Post the shopping blues we started with the bride's grooming and packing. A week back we had a little fashion parade where she dress rehearsed for all the functions. Thereby making a huge pile of the stuff which needed altering, modifications, clarifications - we were confused how to wear a ghagra saree with peculiar design issues. So moral of the story such stories happen if you have shopped for you wedding 6 months in advance owing to living in US. Anywho these were minor issues compared to what lay ahead (exaggerating for gasps :P)
Oh and do you guys know how painful it can be to not know a lot of shopping places, those precious corner shops in the city one grew up in ? Well I hope you don't. Because the both of us were literally clueless when we needed to get matching bangle sets done. Anyways we got things done after 3 hours of hard work and arguments with each other and bangle lady. The bangle lady was obviously better equipped than us with respect to experience so we let her win all the arguments as long as we got what we wanted. We are smart that way!
And today came the time to pack the bag for the d-day. Indian weddings are elaborate. We have loads of functions strewn around the actual ceremony and almost all require a costume change. So knowing what the bride is wearing and making sure it is in place with all the matching sets and in the proper order was a pretty huge task. But our ability to crack jokes, induce double entendre s where not needed and internal jokes about stuff proved a lot helpful! Plus aunty's pampering with herbal tea and other snacks kept us going. And while we were busy packing the bride's bag, the ladies were packing the 'rukhawant/shagun'. Mighty impressed with all the creativity and efforts that they put into making things look so beautiful.
The wedding is 3 days away and I can already feel the butterflies. Of course there will be jitters, some chaos, a lot of running around. But that's what makes the big fat Indian wedding, right ? :)
~nightflier
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
the best friend's wedding - I
Pre.S. I have many best friends, who entered my life (and I also entered their life) at different phases. This is one of the oldest!
I know KT since bachpan, first standard to be clear. We were in the same 'group', childhood groupism was more about eating lunches together, playing any game as a team, sitting together in all the school functions, and also in the scholarship class. And then we changed schools and kept on meeting on and off until we got into coep where we studied together for another 4 years. So you get the gist that how old and long the friendship is. I can get to business now, right ? :-)
So missy is getting married in a week and the fun has just begun! I would start off this series with my own shopping woes. I am attending and hence preparing for a wedding on such a large scale (include 6 different functions) after 4-5 years. Deciding on what to wear to actually getting that stuff has been a really tough job. I roamed around Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur to buy myself a decent saree. Mumbai was too designer for me and Pune looked all de-glamorized after my brain registered the Mumbai dazzle. In the end I resorted to Nagpur as I did not really have an option. Oh but saree buying business doesn't really end at saree, does it ? Getting it picco-fall-ed, buying the petticoat, getting the blouse stitched with all the designs and keedas one wants to do and making sure it all fits well and is accessorized properly. uuufffffff.....
During the entire process at one point my friends were really frustrated with me as I would not buy or even shortlist even a single saree/dress. I applaud your patience girls for not giving up on me! As I do have at least 2 costumes ready! :D
Considering how choosy I have become with buying stuff, I really miss hostel days, when you would just spread the word that you were looking for 'some''thing' and you would get a range of that 'some''thing' to choose from! But guess a girl has to grow up and get her own wardrobe upto-date to be able to lend stuff to other girls in a different situation. That's my only motivating factor and plus the fact that I have become this fussy converting all the ideas in her head to reality person!
So my wardrobe is looking pretty decent now with most of the costumes ready. More on the actual wedding coming soon.
Parting song of the moment - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8OOWcsFj0U
~nightflier
P.S. While cruising on Santacruz roads we came across this very amazing bag shop which housed all kinds of bags - designer to daily use. They had a really pretty collection of clutches. The way we indulged in binge bag shopping the owner was mighty impressed. Here's the link for the same. - http://www.sunbeams.in/Index.html
They also take online orders, but the shop has a better collection than online store, so must visit
I know KT since bachpan, first standard to be clear. We were in the same 'group', childhood groupism was more about eating lunches together, playing any game as a team, sitting together in all the school functions, and also in the scholarship class. And then we changed schools and kept on meeting on and off until we got into coep where we studied together for another 4 years. So you get the gist that how old and long the friendship is. I can get to business now, right ? :-)
So missy is getting married in a week and the fun has just begun! I would start off this series with my own shopping woes. I am attending and hence preparing for a wedding on such a large scale (include 6 different functions) after 4-5 years. Deciding on what to wear to actually getting that stuff has been a really tough job. I roamed around Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur to buy myself a decent saree. Mumbai was too designer for me and Pune looked all de-glamorized after my brain registered the Mumbai dazzle. In the end I resorted to Nagpur as I did not really have an option. Oh but saree buying business doesn't really end at saree, does it ? Getting it picco-fall-ed, buying the petticoat, getting the blouse stitched with all the designs and keedas one wants to do and making sure it all fits well and is accessorized properly. uuufffffff.....
During the entire process at one point my friends were really frustrated with me as I would not buy or even shortlist even a single saree/dress. I applaud your patience girls for not giving up on me! As I do have at least 2 costumes ready! :D
Considering how choosy I have become with buying stuff, I really miss hostel days, when you would just spread the word that you were looking for 'some''thing' and you would get a range of that 'some''thing' to choose from! But guess a girl has to grow up and get her own wardrobe upto-date to be able to lend stuff to other girls in a different situation. That's my only motivating factor and plus the fact that I have become this fussy converting all the ideas in her head to reality person!
So my wardrobe is looking pretty decent now with most of the costumes ready. More on the actual wedding coming soon.
Parting song of the moment - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8OOWcsFj0U
~nightflier
P.S. While cruising on Santacruz roads we came across this very amazing bag shop which housed all kinds of bags - designer to daily use. They had a really pretty collection of clutches. The way we indulged in binge bag shopping the owner was mighty impressed. Here's the link for the same. - http://www.sunbeams.in/Index.html
They also take online orders, but the shop has a better collection than online store, so must visit
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The birthday post!
Birthdays excite me! Yes crossing the silver line has got nothing to do with the fact that I should grow up and act all mature about birthdays. It will take time.
But this birthday was slightly different with the energy levels. With the numerous shopping trips for the best friend's wedding I was super duper tired and slept at 10 the day before my birthday. A slightly sad thought of switching off the mobile and dozing off also crossed my mind. In the dilemma the sweetest thing happened. 2 of my ex-colleagues called up from Singapore. They sang the besura happy birthday song (it was our trademark during office days) and we chatted about all the sundry stuff under the roof. Got nostalgic, gossiped about managers, colleagues and made promises to meet soon. One of the guys gets married next month, and in my happy haze I promised him that I would attend the function. See, I am pretty easygoing - in the happiness high I can promise you almost anything. But I would really like to attend the wedding. My social quotient is running really high nowadays and all this catching up, lets meet, get togethers, I am finding very attractive! So there, with the chatty call I was awake again and took few more calls until I rested off my old body.
And then this friend who very well knows I expect him to call on birthday and not before or after (I can be dramatic about such things) called up an hour before saying he was sure he would not find time later. So we ended up arguing with each other until sense prevailed and I accepted the wishes and he admitted he was PMSing. Hormones I tell you are a b***h. Guys should also take iron tablets, for general health! Anyways I dearly wish that whatever caused his hormones to spike has been gotten rid of!
And then the birthday morning was spent in calls. A school friend was the first one to wish on facebook, where to everyone's dismay the birthday is unlisted. We connected on fb after 6 years and she still remembered and wished. So there, the birthday will remain unlisted.
Aai asked me to avoid going out and hence I was restricted to great food and phone calls. Later I argued with Aai that how we should go out to eat to save her all the kitchen trouble. She simply said you have been eating out all these years so go for a change. Obviously her argument was better. So Idli Sambhar and Moong ka halwa made my day scrumptilicious! Aai is the bestestestestest!
In a way I know that there is no need for any drama and think that people should think about me and call me on birthday and wish. I can bet that there are people who think about me more than only on my birthday and wish all good things for me. But drama makes life fun, no ? The joy of anticipation is great! And as far as I am concerned it wont fade for years to come! :D
~nightflier
But this birthday was slightly different with the energy levels. With the numerous shopping trips for the best friend's wedding I was super duper tired and slept at 10 the day before my birthday. A slightly sad thought of switching off the mobile and dozing off also crossed my mind. In the dilemma the sweetest thing happened. 2 of my ex-colleagues called up from Singapore. They sang the besura happy birthday song (it was our trademark during office days) and we chatted about all the sundry stuff under the roof. Got nostalgic, gossiped about managers, colleagues and made promises to meet soon. One of the guys gets married next month, and in my happy haze I promised him that I would attend the function. See, I am pretty easygoing - in the happiness high I can promise you almost anything. But I would really like to attend the wedding. My social quotient is running really high nowadays and all this catching up, lets meet, get togethers, I am finding very attractive! So there, with the chatty call I was awake again and took few more calls until I rested off my old body.
And then this friend who very well knows I expect him to call on birthday and not before or after (I can be dramatic about such things) called up an hour before saying he was sure he would not find time later. So we ended up arguing with each other until sense prevailed and I accepted the wishes and he admitted he was PMSing. Hormones I tell you are a b***h. Guys should also take iron tablets, for general health! Anyways I dearly wish that whatever caused his hormones to spike has been gotten rid of!
And then the birthday morning was spent in calls. A school friend was the first one to wish on facebook, where to everyone's dismay the birthday is unlisted. We connected on fb after 6 years and she still remembered and wished. So there, the birthday will remain unlisted.
Aai asked me to avoid going out and hence I was restricted to great food and phone calls. Later I argued with Aai that how we should go out to eat to save her all the kitchen trouble. She simply said you have been eating out all these years so go for a change. Obviously her argument was better. So Idli Sambhar and Moong ka halwa made my day scrumptilicious! Aai is the bestestestestest!
In a way I know that there is no need for any drama and think that people should think about me and call me on birthday and wish. I can bet that there are people who think about me more than only on my birthday and wish all good things for me. But drama makes life fun, no ? The joy of anticipation is great! And as far as I am concerned it wont fade for years to come! :D
~nightflier
Sunday, November 21, 2010
of aaji, mamas and mamis
Since childhood we have had this tradition of meeting both sides of the family at least once an year. With baba's side all being pretty elderly and now family sizes growing with cousins getting married, and everyone dispersing and settling down, the meets are now normally confined to big family functions like weddings. Otherwise normally it used to be summers. With aai's side everyone being relatively younger and 2 of my mama's residing in the same house, the meets happen often. But with us (me and brother) growing up and moving away for education and jobs, for us the meets happen around Diwali. So this post is basically about the mother's side and the meets. The father's side and their stories for sometime later.
[Sometimes I have this compulsive need to be fair. I am pretty sure no one would have cared if the stories from father's side come or not! :D]
Ok one more fact, both sides of family are INTO food. They love cooking and indulging in the same.
So when my mama (mom's brother) saw me after more than an year, he was awed that how I am surviving by eating air - literal translation for hawa khana (remember I am infamously skinny). There are really few people with whom I don't really mind the banter on weight issues and who don't take things personally. So we immediately made plans to feed me. It started with the doodhwala, who brought us the most delicious homemade malaai wala dahi (curds). Apparently this guy has his own cow-farm and gets such delicacies on a regular basis. No wonder people go ga-ga about small towns and the fringe benefits.
I also ate with my mama in the same thali (plate) after ages! Normally I do have a habit of sharing my plate with baba at home, sometimes aai, little cousins who normally throw tantrums but eat well when sharing with an elder taai (sister), Rinku during hostel days and also when I recently visited her. It felt so wonderful to not start at the tv and eat but have a conversation with mami (mama's wife) pampering over us by serving piping hot chapatis and aaji (mom's mother) fussing over how I should eat this and then that. To tell the truth I couldn't take so much attention on a daily basis but it felt blissful during these 2 days!! :-)
We decided to make crab curry in the evening, but owing to my novice in cooking crabs, it was decided that we buy the crabs and get the curry done from someone. Now isn't this the most amazing way of cooking! :D
It was my second time eating crabs. Boy! it was such a hard work. We all were having dinner for like 1.5 hours! It seemed never ending. But crabs are the tastiest non-veg food ever! Worth all the efforts.
But the highlight of the trip was the barbequed chicken curry that we made today! Shaukeen that my mamas are, they have a chullah (a movable one unlike in the pic) in the first story backyard. In their old house they had a permanent one and I can tell you stories about how we cousins used to fight over who should fire it and who should sit by it or help aajoba roast eggplants/papad. The connoisseurs of Indian food can appreciate the importance of the chullah and the taste food cooked on it gets.And even if you haven't eaten anything cooked on it I can guarantee you that its very different and super tasty! So our grand preparations started with getting the masala (blend of spices) right! We decided to go all rustic and be minimalistic with stuff and depend on the chullah's magical cooking for the taste! So we used all basic spices like daalchini, black pepper, badi ilaaychi, cloves first roasted with onions, dhaniya and dried coconut and then ground in a coarse paste. Firing the chullah and getting the right flame was the toughest task. Took us 15 minutes to make sure the flame was getting evenly spread and was not too smoky. Aai also helped us in coating a layer of wet soil over the cooking pan to make sure it does not burn. We roasted the masala in sufficient oil for almost 30-45 minutes, with a sprinkle of water from time to time (to make sure the masala did not burn or stick to the pan). Then the chicken was added and we let it cook for another 30-35 minutes, with occasional mixing and stirring. Then copious amount of water was added to get the not too thick gravy. Getting that consistency right is proof that how close one gets to the minimal and rustic theme. End results were super delicious! All worth the hard work. (again have no pics to share :-/)
And thus my hog-till-you-get-tired weekend came to an end. I have realized eating great food is *happiness*. And if you have the most jolly, fun, sarcastic company then the ride just gets better!
~nightflier
[Sometimes I have this compulsive need to be fair. I am pretty sure no one would have cared if the stories from father's side come or not! :D]
Ok one more fact, both sides of family are INTO food. They love cooking and indulging in the same.
So when my mama (mom's brother) saw me after more than an year, he was awed that how I am surviving by eating air - literal translation for hawa khana (remember I am infamously skinny). There are really few people with whom I don't really mind the banter on weight issues and who don't take things personally. So we immediately made plans to feed me. It started with the doodhwala, who brought us the most delicious homemade malaai wala dahi (curds). Apparently this guy has his own cow-farm and gets such delicacies on a regular basis. No wonder people go ga-ga about small towns and the fringe benefits.
I also ate with my mama in the same thali (plate) after ages! Normally I do have a habit of sharing my plate with baba at home, sometimes aai, little cousins who normally throw tantrums but eat well when sharing with an elder taai (sister), Rinku during hostel days and also when I recently visited her. It felt so wonderful to not start at the tv and eat but have a conversation with mami (mama's wife) pampering over us by serving piping hot chapatis and aaji (mom's mother) fussing over how I should eat this and then that. To tell the truth I couldn't take so much attention on a daily basis but it felt blissful during these 2 days!! :-)
We decided to make crab curry in the evening, but owing to my novice in cooking crabs, it was decided that we buy the crabs and get the curry done from someone. Now isn't this the most amazing way of cooking! :D
It was my second time eating crabs. Boy! it was such a hard work. We all were having dinner for like 1.5 hours! It seemed never ending. But crabs are the tastiest non-veg food ever! Worth all the efforts.
 |
| I feel kind of foolish not to have take a pic of the original one. *courtesy - google |
And thus my hog-till-you-get-tired weekend came to an end. I have realized eating great food is *happiness*. And if you have the most jolly, fun, sarcastic company then the ride just gets better!
~nightflier
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Nothing much to say...
Life is often funny. For most of my 2 years in the US, I craved to be surrounded by friends (more) and family (occasionally). Everyone amongst them being supportive of me and my decisions, really stood by me. But you know how it is. Things do fade out as time goes on. Specially once the hard realization that one needs to make a life for oneself where one resides dawns, one eventually starts drifting apart. The people in the outermost orbits start moving away first. Number of people with whom you can actually chat (without the usual 'wassup' 'doing great' fakeness) starts diminishing day by day (I still go on gtalk just to chat with this one particular friend). And thanks for the energy and time you put in, some timeless bonds never fade/break away. So with all these not-so-happy realizations, when I had finally moved to the state of acceptance to really make a good life for myself in US, all the instabilities beckoned.
First losing the job, then dwindling finances, where to live after the lease gets over, maintaining status, whether to do some work which I don't want to do - at that time the list was overwhelming. Every night I slept thinking tomorrow I would have answers for at least one of these. (thankfully nothing of that sort happened). The most I dreaded was not having my own place to live. Even though I shared my flat with someone, I called it home. I liked the idea that I had set that place up, according to my taste. I hated the idea of selling my table, chair, bike, giving away small sweet nothings I had acquired over time, to part ways with my books and my mini library. Aren't these small little things that really bind you to a place and call it a home ? Maybe for some its the people who make a place like home. For me its more about having one's own space.
I cringed at the thought of being homeless. Nonetheless, my friends were kind enough to let me live with them, after my lease got over and until I arrived at a decision. Thus I spent 1.5 months in Dallas, few days with my ex-roommate, and some more with friends/acquaintances. I am not belittling them, but I have always craved for my space. I think almost 2 years living on your own does that to you.
I think now I have lived through my another worst fear. I know how it feels like not having one's own space, a place to call home. This is the only way I can overcome the inertia and get some motivation to venture out again and do something worthwhile (but not just sit and write silly blog posts). The sense of adventure needs to be awakened. Got any more triggers ?
~nightflier
First losing the job, then dwindling finances, where to live after the lease gets over, maintaining status, whether to do some work which I don't want to do - at that time the list was overwhelming. Every night I slept thinking tomorrow I would have answers for at least one of these. (thankfully nothing of that sort happened). The most I dreaded was not having my own place to live. Even though I shared my flat with someone, I called it home. I liked the idea that I had set that place up, according to my taste. I hated the idea of selling my table, chair, bike, giving away small sweet nothings I had acquired over time, to part ways with my books and my mini library. Aren't these small little things that really bind you to a place and call it a home ? Maybe for some its the people who make a place like home. For me its more about having one's own space.
I cringed at the thought of being homeless. Nonetheless, my friends were kind enough to let me live with them, after my lease got over and until I arrived at a decision. Thus I spent 1.5 months in Dallas, few days with my ex-roommate, and some more with friends/acquaintances. I am not belittling them, but I have always craved for my space. I think almost 2 years living on your own does that to you.
I think now I have lived through my another worst fear. I know how it feels like not having one's own space, a place to call home. This is the only way I can overcome the inertia and get some motivation to venture out again and do something worthwhile (but not just sit and write silly blog posts). The sense of adventure needs to be awakened. Got any more triggers ?
~nightflier
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Happy Diwali!!
So after much prodding from aai-baba I finally indulged in some retail therapy. I am not a 'crowd' person. I mean I like the fact that India has so many people, but its more like a distant love. So when with a grumbling stomach, tired feet, sore back, drowsy eyes I approached my last target 'the bhajiwali bai' (literal translation - vegetable selling lady), I was kind of relieved to be the only customer at her stall. As I started picking my tomatoes, her son came along and started complaining 'how she had not bought him canvass shoes this diwali and she should take him to Buldi (a really busy market place in town)'.
To this the mother replied 'main is shehar mein pali badhi lekin aaj tak buldi nahi gayi, kitni bheed hoti hai waha!' (I have spent my entire life in this city but have not been to the crowded Buldi). 'mujhe waha ki bheed se darr lagta hai' (I am scared of the crowds there). 'Hum pass wale dukaan mein jaayenge, waha bhi sab achcha milta hai' (we will go to the nearby store and buy you nice shoes).
I smiled at her and she started laughing. Guess we both had realized it is kind of lame to not like crowds when you are constantly surrounded by one! But I was glad that it was not a ME specific thing anymore. There are perfectly normal people who have similar quirks like mine. [There are days when I specifically go out in the afternoons considering not many people shop during those hours. But this being the festive season I don't blame anyone.]
On this note wish you all a very happy and prosperous Diwali! :) :)
lots of lights!
~nightflier
To this the mother replied 'main is shehar mein pali badhi lekin aaj tak buldi nahi gayi, kitni bheed hoti hai waha!' (I have spent my entire life in this city but have not been to the crowded Buldi). 'mujhe waha ki bheed se darr lagta hai' (I am scared of the crowds there). 'Hum pass wale dukaan mein jaayenge, waha bhi sab achcha milta hai' (we will go to the nearby store and buy you nice shoes).
I smiled at her and she started laughing. Guess we both had realized it is kind of lame to not like crowds when you are constantly surrounded by one! But I was glad that it was not a ME specific thing anymore. There are perfectly normal people who have similar quirks like mine. [There are days when I specifically go out in the afternoons considering not many people shop during those hours. But this being the festive season I don't blame anyone.]
On this note wish you all a very happy and prosperous Diwali! :) :)
lots of lights!
~nightflier
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