Miss you girl.

Its been a month since I knew you were no more. Hard to believe girl. We grew up together. How can you leave so soon.
I still keep hoping your google ID will suddenly show up as "Available". I still send you emails in the hope of getting a reply from you.
We have too many memories. I can recollect so many of them so vividly.
Out walks after school on Royapettah high road. I would continue to my home and you will turn near Hanuman temple. You think I can walk past that temple again without thinking about you.
Our back bench gossips. I still remember all the crap we talked about. So many silly and stupid things.
Our Sanskrit classes. The ink fights in Sanskrit classes. Our special classes on saturdays in 10th standard. We used to make fun of the sanskrit teacher too! Did I even imagine that you would be gone so soon? Did you know? That was the most carefree times of our entire life. We thought as a teenager we had so much problems. We did not even know the meaning of the word 'problems'.
I wish I can turn back time and go back to that age - just to have you back alive.
Our lunches together were unforgettable. Our combined studies sessions! I used to come to your place and we used to talk about school and teachers. How much we have scolded 'atha'!
You were always the artistic girl. You drew and painted so well. You danced amazing. You played sports. You were so healthy.
you taught how to make quick and easy paneer. You cooked so well. You made rotis and sabjis in no time.
The last time we spoke, we decided to go to Besant nagar beach the next time I come to India. You wanted us to spend one whole day together. I am so sorry it will not happen. The only picture I have with you is the one I took during my wedding. I am so angry that we didn't take enough pictures together.
Life's not the same without you. You were my best friend. Now, I just dont have a best friend. I spend so many days tossing and turning thinking about you.
May you rest in peace girl. I pray that the Gods will take good care of you. I only hope your mom and brother find peace too and learn to move on without you.
It was all so sudden. Still cannot believe you are no more.
Always loved you..Will always love you Sony!!!

My best friend is with the angels now...

I just found that my best friend of 17 years passed away a month ago. I cannot believe it at all.

She had such a huge impact on me. She was the most faithful friend I had. She knew how to have fun as well as manage her studies. She was a part of my childhood - the best part of my life. We grew up together.
I am hoping the angels are taking care of her now. I cannot imaging how this must have been for her family.

I hope she reads this mail.
Hi girl,
I will always miss you. You were and will always be my best friend. I can still hear you talk. I will never forget your voice.

I am so sorry and sad this happened.
I was this nerdy girl and you decided to be friends with me. I haven't found any other friend as faithful as you have been.
Wish you could have seen my kids..
I keep hoping Santosh has played this mean trick on people.
Take care of your family. I can see that he misses you. Today was rakhshabandhan and he def missed you.

I will always love you girl..
- Mithra.

Only time...

I just remembered this song b Enya. I love her voice and the way she sings.. I think she is one of the best singers of this era.

I love her in Lord of the Rings (May it be...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY5SWRHGYU4&NR=1

I don't think ANYBODY could have given this song its life like she did.



I love her 'Only Time' too.
This one is one of her best songs - about 9/11.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCKvTtiPz38&feature=related

This song has beautiful lyrics.

Who can say where the road goes,
where the day flows.
Only time...
And who can say if your love grows,
as your heart chose.
Only time...
Dee dah dah dah
dee dah dah
dee dah dah ooh
Dee dah dah doh dah
dee dah dah dah
dah dah
Who can say why your heart sighs,
as your love flies.
Only time...
And who can say why your heart cries,
when your love lies.
Only time...
Dee dah dah dah
dee dah dah
dee dah dah ooh
Dee dah dah doh dah
dee dah dah dah
dah dah
Who can say when the roads meet,
that love might be in your heart?
And who can say when the day sleeps,
if the night keeps all your heart.
Night keeps all your heart...
Dee dah dah dah
Dee dah dah dah
Dee dah dah dah
Dee dah dah dah
Who can say if your love grows,
as your heart chose?
Only time...
And who can say where the road goes,
where the day flows.
Only time...
Who knows - only time.
Who knows - only time ...
dahhh......

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Review

Umm.. Where shall I start?
I am so upset that I can't even write about it.
Serious spoiler alerts. If you haven't watched the movie yet.. stop right here.

I think this is the worst HP ever. The previous on (Order of the phoenix) wasn't bad. Why did he have to spoil this one??? It was the most boring HP movie yet.
I am one of the billions who watched the movie. But If there is any way I can get my money back, I would like it.

The director never stuck to the book. Seriously, how hard is it when you already have the script written. You may be an awesome director; But the simple rule is, If you are making a book into a movie, STICK TO THE DAMN BOOK.
Why do you think Lord of the Rings worked? It seemed like the book just came alive. The same with previous Harry Potter movies. ( the first and the second HP movies were the best)

Here are the reasons why the movie didn't work for me.

1. Where the hell are everybody from Weasley family? Mr.Yates, did you not read about Bill and Fleur's engagement????
2. Remus and Tonks come only in one scene? Seriously?
3. Neville Longbottom is less than en extra in this movie. Did anybody even hear him talk?
4. Where is the ministry??? Didn't you read that the current minister Fudge is replaced by Scrimgeour. The new one dies in the next movie!!! How are you gonna show that??? He is gonna come and talk to Harry after Dumbledore's death. Is he just gonna come out of thin air.
5. What happened to the wonderful first kiss between Harry and Ginny after the Quiddich match. Instead you created one in the Room of requirement. (That did not happen at all !!!)
6. After Harry uses the 'Sectum Spectra' curse on Malfoy, Snape demands Harry to show his book and Harry shows off Weasley's.
7. Don't even start about Snape. He was more like an extra in this movie. He had no role.. except in the end when he kills Dumbledore. (Thats another whole thing)
8. There is no fight between the death eaters and the Hogwarts professors/students/the order.
9. Hence obviously no scene of Fenrir Grey back attacking Bill (Ofcourse this comes to the point.. WHERE THE HELL ARE THE WEASLEYS???)
10. The major major scene for me is the scene when Dumbledore's killed. Seriously, doesn't Mr.Yates understand English. If so, I would be happy to give him a lesson. Dumbledore does not freeze Harry under his invisibility cloak. Instead he sends Harry to one floor down and Harry looks from underneath and just stares when Snape kills him.
11. And where is the fricking funeral??

Well... the movie was a disaster. The movie makes money cause of HP fans trying to keep up with them. I am almost sure that the next 2 movies are not going to live up the standard either considering the same director is taking these movies too. I will def watch them, but will wait till they come in the dollar theater in my city.

If I have missed any thing, feel free to write about them.

Mr.Yates or the people at the Warner Brothers, If any of you are reading this, I would like a refund for my ticket.

Whats happening?

Too many reports about terrorism and plane crashes. Did God really intend all of this? Are these his way of keeping "the population" in control. If so, this is a bad idea. A better idea would just be to strike all the horrible people dead. Seriously. All the terrorists, rapists, dictators, murderers, etc. I am sure the population would reduce to less than half. In "Miss congeniality", Sandra Bullock jokes about the pageant girls and mimics them when she says "All I want is world peace". I thought it was funny. But truly, All I want is world peace. Will an outer space alien attack bring all the human beings together? I am sure the aliens must have thought of attacking us, but then said.. hey lets wait for another year or so. They will attack each other and we will have less people to worry about!
Why can't humans appreciate another human life? All these years of slavery, colonialism, dictatorships have taught us not to.
I just want to go back to my childhood days when terrorism was not known. When life's major problem was how to pass in the next exam.
God.. if you are reading this.. Please stop all this craziness and help us live in peace.

An untimely end to the best artist ever to be known to mankind

Michael Jackson passed away yesterday. I am sad. I feel like the world has lost an amazing artist. I am not a crazy fan, but like billions of people around this world, I grew up when MJ was in his peak.
Back then, my cousins had MJ's music cassettes and I loved it. I had never seen his videos till early nineties when MTV and VTV got famous. ( I know.. very late)
I remember being mind blown by seeing his thriller and beat it videos. I think MTV cashing in on MJ. They just kept showing his videos over and over again. As any other kid, I was amazed by his 'moon walk'.
Over the recent years, I know he has been caught in a lot of legal issue. May be he was a perp. He did not seem like the best of human being, but there is no denying he was one of the best entertainers ever.
It is very sad to have gone through what he had to go through. He was on limelight since he was 5. His father brutally abused him and his brothers to perform. in an interview to Oprah, he said his father used to beat them with his belt if the kids did even a small mistake. He had no childhood. I am sure that screwed him up. The kid whom everybody wanted to be - just wanted freedom. He didn't get it till he was in his 20s. Once he got free, he still just wanted to be a child. Its very sad to read about his initial years of life.

Well, where ever you are, Rest In Peace MJ. There are still a lot of loyal fans (for your music).
Dance for the angels and gods now. Do the moon dance in the real moon.

There never will be another entertainer like you.

Creepiest advertisement of the year award goes to....

Why do advertisements get creepier day by day?

Creepiest Ad of the year:

The chocalate Axe ad (Uh...). Thinking of that gives me the creeps. The guy wears Axe and becomes a chocalate. Women lick him, they break his hand.... Gosh. The guy who 'designed' this ad should be sent to prison. The idiot in that company who agreed for this ad should be given the life sentence and the stupid who actually filmed it should be sent to the electric chair.


Second place goes to: Old Navy Ads.
ALL of them.. People, manequins don't TALK.


Third place goes to:
Burger king commercials. One more time I see that big headed 'King' with his stupid grin, bringing a burger to somebody, I just want to take it from his hand and throw it in his face.

People, a 'King' does not have to walk around giving stuff to everybody. he has servants to do that!


The fourth place goes to:
ALL ADS BY THE THE KABOOM/ OXY CLEAN GUY. (OK.. these are more annoying that creepy). I just hate these ads too.

Funny Quips....

I read somewhere...

90 people get swine flu and the whole world is wearing face masks. Billions of people get AIDS and nobody wants to wear a condom...

Somethings never change.

In an ever changing world where glaciers melt, 'In' style goes out of style in a few months, somethings never change.
This weekend India lost to England and I guess thanks to a dismal performance of Dhoni. Sree was so upset over it and kept yelling repeatedly - 'Thats it. An end to Dhoni's captaincy'. To add fuel to the fire, I was watching some serial from sun tv and they kept playing Dhoni's aircell some watch ads. He was not happy.
Thanks to cric info and some other sites that show live match, people all over the world ended up spoiling their day/weekend.
When will the cricket fever ever go away? Guess I will never know whats inside everybody's head right?

Google-opolized

Can you imagine life without google and its components???
Yup! Thats what we had to endure this morning. something went wrong with the ISP in UT and No Google site was opening. No Gmail, No Google search engine. Felt like I lost my limbs.
My Work ID was connected to Gmail. I could not read my emails or send any out. I didn't have anybody's email address either! Gosh...That was real scary.
I could not even search for anybody's email in the main UT website - cause that was connected to google too...

Never realized when my life became google-opolized (ok.. not just my life.. but everybody's!), but I sure am taking some precautions. First to save everybody's email address to a Google Doc ;-)

Nostalgia

Suddenly I thought about this serial "Ek Se Badkar Ek" (with Satish Shah). It used to come in DD looooong long ago (when I was in 8th or 9th may be!). I tried to google it up and there was no information about this serial, but I read about this guy who had blogged about the same serial. He and his friends got together and thought about things they watched long ago. He basically had my whole list - junoon, super hit muqabla, chitrahaar, oliyum oliyum etc.

He also blogged about his favorite toffee - I had forgotten about most of them - parry eclairs, caramel, kismi, Mr.Pop etc.

He really took me back to those years...

Life was so simple back then. I didn't have to fend for myself. Just go to school, play in the evening, watch a little TV in the evening, do home work and study for exams. What did I have to complain about?
I didn't have to worry about having breakfast/lunch/dinner cooked for the family. I was not responsible for anything!!! That age seems to look like heaven. I am sure 99 % of the people will go back to their school years given a chance. Why didn't God create us so we would all be like Benjamin Button? Have the best years in the end.

Sometimes, I wonder if this is all worth it. I feel like leaving everything and settle down in a village in India. Do agriculture, grow my own food.. After all, we really need just 3 things - clothes, a roof over our head and food.
In the name of civilization, man started to make things complicated. Oh well.. if not for that, I wouldn't be typing right now!
Even a few centuries ago, life was not bad. People were mostly content - cook simple food, go to temple everyday, etc. Till today, when I step inside Kapaleeshwar temple in Mylapore, I wonder at its magnificence. People in this age with all their fancy machinery will still not be able to build any thing to match it.

Oh well... I can keep dreaming about all this the whole day. Hopefully when we can retire, we can have our own grove. Till then - type away......................

Busy few weeks

Finally the dance season is here. Had a busy few weeks/weekends.

April 11 2009
We started off with our performance of the Jatiswaram and the Tillana in the Bengali New year festival in Zilker park in Austin
It was a horrible day . It had rained earlier and was drizzling the whole time. We started dancing, but we were all scared we were gonna fall down! Just when we thought we got our groove, the guys back stage stopped our song and somehow skipped a whole section. It took some time to figure out where we were and we finally caught up on it. The Jatiswaram was a big mess. Next was our tillana. By now, most of us were in full standing... we weren't in arai mandi. We were dancing standing up. Atleast, I was.. very pathetic performance by me.

Anyways, you can check us out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIXHoaCJRfw

I am the one in the left most corner of the stage - in orange and yellow salwar.

We were in the newspaper too! That was the highlight of this show.
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/bengalis-celebrate-culture-coming-of-spring-1.1711460

in the first picture, i am turned away from the camera (orange dress) and in the 3rd picture.. i am wearing the black coat... trying to get a glimpse of the dancers.
i had no idea they were taking pictures for the newspaper.. else i would have posed properly!


April 19 2009
The one we did in zilker was more of a practice to the one we performed in Temple TX. We were supposed to go on at 2.00 PM, but due to the homams, we started pretty late - around 3.30.

We did all the 4 dances we have learnt so far - Shlokam, Alaripu, Jatiswaram and Tillana.
Check us out here:
Tillana:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpYXw20AT54

Jatiswaram:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq6viOhFToE

Alaripu:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVEiKg8kq6E

Shlokam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sTw11cQ8Cs


May 9 2009:
This was the big show. This time our annual recital Natya Mela was in Lanier High school theater.
I could not beleive how long we took to dress up. It was fun though!
The adults group performed the tillana. The theme was a mela as the name suggests and the finale was a procession.
I thought we did ok. But again, got to improve sooo much.

Check us out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7kY-h2WGew

May 23 2009:
Our next performance for this season will be in the Mexican American Cultural Center. These guys usually host a show to showcase many countries' dances. It will be fun to see the chninese, japanese, africans, indians all performing under one stage!

Why men don't like to clean their house...

..........because they love their wives and do not want a divorce.

Who said one person cannot make a difference? Thanks to this lady my husband will not want to clean the house. I am sure husbands all over the world will try to 'please' their wives by not doing house work.

Read on:

BERLIN (Reuters) – A German woman has divorced her husband because she was fed up with him cleaning all the time.

German media reported the wife got through 15 years of marriage putting up with the man's penchant for doing household chores, tidying up and rearranging the furniture.

But she ran out of patience when he knocked down and rebuilt a wall at their home when it got dirty, Christian Kropp, court judge in the central town of Sondershausen, said on Thursday.

"I'd never had anyone seek a divorce for this," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090402/od_nm/us_divorce_odd;_ylt=AvYkeX96.HO4byh3XJ3aL5is0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFmbDlsY3I2BHBvcwMyMDYEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9vZGRfbmV3cwRzbGsDd29tYW5kaXZvcmNl

Men are never depressed

I got this email thorough one of the yahoo group mails. I found it really funny. Guys and gals can get a kick out of this one.
Read on.


WHY MEN ARE NEVER DEPRESSED:


Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

Earth hour and Hot tea

Tomorrow (March 28th) is Earth Hour from 8.30 to 9.30 PM. Please switch off all your lights at home/office to show our support to global warming.

You can read more about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Hour





I just read in the news that drinking hot tea raises the chances of esophageal cancer. (Tea itself doesn't give cancer. It is god for health.) Just drink it warm or better yet... cold.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPreventionAndTreatment/story?id=7182731&page=1

So all these years, our parents shouldn't have yelled at us for not drinking our milk/tea/coffee as soon as they give it to us.

Parents, now do you realize why we drink "aari avalana' coffee? See kids are not always dumb. We just had sixth sense about it!





We ended up getting more hail this morning. I am at work and my car is at home. Will find out only in the evening if there is any damage to our cars. March and April are the worst months in Texas - Hail storms, Very heavy rains and ofcourse the famous tornadoes. I think tornadoes are the scariest. Other than these 2 months, the weather is pretty non-dangerous (if tats even a word) over the other months. Comign from Madras, Texas weather is like heaven. Summers are hot, but I can manage.



Finally, the weekend is here.
Happy weekened everybody.

Potatoes 3$.....

Bag of Potatoes - 3$

frozen peas - 1$

Oil - 4$

Garam Masala, Amchur, Cumin seeds, Coriander powder, salt - 14$

High speed internet to watch Cooking videos on YouTube - 29$







Having fresh home made samosas on a cold rainy day..... Priceless!!!





Yup.. Thats what I did today. Check out my previous blog about the horrible weather today.


I wanted to make something fried. What else is better than having hot samosas and hot tea?


I started by making the filling using potatoes. Next the dough and filled 'em up. Finally I fried the samosas. Hmm.. Smells good. Looks good. and Tastes good too.
















Thank you YouTube!

Golf size Hail

I expected thunder storm.. But golf size hail????

It started raining around 5.00 PM today. I came home and started to watch TV. Suddenly I heard loud noises.. like something breaking and falling down. Later I realised it was hail. i have never seen hail so big.

The first thing that came to my mind.. Our cars. I had the sense to park both of them under a big oak tree in front of my house.. But was it enough to protect them against hail this bad?

Once the hail stopped, I ran out to check on our babies.... The corolla and the accord. They seemed to be fine... I think.

If something had happened to the Honda, I swear Sree would've gotten so upset

Some came into my patio and hit the patio doors. I thought the glasses were gonna break.

See the white spots..? All Hail. It was still 'hailing' when I went to get these pics and ended up getting hit on my head a couple of times.

I just heard on the news. In the whole of austin, the biggest Hail reports came from my area.

Atleast we are on the news!

Hitched at last...

Finally, Sree and I got married on Feb 1st in Chennai. After years of courting, we are husband and wife now.
The wedding went great and so many people showed up. It was a typical brahmin wedding. We didn't expect so many people. It was exciting as well as scary.

Viratham:
January 31 2009

We started from our house to the wedding hall (Geetha Bhavan) around 5.30 AM. My brother (Kanna) helped us unload the luggage and left for the train station to bring the grooms's family.

I was ready and just waiting for the groom to arrive. Since we had to fast till the function was over, I could not have my breakfast. Same with my parents. I had a glass of milk and had to survive on that till around 12.30.

Finally Sree's family came to the mandapam. How did I know..? The mela vadhyam started. My relatives who were there for the morning were all there to receive him. He was greeted with an arathi by my aunts (athai and mami).

These 2 days, Sree got princely treatment from my family. He got his feet washed with milk, garlanded a hundred times. I told him to enjoy as much as he can..... cause he is not going to be treated this way ever again.

I was still waiting in my room behind the mandapam. I was not allowed see the groom now. :-( For these 2 days, I had to act like a "kalyana ponnu" (as a typical bride).
I was getting hungry. I woke up by 3.30 in the morning. I wanted to eat a breakfast bar before any one caught me. But my cousin Anu was against it. She snatched it from my hand. What does she know. Wait till her wedding gets fixed. Before her viratham starts, I am going to have my breakfast in front of her.

Sree's family gets ready and come down. They are ready to start the viratham. Only then do I get called. Finally. I was about to go to sleep.








Our viratham started too. I smiled at him, but he had a serious look on his face. I had a feeling he was going to run away that night.
After a couple of hours of homam, it was done and we were ready or some pictures and then food at last.

Photo Shoot:

The photographer Raghu wanted a lot of our solo shots. He realized he cannot many the next day.
Sree and I were asked to come to a room. Ofcourse, before the wedding, I am not supposed to be with the groom alone. My aunts, Jaishree mami and Indira chithi, came along with me. I was so tired. You can see it in my face. I had no energy to wear any make up. No make up!!!!!!... Gosh. What was I thinking???? I just washed my face and went there.
Sree's shoot was already going on.
After some time my cousins (Anu, Mahesh, Karthik and Roopa) came along since my aunts had to go down.
Poor Sree. Had a tough time with all of them ragging him. None of his cousins were in the room. After some time, the shoot was getting awkward. He had his arms around me, we were asked to hold hands, etc. I am glad the elders saw these photos after we were married ;-)

Nichyathartham (Engagement):

I didn't really get any sleep after the photo shoot. Had to change rooms in between (Kanna and my cousins did most of the work). Before I knew it, I had to get ready.

My cousin Rekha's mother in law (Kamala Mami) came to help me with the hair. She did an amazing work. She made it look very simple.

Sree had to go to the temple first with his family and my family. They did an archana and got back to the mandapam. How did I know when he came back. The mela vadhyam people started their work.
I knew I had to get ready soon.
In the mean time, Sree got his next dress.
Mami had a tough time to tie my saree. This was given by my in-laws for the engagement. It was a beautiful silk saree - full of zari and in my favorite color maroon. But it was heavy too. But Mami did a great job in making the saree stay on me till I collected my next dress.
I went to the hall and collected my next saree.


I changed into my next saree and by that time Sree was ready in his sherwani. I have to say. He did look good (OK. Don't tell him.this). Our families then exchanged thamboolam and the priest conducts the nichyathartham. This was for less than an hour. Then it was time for more phots (lots of them!) - another photo shoot followed by photos with friends and families.


By the time we had dinner it was around 10.30.
I could go back to my room after midnight. Just before I was about to go to sleep, I called Sree and made sure he wasn't gonna run away. I knew he was tensed. It was almost 2.00 AM when I went to sleep. I had a loooooong day ahead of me.


My last day as a single gal just got over.
Was I ready to start a new life? The life that I knew so far just got over and I was about to start a new chapter. I will not be my parents kid anymore. I will not be their responsibility any more. I was going to become somebody's wife. No more childish behaviors. Time to get matured.
Will I be ready???


The wedding:
February 1 2009. 3.45 AM. wakey wakey...

Never been so tired in my life. Kamala Mami helped me get dressed and did my hair again. When it was almost 6.00 AM I had to go with my family to Sree's suite to bring him to the mandapam.
My mom had to apply kajal in Sree's eyes. This is to keep the evil eye away. I gave my mom a kajal pencil and asked her to apply very light. But his mom and his aunts did not approve of it. They got a proper 'mai' dabba and made my mom apply. She did a good job.. But he looked funny since then.



Sree was about to have his breakfast. They asked me to stand next to him. He is going to get angry with me for saying this.... He scratched my leg. He made sure nobody else saw ( we think). I almost yelled. Can't believe the photographer caught this moment. It was then I knew he was not going to run away!





Kasi Yathra:
After his breakfast, I went to my room get ready. My hair was still not done.

Sree left for his Kasi yathra (to take up brahmacharyam or bachelorhood for life) with the book and umbrella. They went outside the wedding hall and my dad brought him back. My dad told him he will give his daughter in marriage.

I think Kasi Yathra is the funniest tradition we follow. Literally just a couple of hours before the wedding, the guy 'decides' to take bachelorhood. Then he comes in and gets married. I think this is our equivalent of 'Does anyone have objection to these 2 people marrying'. I guess if the guy does not like the girl he is about to marry, he can just keep running. If the bride or her family does not like the groom, they need not call the guy back.

Anyways, Sree has decided that he will marry me and comes inside the hall.

Oonjal:

Then, I was called to come downstairs.

First we exchange garlands.Both the groom and the bride must be lifted by their respective Mamas (mom's brother) and we have to make it difficult for the other person to garland.
I have a tall Uncle (Ganesh mama) and he lifted me with ease. Unfortunately, Sree is tall and heavy. His uncle could not lift him as high as I was in the air. I had no trouble garlanding him.

Then Oonjal time. (Bride's side). My relatives wash our feet with milk, walk around us with the lamp and throw the colored rice in all directions.

Then time to go inside. All this time, the priest asked Sree not to leave my hand. Oh.. the joys of being a bride. It was funny.. since for the first time, We could hold hands in front of hundreds of relatives!

Kanya daan:
By this time, I was actually enjoying my wedding. No major problems that I knew of (Amazing isn't it??). My job was just to sit and pose. My cousins' job was to take as many snaps of the wedding as possible and they did a good job. There were so many snaps our official photographers missed and the guys caught those moments.

Sree had work to do.. He had to repeat all the mantras the priest was saying. He later scolded me for posing too much. Well.. its the bride's day and not the groom's. I took hours to get dressed. If I don't have good photos of my wedding, I am going to be annoyed.

Then my dad gave me away (kanya daan) to Sree telling him that I am his responsibility from now on. Unofficially we are married at this stage.

Then I got my madu saar - the next saree I had to change into. It was already 8.30 by this and our muhurtham was from 7.30 to 9.00 AM. I was so sure we were going to miss the time.

Sree's athai paati and his other relatives came and helped tie the saree. I was out by 8.45. In the confusion, I still managed to pose for the photographer.

The wedding - the moment
I went and sat down and the priest said a few things for just a couple of minutes and then Sree tied the thalis. We made it - just in the nick of time. In Sree's custom, they tie 2 different thalis - one set for each side and only when tying them to the gold chain do they combine them.

I started to cry. This is it. I am not a kid anymore. I am married. I belong to Sree now. I just kept crying. Donno why. Sree didn't understand why I was crying.

and then some more rituals.
One main thing was us taking the 7 steps together. Sree takes my feet with his palm and walks me till the ammi.






Then we had the small nalangu where we play games - we roll coconuts and flower balls.

Oonjal:
Next we had the groom's side Oonjal. The guys at the wedding hall actually dismantled the oonjal! so we did it without the swing. It was still fun.

By now, we were tired and hungry. You could see it in our faces.

Grihapravesham:

Typically the bride and groom go to the guy's house. Since Sree's house is in Hyderabad, we just went to their suite in the wedding hall. The priest first did some ritual. Then we got more clothes from my parents. I can't keep track of the sarees I had to buy for the wedding.

Then I gave pal khoa ( a milk sweet) to everybody in their family starting with my mother in law and they gave me back. This is so our relationship is sweet like the sweet we just ate. Thats a cute tradition.

Kummi:
Next we went down and their family members said we have to do the kummi. Um.. excuse me.. I am not doing that.

We didn't have a choice. Sree and I were pulled in since we were the main characters and we did the kummi. well.. I just clapped this side and that side. I can't believe the video guy has taped it too. Finally they let us go and have lunch.

Lunch:
For the "first time" we sat next to each other and ate. I was crying again for this. Till then, I was sitting with 'my' family - with my cousins and now suddenly I was not. It made me realize what just happened.


Nalangu:

I didn't really want it.. But Sree convinced me to. It was actually fun and different. we broke papads over each others head, we drew the nalangu lines on each others legs and played little games.

At the end of the day, I was just relieved everything went well. I was ready to go to sleep. But there was soooooo much packing to do. I can't believe how much stuff I had for just 2 days.. but 2 most important days of my life.

Thank you for reading this!

2009

Bye Bye to 2008.

Welcome 2009.
The upcoming year is supposed to be the most eventful year in my life.
I am getting married!
Other than that, I am hoping this is pretty uneventful year.
I am not a big fan of New year resolutions. Its been a pretty eventful year. I did some mistakes (many!). I am hoping I don't repeat the same this year. Got to go to India pretty soon and come back a married lady!