The 12th day ceremony.

Got up at 4, thanks to my cell phone alarm; we got through the chores and were ready by 6. A problem dropped by....my wedding ring was untraceable and no amount of going back in time, retracing the events after our last trip could help us locate the ring. So, we began the journey on an apprehensive note.

Monish had come by a 10' to 6, cleaned up the Chevy and we cast off soon after!

To top it, I'd forgotten my cell phone at home and had to return from the Melayppura Church to retrieve it.

Padmakumar and Rema boarded the car at Pidavoor and we'd set off for Thiruvananthapuram. We reached Indirakutty's house by a 10' to 8. Had breakfast of idlis, dosas and coffee.

The 'karmi' began the ceremony by 9 and we were given coconut oil, a piece of cloth - symbolism for a towel - and 'thaali' (crushed shoe flower leaves). I'd a symbolic bath and then, joined the others for the 'bali tharpanam'.

As per the Garuda Puranam, the soul leaves for attaining Lord Shiva at Mount Kailash; the bali tharpanam was a pre-cursor to this transition of the soul!

After the ceremony, we went across to the Shanghumugham Beach to give the bali tharpanam to the waters of the Arabian Sea.

Returned from the beach and had lunch. 

Our next agenda was to drop in at Mridula's house to look up her husband, Prem Kumar who was two years my senior in school. He'd joined the CBI and had a commendable professional journey! 

The frontal temporal lobe of his brain has shrunk and is now devoid of uninterrupted thinking! An Alzheimer's patient in the making. It's damn sad. He held me and patted my head; said that Lekha is beautiful!

We commenced our return journey to Raj Nivas and reached there just after sunset, after dropping Padmakumar-Rema at Pidavoor.

Retrieved my wedding ring on arrival; it had fallen down. Phew!

All's well that ends well!