Aloha!! After a three week hiatus, I am back in business!!
Does the title make you wonder what this post is going to be all about? Well, by the end of the post you will be ready to bestow even your points on this Gryffindor!! And probably I will give you 10 points if you manage to read it all.
Long post ahead (Words 1347) 😀
Long post ahead (Words 1347) 😀
1) The 28 year old educated fish-seller that my mom introduced me to one morning, was fun to talk to until he queried about my husband’s religion. “Buddhist“, I replied, a little surprised by the question.
“Do the women not apply sindoor in his household“. Ahh, my barren forehead must have piqued his curiosity (I don’t use vermilion). I didn’t reply, but simply hoped that this was the end of our conversation. But you see, people try so hard to prove themselves the pioneer of culture and tradition. What followed next was an impromptu talk on how my husband should be the most important person in my life (equating him to a God like status) and that he should always be my first priority. I have no idea why this young unmarried man bothered to educate me on relationships.
I didn’t answer. I wasn’t offended. Just sad that the ideology of ‘Pati Parmeshar‘ still exists in my hometown. Meri qualifications gayi tel lene.🙀
2) The first few days of my holidays(!?!) were spend outside Doctor’s chamber – waiting. When I say waiting, it’s not just a simple 2 syllable word. Stretch it to 3 hours, for every visit. But that’s not a problem, I saw a number of emergency cases ushered in, which the doctor had to immediately attend to, so the delay is quite understandable. What bothered us all was the nauseating smell of urine in the waiting area. And it was a private hospital too. By the end of 3 hours I had already developed symptoms of migraine.
3) When you are living in a 7 member household without a dishwasher, you get to spend half of your lifetime in the kitchen. Whenever I visit home, I make sure that no one gets to do the dishes. It is my forte… the only thing I can do without causing a major disaster. It’s another thing that I broke a cup while laughing at some joke my Mausi cracked. This time thankfully I didn’t cut myself. Many stories have been told, many smiles shared and many more life lessons imparted over the sink, while cleaning dirty dishes and chopping vegetables. 💛💛💛
4) My Mom and Dad are behaving like teenage kids, rebelling against the likes of me, who are trying to take care of them. They just don’t listen. 🙈
“Will you please put that shovel down, this is not a time to weed out the grass”
“We have a washing machine, you don’t have to wash clothes by hand”
“There is no need to mop the kitchen again”
“Please switch off the TV . It’s your bed time.”
“No need to sweep the whole front yard for just one fallen leaf”
“Noooo… Don’t lift that bucket”
That’s me, chasing after my parents, spying and catching them doing anything forbidden.
A month ago, my Dad went through a second Angioplasty procedure and few weeks before that, my Mom had a major surgery done on her abdomen, with stitches so ghastly that it still chills me to the bone.
5) I went home to give my parents a helping hand, but Destiny played some twisted joke on me. On the 5th day, while playing badminton with my cousin, I sprained my ankle.
My Mom jumped into the kitchen to make some Turmeric milk, lifting buckets filled with boiling salted water and dad went in to the task of finding a bandage and volini spray. I could barely walk the first two days, but by the third day, I was back to chasing my parents around the house. It had been years since I had felt like a hostel monitor.
6) When the demonetization happened, I was in India. Being a typical middle class family, our money isn’t just stored in wallets. A random Rs 500 or Rs 1000 note would be tucked between files or in the corner of a suitcase. Sometimes they even find their way to shiny tiffin boxes that Mom calls her piggy bank, safely stored in locked iron trunks. So when the notes where made redundant, the Hati Boruah household spent the next few days treasure hunting the old currency notes. With the ATMs closed and shockingly long queues outside the bank, it’s another story how I gathered enough cash to travel back to Sydney. BTW, I totally support the move 😀
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| The bank wasn’t even opened yet, but the man at the front had started queuing since 7 am. This line itself was about a km long I was told. That’s my Dad, laughing at the ridiculously long queue 😛 |
7) In this mayhem, after I bid farewell to my family and was ready to board a plane to Kolkata, the flight got cancelled. A whole heap of permutation and combinations were running through my head while I waited at the Jorhat Airport counter, trying to determine the next course of action. My flight to Sydney was on the next day from Kolkata and Jorhat has only one outgoing flight each day. If that too gets cancelled then I was screwed ✈. Jetairways allowed me to take a flight from Guwahati to Kolkata the next afternoon. Luckily my flight to Sydney was at midnight. One minute I was at the airport queue, getting a printout of the ticket, the other minute I was running to the bus depot, to buy a bus ticket to Guwahati.
An 8 hour overnight bus ride – motion sickness gripped me after a decade. My ever so thoughtful mom had packed few polythene bags which I used indiscriminately. The roads didn’t let me sleep, my neck dangled left to right, synchronizing with the movements of the bus. And even if I managed to catch a wink, I was woken up by the impact of my forehead against the window pane.
From Guwahati I took a flight to Kolkata and only then did I heaved a sigh of relief.
8) JetAirways was quite considerate to refund my whole trip. But at the counter, the staff offered me the old Rs 1000 notes. Never have I ever refused money so vehemently. Authorizing a friend to collect the money, I took my flight to Sydney, but not before I gobbled down this awesome looking Masala Dosa at Mani Square Mall (Kolkata).
9) By the time I reached Singapore airport, I hadn’t slept or showered in two days. Abysmal!! I steered clear of human!! 🙈
10) After 54 hours of travel, I slept on a bed in Sydney. I could feel, with intense emotion, every letter of the word GRATITUDE. 😃
Now be a Dumbledore and give 10 points to Gryffindor – for being bold, brave and defying all odds 😀
What’s up at your end?
I give you a 1000 points for this amazing comeback post, Raj! Seems like you had an eventful stay at home with little hiccups here and there! I hope your parents are doing good and leg must be in better condition now. Well, I loved the post and humor you added in bits! Keep shining! 🙂
54 hours of journey. OMG!Glad you reached your destination safely. Someone once said this to me "Serving her family should be the only hobby a woman should have" Statements like these bother me. I know it should not but I cannot help. Parents health is something we all are concerned of. Wishes to them. Bravo Raj.
Ha! Griffindor nailed it and how for going through everything from religious query to changing money and the ankle pain. It makes me remember on the eve of taking a plan from Delhi, I tripped and was in pain throughout, hurting to twist my leg. I felt on the knee and limped throughout. I can understand you predicament. I will be in India by Jan end and whole the crazy money issue is solved by then.
Welcome back rajlakshmi.u deserve all the 100 points for the trip. And now after ur tiring 3 weeks it's time foe u to relax. And I am sure u would do not the Yoga way.
Sweetheart this Gryffindor gets 100 points from me for sheer grit, endurance and being the most adorable daughter! I hope Mom and Dad are better now. It was tough luck with your ankle though. You made this such a light read though I can imagine what an emotion overhaul you've been through. The last shot of your lovely neighbourhood does seem inviting. Good to have you back Raj!
Numbered not in the order that you have posted 😛
1) IKNOWRIGHT -_- recently, a STRANGER sat next to me and said that discussing whether or not the couple wants children is something that is unimportant when one is getting married. Where do these people get their ideas on marriage from?? Also, I detest the way some men address the husband when I'm the one talking to them.
2) I hope both are recovering well!! Sick parents is overwhelming in more ways than one 🙁 And totally with you on the washing dishes 🙂 I always take over too
3) Again, I KNOW RIGHT -_____- I tell my mother to sit still and chill for a bit when she stays with me but NOOOOOO, she has to run around cleaning things and arranging things and whatnot. Last time she came here, she set up a little pooja nook in a house where two agnostics live -__- She HAS to be doing something or the other. BLAH.
4) Demonetization when one is travelling is scary dude :O Wow, glad that you didn't have too much trouble on that front.
5) 54 hours of travel!!! WOW. That's brutal. A 1000 points to Gryffindor for that alone.
P.S: Your dad looks too young to be called dad :O
Hope you are doing well now Rajlakshmi! Enjoy reading details of your trip, I always like your courage and you have gone again proving that.
100 points for you and some more for everything you endured, Raj!
About parents, I so agree. They just won't listen, will they? On the contrary, they keep giving us gyaan on how we are supposed to take care of ourselves!
I am glad you could board that flight, in spite of everything, and I can so understand how you must have felt after sleeping in a bed after 52 hours!!! Go sleep some more, Raj! 😛
Oh! That was some trip! Brave for sure! You totally deserve those 10 points!
Oh! That was some trip! Brave for sure! You totally deserve those 10 points!
Yayy! I'm finally reading a post by you!
Hope the ankle is fine, and I'm sure Madam Pomfret would have fixed you up in a jiffy! 😀
Definitely more than 10 just for the first point! It's 2016.. when will people learn to mind their own business… pity his future wife who has to bow down to him.
Managing elderly parents can be challenging for sure.. know it from first hand experience. As for hospitals, well… can't comment because I'm so used to all the smells here 🙂
Godyears.net
Oh man! Forget the points, are you doing alright now? Seems so much went wrong for you…but glad you met your family and are back now ☺️
Full marks to you braving it all. 54 hours of travel!! OMG! Hope your parents are doing well now! The dosa looks tempting and I am so yearning for it now! Good to see you back.
10? You deserve 50 points for this magical trip that you seem to have made out of with soaring spirits….Okay, maybe not soaring, but I can imagine.
Must have been a very stressful 3 weeks! But at least you're back home ….!
Welcome back, Rajlakshmi!
Special points for the title too! Creative!
Enjoyed your summary of staying in India.
You have reminded me of my parents living in my hometown, unlimited points for that 🙂
And yes, you were within 100 metres reach when you were eating masala dosa at Mani Square, kolkata 😉
OMG this was some trip and that also without magic mushrooms 😉 I salute your bravery and do offer my points (whatver they are worth) to the pile. Great post Raj – good to see you back…
I am glad you were able to spend some time with family. Hope your parents are doing well. When wearing pant shirt, my wife never put the red dot in her forehead, Lot of people asked her if she was a Muslim.
Isn't it a treat when random people decides to impart wisdom with us mere mortals? Once during a taxi ride to hospital, the the driver decided to talk about why women are beneath men! You sure deserve more than 10 for your eventful journey and successfully finishing it. 🙂 Glad to have you back, Raj!
Woww…whatta summary of what all u have been upto! 😛 But none of this is surprising (as we folks get ur updates elsewhere *wink wink*) U forgot the cat who added to ur woes 😛 As for that fisherman, u should have thrown a shark at his face, jaws first! 😛 Enjoy ur well deserved rest time!
Oh and another thing, I don't wear any signs of being married either. My husband is a Hindu but that is not even the question. I don't know what I would have done, I never like unsolicited advise and specially when I'm asked to treat S like pati parmeshwar 😀
It's one of my biggest fears that I will miss a connecting flight. Hope your foot is better now and hope your parents are keeping well.
Oh poor thing. That was quite some adventure you had. I hate traveling by bus because I feel sick so I can understand. Also refusing to take 1000 rupee note made me laugh out loud. I could almost imagine you shaking your head. 🙂 Home and your own bed — nothing beats that for sure. Hope you are doing well, Raj.
Ok 10 x 10 points! You're a Champion, of course!
Hope your ankle is healed completely now, because hey, missing your flexi-self in your photos! ❤️
What an eventful trip, Raj!
Well, I give you a million points. Welcome back and I hope your parents are well. Reading about your parents, reminded me about mine. They don't listen to me either even when they are sick 🙂 Happy to have you back and hope you are fine now.
You deserve 1000 points for everything you've endured! Poor you for the sprain and still laughing about it. I chuckled at the sight of you chasing your parents around. God, I do the same thing! They don't listen, do they?! So glad you are back home and back to blogging too. Missed you 🙂