Ramblings and Musings

First May came and went

Finally, the day of the big function came and passed away with smiles all around. As my readers would remember, I had mentioned that we would be celebrating our elder daughter Inas's misaaq by calling our family and friends to a celebratory function. Well, this is how the function was held and enjoyed.

For over three weeks, Nishrin (my wife) and I went about calling up all our friends and relatives, as well as Inas's friends from school and from our residential colony. We invited them all to a dinner to celebrate the misaaq (for those not familiar with this, please read earlier blogs, where this is described in detail). The event would be on the first of May, 2005. It would be held in an air-conditioned function hall located close to our residence.

Almost everyone we invited turned up, barring six or seven, who did not. Among those who attended was a group of thirteen friends of Inas who sat with her to eat at a special feast that is called "sitaabi nu thaal". In this, not only are the friends served dinner, they are also pampered with kohl application in their eyes, mehndi on their palms and given a memento to remember.

It was a grand success throughout. Even though there is a sweltering heat in Mumbai, the air-conditioned premises kept everyone cool and smiling. Nishrin and the kids would arrive at almost half past eight, but my parents and brothers (and their spouses) joined me at about half past seven to welcome the guests. The final count was about 135 of them. Initially, they came in a trickle, but this turned into a flood by eight p.m.

Dinner was served in a thaal, which is a large dinner plate around which eight persons sit. Food is served for all these eight persons in smaller plates. They eat mostly with their hands or with spoons, breaking down the one chunk of ice cream or the one large marinaded cheese chicken. In this way, they finish off one item after another.

The menu was: chocolate chips ice cream, white cheese chicken, gravied mutton (lamb) with Indian bread, dry fruit halwa (this is a sweet dish and resembles a very thick porridge in consistency), mutton biryani (I think almost all readers know what biryani is!) and corn soup with soft drinks, salads etc. Wow! Isn't that a great show?

A lot of the guests informed us that the food (catered by a professional caterer) was excellent.

Inas received lots of gifts, and plenty of cash too (this is a traditional gift in Indian society).

Look out for a few pictures of the gathering that I plan to put up on the net. I will supply the links in this blog (or a fresh one) as soon as I have done so.

Taher