him………

Prakash didn’t know where to start……………I realized my Big Folly………….Prakash said please tell Gundu that………..what you told about Mukesh Ambani was a Goli………..for fun………..He is crying and wants me to talk to Mukesh Ambani at this hour and invite him for lunch to his house ……….. He says he is my Boss………….and he should come to our house first……



My wifey took Gundu in arms consoled him………gave me a dummy slap………for lying to kids ………..I consoled Gundu …………….As I entered the bedroom after all the drama at around 2.30 a.m………. My Five Year daughter warned me …………….Don’t mess up with my friends……………with big eyes……….. fingers pointed at me……………

Next few days I saw less of Gundu in my house…………..I saw him in the lift after a Month………I asked him about Mukesh Ambani……….He said “Pongo Neenge Chumha dhool udaral” Translated in Hindi………”

Jaho…… Goli Math Do”…………