In Retrospect… Happy New Year!

Its another new year. As usual, I was watching TV when the clock striked twelve, watching how people enjoyed new year all over the world. This had been my routine from my childhood. This habit had been guided by my own sister, who was a TV freak, and especially with the special new year programmes aired on the same, we were almost glued to it on new year’s eve.

Over the last two years, the routine had changed owing to my change in location to Chennai. But this year, it was refreshing to be at home again. As I sat along the sofa surfing the channels, the time was playing itself rewinding all the memories in front of me. How the times have changed.!

I was there, lying on my sis’ lap watching SRK’s latest movie climax. And Amma was preparing dinner, Appa watching the film over the dining table, and advising me to come and sit beside him, with the usual dose of advice that eyes will go kaput if I watch that idiot box at such a small distance.

I was there in the inner room, when my brother-in-law came to see my sister at Cochin. On the way back home, Amma and sis was talking about the groom. The engagement was decided on Jan 4th and I was in my 9th about to join my class after X’mas holidays. On Feb 14th, my bro-in-law had sent a red balloon heart to my sis. I don’t remember whether they had talked over phone, just as in the new generation where in they don’t wait for “ladki dekhna” function to start phoning each other.

I was there running around the tensed Amma and Appa during marriage preparations. The wedding card was plain and simple; the wedding had to be held in Cochin near the groom’s house; the sarees were brought from Nagercoil, for which we travelled in bus for 3 hours. I hated the saree and jewellery shops from childhood and the huge rampo revolving around it. And for the same reason I don’t remember any of the other preparations.

I was there, carrying the shoulder bag and purse of my parents nearby the wedding stage. I was about to enroll in my tenth standard when this happened. I still remember the wedding hall and the known faces present for the marriage. My sis was forced to wear saree as per the old tradition, which no one had ever worn in these days, and being the old-fashioned custom prevailing, my parents were eager not to say a word against the groom family, though it meant crushing sis’s wishes. And then when leaving sis at her new home, I saw the tiny drop at the corner of her eye and I wondered why…

Now I am here on another Jan 4th in Chennai after celebrating new year at my sweet home.

I still cannot believe that I had been living independently for two years and that too far at a metro city like Chennai! There had been many sweet and sour experiences over these years. Every year have one or the other memories or milestones which I came across. I have met so many friends, and I am happy that I could understand myself better through them. As my Amma says, there are lot many things I have to know in this world, and I prefer to learn it the hard way. As some one said, experience is the best teacher. But with all these happenings in these two years I am not able to segregate the thoughts together. Life is moving very fast without giving time to plan my present or the future, not that I am expert in it, but still.

I would be there, in the hall this Sunday Jan 6th at Kollam. All the eyes would be on me, on what I have worn, as if checking out, just as I had done at all the similar functions I attended. But very few of them would be knowing whats going on in my mind, when I would be walking across. The rest would be small kids roaming around wondering, why such a crowd here, collecting the memories to write another similar post after ten years…

Strange how some events repeat year after year…!

PS: I am getting engaged to R.K on Jan 6th 2008 at Swayamvara Auditorium, South Collectorate, Kollam. All are invited…

Happy New Year 2008!