Quirky Indians 21-25
Quirky Indians 21-25
Pavalan did not name his son for seven years while Mahesh carried his radio everywhere he went.
Day 21
Komi was the best person to assemble a puja thali in her home.
She had done the process since she was seven years old. And now that she looked back, it was just her mother’s way to keep her busy while she ran around to arrange for the festivities. She was given a list to follow and a deadline. The young girl took the responsibility to heart.
The task was set. She started with asking her mother what was not available at home. With her shopping list out, she took her small bag, bigger than her whole frame, and went out with her dadu to purchase the important stuff. They were on a time crunch, so she didn’t haggle with the shopkeepers as her grandfather walked behind her holding her bag, and giving out the money.
At home, with only two hours to spare, she went to collect the things at one place, in the middle of dining room and kitchen.
Fresh flowers from the balcony, only the best cardamom from the spice rack and water in a bowl to make paste.
With just a few minutes to puja, her thali was set and she was hailed as the best in whole of India. Showered with praises, pocket full of shagun notes and mouth full of sweets, she went to sleep happy.
Waiting for the next puja.
Day 22
Pavalan did not name his son for seven years. Instead, he sneaked in the ground to play Jallikuttu every year during the sacred days of Pongal.
He had broken his left wrist the first time he was allowed. The second he let the bull run out and it could not be captured again. The third time, he was allowed to play as a team member and he made them trip all over each other.
Safe to say, no one was safe around him. Thus, he was banned by the panchayat to play.
He took it as an insult. After all, he was named after the bull his father had conquered in his first game. The old man had won till he played. He always came home with the gold coin tied to the horns, and he did it solo, just like his ancestors.
Pavalan was adamant on getting at least one to continue the family tradition.
Thus, began the process of sneaking in. The villagers tried everything from locking him in his own home to changing the date of the event at last minute. He still managed to try, and lose.
At last, his wife warned him to either win or let go of the obsession as their son had to get admission in first grade. The school wouldn’t allow it without name.
Pavalan told her and everyone else that he had given up. He turned up to watch the game under the wary eyes of onlookers. He still sweared to anyone who asked that he wasn’t about to jump in when the champion was in danger on the ground.
But he did, and managed to subdue the powerful animal. In the process, he took the horns and got the coveted pouch.
Pavalan’s son was named Jaggan after the angry bull.
Day 23
Keerti Suresh only had brass utensils in her kitchen.
Always filled with the aroma of cardamom in morning as the tea boiled while day and night breathed of onions, garlic, meat and spices.
The children knew not to ask for other things as their friends brought to school. She had her children’s lunch boxes specially made from Moradabad. No glass, steel and god forbid if someone brought ceramics home.
She had a habit of passing any kitchen related gifts onward if it weren’t to her preference.
It started as soon as she took charge of her own kitchen.
Her first set of pots was gifted by her mother at the wedding. Her mother in law gave the new bride a full dinner set.
When the couple went to shop for more, they invariably selected everything brass.
It went well in setting up her full kitchen, she wanted everything similar. And it provided a good flavor to the food, if someone asked.
Her friends teased her in a light manner but her obsession was known to the public when a local influencer featured the lady on her page, naming it, “Keerti’s brass kitchen”.
Day 24
Mahesh was known as the radio man in his village since he got one as a gift from his wife.
He was the first person in his village to own one. She had saved for two years to buy the cheapest one their son could find.
A second-hand piece was bought in the guise of going for an exam. And the man was surprised in the morning by a Hindi movie song.
He spent the whole day fumbling with the buttons, some of them took two or three hard pushes to work and the sound cracked if the volume was increased to more than ten.
He kept tuning into channels, listening to radio men talking about things that had no relation to his life, selling stuff he would never need, and then playing music he earlier enjoyed whenever he traveled in buses.
After that, he took it to his farms, friends, relatives and even Panchayat meetings. It brought a smile to everyone’s face. They knew he was coming if they heard the broken sound of music.
“Will you ever put this down?” His son asked him in exasperation one day after he came home for work.
Mahesh looked at his wife, and gave her a small smile, earning a blush in return, “No.”
Day 25
The Mehra couple were the first in their family to get their love marriage arranged.
They met in college and it was love at first sight. They sneaked around for three years with the help from their friends, late night calls disguised as gossip session with them, extra study sessions and even a tour to Shimla as a college trip.
It was risky and they loved it. Manas knew it would be difficult for them to get married yet they made their best efforts.
It took a lot of careful planning, vetting Buas and Chachis and begging the pandits before the matter even went to their parents.
They knew the most important aspect was to pick the right aunt. They finally decided on Tina Masi from Geet’s side, a known matchmaker, she was most likely to help the couple or at least not alert their parents about them if she didn’t like the pairing.
All went smoothly after that. She handled it with delicacy and both their families thought it was a match made in heaven.
All their friends were invited to the wedding, and the teasing ensued as they stood for a group picture, “So where did you meet exactly?” One of then asked.
“By Tina Masi, of course.” Geet hid her face in her husband’s chest. The photo was clicked as the group burst into laughter.
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