WITH no major sporting or political event on the horizon, bookies and gamblers have turned their attention on the next big event that will soon unfold in the Bachchan family. It’s the coming baby of Ashiwarya and Abhishek… Will it be a boy or a girl? Will it be on 11/11/11 or 14/11/11?
This conversation overheard in a restaurant puts the picture in perspective. One seemingly confident Gujarati seth was insisting that it would be a boy and he had already wagered lakhs of rupees on 5:1 odds. In gambling terminology, it means that if he bet Rs 5 and if he won, he would get just Re 1. His assessment, he argued was based on the horoscopes of the family members etc, etc; revealed to him by a lead bookie, who was also a friend and therefore the tip to make some quick bucks.
Immediately his other companions picked their mobiles and crossed checked with their own bookies. The answers were in affirmative and yes, the odds were in favour of a boy. As for the bets between the two days, mentioned above, the odds were equal. And while they went on to place bets, we walked away.
From our point of view, and ditto we think from the family’s point of view, it shouldn’t matter whether it’s a boy or a girl. The yearning would be for a healthy baby. And while we are at it, we wish for the first time parents, ‘Happy Parenthood’. And for the baby that’s coming, there is a special blessing. “May joy, laughter and happiness fill the little one’s life!”
For Dadaji Amitabh? Uhmm…we will hold that one until next week.