O Koi Gal Nai!

It is a little funny, but almost irritating to count the number of functions in a punju family wedding and figure each time that you're still short on clothes even after having shopped like crazy! When the wedding was scheduled for April and was going to clash with my end sem exams, I had done my share of shopping when I had come home in winters, having only accessories left to be done later. When I came home this time, we figured there were a few other occasions for which I need more clothes. So I shopped more. And today, when one of my excited-for-the-wedding aunts was over to talk about all the preparation, we figured that I am still short of one suit. Reaching the point of being slightly irritated with the whole jazz, I thought I'd just stroll into Dilli Haat and see if I can find something there so that I could get done with it asap! The first stall I stopped at had a gorgeous gold coloured suit. It was all gold, and yet very sophisticated. But I decided to walk around a little more to see the available options. And I landed at another store which had authentic punjabi phulkari dupattas. Now let me tell you that even though phulkari is supposed to be only thread work, these artisans can make such incredibly pretty clothes out of it that you won't believe your eyes. And you know I have always been the more silk/threadwork kinda person as against shiny sequins stuff. But sometimes (when it is your own brother getting married) you are compelled to buy the brighter stuff because you cannot afford to look under-dressed. Bleh. So I got so confused between the two that I came home empty-handed. [New feat achieved in my shopping history - coming home without anything in spite of it being a need-based shopping outing AND me finding more than one thing worth my money!!]

"Kisi friend ki shaadi pe kaam aa jayega."

Now quickly tell me which one of you is getting married soon enough for me to go back and buy that gold thing so that I can wear it to your wedding!!

Dormancy and the Dhol

The activity (or the lack of it) on this page over the last two months is making me feel like I have aged a little too much for the kind of time span we are talking about. Things might change once I get back to Pune, I don't know. Let's wait for that - just another three days. Maybe it's just this overwhelming pace of life that has kept me away from updating.

As of now, the latest and most interesting update is that my brother is now engaged. I have waited for this occasion for the longest time. I think I was 14 years old ever since I have been planning to look pretty on his wedding. Of course, the marriage changes the family's dynamics too, but that is still a couple of months away.

So I did the whole mehandi, earrings, and pretty clothes jazz over the past few days. I was even forced to buy gold-coloured shoes and wear make-up. Well, what I did to my face apparently does not qualify as make-up, but I think it was just about fine. Especially because it does something to my stomach just the way sequins do. And I swear I have seen enough shiny wedding-y clothes, shoes and bags which look good minus any sequins. Yes, fancy things are made for me too. :D

Apart from all that, I think there is a general issue with some 'nice' men. They don't seem to know how to handle women-related issues in their head. I won't generalise about the type (of men or situations), but everyone has some issue or the other. It's pretty incredible. I think credit also goes to women like me who always seem to attract the wrong kind of men (wrong for us, nice in general - yes, the corporate training also taught me how to be more politically correct).

On a lot more serious note, now I am pretty clear about the kind of job and the kind of organisation I want to join once I finish college. The million dollar question, however, remains that who is willing to hire me!

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Trivia: Audioslave should feel happy to be owning my first ever cellphone ringtone in six years. That does not mean that I have stopped hating the concept of ringtones. Sometimes life's complusions are plain weird.

Trivia 2: 'Weird' and 'stuff' have been the two most controversial words - independently and together - of the past two months. The irony of it has also been factored in.

Trivia 3: Ranbir Kapoor in Rocket Singh is the hottest thing I have seen in the longest time! Totally reminds of the sardar I had a crush on in WWW! Completely adorable and handsome!!! :D

Living It

0400 hours: Everybody is tired but in a mood to have fun so the camera begins to roll and so does the madness.
This was while a cousin was in the middle of wedding vows. The rest of us, as always, found some place else to lose it.

The dancers (Nidhi and I) gear up and the photographer (Samridhi) starts singing...beedi jalayileeeee....

And the two of us do the popular steps from the original video! The exact same steps! NOW I can’t believe I did it, but yes, I did. I also had a big red flower in my hair by then.

The couple that got married the same day exactly a year ago was not behind. They wanted attention as well. So they again exchanged rings and made sure that the others applauded. We lost a chance for a separate party though!

I reached home early in the morning, slept for 2 hours and then went to college. There we dissected the ways of the different kinds of weddings that happen in India, but mostly Punjabi weddings. From how women make dirty jokes during the sangeet, to how the showing off really does happen; from how old aunties have curious minds with big mouths to the flexibility with which pandits complete the rituals... we talked and laughed about it all.

Everybody liked the way my hair looked and I loved loved LOVED it! Always a great feeling! :P

Then some of us went to CP looking for some nice sweatshirts because all our college sweatshirts are cheesy and we want to have our own, sophisticated ones. But we couldn’t find anything.
Does anyone know where we can find plain sweatshirts at reasonable prices and also get something printed on them?
The kids that went along wanted to run on the escalators before doing anything else. In retrospect, I think I should have joined them too. It’s not as much fun being on the side that is just watching and wondering when they will move so that we can get the work done.

Sleeplessness was having its effects. I was told, “I am not listening to what you are saying because you are drunk.” People are so rude nowadays! I don’t drink!

But there’s a hollow. Everybody is laughing but reality does not do that. It stares blankly.