What are we scared of?

I just got a mail from my HR :

Dear Scared Indians,

Due to the anticipated sensitive situation tomorrow(i.e. 30.09.10) it is recommended that we work between 7:00am to 2:00pm so as to reach our home latest by 3:30pm.

Regards,
Another Scared Indian.


What are we scared of? Riots?

I am more scared of what my kids will learn in History, because that is what they are trying to preserve. So what happens tomorrow will be another history for the next generation.

Either they'll feel proud that it all ended in peace and their parents went to work without fearing that they would be killed in riots, else they would learn that violence still persisted in the name of religion.

Well, time we all show some PATRIOTISM... wait a minute , did I just spell RIOT in PATRIOTISM??
Yeah, I guess I did!!

Let's wait and see what happens.

I am really happy that we have less hours to work tomorrow, a break finally after a long time.

But for a change, I seriously want to come to office, work for 12 hours on the day of verdict and feel blessed that there was nothing that could scare me off in my own motherland, my home.

When can I live fearlessly? Are we making an Afghanistan of India?

Obscurity!! With lots of optimism...

Let there be Peace and Love .


Same Thoughts : The Verdict

With Love, Zindagi

Obscurities creep up time and again...

Whenever I tend to start liking one particular emotion, I am seldom left to enjoy it and soon there's a new emotion that I am supposed to deal with.

But every emotion - negative or positive good or bad, at a time, is beautiful in itself.

Again i find myself in a halfway house, recreating an imaginary situation - the conversation of the heart and the mind, a situation everyone can relate to.

Mind : How beautiful were the times when I walked on the grass so green, with you holding my hand.

Heart : Emotion - Affection

Mind : The way you talked to me about life. The way we mocked losers who didn't know what Life was.

Heart : Emotion - cheerfulness.

Mind : The exact moment when you told me that you loved talking to me and I extracted the best out of you.

Heart : Emotion - jubliation

Mind : Everytime when you called me by stupid names and how those made no sense then but makes so much sense now.

Heart : Emotion - contentment

Mind : Everytime when thoughts were many, expressions few

Heart : Emotion : apprehension

Mind : Whenever time flew and I found myself having nothing.

Heart : Emotion - hysteria

Mind : When I realised we existed on two different planes, separated by immeasureable distance

Heart : Emotion - Anguish

Mind : The recurrent flow of thoughts that affected the present

Heart : Emotion - Guilt

Mind : The attempt to take charge of life

Heart : Emotion - Optimism

Mind : Analysis of all of the above and the future

Heart : Emotion - Flurry of all of the above

But there is something that the heart has always been trying to tell the mind...

That all of it is beautiful - The negative emotion, the positive one, the great and the not-so-great one. It all defines our life, everytime we stop and analyse. Then the mind follows its own course and the heart, it's own.

But when the two collaborate and respond together, there's just one way of dealing with the thought in the mind and just one emotion.

Mind: Another event in life.

Heart: Emotion - Love.

That's why, I say, even hurt, pain, loss, and all the related emotions are as beautiful as love, bliss, joy, pleasure and contentment.

They are all equally awesome. Feel every bit of it.

These thoughts triggered because I have been listening to the following song the umpteenth time now... It makes a world lot of sense to me..

Filhaal...

Mind : Ye lamha filhaal jee lene de..

Heart : Emotion - Love (with Zindagi)

Aye zindagi

yeh lamha jee lene de

Oh, pehle se likha kuch bhi nahin

Roz naya kuch likhti hai tu

Jo bhi likha hai, dil se jiya hai

Yeh lamha filhaal jee lene de

Maasoom si hasi,

bevaja hi kabhi

Honton pe khil jaati hai

Anjaan si khushi

baheti hui kabhi

Saahil pe mil jaati hai

Yeh anjaana sa darr

ajnabi hai magar

Khoobsurat hai jee lene de

Yeh lamha filhaal jee lene de

Dil hi mein rehta hai,

aankhon mein baheta hai

Kaccha sa ek khwaab hai

Lagta sawaal hai,

shaayad jawaab hai

Dil phir bhi betaab hai

Yeh sukun hai to hai,

yeh junoon hai to hai

Khoobsurat hai jee lene de

Yeh lamha filhaal jee lene de ...

Oh, pehle se likha kuch bhi nahin

Roz naya kuch, oh likhti hai tu

Jo bhi likha hai, dil se jiya hai

Yeh lamha filhaal jee lene de ...

The Verdict

Rahim: Nice Coffee.

Ram: Yeah. Awesome, it is.

Rahim: mmhhhmmmm

Ram : So, What's this fuss about?

Rahim : I wonder!

Ram : Today is an important day it seems. Every one has been going to the temple and breaking coconuts.

Rahim: Yeah, I agree. I see the crowd at the mosque offering namaaz at a more sincere rate.

Ram: I heard someone talk about the Babri Masjid.

Rahim : Yes Yes.. They have the verdict today. Yours or mine. What do you think, Ram?

Ram: Hahaha.. Babri Masjid and Ayodhya MY Janmabhumi ? Is that case still going on?

Rahim : Oh! Don't act ignorant..

Ram: No seriously. What are the people upto? In which year was I born in Ayodhya?

Rahim : Are you kidding me? I don't how to put my birth year in understandable terms and you are asking me yours?

Ram: You bet. We really can't say when we were born and when we died. Gotta ask Mom.

Rahim: We are still alive, Ram. We are perpetual..

Ram: Don't brag, dude. Take it easy.

Rahim : Yeah.. But what do you think this verdict will lead to? Thousands of years after we came and went? I mean it makes no sense to me, because no one would ever know the 100% veracity behind what existed. It's just we who know the truth ;)

Ram :   And you think that's why they are called humans? And now morons?

Rahim : Yeahahahaa..

Ram:    Let's see when did it all start? There were a few instances where a lot of people were killed. The prominent one being 1992 - earth year. There were a few more incidences in year 1500 and 1600, way back in time compared to the current time on Earth. 

Rahim : It's like yesterday to me. They fought and prayed and said they are doing it for me and a place of my worship.

Ram:    And people fought for me because I was born there.

Rahim: Ram, who do think are the real worshippers? People who built the mosque for me? Or who were trying to save the land of your birth?

Ram:     None.

Rahim : I agree.

Ram :    In our name they are killing their brethren. And one who kills neither pleases me, nor, I am sure, does he please you.

Rahim : Very, Very true.

Ram:     I am really sad.

Rahim :  So am I.

Ram :     They might as well build a coffee shop where people come and hang out. At least there will be some love amongst them. And what do you and I want? Love amongst our people, don't you agree?

Rahim : Couldn't agree more, dude.

Ram:    But insanity is currently governing these souls. Motives, Ego, Popularity.. they'll go to hell with all of it, one day.

Rahim : There's no point in discussing it, my friend.

Ram:    I hope the people realise...just realise what makes us happy.

Rahim : Hahahhaaa... you are asking for the impossible.

Ram: But can't we make it possible?

Rahim : We have given them the strength to do it. Let them.

Ram : Correct.

****

Mother : Son, What are you doing all alone? Talking to yourself?

Ram/Rahim: No mom.. am just... and there's no one

Mother : Ok, now go to sleep in peace.

Ram/ Rahim : Are you kidding me?

Bleaaaahhhh!!!

Kill me someone...!! Or I will kill these suckers who are making me forget Englissss....

"You can able to do it.. easily", I just said.
"You should ask THE Thomas", a colleague suggested.
"I have no any alternative, but kill myself", I thought.

Aaarrrrggghhh!!!! (Pulling my hair)


Seriously, I feel sometime I shouldn't be so judgemental. Or Should I?

Munni Badnaam Hui...

Now, this happened weeks before Dabangg released.
This movie was already getting a lot of attention and I was totally unaware of it. Everyone I spoke to, referred to the movie, Salman Khan or the item song by 
Malaika Arora Khan.

One fine day I happened to call a friend.

Dude: Hey.. Long time...
           Have you heard this "munni badnaam hui" song from Dabangg?
Me: Naaahaaa... Atleast ask me the formal questions first.. How are you? Wassup? sorts.
Dude: Ok.. How are you? Good? Great!! So now tell me..have you heard this Munni song?
Me: Nooo... what is so special about it? Is it that raunchy? I know Malaika must have looked amazing..
Dude: No, i haven't seen the song.. I am talking about music and lyrics..
Me: Achha.. No then i haven't heard them.
Dude: Do it RIGHT NOW.

I had no clue from where I could arrange for the song. I was in my office and I have no access to the lovely sites we normally access.
I could have if i  wanted to ;) but seriously.. I had no interest in listening to some "Zandu balm hui" crap.

After a few days, I happened to meet this friend. And no prizes for guessing what he asked me first, before everything else?

Dude: So, did you listen to the song?
Me: Nooo... I couldn't..
Dude: Here.. Sit..Take the ear phones. Listen to it right now.
Me: Now... Ok!!!??!!

I had no choice and I had no clue how the song would turn out.
And then for the next 6 minutes I went through the song deeply concentrating on the lyrics.
I realised I had so many moments of "Baap re".. "IIsssshhh"... "Shhhaaayyyy"... "Oye Hoye"...and all possible expressions.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud on sentences like
"Cinema hall hui, darling tere liye"

and I was astonished at the openness of the song as it said
"Popat na jaane mere peechay Saifu se leke Lambhu khada
Item yeh aam hui, darling tere liye"

So after listening to it, I didn't know whether i should praise it or criticize it. I was asked an intuitive response and I said..

Me: Cheap...
Dude: Really? Now let's listen to it again. Together.
Me: Again? (in my mind: WTF)
So the song started again.

Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye
Munni ke gaal gulabi, nain sharabi, chaal nawabi re
Le zandu balm hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye

(PAUSE)

Dude: So what do you understand?
Me: What's there to understand? The girl says that she's getting a bad name because of the guy she loves.
Dude: So..any further analysis.
Me: No..
Dude: Ok.. Let's listen further..

Shilpa sa figure Bebo si adaa, Bebo si adaa
Hai mere jhatke mein filmi mazaa re filmi mazaa
Haye tu na jaane mere nakhre ve
Haye tu na jaane mere nakhre ve laakhon rupaiya udaa
Ve main taksaal hui, darling tere liye
Cinema hall hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye

(PAUSE)

Dude: Now?
Me: The Girl says that she is as awesome as the top actresses and she has everything it takes to woo guy and make him fall for her.
Dude: Ok..and?
Me: Despite the attention of so many people (jo laakhon rupaiya udaate hai), she is still stuck on this guy and she has got a bad name because of him.
Dude: And?
Me: It is more like Radha and Krishna Story where Radha is madly in love with Krishna
Dude: There you go.. AMAZING. Now let's hear what the modern Radha says about her Modern Krishna
Me: (smile)


Kaise anaari se paala pada ji paala pada
Bina rupaiye ke aake khada mere peechay pada
Popat na jaane mere peechay woh Saifu
Popat na jaane mere peechay Saifu se leke Lambhu khada
Item yeh aam hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye

(PAUSE)

Dude: So while she has so many men after her, she still wants him.
Me: Who??  Popat?
Dude: That's what the modern day Radha would call her Krishna. Popat!
Me: Yeaahahahahaa..
Dude: Things change with time. Hai na?
Me: (nods)
Dude: So now the guy has something to say

Hai tujh mein poori botal ka nasha, botal ka nasha
Kar de budaape ko kar de jawan re kar de jawan
Honthon pe gaali teri aankhein dunaali re de hai jiya
Tu item bomb hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling mere liye
Munni ke gaal gulabi, nain sharabi, chaal nawabi re
Le zandu balm hui, darling tere liye
Munni badnaam hui, darling tere liye

Me: Gross!!
Dude: It's Kalyug Sweetheart!
Me: Yes.. you are right. So We'd assume that Krishna, the modern day krishna accepts that indeed Radha is amazing. She has all the charm and can make anyone  go mad.
Dude: Yes.. And despite the hate that munni shows for her beloved(honthon pe gaali), there is immense love for that one guy alone.
Me: And for just him...bechari ....
        Munni badnaam hui..
Dude: Darling tere liye..
Together: Le Zandu Balm hui...Darling tere liye..

And we sang the chorus a few times until I actually fell in love with the song.

Later I wondered, does unconditinal love still exist? Like Radha loved Krishna? Is eternal oneness possible in today's time?
I was also amazed at the interpretation that my friend had and I felt happy that I at some level could make some positive sense out of the entire song.
The means of expressing love may change . Sometimes it sounds sweet, sometimes it sounds weirdly gross. It is beautiful, nonetheless, just like Love.

Aisa Bhi Hota Hai

I happened to mail my friends about an incident that happened one fine afternoon. This led to narration of another instance which made me wonder… “Kya aisa bhi hota hai?” and I heard my alter ego say, Jee haan, Aisa bhi hota hai!!

After having a delicious meal in my office canteen, my colleague and i went down for a walk. The Ganesh festival was pretty evidently being celebrated as the students of the medical college situated right in front of my office were having pre-visarjan celebrations with DJ, music and dance.

We stood in front of their gate and waited till the procession came out on the road and meanwhile other spectators also gathered to see the merriment.

A varhadi kaku (village lady) wearing a typical navvari stood next to me. We exchanged smiles as we tried to recognize the next track being played by the DJ. Strangely, she recognized the track and shouted out to me “Mala zaau dya n a ghari, aata vaajle ki 12” (Let me go home, It’s already 12) with her head banging to the music seeking a reassurance from me.

And I replied, “Naahi kaku, 12 kehva che vaajle. Aata 1 vaajla aahe. (No madam. It’s past 12. Now it’s almost 1)”

She looked at me and I couldn’t make out whether she laughed at me or was she enjoying the visarjan procession.

Later, I found myself humming the same song…and I couldn’t help but laugh at the reply I gave her.

A friend replies on this narration:

You are still better….

Maloo ke ODC mein ek sardarji hai (Soumo ka college ka senior)….jo bahut saal Calcutta mein raha hai ya abhi bhi reheta hai…so he knows Bengali…
 I did not know him….ek din woh aaya aur mere se bangali mein poocha: Kamon aacho?? (Kaisa hai)….I was stunned ki sardar hoke bangali kaise aati isko and I asked him in return: Tumi Bangali?? (R u a Bengali)….  He was shocked and so was I, as I realized that I am asking a sardar whether he is a Bengali or not….

Crazy Innocence

*Ken passes a paper to Betty*

                "Ken, What is this?"

*Ken Smiles*

                 "What?"

*Ken Smiles*

                 "Stop smiling! What is this? A colon, dash and closing parenthesis?"

"It's a smile, dumbo"

                  "How can this be a smile?"

"Let me show you"

* Ken draws “ :-)” *

"Now, turn the paper around and see"

                  "Ohh... So it means you were smiling"

"Yes. You are cooorrreeecccttt"

                   "Now how do I smile back?"

"In the same way. And I won't need to turn the paper round, like you did"

                   "Clever you! But, Ken, this smile-y, doesn't have a dimple, like yours. So it won't mean that you are smiling. Your's is different"

"Uh!"

                   "But I love your smile. The one with a dimple"

"Umm.. You know what Betty, when Grampa gives Gramma a peck on the cheek, he says that he loves her wdinkles hide her dimples. And Gramma says that it's not the wdinkles but Grampa’s kiss which hides them"

                   “Really?.......Ken, can I hide your dimples too? Then this smile-y would be correct"

"That sounds good."

                    “Ok”

*Ken passes another paper to Betty*

                   “Semicolon, dash and closing parenthesis??? Now what does this mean?”

Kerala Trip and a Wedding

Part 1: Water Water

Part 2: Socho ke Jheelon ka shehar ho..

Part 3: Khana Peena Jeena

Part 4: Chance Pe Dance

Part 5: Aaj mere yaar ki shaadi hai

Part 6: Hmmmmpppphhhmmm

Kerala Trip and a Wedding - I

Waater Waater

It all began with a desire to break free from the regular routine and have total fun on this one trip that we all were having together. This was a trip with a purpose, for sure, but it was meant for fun, nonetheless.

It was Jincy's wedding. Something we couldn't come to terms with, because I still strongly believe that any one of us who'd get married would be a victim of Baal-Vivaah and Jincy's gone on to live a Balika Vadhu now. ;)

So, we reached Panvel from where we had to catch the train to Kottayam. Two of the gang members had already boarded the train at Kurla and were waiting for 5 of us. They were indeed waiting, and starving and therefore waiting, for us. But unfortunately we did not carry anything "satiable".

After settling down (did we?) we realised that all our berths were side berths, in 2 different bogies, in Garibrath (if you know what I mean). Plus we had middle side berths too. The entire idea of playing cards and UNO in the train was shattered. I was heartbroken.

For an hour or so, I was trying to adjust the berths, convincing people to give us seats together. Obviously there was a language problem, because they spoke only Malayalam, and I spoke Hindi.

After my strenuous efforts I came back to my gang hoping they'd appreciate my efforts, but they said they didn't know me anymore. And then I vowed I’d keep my mouth shut until we reached Kottayam. :(

So, we kinda settled with whatever was available, we all sat in one place despite the sporadic arrangement. The pantry boy would come step all over our feet (side berths!! remember?) and move ahead saying "waater waater". It happened twice, thrice, and the fourth time I yelled. The guy stopped and looked at me. And I knew how deeply sorry he was. But again he only said what he knew - "Waater Waater" and since then, "sorry" for me, had a new meaning and every time these guys came to sell water, the song "Paani paani re, khaare paani re" would automatically start running in the background of my mind along with a sorry feeling in foreground my heart. ;)

Also, our train happened to knock down a man on the railway track, and the man was supposedly on the track to commit suicide (could there be anything more interesting than this :P). I felt so "waater waater" for his family. I wonder whether he survived that one knock ?

When I recollect the time I spent in the train, I remember standing at the gate most of the time, like the ticketless morons who block people's way who get out of their compartments to pee. But I was having fun. The monsoons added to the fun all the more.

The conditioning of the air outside was merrier than that within. I don't recollect the sceneries that I saw while staring out of the gate but I do remember the feeling of the wind gushing on my face. It felt as if my cheeks were carrying a lot of weight, and my lashes seemed heavy. I couldn't keep my eyes open. The hair band proved futile and the wind mischievously played with my hair.

The patch where we saw the Arabian Sea was spectacular. The coconut trees bordering the beach, the houses which seem to have been built with care - anticipating the Tsunami, and the ladies who walked with pots of fresh water disrespecting the vast spread of salt water, all seemed in sync. Beautiful.

The variety in the route, mountains, waterfalls, and ocean was indeed a proof why Kerala belonged to God (out rightly).

I only wished I could have got the berth where the attendant sleeps… Alas!!!  That was too much to ask for….

26 hours of journey finally got over and we decided to explore God's Own Country, the next day.

Kerala Trip and a Wedding - II

Socho ke Jheelon ka shehar ho..

We all slept like babies the night we reached Kottayam. "Sleep like a baby" was not quite understandable by one of the gang members, so he interpreted it as "Bed wetting" while sleeping (because babies do that). So, sans the bed wetting, we indeed slept well.

The next morning, surprisingly all of us got ready without being cranky about who would go first to the bathroom and who would use the mirror first. We girls, for a change did act less complicated...Yay!! :)

So the next agenda for the day was to pay a visit to the bride. But we were told that someone was busy confessing at the church. The idea was really exciting, because none of us had done it before. And we wondered how long would it take for paapis like us to confess it all. So we kinda internally made up our minds not to think about it and just then my mind spoke out loud, "Bleaaaahh, No regrets in life!!” (And now when I sit and wonder.....Gee :P, Thank God I don't have to it ;))

So we went ahead with plan B. We were in Kottayam and we wanted to explore the beauty of the place. The gang leader's position was taken by Cheta/Yeta (that's what they call "Bade bhaiyaa" in kerala, but he is no bhaiyya to us, mind you!! ;)), because he was the only fluent Nagpurian with a fluent Malayalam.

And then we were told about all the places where we could go to, and some people were as usual "tthagg"ing us by quoting exorbitant rates for site seeing. But finally Sunny Uncle suggested that we go to Kumra..kuraama...krukom....kumarakom (yeah, finally) Kumarakom Backwaters. Yes, we did struggle for a while to get the name right.

We paid mere 45 bucks for 7 people and reached the backwaters in 45 min. My heart was almost in my mouth for the entire 45 min. The Bus driver had probably mistaken himself for a Pilot and the road for air. Alas! We had no seat belts and we had borne the brunt.

The roller coaster ride seemed all worth when we reached the backwaters. We got on the motor boat immediately. The house boats were very attractive, but it was probably meant for some other special occasion and a better company... and we were 7.. Not a good idea...at all....

Before we could explore the place, we started posing for photographs, and like one of us would say, "I am just checking whether the camera's working fine or not!" So we clicked around 20 pics until we discovered the distance the motor boat had covered and left us amidst breath taking view of the backwaters which spread up till infinity.

It was beautiful. And while we were allowing the feeling of ecstasy sink in, someone suggested a song and the singer lady of our group began "Socho ke jheelon ka shehar ho...lehero pe apna ek ghar ho....", and dreamers like me slipped in a reverie.. Nature had cast a spell and I was in love with it...

And while I was narrating this incidence to a friend back home, he suggested that, we could have also sung "O maajhi re..."

Yeah, we could have...

...apna kinaaraaa....nadiyaa ki dhaara hai...

Top

Kerala Trip and a Wedding - III

Khaana Peena Jeena

We were still on the motor boat and doing crazy things like picking up the weeds from the water, posing weirdly and clicking pictures.

The motor boat had a seating capacity of 12. We were 7 and 5 of us were sitting outside the motor boat with feet in water.. (Paise kyu diye the? the boatman would have wondered, in mallu, ofcourse ;))

Like the movie “The Beach” we spotted an island (that's what i would like to call it ;)) and we felt like exploring it. It appeared like a tiny dot from where we were, until we went closer to it and discovered the spooky-ness of the island.

I remember watching this movie with this footballer friend of mine who gets scared of tiny little things, let alone a spooky beach. We were creating imaginary instances to fit ourselves in the situation.

We entered an old entrance. And the greenery was soothing, but somewhere at the back of our mind we were prepared for another season of "LOST". We were wondering what if the boatman leaves us stranded on the island.  Woah... it was fun.

It began with an old cat welcoming us. She was eaten up by something, some evil power or animal. She had her head almost detached...

Ok enough of exaggeration, I know it isn't believable..

Let’s just say, she was an old cat, with rabies kinda disease. She was horrible and scary.

We walked into the self-made path and reached to the other side of the island.

While some of us were trying to do lucrative things, like photography etc, your highness, Miss Mal was busy building a sand palace (with all the sand-like thing that was available)... with a Jacuzzi and a porch and a park for kids. It turned out to be beautiful. How she wished she lived there, and so did we ;).

But soon our island was intruded by some neighbouring inhabitants and we decided to leave the island and explore further.

Finally our 3 hour motor-boat trip came to halt and we stopped to have lunch. Fish, was obviously the main course, and vegans like me settle for aviyal, cabbage, sambar and rice, of course all cooked, served, flavoured with coconut.

The food was awesome. And after getting on the boat again, we all were committing just one sin - sloth.

Meanwhile, your highness, Miss Mal, with all her oomph factor, was busy posing, as Ranu dude clicked away one of his best shots. Miss Mal for once, loved her hair colour and we all agreed.

Now, when I looked at Robo dude, I wondered what was so similar, or different. And after observing him observe the backwaters, I realised, I hadn't seen him in any other clothes since 2 days, but his black tracks, and oh-so-freshly-smelling green Tee.

The beautiful time at the Kumarakom Backwaters got over and we reached back to our hotel rooms only to gear up for the next function at Jincy's place. That was when we realised our purpose of coming to Kerala. :D

Kerala Trip and a Wedding - IV

Chance pe Dance

So, the guys were ready and the girls were not.

Mal was in a fix - the biggest one of her life. To wear Red for the evening or Maroon-yellow. Damn, the colours were strikingly different, the jewellery was different, would the camera capture red better or maroon, was the biggest dilemma that we were facing.

And we had already spent 2 weeks on finalising the dress for the occasion, but again we found ourselves in the same fix. Finally Mal settled for Red and she looked drop dead gorgeous...

We had to walk a bit on the lonely streets of Kottayam until we reached Vadavatthur (arre waah…,I remember the name) and we were delighted to see a beautifully lit house at the end of the lane. Finally we got to see Jincy.

She looked gorgeous in pink and white Saree. And when I think I can conclude one thing with maximum support from junta (who know Jincy) that Pink colour was so-invented for her alone. She was delighted to see us and we were more than delighted.

There is a ceremony where the elders bless the bride by giving her a mixture of coconut and sugar. Too sweet, and high in Cholesterol... Shhaayy! But it also has a lot of love and good wishes...Yaayy!! (Ok, that is what I call a balancing act).

It so happened that while we (girls) were inside, we clicked a few pictures with Jincy and the boys did not get a chance because they were standing outside...

And the dudes wanted to show junta a proof that they had indeed been to the wedding and all the related functions. Therefore, the next thing on agenda was to get the pics clicked featuring all the guys. Finally we managed to do it, and now we have a proof that the guys were there for the wedding too.

Whenever my mom insisted on attending weddings of relatives, their relatives and their relatives too, I never realised that she had "match making" and other lethal purposes of doing that. But at Jincy's wedding I realised, that this is the reason why weddings are such a social affair.

And we did a bit of it for a dear friend.. We all agreed that the girl we selected was indeed perfect. I cannot let out more details on this here.. Else I’ll be.....you guessed it.....dead meat.

But humne Chance pe Dance kar liya.. We'll have to wait and watch, what happens next!!

After all the ceremonies and good wishes and blessing and everything else, we started a small entertainment program starting with Pri (the singing lady) singing "Lag ja gale, ke phir ye haseen raat ho na ho...." followed by dedications from friends and cousins. Jincy was seen at her best, singing a track by Shania Twain.

Finally Yeta, Soumya and Jinesh set the dance floor on fire with their superb moves while we managed to shake a leg or two with the beats and cheered Jincy for a great life ahead.

The show stopper was Jincy's 1 year old nephew - Brian. He danced like a superstar and all girls already went gaga over him.

The monsoons were the icing on the cake and it rained cats and Dogs the entire night while we reached home at 1. The next morning we had to leave for Adoor where the wedding was supposed to take place.

Phew... and we were tired!

Kerala Trip and a Wedding - V

Aaj mere Yaar ki shaadi hai..

Girls look their best in Saree and guys in Kurta Payjama. On this day, only the girls were looking their best coz we wore sarees, and the boys were looking so -so. Yeta, in his Mundu looked typically "Maal"ayalam speaking dude from Kerala (He actually is one, but from Nagpur FYI) and Ranu dude in his jeans-blazer combination just gave a hint of the "Angrez" that he had already become.

We had decided to wear our traditional sarees for Jincy's wedding. So Maloo opted for a Keralite get up and looked pretty in the off-white saree. She donned her lustrous hair and looked beautiful.

I managed a Kanjeevaram saree and I looked decent too.. Dammitt, I Wish I wore a Navvari (Maharshtrian saree) to keep my feet movement free during these ugly monsoons.

But Pri, Oh My Gawd, in a Bengali saree.... (let me switch to hindi), Sitam Dhaa rahi thi... She was looking Awwwwwe-wait for it-some, Awesome (Like Barney would have said it)! Someone must have only wished if he could pre-pone the marriage plans. But seems, the footballer dude -Debo was strong willed! Shaayy!

Jincy would have loved her, had she seen her, but I wonder if she saw us at her wedding, because she was busy with the ceremonies.

Jincy looked lovely in her white saree and !!!$$$??? kgs of Gold. The Groom looked awesome too. I can't really comment anymore because we did not see the front view. They were facing the priests and the priests were facing us. We are waiting to see the wedding tape..

Now this reminds me how someone got really scared while the priest closed his eyes to bless the couple.

This is what someone found scary "Jab wo priest apni aankh bandh kar rahe the, unki aankh ka black part upar chala jaata tha, aur white part hi dikhta tha...meri to fatt ke haath me aa gayi thi".

Ideally I would have loved it, had the priest inserted a "Muahahahahhaaa" to scare the poor soul ;).

Now did I mention that one of us is normally scared of tiny little things... yeah so this happens to be the same person ;) ;)

I understood the meaning of the two ceremonies of the Christian wedding - The Ring Ceremony and the Crowning Ceremony. The priest was really sweet to translate it for us in English, as the entire ceremony was being said in Malayalam and Syrian.

I wish I knew multiple languages. Syrian...wow.... !!!

We did not get time to eat/meet/click pictures with the couple because we had to rush to catch our flights. Finally after witnessing all the grandeur we reached Cochin, which we thought we never would. We heaved a sigh of relief when we were allowed to check in and board our flights. We were sure that we would be able to go to work the next day.

We had a little tough time with catching up with schedule; a few tiffs here and there, another roller coaster ride in the Scorpio and settling down in the flight.

While the plane took off, I wonder what everybody had in their minds, but I sure cried, smiled, and felt great about everything.

My head ached like crazy while I put the earphones and the song began... jahan bhi ye jaaye...ye khushiyaa hi paaye..

...and I wondered what song was it? And it went on..

...mere dil ne duaa di hai... Mere yaar....ki shaadi hai... :)

Kerala Trip and a Wedding - VI

Hmmmmpppphhhmmmmm

Back to Work! L

**** The End ***

Acknowledgements: Thanks to Malathi Iyer, Priyanka Bose, Deborshi Gon, Rohit Ranwadkar, Rohit Khedkar, and Sahadevan.