My best friends engagement

Rintu's engagement was a wonderful affair. My very first experience of cross cultural, cross lingual, cross regional, cross state ceremony but it could not have been better in terms of good will, happiness, mirth and aboveall wonderful management.

Memory Flashback
6th June
Me came from office and started watching Omen 1. The train to erode was at 11 pm. Vijay came at 8 with entire new suite of luggage bags and apparels and flashed it before me. I was not that impressed with his heroics and continued with the movie. He started clamouring to leave early. I agreed on a condition that we will have beer on the way. We started on his bike, bought 2 cans on the way and parked his bike in NAL. Unable to resist the fact that a chilled beer can is nearby I pulled open the bag and guzzeled the entire can on the road itself. While looking for a bus to majestic, we luckily got a maruti van. Vijay drank his fill on the flyover all the while pretending to turn a seemingly obvious behaviour into a clandestine affair. He failed miserably. People
took notice of both the can and the smell but didnt bother. We went to the station, only to find the train is late. We waited miserably for it with Vijay semiconsiously resting his head on the bag. Finally the train came. We got in and simply crashed with no recollections of happenings during the night.

7th June.
Woke up sleepily around 5:30 to find ourselves in a sleepy town called Erode. Seemed like a malgudi days station. Unwilling to get up early but with a ticket till Erode, one can do only so much. Rubbing our eyes and a constant cold war on who will carry the luggage we dragged ourselves out of the station to a shambling for some tea and (Behenchod) sutta. Being
in a totally alien environment, I was trying to come to terms with my surroundings. Dhotis, chandans, tamil movie posters all round I sinked them in with the smoke of my ciggarette. After discussing with Vijay about the horrors of hiring an auto we decided to walk down the road for sometime, made some calls to Subi's bro Mukundan and ours truly Rintz. we were instructed to come down to a certain National hospital. After discussing with some sensible shopkeepers about the directions, we gave up and hired an auto. 25 bucks flat. No questions asked. we obliged and handed out to him our obligation Rintu flashing his teeth took us to the hotel room. It was dark inside. Dint bother much and simply dozed off. Woke up to the sounds of
ppl geting ready. With Vijay having big plans to buy a towel in Erode and me totally uninterested in his ambitions, I dismissed him and dozed off again. Next I woke up to calls from Rintus mother to get ready for some functions planned at the Brides place. Hurriedly washed myself and got a bit presentable. Subi's dad and uncle came to pick us up. We reached her place, a well decorated abode with big showcase of innumerable array of books on one side of the wall. Got introduced to many people, silently watched the proceedings. Subhi introduced one particular female friend of hers who had a heavy americanised accent and who managed to
bowl over our very own Vijay only to know later that she is married and has 2 kids. But its ok. We went to have lunch to one of a close friend of subhi's father. Food was exotic and I enjoyed my experience. We returned to the hotel to rest and prepare for marathon ceremonies in the evening. Rintu was wearing a Sherwani and was looking dashing, I was not behind and I put on a kurta and Vijay put on his new clothes that he had managed to buy the day before. I made some frantic search for deos in all nearby shops but couldnt find an. Seems people dont stink there. We reached the hall booked for the engagement and beheld a sight of spotless white dhotis and shirts arranged in neat rows one after another and of course people were inside those dhotis and shirts. After a few photo sessions where I got the chance to rub shoulders with the biggies ( read rintu, his dad, subi's dad, mammas, chacchas etc) and my very own experience of paparazzi, I had plans to search for a prey to feast my eyes on. But sadly got employment summons from Rintu, was given the camera to make my self worthwhile. Not the kind to let down my employer or my job, I got on the job from the word go. Tried hard to make Vijay look good in the camera. After posing for me a few times Vijay rushed inside the hall. I followed
him inside. Waited for my chance to prove my mettle. Finally the chance came, when the Bride resplendent with rich dress and jewellery made entry, other photographers rushed to get the first shot. Always a fighter, I swam through the sea of amateurs flashing their toys and
reached in the front row. I got some very good snaps. madamoselle Subhi obliged with some snaps but with tough bodygaurds ( read ramani) we were not allowed any more snaps. She proceeded ahead with the ceremonies. I tried to make sense out of those all the while flashing
my camera. After the local ceremony came the ceremony from the groom side. Both rintu and subhi went to stage and got seated on the thrones. We like their subjects waited anticipately for some gifts from them but dint get any. They exchanged rings amidst a barrage of photo flashes. I never missed any good shot captured those wonderful moments. It was so emotional to see them together. The first ZMEN engagement. I wish other zees would have been there. After that we had dinner. Our train was at 11 pm and we had to hurry. We bade goodbyes
to both and brides and grooms side and made our way to the station. Meanwhile what transpired was Vijays new accomplished task ( the towel) had shrunk to the size of a handkerchief after getting wet which he was proud to wrap around his loin and make some jigs like a cabaret dancer.

Adios
God bless the new couple
Santz