The Big fat Indian Wedding

I am just back from Hotel Green Park, with Dad. Well, my general trips to this hotel are to its bar (obviously) – The one plus one offer on beers is simply irresistible. Oh! Gawd! How I love beer. But well, the thing that I was back with dad might have given you a hint – the visit tonight was not to the bar. A family friends son was salvaged off today and it was his reception (He got married!).

Now there is something about this Indian wedding that you simply can't get in any part of the world. First thing – The marriage itself lasts so long that one can't forget it ever. 3 long days of rituals, a weeklong festivities, and preparations from a long time. I heard the lady (Bridegroom's mother) was on her shopping visits right since January, i.e. she had exhausted all her options in Vizag till then. Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai – Shopping across four cities all by her. Now add another dozen cities from where she had asked many acquaintances to shop on her behalf (How much money do they blow up for this one ritual, er! Well, 3 day ritual). Now you know why the divorce rate in this country is so low, and people thought it has something to do with the culture, society, bringing up, blah! Blah!

Well, coming back to this wedding. The festivities started last week sometime, and the rituals as far as I know, started on Saturday (could be before that too). The one on Saturday was open to a little distant family. This is a good measure, if you want to check your relationship status with a particular family. The function that you are invited to says it all – your distance from the groom's, or bride's family.

I somehow get too lonely at these parties, and prefer not attending them. Well, this is the reason I give to mom for not attending these parties. I would not really get lonely as I don't mind approaching the weirdest of the strangers at the most obscure place, and chat up with them. The real reason I try avoiding these weddings is the constant look by over sized aunties. These get-togethers are typical venues for matchmaking. One couple being blessed and other couples being initiated. Any guy, or girl, above the age of 22 would fall in the eyes of these aunties. The normal chat between two aunties, say heavy auntie (HA), and the pompous Auntie (PA) would be like

"So how have you been? The earings look really pretty", says the HA, smirking in mind "her husband must surely be in illegal activities"

"Oh, thank you so much. Even yours are nice." The PA would reply trying to return the compliment, though celebrating her joy that she could make someone jealous with that costly allurement.

"hey, by the way. See that guy there", the PA would ask HA

"Come on, look at your age. You are still seeing young guys like this. Look at that pot bellied guy there", the HA chuckles.

"Ah! I was wondering whose son he is. Remember my sister's husband's third cousin's daughter?"

"I was wondering what a wonderful couple they would make", the PA remarks, still staring at the guy and trying to find out who the innocently standing guy's mom is.

There one more couple in the process of being formed. I am sure the next SRK starrer from yash raj's studio would be "Auntie ne bana di Jodi"

Now you know why I hate attending weddings, or such social family get-togethers. Too risky. I don't want myself to be the centre of talk for all aunties, and nor do I want my mom to handle them trying to reject the offer, in the most polite manner.

Yesterday though was different, and the bridegroom being the son of one of my mom's good friend, I had to attend the wedding. Thankfully I had my brother for company. I am sure he must be cribbing about it, as he had to stand with me all night, and not with his friends of the opposite gender. Now staying out of vizag for two years, does deluge one of all access to beautiful women. Many of the ones you know are themselves out of vizag – studying, working or otherwise. Some have shifted base with their families, etc. and a good healthy number of girls you could have very easily dated have got married in the last two years. So now you are left with girls too young, which your brother claims as his domain. SINGLE.

One more funny thing at these Indian weddings, or social gatherings. People like alcohol, non vegetarian but the host refuses. Nah! It is a wedding, a holy day, so - no chicken, no alcohol. Ah! Crap! It is not Lord Shiva getting married, in whose case too I don't see any reason to refrain from chicken. We Indians anyways don't consume much of pork to be afraid of the swine flu. My brother and I were very tempted to escape to ESCAPE – the in house bar, but had to restrain ourselves.

Sitting near the dinner spread in a buffet style I did happen to hear an interesting conversation between two elderly pot bellied men.

My positioning near the dinner has nothing to do with my interest in food, it was rather the perfect angle to a hot chik sitting opposite with a guy.

Was he her husband?

Nah! She looks too young to be married.

Her boyfriend?

Nah! Indian tradition, you don't get your boyfriend to family outing.

Must be her brother for sure.

But then why are they holding hands and chuckling so lovingly?

Chill! Botherly love.

Coming back to the eavesdropped talk. One guy slams to the other, "damn these people. I gave a full 200 rupees gift and this is what they serve. It was not a paisa wasool party for me". The other guy, with lots of hair all across his heavily built body, trying hard to stuff all the tawa sabji in his mouth, speaks difficulty," yes, I expected this, and that is the reason I brought along my wife, my 2 kids and also 3 of my nephews. My brother was not available so he had to miss the party" the fry brinjal still hanging out of his mouth. I hope he is now satisfied that his 200 rupees was a good investment.

One the whole, it was a wonderful evening, and it has only strengthened my decision to avoid all such parties. I don't want to wasool all the gift money that my parents would give. Also, it was a very heavy compromise to do with the beer party with friends. Nothing like beer!
"Congratulations! Wish you a happy married life". Thud.

Vizag trip - Genesis'08 rocked!!!

A Small idea. A small Venture. It just crossed my mind one lazy evening, talking to a junior.

The outcome: A decent scale event. Venue: a star hotel. Money involved: over Rs. 10,000. 40 odd participants. Vizag's best Verbal coach assisting me during the proceedings. A memorable evening.

Iit all started one evening chatting to a junior, who was depressed with his CV for the upcoming placement season in his engineering college. Some more juniors ask me about this. and there i get this idea. Should i not return something back to the people i have been brought up amidst. A CV WORKSHOP.

Spoke to my juniors to access the market need for the same. It was promising. Booked my flight tickets home, sacrificing the planned LEH-LADAKH trip. Reached home on tuesday evening itself, with the morning spent hopping malls in Delhi with someone special.

Tuesday: Reach home at about 8PM. At about 10, get out of home for a session with my cousins, and primarily with bro.

Wednesday: Vinayak Chaturthi, the Ganesh god festival, so met up all relatives to fulfill that formalities asap. Jatin, My brother left for hyderabad to attend some technical festival on robotics in an engineering college there. Feel more crippled. Now who is going to help me out with all the niceties. I am alone. Went out for a session with one of my cousins, and one other common friend. Drank with glory till the wee hours of morning, making the drinks atop a car, and driving crazy all the way to the new hills near GITAM. The venue for the upcoming software companies.

Thursday: Did all the groundwork for the workshop. Went about working for my PAN cad, and other official work. Set up appointments with possible stakeholders.


Friday: Went down to GITAM, to access the need and spread across the word informally. Also, to setup a team of people among juniors who could help me. Teachers day, so even they were happy seeing me, and was a day well spent. Ended the day with madu frens at Sandy lane, drinking away to glory.

Saturday: Lotsa work to do today. Nothing concrete has been happening on the workshop front. Went ahead with booking of the hotel venue. Thought TIME would help me out with it, at least sponsoring the venue, but to no avail. Daspalla is booked and TIME raises tis hand from this venture. Booked Meghalaya instead - my venue for the workshop. Went down to Career Launcher giving them a proposal of sponsoring the event, or at least using it for their publicity. Abdullah sir is really admirable. his business acumen and the person himself have a charm of their own. My first sponsorship, with the money coming in immediately. Printed the posters and the receipt tickets. Yes, now i can start off. The day was really good. Manage on more sponsorship from Praxis. Went pub hoppinng in the night along with iruag and her friends. We first went down to The Park for a beachside party, where we even got clicked for the newspaper.



And then hopped down to Chrome( a pub with the name of the new google web browser, one am using right now).

Sunday: My friend and junior, Abhishek, who has been helping me out from the beginning, was the one who woke me up with lots of pain that morning. i am dead in slumber. He calls Jatin, asks him to call up home and get me awake. Have to go to TIME AIMCAT Venue for marketing. We did. It was a lukewarm response, and i further built up contacts there. Identified a junior, and neighbour, Radhika, who was entrusted upon with the duty of selling a ticket booklet. Inn the evening went down to an SIBM event, with the same TG. Triued some marketing there.

Monday: Jatin is back from Hyderabad. I spend the whole day in GITAM, going to various departments, to various classes marketing the workshop. I even went to the management college, with the help of Naidu, for further marketing. In the evening, i went down to TIME to market in their classrooms. It was overall a decent response.

Tuesday: THE D DAY. Am tensed form morning. Y?? I dunno. I start off for some more sponsors. I get updates from my team that not many passes have been sold. The event could be a total flop. After all the motivation shots from Nisha, Ahen, Mom, etc.. pull up a strong face, and start getting prepared. "Nothing is going to happen. I AM THE BEST." Theses words keep echoing in my head. And anyways, maximum what may happen? I may just end up loosing some money. Big Deal?.. nah. It was a wonderful learning experience. I have a pint beer in a can, as suggested by Ahen, for good Luck.


The workshop begins sharp at 6PM, as promised. We have decent turnout. Ram Mohan Sir joined me for the event, and it added to the confidence. A person from SDV News had also come down to cover the event. The CV gyan, Ram Mohan Sirs small speech on the does and dont's. Then the GDS, and critical inputs to each. Calling upon a random group to the stage and shooting it all for critical minute analysis. Then the interview gyan, and normal chat about CAT and best practices. It was followed with a detailed question answer session, where i was assisted by Dinesh and Vamsi- My GITAM Friends. Jatin And Abhishek had been managing the logistics from the beginning, at the venue. Overall, the session was a hit, and the participants went back a happy lot.







The night demands party. All of us cousins go down to the terrace bar for a relaxed beer and chat. And then head to the bus station for some Hot idlis. It was one of the most satisfying drinks i have had. A memorable evening.

Wednesday: My last day In Vizag, for these holidays. Next trip would only be in march after completion of MBA. Met up akived at CCD, and then headed to the PAB card office for application. Afternoon i waned to see a telugu movie, a luxury not available in Lucknow. So went to Srinu from Srikakulam on Jatin's recommendation. Evening, me and Vamsi spend some quality time at YMCA, smoking away on deep thoughts.Went down to Ahen's house to pick up a parcel for her, and then head home.

Dad, mom, Jatin and me, head down to Dhaba Express for dinner. After a real long time, all four of us were savouring a dinner together out in a hotel. It felt so good, spending quality time with family. After dinner i head down to Green park for a session with Sailesh, Abhishek, Goel, Siteesh and Jatin. A short session there and a long drive at the beach and some time in Naidu's room, i return back home to finish with the packing.

Thursday: Flight at 11:40AM. Meet up everyone in Family. finish the last minute packing stuff, and set off to the airport. Away from vizag for another six months. My last leg in B-School.