The Mehendi day

We had few days in hand for preparation after we returned from PK’s place but like within a split of second it was “The Mehendi day”.  The hall with 25 bedrooms for all the guests and a big hall for Mehendi and other functions was booked. We have arranged pick up for all the guests from the train stations. Special arrangement of “Dhol group” was also made. The plan was that as soon as the guests will arrive, the Dhol blasters will start playing their drums to uplift their spirits and bring the guests in celebration mood. We all family members were already present there from as early as 7.00 AM, that is when the first guests started coming. It was like drums and dance session every half hour. I was so happy to see all the relatives after four long years. I have met them in my wedding last. There were tears of joy in everyone’s eyes.

There was our personal tea stall in the hall, he was making & distributing tea every 15 minutes. Breakfast was being served in the function hall, guests were taking shower and getting ready. Essentials like towels, brush, soap, oil etc were provided in all the rooms. We all were taking turns to go to all the guest rooms to check if they are well settled. Then there was small rasam (ceremony) at home. All guests got ready & came to our home. The ceremony was done & everyone had to relax for a while & then get ready for the “Mehendi night”

The girls came to put Mehendi on my sister’s hand. My sister asked them to put the Mehendi designs in a particular order. First picture on her hand was of ‘a bride dreaming’. Second picture was ‘a bride getting ready looking in the mirror’. Third picture of a Baarat and so on. When the Mehendi was been applied there were again Dhol group performing and playing drums. I was there with sister till then I dint got chance to even change. Later I went home & changed in a beautiful green and black dress. Green because it was Mehendi day. As I entered the hall everyone was dancing. Everyone looked at me and came running towards me to pull me into their group for dancing. The photographer & cameraman also saw me & started following me. Maybe this was advantage of getting ready bit later than all & also looking different than others. I made sure that I, being bride’s sister look different than everyone else. You know, on my last day in India, I saw a big hoarding of a model wearing same dress as mine that I was wearing on Mehendi day.

Then, at 9.00 PM, DJ was arranged. I don’t know from where people got energy to travel previous night, dance in morning during their welcome, dance in the evening during Mehendi & then again dance their shoes off in DJ till 11.30 PM. 11.30 PM is when the cops came to ask us to shut down the loud music.

In between, to add more fun & tadka to the function, I arranged “Balloon game” for all the couples. PK went & bought balloons. All my cousins were enough to blow the balloons in 5 minutes. I got the mike from DJ & called all the couples on stage. PK & I showed them how they have to dance keeping the balloon in between their tummies & the balloon should not burst or fall down.  We have played this game a lot of times here but this was totally new & fun game for my family members. I was happy to see everyone participating without making faces or arguing or even being shy. Even my in-laws who don’t like all these things joined the game, imagine!! We had a winner at the last. This was a big hit of that whole day. Me & all my cousin sisters performed on “Nagada sang dhol baaje” song from movie Ram-Leela. All cousin brothers & my brother performed Hip-Hop dance which was just amazing. Everyone was screaming, whistling and encouraging the performers. At the end, family members pushed me & PK on the dance floor and asked us to dance. We dint got any time to practice, we just did few steps that we had practiced a day before on “Soniyo, O Soniyo” PK stepped down on his one knee & proposed while dancing. It was fun, everyone was clapping, Mum & Dad were happy to see us dancing, I couldn’t stop blushing after our performance.

Oh, how can I forget that when I was getting my Mehendi done, my Dad, my cousins, my brother, my Uncles were coming turn by turn to me with plates of Pani-Puri, Paneer Chilla, Noodles, Dosa and what not, trying to feed me with their hands as I couldn’t move. The Mehendi girls were getting annoyed by them as I was moving little bit to eat the food, it was disturbing for the girls. But frankly speaking.. I was enjoying the attention I was getting, the way my family was making me feel special and important 🙂

Phew!! Writing all this I am totally in India at this moment, in that hall, standing there with my Mum & sisters, even I can feel the cold of Mehendi in my hands, my head is so heavy right now, I will need 15 minutes break to come back to this Aussie land.

First top picture is of my sister’s mehendi, on the top right & bottom right it’s me, Imagine my Dad putting a big Pani-Puri in my mouth and I have to eat without moving hehehe . On the bottom left, this was the small rasam at home where all the married women had to participate lol.