Oye baenchod .. kidhar hai!! ...
That was the hearlfelt greeting I received even as my train was rolling into Nayi Dilli - home to fellow IBMer and my friend - Vineet Love - who was all set to get married in the next days. On my request that I wish to savour the taste of 'Delhi Metro', I was given detailed travel guidance (which I found out was checked and re-checked) to Rajouri Garden
From the minute I stepped into the brand new sleek air conditioned, traveller friendly metro ... there was a regular follow up on my location and route map - Vineet, the typical IBMer project manager just making sure I dont reach the other ends of Dilli ... !! Stepping off at Rajouri Garden, Anil Bhaiyya was right there .. to receive me and take me through the maze of galli's that went to Vineet's place..
My fellow mumbaite friend - Mr. DPR, who we fondly call Killer DPR - after the tashan he exudes - was already there. Without losing a moment, from the moment we stepped in, the dulha party started feeding us .. puri, sheera, choley, etc etc etc ... and we were stuffed!!
We were shown the 'pandal' - erected bang in middle of the lane that goes along Vineet's house. Habituated to the 'Pandu'dom and their versions of law & order here in Mumbai, I asked if they had to take permission from police to erect the pandal ... "Oye .. raste pe jitne log rehte hai, sab ko bulaa liya shaadi main" .... it was a simple and effective solution ... mumbaites would never think of this .. they would be ideal citizens and do the 'police permission' thing .. and end up paying a small 'fee'!!
After a shower and a rather long rest at Vineet's chacha's place, we went back .. and this time we were greeted by DJ HAPPY !! .. OYYyyyeee .. Dilli da tashaan ... surpries never seem to cease .. .. and this was just the beginning .. DJ Happy churned out song after song as the sangeet proceeded late into the night.. .. some we had heard and brought out the mumbaiyya ghaati in us, some we had never, but all the others seemed to know the lyrics !! .. Neverthless, the mood being pretty upbeat it was a great evening .... with wine, wealth and great foood .. err .. ignore the wine part, it's supposed to be censored!
The next day was rather eventful and we had a brush with history - Our very own personal Jahapanah - imported from the management consulting practise of PriceWaterhouse Coopers - and also fondly known as Dada in the IBM PMC circles, was with KD and me on a historical tour of Lal Killa. He shares a rather keen interest in History and shared many historical moments in the lives of the various mughal emperors ruling Dilli... However ... what made the visit most memorable were those exciting lil titbits on the secret life of the Jahapanah .. Incidently, the place we chose to be intiated into it - the Jahapanah's personal prayer room - made the excitement in hearing those stories just that bit more exciting.. and quite consuming ..
Another shrill ring on KD's phone and an urgent .... "Oye Baenchod ... kidhar ho tum log .. baraat nikal rahi hai ek ghante main" ... and we were jolted out of the pleasurable moments with Jahapanah .. and then suddenly we were going back on cycle rickshaw .. through the roads full of people .. and metro'ing it back to rajoudi garden...
Back again, we made it just in time to see Vineet ascending the Ghodi, who for some reason did't stand still .. a few trying moments later, the dulha - with sehra and all - was mounted and resplendant on the ghodi... and off we were to the wedding venue in Vasant Vihar which, we were told is one of the most posh locations in Dilli - whatever Dilliwaales do , they do it in style ..
About 100 meters from the final destination, the silent lanes of Vasant Vihar, till then, suddenly transformed itself into a massive procession - the torch bearers and the dillis's famous 'ASHA' band wallas suddenly crawled out of the sidelines to light up the street and begin a cacophony of drums and trumpets which had a strange rythm and beat to it ! The baraatis, neverthless, danced and gyrated away into positions that seems to defy gravity and also flung wads of notes at the band wallahs who played faster as they saw more notes flying towards them ... All in all, a rather noisy procession, but I guess, that is how the dilli processions are - loud and flashy and with notes flying all around !!
A long reception and a freezing mid-night 'Phere' session later, Vineet and Neha emerged ... .. vows taken .. 'taaron ki chaavn' main ... man & wife! The doli returned back at 5:00 am ... and even as we entered into the same small lane .. Vineet's dutiful brother .. who worked tirelessly to make all the guests absolutely at home .. let off a massive firecracker .. one that would have made any mumbaiyte jolt and think it's an attack on the country .. but then, hey.. we're in Dilli ... and who the hell is worried... .. after all there is a simple solution in place ... "Oye .. raste pe jitne log rehte hai, sab ko bulaa liya tha naa shaadi main" ... !!
Vineet , Neha ... you guys have a great life ahead .. this blog's for you, your family and for the great time we (KD, Dada & I) had at your marriage in 2008 !!
That was the hearlfelt greeting I received even as my train was rolling into Nayi Dilli - home to fellow IBMer and my friend - Vineet Love - who was all set to get married in the next days. On my request that I wish to savour the taste of 'Delhi Metro', I was given detailed travel guidance (which I found out was checked and re-checked) to Rajouri Garden
From the minute I stepped into the brand new sleek air conditioned, traveller friendly metro ... there was a regular follow up on my location and route map - Vineet, the typical IBMer project manager just making sure I dont reach the other ends of Dilli ... !! Stepping off at Rajouri Garden, Anil Bhaiyya was right there .. to receive me and take me through the maze of galli's that went to Vineet's place..
My fellow mumbaite friend - Mr. DPR, who we fondly call Killer DPR - after the tashan he exudes - was already there. Without losing a moment, from the moment we stepped in, the dulha party started feeding us .. puri, sheera, choley, etc etc etc ... and we were stuffed!!
We were shown the 'pandal' - erected bang in middle of the lane that goes along Vineet's house. Habituated to the 'Pandu'dom and their versions of law & order here in Mumbai, I asked if they had to take permission from police to erect the pandal ... "Oye .. raste pe jitne log rehte hai, sab ko bulaa liya shaadi main" .... it was a simple and effective solution ... mumbaites would never think of this .. they would be ideal citizens and do the 'police permission' thing .. and end up paying a small 'fee'!!
After a shower and a rather long rest at Vineet's chacha's place, we went back .. and this time we were greeted by DJ HAPPY !! .. OYYyyyeee .. Dilli da tashaan ... surpries never seem to cease .. .. and this was just the beginning .. DJ Happy churned out song after song as the sangeet proceeded late into the night.. .. some we had heard and brought out the mumbaiyya ghaati in us, some we had never, but all the others seemed to know the lyrics !! .. Neverthless, the mood being pretty upbeat it was a great evening .... with wine, wealth and great foood .. err .. ignore the wine part, it's supposed to be censored!
The next day was rather eventful and we had a brush with history - Our very own personal Jahapanah - imported from the management consulting practise of PriceWaterhouse Coopers - and also fondly known as Dada in the IBM PMC circles, was with KD and me on a historical tour of Lal Killa. He shares a rather keen interest in History and shared many historical moments in the lives of the various mughal emperors ruling Dilli... However ... what made the visit most memorable were those exciting lil titbits on the secret life of the Jahapanah .. Incidently, the place we chose to be intiated into it - the Jahapanah's personal prayer room - made the excitement in hearing those stories just that bit more exciting.. and quite consuming ..
Another shrill ring on KD's phone and an urgent .... "Oye Baenchod ... kidhar ho tum log .. baraat nikal rahi hai ek ghante main" ... and we were jolted out of the pleasurable moments with Jahapanah .. and then suddenly we were going back on cycle rickshaw .. through the roads full of people .. and metro'ing it back to rajoudi garden...
Back again, we made it just in time to see Vineet ascending the Ghodi, who for some reason did't stand still .. a few trying moments later, the dulha - with sehra and all - was mounted and resplendant on the ghodi... and off we were to the wedding venue in Vasant Vihar which, we were told is one of the most posh locations in Dilli - whatever Dilliwaales do , they do it in style ..
About 100 meters from the final destination, the silent lanes of Vasant Vihar, till then, suddenly transformed itself into a massive procession - the torch bearers and the dillis's famous 'ASHA' band wallas suddenly crawled out of the sidelines to light up the street and begin a cacophony of drums and trumpets which had a strange rythm and beat to it ! The baraatis, neverthless, danced and gyrated away into positions that seems to defy gravity and also flung wads of notes at the band wallahs who played faster as they saw more notes flying towards them ... All in all, a rather noisy procession, but I guess, that is how the dilli processions are - loud and flashy and with notes flying all around !!
A long reception and a freezing mid-night 'Phere' session later, Vineet and Neha emerged ... .. vows taken .. 'taaron ki chaavn' main ... man & wife! The doli returned back at 5:00 am ... and even as we entered into the same small lane .. Vineet's dutiful brother .. who worked tirelessly to make all the guests absolutely at home .. let off a massive firecracker .. one that would have made any mumbaiyte jolt and think it's an attack on the country .. but then, hey.. we're in Dilli ... and who the hell is worried... .. after all there is a simple solution in place ... "Oye .. raste pe jitne log rehte hai, sab ko bulaa liya tha naa shaadi main" ... !!
Vineet , Neha ... you guys have a great life ahead .. this blog's for you, your family and for the great time we (KD, Dada & I) had at your marriage in 2008 !!
