Friendship Day Today: Unbreakable Bond That Transcended Time, Religion & Status

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Love with no expectations and keeping in touch are USPs of lifelong friendships. Relationships do not depend on meetings, people say. On the eve of Friendship Day, Free Press talked to few distinguished people to know what sustained their friendship.

Excerpts:

50-yr Friendship With Gardener’s Son

Ramswaroop and I have been friends for 50 years. Financially, my family was not well-placed. After studying till Class 7 in Sagar, I left for Delhi. In Delhi, I took admission in a school and began working. It was at school that I met Ramswaroop, son of a gardener.

We soon became close friends. For four years, Ramswaroop shared his lunch box with me. After clearing Class 11, I joined National School of Drama in 1975. In 1990, I decided to move to Mumbai. I did not have enough money.

Ramswaroop withdrew his entire savings from the bank, kept it in an envelope and handed it over to me with his good wishes. The amount was not much but his gesture overwhelmed me. My eyes well up whenever I think of it. The USP of our friendship is: Feeling for each other.

-Govind Namdev, Film, TV & Theatre Actor

Talluquat, Mulaqaton Ke Mohtaj Nahi Hote

My ties with my childhood friends Radheshyam Pande and Surendra Vajpayee are as strong as ever. I had travelled to Balia in Uttar Pradesh to attend wedding of Radheshyam and sometime back, I travelled to Lucknow to attend his son’s wedding. Vaypayee is an engineer.

We don’t meet often but then, “Talluquat, mulaqaton ke mohtaj nahi hote” (relationships are not dependent on meetings). Earlier, we used to keep in touch through letters. Now, video calls have replaced them.

In Mumbai, Boney Kapoor, David Dhawan and Sajid Nadiadawala are my close friends. The USP of our friendship is: Don’t have expectations from one another.

-Rumi Jaffery, Filmmaker & Writer

Becoming Mayor Has Not Changed Things

I am from Bina (Sagar district) but have been living in Bhopal for 25 years since my marriage. I am still in touch with my school friends in Bina. In Bhopal, Alpana Gupta and Deepa Gaur are my closest friends.

We first met at a religious event and developed liking for each other to the extent that we became close friends. Having become mayor has not changed things though I am busier now.

As I had some engagements on Saturday, we celebrated Friendship Day on Thursday. We all went to Chhind Wale Hanuman Baba Temple. The USP of our friendship is: Keep in touch.

- Malti Rai, Bhopal Mayor