Band baaja baraat!

Weddings in my house, are a world of their own

Apart from all the fun things, weddings are a place where you can find a glimpse of a lost you, where you are reminded of what you had been..long long time ago.

I was at a cousin's wedding in Delhi recently and was touched at the way certain things unfurled weird emotions in me

Some of these people I was meeting after more than 15 years or so

I have been trying to be this single, strong independent woman of the world..but for those few moments of life, I felt like that little girl again..
This girl who used to love attention from elders, pout and preen!This pampered little girl who used to throw tantrums..

It reminded me that I have been loved and cared for..that I too have roots

Its good to be reminded of your roots, it is a wholesome feeling of being someone's grand daughter, niece, sister, special friend

"Kitini pyaari lag rahi hai"(You look lovely) - Someone cups my face and says it affectionately. I feel abashed and look away while I smile, cos such things dont happen to me anymore. Noone cups my face in their hands and says sweet things. Am a little un-used to such displays of affection now. It has been a long long time.

"Bahut patli ho gayi ho"(You lost so much weight) - The usual comment from one and all around. Even though when these people had last seen me 15 years ago, I was 4-5 kgs less than what I am. Yet a slim person always hears this comment.

And then follows my protest of negating it, giving them facts and figures and people laughing it away

Once I felt a tug at my sleeve and turned around to find an elderly lady beaming at me. This was an aunt we had a spat with years ago, but when I saw her smiling at me that way and wanting my attention, I automatically touched her feet and she hugged me..and I beamed back. It was a genuine smile that I gave her..heartfelt!

Sometimes we bounce off the energy and affectations of the other person.
Each person we interact with, makes something within us come to surface , parts in us we dint know

I wanted to hug so many people, a thing I do rarely!
Maybe by wanting to hug them, I wanted to hug bits and pieces of myself..which were lost in each of them

In between, we sisters would catch up to exchange notes on who dint touch whose feet, who was trying to avoid whom, who looked pathetic and who was drinking away to glory, who was being a pile on..and so on..

The rustle of silk, smell of mogra..jasmine and lilies..clinking of glasses..shehnai in the background..henna on my hands and me trying to manage everything with just one hand..sound of blaring music and shaking a leg..the teasing and match-making..maketh a wedding worth its while!