When recession had the last laugh

Around 500 people, drawn from the city8217;s 60 laughter clubs, gathered at 7.30 am in a corner of the dusty maidan, a speck among the cricketing hopefuls and exercise freaks. Babubhai Bhavsar, 75, of the Arunoday Walkers8217; Club, blamed the low numbers on recession. 8220;We8217;ve had less sponsors this year. This has directly affected publicity, so there aren8217;t many people this time,8221; he told Express Newsline.

But the low turnout hardly managed todrown the laughs of the participants, who guffawed away as well as paraded around the ground. Age was no bar either, as students of Bandra8217;s New English School exchanged cackles with senior citizens. 8220;We want to spread the message of laughter therapy. It is a very good way of exercising several internal organs,8221; said Bhavsar.

However, participants cautioned that laughter sessions should not last beyond 15 minutes at a stretch, as it could harm the internal organs.

Dr Madan Kataria, who founded Laughter International in March 1995 with just five members, said, 8220;There is a war outside around us because there is one within us. That is why we need to laugh.8221; The organisation demanded that a laughter contest8217; be introduced in the international Olympic Games.

Mayor Nandu Satam, who was the chief guest at the programme, also began his speech with a laugh, but a forced one. 8220;A person who laughs also makes other people laugh,8221; he observed.

Dr Kataria also conducted a laughter session. But later, anorchestra began belting out Hindi film songs, and laughter had to take a back seat to troupes performing folk dances.