2 States - my version - Not by Chetan Bhagat

When I wrote about Gold, I was thinking about my marriage..I saw my marriage snaps today..and I thought of my marriage..
From my sweet nothings ,you know my love story . We took a year to convince my parents for marriage – My husband’s parents were on our side… We were working in Srilanka and I used to call my parents every now and then for permission – when I said my mother first , Amma , I like him and want to marry him , she actually laughed .. Chumma vilayatha de… ( Vilayattu pullai) .. hehehe..I had to convince her for 15 mins to make her understand that I am SERIOUS ! then she asked me ,what is his full name and asked his caste ..heheh . All I knew was he is an Hindu ..not a Brahmin..so whichever Caste he is , how does it matter ? then , my calls started ..all the money I earned, a big fat sum was allocated for call and also I wrote letters…at last marriage got arranged – March 31st !
I went to my husband’s house directly from Srilanka as my marriage was to happen in Guruvayur. I was roaming around so normally there. My marriage saree was already selected and I was to go only for blouse stitching ..mm… I know I am missing all the fun .. it is ok ..Any dress I wear doesn’t matter - I am going to get married to someone whom I selected.. we only had 2 days.
My MIL told me that we need to buy jewels ..but y ? mmm.. Marriage , so many will come ..etc etc.. Boom .. my diamond dream gone … anyways..selected some set quickly and came back home..
Next day, my parents are coming ..am seeing them after a year.. and how do u feel when you receive ur parents sitting in ur bride groom’s home for ur marriage ? but .. I always wanted adventures in life and I was so thrilled..as usual .. they saw me and all started crying.. Enna de ? ipadi blab la bla..all tamil .. My Poor MIL was standing and didn’t know what is going on .. she was moving her head from one side to another side and watching us like seeing a tennis match .. .now SIL came for rescue ( she speaks tamil ) and started consoling my relatives..mmm..all done.. all are sitting and seeing each other.. my parents are sitting in a room there and talking with my periamma and others..I went there and sat… Apuram .. it was all like the typical serials………. They took jewels and said – indha unakku ! I was like – ingauma ?/no choice … my periamma said unaku ithuve jaasthi.. ..heheehe..true … Pitchaikarikku enna choice ? Paathiram mattum than namaluthu ..heheh
Now I left my husband’s home as my marriage was to happen in Guruvayur…. I was roaming around to arrange things, talking to poojari etc etc ..as I mentioned, I had to really convince hard to them that I am the Bride… They were like – enna ponnu ithu ? indha alaichal alaiyuthu for marriage ?hehehe .. en kashtam enakku thane therium???
We talked talked talked – slept .. early morning Mughurtham … now , The HORROR STORY !
Bulb 1….we arranged for a beauty parlor lady to come to Guruvayur to help .. Generally , I look bad with make up .. This lady started doing my make up and I was so nervous about my marriage .and didn’t even bother to stop her – All I use even tday is only moisturizer,compact ,eye liner and lip stick ( rarely ) … ithukkae my hubby says ..y sooo much make upppppppppp ? She finished make up and I saw in my mirror – weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllllll ! I see a ghost in a mirror .. Evalo azhichallum powder pogala… then ,my SIL came and started putting the jewels..had less time there…reached temple ..and you all knew the bulb 2 I got from my hubby ( Ref: Sweet Nothings!) .. Marriage done !!!! around me I could hear full of Malayalam and Tamil and for a second , I couldn’t differentiate both the languages .. now , I had to wear two thalis – my hubby’s side as well as mine…
Then we went for reception in a hall… my mother wanted their custom as well … My hubby had to put mettti – my mother was speaking to him so fast in Tamil and he could understand only 1-2 words max… with all the confusions, he came down to touch my feet …eheeh …. I had to tell him to put it there , not to touch my feet ..it is ok ok ..arasiyala ithelllam saggajamappa..

Then came the relatives visit of my hubby – they all came and talked to me … sfsfsdfhhlhlh ##$#@984 .. it was like that to me on those days..i could understand nothing and all I had to do was to smile at them..and ask my hubby what they said..you see… someone is asking question , and I m standing without answering !!!! I always try to answer all the questions that have come to me – never mind whether I know the answer or not .. now , u see ..my wings are clipped ! grr…I decided to learn Malayalam…
Then Bulb 3 – Food ! We all went for food – my parents and my relatives were there next to me .. they saw the rice ( note : Most of them never went out of TN ) and my manni said – ayyo ..ivalo Periya rice a? epadi muzhungarathu ??? !!! 2 parukkai sapitalalae vayiru rombidumnnu .. they drank Payasam as their main dish and it is done …..
A week after that was reception in my native … now it is my turn to talk and my hubby’s turn to stay quiet..hehehe… we all went in a bus to Trichy .. and my one another periamma did aarathi .. She was asking to put money and acting as if she is trying to pull my bangle.. ( my hubby asked me later – y are they pulling ur bangle .? what is the problem ?? ) I told him that this is a game..
Then went home and had loads of fun with all our customs.. MY FIL worked in TN and he understands and speaks Tamil ..it was my MIL who was literally speechless that day.. One of my FIL’s relative came in their traditional saree..my amma was calling me to come to kitchen ..and started crying – yen de en maanatha vaangara? I was thinking – inimae enna erukku poga ? but since I cant ask that question , I asked her what happened ma ? She said – why did she come in yellw saree ? I was like ?? who ?? when ?? what ? she said I asked that Manja pudava paati “ .. I told her ..how will I know ?? ippo indha theruvulla ellarukkum theriumae ? what to do ??? then one big circle around her within a second and another serial started !!!!
In reception , some archagar came and did pooja ,thalavatttam and all for my hubby – people were trying to speak to him and now it was his turn to smile back …. My relatives and his relatives were speaking to each other in sign language or they were trying to speak in their own language to others..
Habbaaaaaaaaa…reception done !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am thinking of writing my story as a novel – thanks to my friend Nisha for suggesting this idea..
Naan ezhutha poren ezhutha poren ezhutha poren ( Koundamani style ) .