Two Weddings, a Bride and Yum Yum Tree

Ah well I had an eventful week indeed and have been quite looking forward to penning the exciting happenings of my life down on a blog post. I have been travelling non-stop trans Delhi or rather trans the National Capital region almost every single day. This is what happens one of your closest friends and an old college mate decides to tie the knot the same week. So it began last Monday when I took the long long metro ride from Dwarka to CP waiting patiently for Miss Touch Me Not to get over with work so that we could make it on time for Maggie’s Mehndi and Sangeet in this hotel in Karol Bagh. Although we’d thought that we’d get thoroughly bored cos we wouldn’t know anybody but we were in for a pleasant surprise as we bumped into old friends/acquaintances and it was fun catching up with people you only ever see on your mini-feed page on FB or if you choose to snoop around their pages on FB again. Maggie looked all radiant in a pink and golden creation and yes she has a body to die for. We were buzzing on 2 drinks and had to hurry back home cos we had work the next day. I was dropped home only to be welcomed by the sight of Uncle snoring in the living room waiting for me to come home. I had asked him to leave the door open and not to wait up for me. Gawddd. A very sweet gesture I know but not needed really I can take care of myself.

Next day we guys had She’s youngster’s bash and Maggie’s wedding to go for. I almost felt like not going looking at the sorry state of my wardrobe but I still managed to jazz up my outfit with my funky silver neck piece and not to forget my pretty silver juttis bought at the Sooraj Kund Mela 2 days before with Preema. I wore the white kurti Motu’s Mommy gave me and I absolutely adore it and it has kashmiri embroidery work done all over it in the form of pink and blue flowers. Now She of course sent the wedding card sans any directions for the venue of the bash. Miss Touch Me Not, her friend Mohit , Maxi and I got lost for 2 hours just trying to make our way to some place called Neb Sarai. After a lot of confusion and directions on the phone we finally reached the place after 11. The theme of the party was Shammi Kapoor and we were not dressed to the occasion at all but only too happy that we reached before the alcohol got over. I was at a huge gathering with normal people after a long long time. And wow I actually knew quite a lot of them or at the least a lot of them seemed very familiar. Pardon my excitement but I have been leading a very socially deprived life off late.

We danced our hearts out and Miss Touch me Not’s signature dance with the glass on her head was performed with the usal bouhahah! By the end of it we were sooo tipsy and we still hadn’t gone for Maggie’s wedding. We reached the wedding venue after 2 at night and must have been there for half an hour 15 minutes of which were spent in the loo drunken dialing. I remember meeting Maggie briefly for 30 secs but she was busy getting married and the pheras hadn’t still gotten over. We came back home to Miss Touch me Not’s place in Gurgaon only after 3 and was back in office at 10 in the morning dog tired. I took a break for 2 days after that saying noooo I am gonna take it easy cos Friday was gonna be hectic with She’s wedding and I had taken the day off. I was up early in the morning with my bags packed to go to Anand Vihar for the chooda and the kaleerein ceremony. She made the happiest bride but sorry to say when I reached her place at 10 in the morning she was still in her t-shirt and shorts looking like she use to every morning all those years when were roommates in Pune. I had that aghast expression on my face when I saw her saying” You have to be in your boxers and ganda t-shirt today of all the days.” “You know me na. Pleasse this is my house and what am I supposed to wear to sleep at night? A saree? :p.”

So first there was the traditional chooda ceremony when the Bride’s Mama and Mami made her wear the chooda that has to be kept on for a time period upto a year. Then we all tied the kaleerien to the choodas or was it the iron bangles we tied it to? Anyways the bottom line being that the single women were asked to come and bend their heads while She rubbed both her hands together for the kaleerien to fall on the next bride. Obviously if the bride pounds both her hands together then at least some of that pretty flimsy golden stuff has to fall on our heads. ;-) The Bride’s parents were lovely and warm including all her aunts who made us feel completely at home. For not even a second did I feel that I wasn’t a part of the family. I have to mention She’s brother Fungus who is by far one of the coolest guys I know. He is so bindaas and the man of the moment who managed everything with such poise and excellent planning. She, her cousin and I went to the salon after all the ceremonies to get dressed. Okie so this was the first time ever I was getting my make-up done professionally and She too probably will never ever put on so much make up ever again. She looked beautiful in her red, green and gold saree. Her make up too was light, not over the top, very natural, very She. She wasn’t the overdressed, overly made up, uncomfortable bride. She was happy, bubbly, posing for pictures with such gusto that we had to ask her to stop smiling for the shutter bugs and go ahead with the shaadi.

I had worn a sea green saree and for once I handled it tolerably well. Coming back to the festivities She and her husband to be had the usal fotu session whereby the photographers made them pose in the most filmy poses that we couldn’t stop laughing. Meanwhile Vicky, Gokul and I ate and drank to the hilt. The food was out of the world. We couldn’t have enough of the starters and later on when I saw the lavish main course I really regretted my binge starter eating. The pheras were over in an hour and ten minutes flat and the pandit was the funniest pandit ever cracking jokes while chanting and explaining the mantras. Both the bride and the handsome groom were giggling even while reciting their vows. Of course Vicky had to go fall in love with She’s cousin and drive Miss Touch Me Not and me up the wall with his confessions of love. For christ’s sake he only just met her and they hadn’t exchanged even a word between the both of them. To think he actually approached She later about his new found love for her cousin while she sat down for dinner with her newly wedded husband and the entire family while Miss Touch Me Not and I looked on disbelievingly. Hahah!

Last afternoon we guys met up for lunch again with She and now hubby at this place called Yum Yum Tree in New Friends Colony. Doesn’t the name Yum Yum Tree have a mysterious musical note to it? Vicky was the subject of all jokes while we teased the cousin asking her to call him up hahaha! The food was scrumptious and anybody who is a fan of South East Asian Cuisine should try this place out. We collectively had Sushi, Sweet Friend, Pork, Chicken and Fish Satay, Tom Yum Soup( I loveeee), Thai Red Curry, Thai Green Curry and something called a Cambodian Khmer Prawn Curry. I wish I could describe how divine the food was or maybe it is only because I love Lemon Grass and Coconut milk based fare. So that was my week and I was mighty kicked about it even though all the festivities are over and we go back to our daily mundane lives looking forward to the smaller things like an extended weekend.