This very important function and ceremony also saw the coming together of my two sisters and myself after quite a while. Out of the four siblings, only my elder brother was absent. Being in New York and with ailing health, there was no way he could have made it to India. So, through the 'connecting people' WhatsApp, photographs and videos were sent to him immediately. Technology helps too!

This function always involves an ear-piercing ceremony as well. For practical reasons, it was held in the evening, which unfortunately we could not attend as we were leaving. Anyway, we were to meet again for another get-together in a couple of days’ time in Chennai, which we did.

Now, about the return journey. For an 8 p.m. flight, we had to leave by 4:45 p.m. Believe this. Such is the traffic in Bangalore, apart from the distance to the airport. Where do we have our dinner? Not, in any case, at 4:45 p.m. or at the airport. With our wheelchair-bound entry into the flight, we had to be at the airport early. Just as we entered the airport complex, after tense moments wondering whether we would reach in time, we got a message that the flight was delayed by thirty minutes. Don’t you think thirty minutes is a long time? Maybe we could have planned a quick dinner before checking in. But that was not to be.

So, we found ourselves in one of the narrowest wheelchairs possible. Feeling crushed from both sides, we, with rugged rolls, went through security and to the gate. The guys pushing the wheelchairs promised someone else would be there to assist with our boarding as soon as it was announced.

More than seven hours had passed since our lunch. The fatigue, tiredness, and travel ensured that our respective receptacles of tasty food were putting up their flags of protest. What do we do? Will the flight leave at least at the revised time?

Continued in 220. Function, Fun, Frolic and Frustration Too - Part 8