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7 December 2013, 8.00 a.m.
Some puja.
Noon.
Another puja.
2.00 p.m.
I am just getting out of a family meeting that lasted an hour. Before we left the meeting room, Mum huddled us together for a picture that would go on her blog as part of a post titled ‘Dimple’s wedding: Organizational skills needed’. Most of us – well, everyone except yours truly – came out of the session with at least one list and one duty. Here’s a sample:
Ila Mausi responsible for Purva’s naniji. Fuss around her and make her feel important.
Mukund and Bikram to man the food stalls. Please make sure caterers do not distribute, and then later count, more plates than are needed. If possible, try and stop people from using more plates than necessary.
Prabha and Vineeta responsible for Anjuji. Fuss around her and make her feel VERY important.
Abhi to make sure Panditji is awake and not drunk. Also make sure he has all the samagri.
The last one on the list caught my attention:
Pitajee to make sure Kasturi does not run away from her own wedding (Just kidding).
I laughed out loud when I read it. The ‘Just kidding’ in brackets. It’s so Mum.
3.30 p.m.
Dear lord, another puja!
6.00 p.m.
‘What pattern do you want?’ asked the boy who had come to apply mehendi on my hands. More girls than I bothered to count – and Pitajee of course – gathered around me, chattering excitedly like little monkeys.
‘Can you make a hospital?’ I asked brightly. Pitajee led the guffaws. ‘No, really. I really want a hospital on my hands,’ I tried to say, but my voice was drowned out in the racket.
‘What?’ said the young boy, shocked out of his wits when I insisted vehemently. ‘Auntyji,’ he bleated for Mum, scared to be left alone with me.
Mum’s rather short post on the blog today was titled, ‘What to do when the bride is trying her best to be difficult’.
8.00 p.m.
Why doesn’t anyone tell you how much hard work getting married actually is? I have been sitting down for two hours with my hands stretched out, the wet, cold mehendi making it all the more uncomfortable. They are now beginning to feel very numb.
As are my feet.
The others are feasting on a delicious dinner of aloo-puri. Every once in a while, someone comes and pops a little bit of food in my mouth. Pitajee, on the other hand, walks around munching slowly on the gastronomical delight that is aloo-puri, smirking meaningfully and purposefully avoiding eye contact.
Bugger!
8.30 p.m.
Extract from a post that Mum put up on her blog today titled, ‘Pearls of wisdom for brides-to-be’:
Pimple, darling, I hope you are reading too.
1. Love between husband and wife is not unconditional. It has to be earned, continuously.
2. While people cannot be perfect, relationships can be.
