Instead of a leisurely Sunday morning, we're up with the lark to be ready by 9 to go to the airport. Though the traffic on Sundays was hassle free, "you never know what can happen and so don't take a chance. Better to leave your place of stay by 9....to catch your flight"....... at 1115h. Smart, young Lance Naik Gurung came in with his gleaming Gypsy to ferry us and we reached the airport by 1000h.
In the meanwhile, I'd received information from the airlines that the flight was rescheduled to 1230h, on my cellphone and therefore, a long wait at the departure lounge became inevitable! No, not that we'd have delayed our get away from the mess, simply because we didn't want to take any chances. The mess staff refused to be steamrollered by my insistence on paying up the bill for my stay and my friend said that it was being followed upon his instructions!..... The additional time was spent partly in conversation, partly in browsing the mail and replying to a few essential ones and partly, in reading the day's Deccan Chronicle! It was a fairly long wait, phew!!
The flight, however, made up for lost time and we'd touched down at Kochi by a half past 2. A hired car, took us to my friend's house within an hour, by taking the 'safe' route free off snarls - the onam shoppers were at it and the streets looked as though it's a normal working day!
It's a quick wash and change into our Sunday best to be on time at Vayalar - about 35 kms from here - to be on time for the wedding ceremony of the daughter of another classmate of mine. The function had a fairly wide cross section of his relatives and friends, which had a generous sprinkling of foreigners as he and his family live in Montreal for the last so many years! The short set of rituals associated with the wedding was lapped up by the curious foreigners and it's great to see many of them sporting sarees, bindis and the works to sort of merge with the crowd!
There was a finely edited entertainment programme that gave us the gist of the lives of the bride and the bridegroom. There were three of us classmates who're specifically invited for the evening while everyone else was attending the reception at Kochi, tomorrow afternoon. And, as usual, it's great to catch up with them.
Tailpiece.
From Pune to Vayalar, all in a space of twelve hours, was hectic. But the thrill of attending the functions was simply priceless....In the bargain, we could meet up with a large number of friends.
PS.
Unnikrishnan and Neeta make a handsome pair. Here's wishing the two of you a long and happy married life and all that you wish for! Take care!!
In the meanwhile, I'd received information from the airlines that the flight was rescheduled to 1230h, on my cellphone and therefore, a long wait at the departure lounge became inevitable! No, not that we'd have delayed our get away from the mess, simply because we didn't want to take any chances. The mess staff refused to be steamrollered by my insistence on paying up the bill for my stay and my friend said that it was being followed upon his instructions!..... The additional time was spent partly in conversation, partly in browsing the mail and replying to a few essential ones and partly, in reading the day's Deccan Chronicle! It was a fairly long wait, phew!!
The flight, however, made up for lost time and we'd touched down at Kochi by a half past 2. A hired car, took us to my friend's house within an hour, by taking the 'safe' route free off snarls - the onam shoppers were at it and the streets looked as though it's a normal working day!
It's a quick wash and change into our Sunday best to be on time at Vayalar - about 35 kms from here - to be on time for the wedding ceremony of the daughter of another classmate of mine. The function had a fairly wide cross section of his relatives and friends, which had a generous sprinkling of foreigners as he and his family live in Montreal for the last so many years! The short set of rituals associated with the wedding was lapped up by the curious foreigners and it's great to see many of them sporting sarees, bindis and the works to sort of merge with the crowd!
There was a finely edited entertainment programme that gave us the gist of the lives of the bride and the bridegroom. There were three of us classmates who're specifically invited for the evening while everyone else was attending the reception at Kochi, tomorrow afternoon. And, as usual, it's great to catch up with them.
Tailpiece.
From Pune to Vayalar, all in a space of twelve hours, was hectic. But the thrill of attending the functions was simply priceless....In the bargain, we could meet up with a large number of friends.
PS.
Unnikrishnan and Neeta make a handsome pair. Here's wishing the two of you a long and happy married life and all that you wish for! Take care!!
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