A Two Hour Trip To South India - Happy Togetherness, Brijesh & Deepthi

Just add “South” to “Indian” to get “South Indian”. Is the word “South Indian” that very simple? Is it only about the dark complexioned people, speaking some alien language in a very fast pace which most of us don’t understand? Or is it just about Idli, Dosa, Uttappam and Sambhar Vada? Well the answer is – NO…There is much more to it. It takes more than just visiting South India to know what actually South Indians are all about. Well for me, the journey has just started…

Ever since my childhood, I never had even a single south Indian close friend, so I never got a chance to know what material they are made of. And even till 2^nd January 2010, I used to feel the same. But the very next day brought this pleasant change. For sometime at least, it made me forget what happened with us on the New Year night.

Puneet as usual, the laziest guy of us, was very reluctant to wake up even at 10:30 on this chilly morning. On the top of it, he did not even pack the gift which we got a day earlier. Well, that wasn’t a surprise for me? Coz, that’s what Puneet Raheja is all about…he he he. Moreover, he also had to pick Manoj from CP, who took a direct flight from Pune to Delhi the same day and was just on time to attend Brijesh’s marriage reception, which was supposed to begin at 11:00 am. Upon several calls & discussions, we finally reached the venue called “Ayyappa Temple” in RK Puram.

While entering the temple, we were first stopped by an attendee who instructed us to remove our shoes. Incidentally, we then realized that we were not entering a usual marriage hall or a lawn, but an actual Temple which was truly emitting holy radiance in and around its surroundings.

Lo ji...Puneet, who took mostly an hour just to make him up for the event, was slightly perplexed.

Puneet – Yaar, we are dressed in our Blazers. Without shoes, hum log kaise lagenge?

Me – Perfect item lagenge. He he he…common, remove your shoes along with your blazers and let’s step in sooner as we are already late…and it’s chilling cold here…

By the time we entered the hall; Brijesh and Deepthi, were meeting the guests on stage. Both of them were looking complete as they were complementing each other with the smiles having future in it. I guess that’s when we realized, Brijesh was done with all the “Pooja’s”, “Archana’s” and “Upasna’s”…he he he…I mean to say, all the traditional marriage rituals were already over when we reached the place. Don’t get me wrong guys…he he he…Brijesh is a very serious guy…he he he…

Upon seeing us, Brijesh was kind of overwhelmed with joy. May be that’s because this was the second occasion when the entire DAMM was together after Manoj’s transfer to DITP. Or may be because, we three were the only people from office who finally attended his day. Brijesh introduced three of us to Deepthi and then we had a quick snap clicked in a group. Well, mine introduction was special…he he he…as a blogger…I don’t know how, but these days, I am enjoying the pleasures of having great readers who trace / follow my blogs time to time…of-course, friends like Puneet and Brijesh are the promoters of my webpage too…Deepthi and most of Brijesh’s friends wanted to meet the blogger which he used to talk about…hence me…I am sure, their preconceived image of Rishi Gajbhiye as a blogger might not have met my physical personality. It’s different…you see…

After meeting all the guests, we enjoyed a show wherein the photographer purposefully asked the married couple to pose for different angles and shot their pictures with every possible move. Few ladies sitting behind us were murmuring about their own marriage experience as if the married couple made them nostalgic about their own experiences…we too enjoyed the whole scene…

I was trying to search people from our office and to my dismay; I couldn’t find even a single one apart from we three. Too bad guys…this event was special enough to be with Brijesh and Deepthi…How can people miss this event? And I am especially not happy with those who report to Brijesh and those who try hard to prove their closeness with him by having dinner together in office. It was still Delhi and people could have easily managed two hours to attend this event and make the couple feel happy. Anyways, that’s how people mostly are…after all everyone can not be DAMM…right?

After a while, Brijesh stepped down from the stage and introduced us to his old friends and buddies. Must tell you, all of them were South Indians. We kind of explored the Ayyappa Temple from every possible angle. It was already a chilly morning and to add topping, it started drizzling too…and the Ayyappa Temple in the drizzling rain was just an amazing place to be…

Then came the best part of this event…Food…This is one aspect where I really needed improvement. As I never tasted more than a single chapatti, (bread) in the so called marriage ceremonies that I have attended in the past two years. Well this was an exception. Brijesh took us to the basement of Ayyappa temple for lunch. Upon seeing banana leaves, I got excited. Brijesh informed that it was not a regular North Indian food but a typical South Indian one. Both Manoj and Puneet grew pale upon listening to this…he he he…not me…coz I was green listening to this…Well, both Puneet and Manoj along with Brijesh are chicken loving people…they can’t survive without having non vegetarian food…and South Indian dishes are all about vegetarian food…something customized for me only…he he he…

I decided to have my lunch using my regular hand thereby sacrificing the spoons which both Puneet and Manoj picked up…I am an ardent believer of the fact that South Indian food can not be enjoyed with spoons. Hence, you must not shy being a Roman, especially if you are in Rome…he he he…try licking your fingers and you would love it with those sambhar and naariyal chatni…he he he…

There was this gentleman who was sitting right next to me and was instructing me how to take the pleasures of having a south Indian food. I was having rice along with sambhar in a regular style…but this gentlemen urged me to mix the chutney with the two achar (pickles) along with rice and sambhar and smash the papad on the top of it and then lick it in your mouth…believe me, it was heaven…he he he…for the first time I came to know that there is a special technique of eating south Indian food which this gentleman demystified. To my surprise, the menu did not have even a single dish that I had eaten earlier. Everything was new to me. And those which were not, were actually cooked in a style not known to me. Of all the items, I loved “coconut beans” and “adaa kheer” very much…I had all of mine, Puneet’s and Manoj’s food too…trust me, I was the last person who left the lunch table…he he he…Ever since I started dieting in April 2009, this was the first time, when I had so much of food at a single go…I would always relish it’s taste and would try my best to attend “Onam” just to satisfy my taste buds for a truly amazing malyalami food…he he he

After lunch, we had a brief interaction with all the friends and relatives of Brijesh. The language was alien to me…and I was just trying my best to smile at every joke which these people were cracking at that time, without even understanding them. He he he…now that’s a joke, isn’t it? Well I had to do so coz I was waiting for Puneet who left for a while to drop Manoj somewhere in Dhaula Kua…Although I couldn’t understand even a bit of their interaction, one thing I understood very well…I REALLY MISSED A GOLDEN CHANCE OF BEING IN KERALA FOR BRIJESH’S MARRIAGE. IT COULD HAVE GIVEN ME A WHOLE NEW INSIGHT ABOUT SOUTH INDIA…anyways, I must say; the journey has just begun, as it has for Brijesh and Deepthi too…

Now you will feel no rain,

For each of you will be shelter to the other.

Now you will feel no cold,

For each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now there is no more loneliness for you,

For each of you will be companion to the other.

Now you are two bodies,

But there is only one life before you.

Go now to your dwelling place,

To enter into the days of your togetherness.

And may your days be good and long upon the earth.