2 marriages, a tiring journey and finally home

2 marriages, a tiring journey and finally home

This is an account of 2 different marriages and a journey back home to Imphal. I was home after 5 years. That's a long time. I guess quite long.
So, What would be the perfect culmination of true love?... Marriage?... Or something else?

I guess its different perceptions and people have different ways of defining it. so here I was, ready with a back pack, at the railway station, on a waiting list, tensed of how much money the ticket collector is going to demand, the anticipation of seeing a close friend after 6 years, 2 marriages to attend, a 15 day long journey, confused about which coach to get into, the whistle blows, the train starts to chuck out of the Bangalore city railway station, hoped in one of the coach, still tensed.

30 minutes into the journey, the most dreaded man in a train comes, the ticket collector. Looks dangerous, but a smile worked, 100 bucks and I got a seat for the night. The smell of human excreta announces the arrival of Kanpur (U.P), my first stop among the two marriages.

An army jeep pulls up at the gate, hello meitei warrior comes the greeting, "damn you army dog", I replied. After a brief exchange of verbal greetings, I landed at an army club where my stay was arranged, swanky clean. But there was something strange which I could not help noticing. It was a marriage and a marriage in a family is the other name of chaos. But here, there was absolutely no chaos. Everything was smooth and on time. Wish everything is like that. Both the bride and the bridegroom's family belong to the army, both their fathers serving in the Indian army as colonels.

Hmm the marriage day arrives, the ground in the club in fully decked up, damn when did this happen? Last night there was nothing here. Still in a confused state the marriage mantra started. It was quite a sight. In the midst of it, "here you go Son", said the father of the groom; and there it was the best thing I love, a shinning new Nikon F55, in front of it my Kodak KB10 looked like a WWII antique piece.

The marriage was crisp and very short. It was agreed between the two families that it's going to be shortened because of the difference in their religious beliefs. The groom is a thet Himachali Thakur and the bride is a Nepali, so they got married in a totally different style. What a way to get married.

Question: If two people are in love, madly, deeply and faithfully; when does the time come that you say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?? Think about this, I know my answer.

So the marriage is over!!! The next thing is the reception. I have never attended such a fast forward marriage. And the very same ground turns into a party place in the evening, what are these army guys made of? How can they do things so fast? Anyway, a dance floor, 5 foods counters, a Bar, chilly winter evening, the mood was perfect for couple of drinks. But there was something else that was attracting my attention, damn it was the gift counter, it was piling up as the guests started coming in. mama mia the number of parcels was amazing. Red, blue, green, orange and all shorts of color parcels. Neatly packed and each one trying to make a different appeal. A flash bulb explodes, am back to my senses, not my marriage. A few more clicks and I am done for the day. That was the end to a perfectly organized army family marriage. Anticipation of the next one comes up.

It's a small world indeed!!

As I was about to leave Kanpur, an individual walks up to me and asks my name, I answer and bang came the reply, Kutte bhul gaya mujhe?? With utmost sincerity I replied, I am sorry do we know each other? My name is Sharad, he answered, that rung a bell, damn I spent 2 years with this dude in Kanpur during my graduation days, how can I forget him? But I had, taken me some time to remember. But at the same time honesty pays out, he did not mind I had forgotten him because I was blunt and realistic. No dramas, just plain truth that I forgot you, he accepts, hmmm does reality really bite?, sometimes does not. Prayag raj express arriving on platform number 1, again got to part with a friend with a promise that one day we will meet again, phone numbers exchanged with a thought lingering in the brain, will I ever call him? The train chucks out of Kanpur for New Delhi. Nostalgic Kanpur ends here.

Chaos is the Reality and I LOVE IT

Away from the discipline and organized world of army is the so called real world. Chaos everywhere, no one knows what's happening but still carries on, no time for others, no one you can trust and I LOVE EVERY BIT OF IT. A new metro train, lots of flyovers, CNG gases on buses, a cleaner environment. That's the new NEW DELHI for you. Where is the old New Delhi that I know? That's a thing of the past I guess. Always on the move, the capital city is a true example of India Shining. Out of the railway station, hoped in to a bus for Karnal, Haryana; my next destination for the second marriage in my itinerary. Six hours and I am in Karnal, a sleepy but well planned city.

Four star treatment

36 hours of train journey from Bangalore to Kanpur, 2 days of city travel in Kanpur, 8 hours train from Kanpur to New Delhi and then 6 hours bus ride from New Delhi to Karnal. Only 18 hours sleep so far, I thought I deserve a 5 star relaxation. Hunt started for the best hotel in Karnal, after an hours search I finally got a four star hotel. Hot bath and a nice lunch, was time for some rest before the chaos starts again.

Chaotic Ritual

The groom; a former sub-ordinate of mine, was all happy and decked up for the day. Oh by the way he sponsored my stay, food and everything. Well, he is supposed to. Ok. The scene at the groom's place was right from a Hindi movie set. Everyone was running around, all sorts of people around, music, food, everything everywhere. In the midst of everything the groom was being prepared for the marriage. The hymns and mantras sounded familiar but could not understand. Finally, the only missing thing came. The Band, multi colored uniforms, all instruments labeled with the band's name, Hanuman Band. Along with the band was the lights brigade and how can I miss this, the HORSE. Now the only thing missing was a director for the event. Yet everything was mandatory in a typical Harayanwi marriage that was what I was informed. It was all beautiful. So the groom was finally ready with his shahera. The band is ready with the bandmaster at the microphone. Everyone keen to have a blast at the Baarat (marriage procession). The Baarat was supposed to cover hardly 800 meters for the marriage place and I being a nerd as usual thought it will take about 10 minutes to reach. But to my utter shock and disbelief, it took 1 hour 45 minutes to cover 800 meters!!!!!!!!!! Everything was happening during the procession, people throwing money in the air, everyone jumping on to each to get that, firecrackers, dance, it was chaos unlimited. But the strange thing was that the groom was sitting on a cart pulled by the horse, and he was smiling all these 1.45 hours. How can he for such a long time? I can't. Anyways it was all part of the marriage, the chaos I mean. Finally, the Baarat reached the marriage hall. The place was at its best, all done by the bride's family. After a traditional welcome the groom was escorted to the dais. The bride was stunning in the dress that we normally see in a Hindi movie marriage, seeing it live was kind of amazing. At this juncture I was informed that the marriage will get over only by 4:40 in the morning. Crash boom bang, can't stay that long dude, bye happy marriage, got to go. See you tomorrow. The day after, normalcy came. But I was still wondering what all happened after I left. Everything is done; I have accomplished my task of attending both the marriages, time for me to move on to Imphal. I want to go home.

The journey back home; can't get away from the chaos.

All along the bus ride from Karnal to New Delhi, I was wondering of the visible difference between the two marriages and our very own marriage style. However there was one thing that was common, and that's CHAOS. And the differences are always there, we just have to accept and respect the differences. Rajdhani Express from New Delhi to Guwahati to depart from platform number 12 was the announcement. I was looking forward to a chaos and problem free journey. But there was a surprise waiting for me. As the train chucked slowly out of the station, to my horror out of the 64 seats 58 were occupied by one huge family, and all of them were heading for Guwahati to attend a marriage. By this time the word marriage was kind of haunting for me. The coach was full to the core with the family's baggage, as all of us know that when Mayangs travel, they seem to take along all their belongings with them. So you can imagine how much would the baggage be for a family of 58. GOD HELP!!!! It was a virtual marriage going on in the coach without the bride and the bridegroom, the family has already started the celebration on the train, before they could even reach. Ticket collector, please help me, no dude no seat vacant. Get me out of this place, please. The scenic beauty of the Saraighat Bridge on the Brahmaputra River announced that my relief from the torture of the Sardar's Family is not far.

We are all over the place.

The train slowly comes to a halt at the Guwahati railway station. "Tamo, Imphal Yaogabara? Bus Thadore" That was quite surprising to hear because that was my first experience where a meitei asked me that question in the railway station, I decided to board the bus even though I was not in a condition to travel, all I wanted was to see my home and my Bed. "Bus si bu pung kaya da thadoi no?", "pung nipan da" was the answer and it was 7:45 when I asked the question. Wait wait and wait it was 8.30, why is the bus not leaving? the bus is waiting for the NE express so that they could get more passengers. OK. So when is it going to leave, finally? By 9.15 was the answer. My patience was under the most severe test I have gone through. People started to grumble, mumble and what not. Everyone was pissed, I was more pissed. Then the usual happened. One shouted, "Bus chatloidaba taradi paisa hallo, natrabadi kaya nungairoi". Then a small argument, that took a good 1 hour to settle down. Finally finally the bus rolled out of Guwahati at 10.30 PM. Imphal, here I come. There was no time for me to observe what has changed in the place or what is still there, all I was seeing was my bed and my parents. Imphal is Imphal, change it or not does not matter for me as long as my home is secured in Imphal. My Bed, My Bed, there it was, when you hit the shack you hit the shack. The sun shine from the window woke me up, I am HOME.

Munxcat