My friend's wedding...a dream in the world of reality!!

Please note that this is a dream and there are relations to people I know and have been associated with. I have changed names, for my sake.

On Tuesday morning, as I was getting ready to go to office, I got a call from this school friend of mine, Mary. She was getting married. I was ecstatic as I was asked to be the maid of honor.

Our friendship goes way back to the days when we used to live in the same lane in Delhi. She and I went to the same school and were in the same class, different sections though. We are Telugu Brahmins and hers is a Christian family, but that was never a hindrance in our friendship as our parents were also equally thick friends.

Mary has an elder brother, Thomas. He considered me as his sister, in the same way he considered Mary. So we were more of a family than friends. Those were really some good days.

Being in different sections and then moving to different places increased the gap in our friendship. We slowly became hi-hello friends. In spite of that, she called me to inform that I was her maid-of-honor was really an honor for me.

To top it all, attending a proper Christian wedding was my dream. Actually getting married in Christian style is my dream, but attending also is great. This gave me an opportunity to fulfill a part of it, though. So I was happy.

I agreed to it immediately and started contacting all my friends in Delhi. Most of them agreed to attend since this gives us a great chance to meet after like almost a decade.

Also Mary being my school friend, she was their friend too J.

Next day, Mary called me to know about my itinerary and inform me about my stay. I told her that Mom was coming along with me. The news made Mary’s mom happier than anyone. It would have more than 20 years since they saw each other. After Uncle’s demise, we did not get to meet Aunty and this could be an apt occasion is what Mom also felt and agreed to accompany.

I reached Delhi on Saturday morning. The ceremony was due on Sunday. So I had the whole day to myself, to meet my friends, hangout in our favorite places. Thomas received us and gave us another big surprise, the wedding was to be held in the school.

This was superb news for me, since I have been attached with my school. I love everything about the place, the teachers, my classmates, even the principal and vice-principal. And not to forget the non-teaching staff who were most supportive to us. I jumped at the news and rushed to the school. As a maid of honor, it is my responsibility to oversee all the arrangements and ensure that everything goes on without hiccups. Frankly, the real reason was to revisit my school and relive some memories, if not all.

The feeling was overwhelming, the moment I entered the building. There were many changes to the place, but the essence was still intact. I became nostalgic when I was just wandering around the primary section, the foundation of our lives.

There is a way to the playground from this section, the place where the wedding was to take place. The preparations were going on in full swing.

Sometime later, I really don’t know, after how much time, Thomas came and took me to the hotel. Mom had directly gone to the hotel, to check on Aunty, if she needed any help. Surprisingly, there was a Haldi ceremony, which usually takes place in a Hindu wedding ceremony. But looks like Mary liked that ceremony so much that she wanted it as a part of her wedding as well. And Mom was there, so she was guiding Aunty on how to go about that ceremony. I was standing at the end of the garden, enjoying the happiness that Mary had on her face.

Soon I was joined by my school friends. The reunion felt great, after a hectic work schedule, a sudden relaxation of this stature is a boon to one’s life. And I was no exception. Thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with them, reliving old days.

In my heart and I am sure in hers, Mary knew that I was longing for a break like this. So she let me have my share of fun with my old buddies, I totally loved her for this!!

There was kumkum, haldi, bangles, coconut and all in a Christian which was an amazing blend of cultures. So there we were, enjoying the ceremony, where out of nowhere, Meena comes out hurling abuses at me. I was appalled, dumbstruck with no idea why she was scolding me like that.

Thomas jumped into the scene like a samurai and handled it all too well. He sent me back to the hotel and asked others to take care of Meena.

Meena was a classmate but not a very close buddy. We were always on good terms, so a sudden bombardment of this sort was shocking for me. I was still in a state of shock when I reached my room. I could not understand why she behaved like that. The biggest surprise was, no one stopped her!! She kept shouting but no one opposed her. I could not understand why!!

“One can’t please all.” This statement, I could never understand and believe. I could never handle someone not liking me. Though there were people I did not like, but I could not tolerate if someone said they did not like me. I would continue to pester the person asking them for a reason for disliking me. And now this, in public was more of embarrassment for me. I spent the rest of the time in the room crying. I did not go back to the venue so that I do not trouble Mary with this situation.

Though I did not like what happened, the next day, I put everything behind and went to the school. This was Mary’s day and as the maid of honor, it was my duty to ensure nothing went wrong. As soon as I reached the school, I was spellbound. The ground was decorated with flowers; the stage was setup for the ceremony. Everything was just so beautiful and perfect. The ground was getting watered and the morning sun shone to the water droplets creating small rainbows around. There could have no better place for Mary to get married and I was so happy for her!!

Suddenly, a coconut from yesterday’s Haldi ceremony came hurling at me. I just missed it. I turned around to see who and from where it came. Just then Meena came running with another coconut in her hand. She threw me on the ground and shouted at me, asking me if she should throw another one at me. I was speechless; I did not know why she was shouting at me like that.

This time, I shouted back at her, “Haan mar de..tere dil ko bhi tasalli mil jayegi. Lekin kyun…yeh toh bata de???”

She replied, “mere papa ko maarne ke time pe yeh pata nahi socha tha kya tune?”

********************************* The end *********************************************

Shh..grandpa's around!!!!

Just the other morning, I was standing in my balcony basking in the morning sun. I saw an elderly gentleman doing his daily yoga practices. Accompanying him were a bunch of kids who also were something related to yoga :), falling in and out of the yoga mat.

That scene reminded me if the days I had spent under the guidance of my grandfathers. My paternal grandfather was a man of less words and more anger. We were very scared of him, so we used to hardly stay at home. Most of the time we would spend in our aunt's place with my cousins.

But one thing I distinctly remember is the walks to the MCEME temple in Trimulgherry. It used to be a long walk but he made us do it. I did not realize the distance during my childhood as with cousins it was always fun doing anything. But now when I pass by the same place, I wonder how did I manage to walk for so long. And that too almost everyday!!

He hardly spoke, but the thought that he was around, was reassuring.

I also remember the songs he used to sing, Alak elahi ek hai. I sing the same to my children. He was a good singer with a baritone.  With his friends he was one of the most jovial persons around.

Maybe the fact that we were staying in Delhi and visited once a year did not allow the bond between him and I to grow much.

When he died there were lots of people who attended the funeral, that is when I realized what a gregarious person he was. Also he was the one who wanted to celebrate life, and his death. On his 1-year ceremony, dad hosted a big dinner party in his memory rather than having a dismal memorial. 

Today looking at that old man doing yoga and also silently monitoring the kids brought back memories.

Dear grandfather... Rest in peace!!!

Yeh Akashvaani hai!!!

Oh so I miss these words!!

Class XII, TV was almost banned for me. I only had access to radio and that too whenever I was doing Mathematics. 

I did my graduation from a university in Hyderabad. During those days, private radio channels did not exist in Hyderabad. They only had their presence in the metros. I was aghast when I found that there were no radio channels operating in Hyderabad.  The only channel that was broadcast was All India Radio on 102.8, which is still existing, by the way!!

Luckily, one of my seniors in the hostel had a music system. But seniors, that they were, talking to them was also a scary issue. And this senior, in particular was unnerving. She was in her third year and I was in my first year. Slowly, after multiple ragging sessions, I started talking to her. But asking her to lend her radio, was out of question.

When she moved out, after her graduation, I grabbed the music system, which I found out later, belonged to the hostel, and put it in my room. And thus started my affair with "Yeh AkashVaani Hai". 

I had the habit of getting up at 5:00 a.m. during those days (wish I had the same now!!). And the radio service did not start until 6:00, if I am not wrong! I used to wait for the clock to strike 6:00. 

I used to hear to all the programs, did not even spare "Hawa Mahal", I hardly understood the plays, but still let them play!

The radio was a wonderful aide, all through my college. Now the world of radio has grown and so have its listeners. But the aura around these words "yeh akashvaani hai" is magical.

I still get nostalgic whenever I hear these words. 

Thank You my dear friend, my radio!!

Today, February 13, is World Radio Day!