Written by: VS Pavan Kumar ( My friend of 16 years )
"The very first few words I uttered in Chennai made me feel like I was in a totally different world.
Me: Auto. Kodambakkam.
Auto fello(curious grin on face): Tamil teriyama??!?
Me(mumbling for words in tamil I knew): Err... Umm.. Telugu.
Auto fello: 150 rs.
Me(WT Fish?!?!): Arey paas mein hi tho hain. Near only no?!?
Auto fello(really really fast): Prepaid , prepaid, vonly 10 rupeesa
Me(He gave me a 1+1 offer, take one auto and pay for another one also): Okay
Well, I got to the wedding function hall and her relative uncle came to receive me(I had called earlier to a number she gave me). Went inside and she was already in the middle of some ceremony with her parents. After a lot of waving and lip reading stuff like "Where is Patta?" "Only you came??" "My sister will show you where you will be put up." blah blah... her sister escorted me to my room keeping a safe distance of about 12 feet from me as I still dint brush my teeth (Yes I come from a weird line of ancestors who believed teeth have a mechanism to stay clean without using things like brush, paste etc. I think its got something to do with eating breakfast).
Well at this point I have to mention I was put up in an AC room with a bathroom heh heh. I must say her family was extremely hospitable, thanks to them no one really complained of a strange smell in the function hall.
Went back downstairs and headed for breakfast. Came back and there was a Veda ritual/prayer going on which really made me feel someone popped a sleeping pill in my idlisambar. I occasionally (and with great difficulty managed to) stole a few glances when she was up on stage waving and smiling making sure she wouldn't forget I had dared the odds to attend the wedding.
Met a friend of her sister's, who was also the only guy to be coming from b'lore. We were formally introduced and well, as all guys do we started talking college, booze, drugs, music, etc.
20th Jan 1 PM: Lunch. The food was delicious. The menu had sambar, rice, sambar, sambarrice, sweet, samber, curry, more, sambar (there is a comma in between the two, more is an item). Me and the guy who served hit it off really well because whatever I asked for, I was served Sambar. Reminded me of MIB(Men in Black) where Will Smith tries talking to the alien.
3 PM: Engagement. She looked beautiful in a pink saree (I guess). I was in the audience observing proceedings in a semi-alive state. Smiled occasionally for no reason whatsoever. There was a "Baaraat" and it was at this point I really thought everyone should have come. I was the lone fello there and so could not dance otherwise I would have put the road on fire :). The Groom's school friends gang was there and they all danced their heads off.
8 PM: Me and Guy from B'lore came all dressed for the Reception. She looked grand in a blue.. saree? I was flashing around a blazer and a smile at whoever cared to look(not many I must confess). So after a few desperate attempts at wooing middle aged aunties, I had to settle down again with my B'lore friend at my side. This time we were well and truly running out of topics to discuss.
Me: Dude, are you a test tube baby?
B'lore Boy: Ummm... errr.... No... are you?
Me: No no, just asking
Luckily they told us dinner was served :)
11 PM: Enter friends of hers from Hyderabad. One girl, Sweta, works with Google but lives in Dundigal. One guy, Rahul, from Kerala but hates wearing Lungis (he's from google too). One more girl, Sravanthi, from Google. Yet another girl, Sangeetha, from Google. They were to share the room with me and B'lore boy and so we talked for a little while when at around 12 AM, she came to spend a little time with us :) Spoke for a little while and then everyone hit the bed.
21st Jan, D-day: Everything was frantic. We got up early in the morning and were ready well in time. Then came "Waisteeys". After a lot of tugging and pulling, somehow got it around like a lungi. Went quietly to the Mandapam and sat there in a chair holding on to the lungi for dear life. I was there all through the ceremony feeling glad I was able to make it. The NRI from our school, Patta, then arrived.
He met her and hubby, and other aunties and uncles. Got a few final pics with his cam and then went for lunch. She was really busy at this point.
After lunch, we all went to Spencers Plaza for a little shopping. B'lore boy & I were back in the function hall at around 4 PM and got to meet and talk a little more with the groom and her.
Bid goodbye at around 6:30 and started for B'lore. So, my best friend got married :) "
