[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by pramod

Isnt this ritual done after lunch, at the end of the wedding?

Everything is done before lunch. After lunch, we go home!

Originally Posted by Gansan

I have lost count of the weddings where I have seen this scene unfold (including mine) and still it never fails to move me every time! Though girls know this right from their early years, they remain mere words to them and does not hit home - till the actual moment of leaving their parental home looms large. And they do follow the words almost entirely in letter and spirit. Think of it man, it is akin to uprooting a fully grown plant and re-planting it in a different location and different soil. The plant not only takes root, it becomes a pillar of strength for the new family too! We have to doff our hats to our better halves for this alone, if for nothing else!

I remember this when we have seriously big fights. That's why usually I'm the one who says - hands infront of me and head down.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

i wish that both of you take care of each other and share the continued love, affection, togetherness till the end.

Those words mean a lot, thanks StarVegaBond!

[akaushik]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Hi Smartcat,

this photographs is the best one from your recent uploads.
the mixed emotions on the face of your better half and that on your face have been extreemly well captured

i wish that both of you take care of each other and share the continued love, affection, togetherness till the end.

+1 to this may both of you will travel not only this planet but complete galaxy in your chevy together

[ranjith.rajaram]

Smartcat - tell me the truth... out of these trips for how many of them you got permission from your parents...? Or were you staying along with your friends in BLR and travelling?

But guess what you are truly amazing … Loved reading this thread..

[KRRaj]

Nice PIcs and well captured. Really well written.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by akaushik

+1 to this may both of you will travel not only this planet but complete galaxy in your chevy together

Thanks brother! I wonder if the Chevy can do the next 100,000 kms without reliability issues. Any idea when a petrol car needs an engine overhaul?

Originally Posted by ranjith.rajaram

Smartcat - tell me the truth... out of these trips for how many of them you got permission from your parents...? Or were you staying along with your friends in BLR and travelling?

But guess what you are truly amazing … Loved reading this thread..

In the first year, my parents were insisting that I leave the car at home and take a train. The next 4 yrs, my parents were looking for a bride who could put me on a leash. In the last year, they found out to their dismay that Pallavi too likes travelling by car.

Actually, that's the first question I asked when I talked to her on phone - Do you like travelling?

Originally Posted by KRRaj

Nice PIcs and well captured. Really well written.

Thanks!

[SmartCat]

THE BIG FAT GEEK WEDDING (CONCLUDING PART):

Pic 1: Our aunts had major role to play in this wedding. In my case, they even tied the Mangalasutra. That's why, a little competitive game to reward them. Pallavi's Aunts Vs My Aunts.



Vid 1: I drop a gold ring on a mat, and both the Aunty gangs pounce on it. Whoever gets their hands on the ring claims victory. Since I cheated by dropping the ring close to my aunts, the referee (Pujari) ordered 3 separate rounds.

YouTube - Aunty Vs Aunty

Pic 2 & 3: And then, we sprinkle eachother with water. @StarVegaBond -> My Brahma Danda is back! In the previous set of photos, it was leaning against the violet blue curtain, but now it is back. We might have gone a bit overboard with our sprinking, because, soon somebody asked us to stop!





Pic 4: It is lunch time now and the hall is almost full now. I recognize about 10% of the people by name, another 10% by face while others are mostly anonymous.



Note to the bachelors reading this thread: It is the second set of people that you need to be worried about. They will get on the Mandapa to congratulate you and ask "Do you remember me?"

I got away from most situations with -

um.. Ah Yes.. Of Course! You are in Mysore now, right?
No, No! We were in Mysore long time back, now we are in Hubli.
Aaah Yes yes! Now I remember. Please do have lunch and thank you for coming!

Pic 5: And then the lunch - along with the traditional stuff, atleast 6 to 7 varieties of sweets is compulsory.



After lunch, my family immediately left for Bangalore, via the Hassan route this time. But the Charmadi ghat was in such a wonderful condition that the silencer of the Santro fell off. They carried it in the boot till Sakleshpur and got it repaired there.

Pic 6: Meanwhile, we went to Pallavi's house, and from there, went to the Goldfinch Hotel (goldfinchhotels.com). I had booked the 'Presidential Suite' over the internet. Inspired by some of the Bollywood movies I had seen, I asked the hotel people to decorate the bed - and this is what they came up with (for an extra charge of Rs. 1000).



Advise to bachelors reading this thread: Do this only if you wish to spend the whole night scratching your back, neck, hands, legs and bums. Decorating the bed with flowers (& twigs) is a dumb dumb idea!

Pic 7: The next day, we flew to Bangalore. In the evening, we had a "12 Coconut Gana Homa" (Do a google search).



Pic 8: The wedding Reception was later in the evening. It was uneventful, except for one little incident. See, I never wear shoes - the last time I wore shoes was in College. And at the wedding Reception, yours truly wore a formal shirt, a formal tie, a proper Suit and Leather Chappals. Only after I got to the hall, I realized that my footwear might not be totally appropriate - quickly drove back home and got myself some shoes!

And yes, the photographer made us pose for some truly idiotic looking poses, like this one -

THE END

@aargee;
You can open your eyes now. It's over.

[ampere]

Cat,

So where is the next stop? Or its THE END ?



PS : I mean for the travelogue .

[aargee]

Yeah man, just awaiting for your next travel episodes; marriages are treating you like one day king & queen so that you can remain slaves to your children for the rest of your life.

Originally Posted by smartcat

@aargee; You can open your eyes now. It's over.

Yeah, its all over to life as a bachelor

[MX6]

@aargee. Being slaves to your kid during his or her childhood is a million times more fun than being king or queen for a single moment.
@SmartCat. Good set of photos you got there. took me back to old memories.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by MX6

@aargee. Being slaves to your kid during his or her childhood is a million times more fun than being king or queen for a single moment.

Sorry MX6 - I like living as friend to my kids rather than sacrificing things for kids as regular parents. Reg king & queen, that's something that I don't like & didn't like. I don't like to be in the focus light & if I've to, I like to be invisible

[ranjith.rajaram]

Actually, that's the first question I asked when I talked to her on phone - Do you like travelling?




Thanks![/quote]

You guys make for each other

[akaushik]

Originally Posted by smartcat

I wonder if the Chevy can do the next 100,000 kms without reliability issues. Any idea when a petrol car needs an engine overhaul?

I also had a chevy optra and because of High Maintenance cost and other issues I switched to Honda but I can assure that chevy is a very good ride and it can surely go ahead and can clock 100K kms more if maintained properly.

Advise to bachelors reading this thread[/b]: Do this only if you wish to spend the whole night scratching your back, neck, hands, legs and bums. Decorating the bed with flowers (& twigs) is a dumb dumb idea!

THE END

Thanks for the suggestion to save bachelors from all this scratching and this is the BEGINNING not END

[MX6]

Originally Posted by aargee

Sorry MX6 - I like living as friend to my kids rather than sacrificing things for kids as regular parents. Reg king & queen, that's something that I don't like & didn't like. I don't like to be in the focus light & if I've to, I like to be invisible

Well, that's why I carefully worded it.

It's only during childhood. During adolesence I will take over control. Post that, It will be friends mode. That's the way best you can groom them.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by akaushik

I also had a chevy optra and because of High Maintenance cost and other issues I switched to Honda

Yeah, Optra is like a high maintenance girlfriend - but she is a lot of fun too.

Originally Posted by MX6

@aargee. Being slaves to your kid during his or her childhood is a million times more fun than being king or queen for a single moment.

What? We become slaves to our kids' whims & fancies? I was looking forward to bossing around (like my dad used to do), yelling at them and getting things done!

Originally Posted by aargee

I don't like to be in the focus light & if I've to, I like to be invisible

Believe it or not, I'm a bit like you - not very comfortable being in the limelight.

Originally Posted by ranjith.rajaram

You guys make for each other

Thanks Ranjith. A friend of mine asked the same question to his would-be wife and she said "Yes! I love travelling too". But after marriage, my friend found out that she was lying about her love for travelling

Originally Posted by ampere

Cat, So where is the next stop? Or its THE END ?
PS : I mean for the travelogue .

Coming up next, our trip to the Havelock Islands (immediately after the Reception). This will be more like a photologue (scenary photos mostly, hehe sorry!), rather than travelogue, and will not be in pic 1, pic 2 format. A sneak preview -

[StarVegabond]

Hi Smartcat

what you mentioned is absolutely right, i rememeber in my marriage/reception, i could not recognize many people, but they know me. for that day one becomes very famous, afterall it is your day.

The games have been designed to get more comfortable with each other e.g family to family and between bride and groom. In earlier times the families were unknown to each other (there was no internet / google search/ social networking) hence these activities were planned to increase the comfort levels

What you said about the bed decoration is 100% true. I have been there done that.

Your pictures and explanations were spot on. I had a good laugh