Ganesha banda kaayi kadabu tinda.. chikka kereli bidda dodda kereli yedda

Usually Gowri and Ganesha festival come on consecutive days but this time it was on the same day. The best part was it was on a Sunday. The whole of Saturday went in cleaning the house. In the evening, we went for the festival shopping. We even got the water immersible Ganesha idol. I was extremely happy after this.


Sunday morning, I woke up around 7. After last minute cleaning and a nice wash I started off with cooking. I was juggling with cutting vegetables and cooker and rice and coconut. I can say that I was in a mess and totally confused. I was just thinking how mom did all these things at home, and I never even realized it all these years. Anyway I was nearly done by 10.30, so got ready for the pooja and by 11 AM we started the Gowri Pooja.


This went on for an hour. After this G did the Ganesha pooja. After both, it was lunch time. I had made sambar, mango rice, channa daal kheer (kadle bele payasa), kosambari (carrot, cucumber salad)and Modakas.


G's friend had got sajjige (rava ksheera). We had our lunch and then headed for the temple. Since the temple was a bit far, we took a small nap on the way. In the evening we did the visergane and went to friend's place for dinner. On the whole we had a wonderful festival. An extremely hectic day had come to an end.


A few years back, the festival meant only fun. Previous day we would go with a basket to the nearby shops. They would have so many colourful Ganapathi and Gowri idols made of mud. We would spend time to check the idols and selecting the idol was one major task. Then, the basket would be filled with hay and very carefully both the idols would be placed in the basket.
The next day, early morning we would be woken up and shooed into the bathroom for a long oil bath (this was one thing I used to hate during festivals). Once this is done, our new dresses would be ready and we would be completely ready for the pooja. It was always me, who did the Gowri pooje and bro who did the Ganesha pooja. And when the time came to offer prasada to God, all the items would appear from kitchen magically. We would never know when mom prepared all this. After the yummy food, we would either play or watch TV. In the early evening, we would go to our uncles and aunt's houses for Ganesha Darshana. Then visit the temple. Finally late in the evening we would do the visarjane.

On the whole, the festival was fun back then, its been fun this time too. Just that, the roles have changed in life...

Concerts on the go

Since I am writing about concerts, I thought its a good time to mention about another concert. A week after this one, we were to attend the concert from Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan.

At first we thought it was on a Saturday. So on Friday at 5, G called up asking me to get ready. Thanks to G's friend (she helped us in the getting the ticket), she reminded him about it. So we had a very early dinner and reached the venue around 8.00.It was the basket ball stadium. There werent much people when we reached. But by 9.00, it was packed. I was so excited that I would hear Sonu and Sunidhi LIVE.

In the beginning, the show started off with some guy, Ayub Khan, singing a couple of songs. He was a terrible singer, but I must appreciate his guts to come and sing in front of a stadium full of people.
After this, there were a couple of dance performances. After half an hour of all this extra stuff, we finally got Sunidhi Chauhan on stage. It was amazing to see her perform. The energy she had was awesome. She sang continuously for more than an hour. Off she went on a break, and came in the host to introduce Sonu Nigam to the crowd. And then came the smart guy on stage with the magical voice. It was a wonderful listening to voice which made people stand on their feet and start dancing.

The energy with which both of them performed do show why they are in the position they are today. The concert ended around 1.30 AM and I must say it is a concert I would remember for a long time now.

Dont push!!!

We have been getting newspapers everyday for quite some days. We haven't subscribed for it and yet there is a bundle on the front door everyday. We even tried to nore it and hence dint pick up the paper for a week, but it just kept bundling up. The guy comes early in the morning, so we can't tell him directly. Its so irritating, that when you dont want certain things, they are just forced upon you.

Some people just DON'T get the message. We are ignoring you, means we dont need you. So, please stop forcing yourself on us. We hate it, but can't tell it :(

Tak dina dhin

Music is something which most of us like. I am not a very big fan of classical music. Neither am I a fan of western music. Its just the mood I am in, and any kind of music can interest me anytime. And I don't care much for instrumental music too.

When G told me there is a concert by Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Ustad Zakir Hussain, I was not totally thrilled, but I did want to go to the concert. So off we went in the traditional attire to the first ever classical concert of my life. We reached a few minutes late, but that was ok, since the show had just started. The first performance was just the flute and I was just trying to get into the groove. After a while I had quit trying, I was getting into the groove.

The real entertainment started when the tablas started, it was just superb. There were moments where I did have goose bumps. The part I loved the most was the jugalbandi, how the flute and tabla were competing with each other. The whole auditorium was just deafened with the applause, so many times. And most of the time it was not coz of the crowd, I did that on my own. I never thought I could like instrumental music this much.

I must say, it was one of the curious evenings and it just turned out pretty interesting.

Bikey bikes!!

G loves bikes. So much that he always wishes we had a bike instead of a car. I am all supportive of that idea, just that car is a necessity here and we have to have it. The other day somebody offered the Hayabusa 2000 as a trade for our car. G was so tempted, but then he realized that currently its not possible.

When he told me this, I was happy that he was being so responsible. But felt very sad too. Its like a dream bike and this is "so near yet so far" situation. I just hope someday we get to own anything G dreams of.

Raksha Bandhan

Courtsey: Google

I have always loved this festival. Although being a south Indian this is not in the tradition. I think I was in 7th when we started this at home. Mom had got the rakhi, I had no clue what it was, that's when mom explained this to me. I was thrilled, if not anything else but by the gift part. My bro was super excited coz he could show off in class. Well this was what we both felt the first time we celebrated the festival. But as we grew, this became more important. Ofcourse a thread wasnt required to stregthen our bond, but it would just be like re-emphasizing on the bond we share.

When in school there was one year, where I tied Rakhi to a few guys in my class too. But after that never ever did I tie Rakhi to any guy other than my brothers (including cousins). I always feel that, when we cant just give the place of parents and spouse to any random person, even brothers and sisters cant be made just by tying a rakhi. Once a friend of mine wanted me to tie the rakhi his sis had sent. I told him my reasons of why I wouldnt tie it to him. Thats when he said "You are my sis here rite?" Somehow that felt very genuine and I tied him Rakhi. Today we are not in constant touch, but we do know whats happening with each other... and yes every Rakhi I do wish him and ask for a gift :)

Well back to my bro, I am very lucky to have A as my bro. He has been my friend ever since we know each other. We have fought with each other like we would kill each other. We have pulled each other's hair. We have covered up for each other in front of mom. Ofcourse me being the elder one was more protective of him. Most of the time I would protect him from mom's scoldings. My theory was "I am the only person who can scold or beat my bro". As we grew older the age difference between us is reducing. I can have a conversation with him, which I can with my friends now. He is a pretty cool headed guy, I have hardly seen him getting angry. Sometimes I feel he is more mature now than I was at his age.

He is also very protective about me. He will make sure that I dont go through any trouble. There was once incident which made me realize that my bro is now protecting me. We used to go for Yoga classes probably when I was in 11th. It was a long walk from home. That particular day me and bro were walking holding our hands. There was nobody else on road. I always walked toward the roadside and he was on the innerside. We saw a cyclist coming in our direction. Me and bro were talking about something. When the cyclist was nearing us, bro very smoothly left my hand and came to the roadside and held my handside so that the cyclist wouldnt even get an opportunity to go past me. I was so touched by this incident. Even now he is still the same. Ofcourse he's lost the smoothness and tells me to come aside or move aside (as if I dont know). But sometimes its nice to be bossed around by him.

He is my younger bro, but at times behaves like a elder one. Till date I have never heard him call him by name. Its always Akka. Even if he has to scold me. A few cousins of mine still tease him, but that doesnt bother him. May be after so many years I am so used to it that I wont be able to digest if he calls me something else.
I miss him a lot. Both of us know its no longer possible to be together, but we know we will always be there for each other in any circumstances. That's my promise to him. I thank God for giving me such a wonderful brother