Bride Series 2: Of Aiburubhats & Gifts....

Ok guys, I have taken a decision. And the decision is that I will stop cribbing about the traditional Indian way of getting married and just be funny about it. I am going to write this funny series with the original name of 'bride series' and make you all laugh. This is the first of the funny series, please bring out your anti-glare glasses and get ready to read.

Today morning Indranil reminded me that our marriage is just 57 days away. I was just about to go off in a panic puff of 5o-freaking-7-days-away when he not so subtely reminded me of all the aiburubhats I have already started eating.

Ok let me explain to you the thingy called aiburubhat. Aiburu is a state, the state of being a spinster or a bachelor or in today's lingo single. And bhat is rice but in Bengali it sometimes refers to an entire meal. So put together aiburubhat is the last meal as a spinster. It formally happens the day before marriage for both the bride and the groom at their own houses seperately. But before that all the friends and relatives give aiburubhats, i.e. call the bride or the groom over for a meal, sometimes alone, sometimes along with others and sometimes parties are arranged. My marraige may be 57 days away, but my aiburubhat has started. It was kicked off by Anuradha my friend from office. I stuffed myself on red wine chicken, buttered rice and boiled veggies and felt oh so good. This was quickly followed by several others. And the better part is I am getting more than an invitation a day. The rate at which people are inviting me I anticipate the whole of June and July in eating glory. Oh I am loving it, everytime someone wants to feed me aiburubhat he/she asks me where I want to eat, what I want to eat etc. All I have to do is go and eat. I am making a wishlist of all the resturants I want to eat in and all the different kinds of food I wanted to try in Kolkata.

Staying put in far away Copenhagen, Indranil is not liking it a bit. He is a big foodie and not to be able to be part of it, when he is as entitled to it as I am, does not feel good. This is called strategic placement guys, I returned to Kolkata just at the right time. But I say he has some hope, he is landing in Kolkata 9/10 days before the wedding, so I am sure some of his mashis/pishis/mamis would feed him some aiburubhats.

Of course my diet, in whatever weak form I was adhering to, has gone for a total toss. It has been bumped off into the far away trash can, no not even the neighbourhood one with chance of retrival. My mother has also kind of given up on her survilience of my food. I know this does not bode too well for my figure, which to begin with is round. I was trying to reduce the diameter, no the radius, oh whichever to look slightly less dumpy and circular in my wedding benarasi sari. But God decrees that it is not to be and who am I, a mere mortal to go against God's wishes???

Another thing that I am being asked about is what gift I want. Well 3 women I know have suggested that I make a wishlist and ask that person her/his budget and just accordingly tell her/him what I want. Incidentally all these three women are Virgos. Being a Libra, I didnt fall for the suggestion too well. Come on how can I tell people what all I want, a gift is a voluntary thing and I do not want to impose any ways on it. It sure feels good to know that so many people are planning to pick up gifts for me. Oh I am sooooooooo happy. Indranil again is not very happy with the situation because grooms do not get that many gifts, it is the bride on whom people shower gifts. How nice I say :)))))))

There are some suggestions of stag/hen parites. To begin with Indians never had this, but then seeing all these movies on Star Movies/HBO has made us savvy. No one can say that we dont catch up and latch onto phoren ideas. Some smart friends of mine wanted me to throw them a hen party. It struck me like a lightening when I was just about to doze off for the night that it is they who should be giving me a hen party and not the other way round. Come on guys trying to trick the poor bride is not good at all. My Delhi bunch of friends want to give me a hen party but for that apparently I have to go to Delhi. I say please send me the air tickets and I shall oblige. Ohhhhhh wouldnt that make me jet setting. Every frumpy has her day I say.

I do declare guys getting married has some plus points!