Then and Now...

1990 June 01

My paternal uncle’s wedding. I was studying in upper kindergarten then. The new aunt kept weeping; she never seemed to stop even after 2 days. That was the last time we stayed in my native.

All of us; our family of 3 (sis wasn’t born yet), CCC’s family of 3, grandpa, grandma, 2 more paternal uncles and more such people whom I don’t remember. Our 16 kambha thotti halli mane had just 1 room. So the new couple was given the prominence to occupy. For us many carpets were laid, pillows provided and all of us slept in the hall.

Dad followed by mom, then me, athe next to me, CCC later, his dad, and then the uncles lastly my grandparents. Rest of the relatives, may be, slept on the other side of thotti. Me and CCC always wondered why gall gall (noise the glass bangles together make when they move briskly within hands) clamor came from the only room during the wee hours. CCC asked his mom the ‘why’ question and was inturn slapped. I dint know the reason as well but the slap told me an answer. It was an ‘adult’ matter. Later for the fun part I made a story and scared off CCC telling that our new aunt was a Mohini; & hence that gall gall sounds we heard only in the night.

That explains why CCC did not even dare to wander around her for few days. Later aunt was gently requested by my mom and she removed her bangles while she went to sleep. That solved most of the problems; of the scare and the other of the embarrassment.

Ahh those times; anyways coming to the point those days were the last I remember staying overnight in my native. My native is just 30km from Mysore and 10km from Mandya; just on the Bangalore-Mysore highway.

2009 Sep 18

Not exactly bees saal baad but close to that, we all somehow made time and will be staying back this whole weekend. Apparently the first year of marriage one is not supposed to stay at in-laws place this ‘Mahalaya amavsya’; so my MIL shooed me away.

To forfeit the judaai sadness, I made CCC, 2 uncles, sis, and one cousin take leave on Saturday as well. All things fell in good place and so I am heading towards my native now and will be there till Sunday noon.

So off I go; togetherness is happiness :- )