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« A spacer only - the Buddha and the glamour poster ad | Main | Return to India, Part 7-A: A three-snack outing as mother and daughter shop for Suji's wedding »
Wednesday
Apr182012

Return to India, Part 7-B: On the painted holiday of the final full moon of winter, Sujitha and Kruthika go back to get a necklace

 

 

 

The next day, Sujitha's cousin Kruthika came by and then the three walked about two blocks to this spot to catch a ric. Suji still did not have her necklace. She had to have it. Maybe with Kru's help, she could make her choice.

Right after we reached the place about two blocks away where the rics waited, two painted young men came strolling by. It was Holi - a religious holiday celebrated on the day of the last full moon in winter. To say goodbye to winter (such as winter be) and welcome spring, participants splatter each other with color in giant paint fights. Holi originated in the north and is most heavily celebrated there, but the numbers of people in the south who participate in south Indian is steadily growing.

Rising above us all is the unfinished Metro, being constructed to ease the congestion of Bangalore and speed up the flow of people. Although I heard complaints about the pace of construction, I was astounded see how far the Metro has advanced since I was here in 2009. Similar metro trains are being built, with federal help, across India. I saw them in all the major cities we visited. India is moving forward.

I now have a great urge to do some editorializing about the situation in the US, but I will refrain.

On the way back to the necklace store, we passed by a now-deserted Holi gathering.

Back at the store, Suji and Kru studied necklaces as they climbed the steps into the jewelry store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upstairs, Suji laid a necklace against the saree she would need to wear a necklace with to see how it matched. It didn't quite make it.

So they looked at another. Suji decided to try it on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kruthika studied the necklace on Suji as Suji checked it out in the mirror. I saw nothing but beauty.

Kruthika took a close look at the necklace itself.

They looked at another....

...then laid it down to compare with still another...

 

 

 

 

 

 

They stepped away from the necklaces to think about them for awhile and Kru found a set of huge earrings. The two cousins - who, in their cultural way, are sisters - tried to imagine what someone who dared to wear them would look like.

They took a look as this hair clip, but rejected it.

Next, they turned their attention to reasonably-sized ear rings.

A salesboy laid out a whole new selection of necklaces before them.

Suji did, in fact, settle on a necklace. I will post the wedding probably Friday... no, more likely Saturday. If you come back, you can see for yourself what necklace she chose. When I was the age the salesboy appears to be, I had a paper route. Once I saved up enough money to buy a surf board, I did. Then I said "to hell with work" and went surfing.

Then they went downstairs to buy make-up and such. I was glad to see women working in the makeup store.

Suji then treated Kru and me to mango milk drinks. They were cold, and good. And yes, I joined the toast, too - but I had to get my picture first.

 

 

 

 

 

Lavith Goletcha, son of Hemanth, came in from celebrating Holi to the same refreshment shop to get a cold drink of his own - but he never woke up to drink it. 

We caught a ric and returned to the house. Suji's henna appointment was scheduled for 6:00 AM at the house. I don't remember what time we all settled down and went to bed, but it wasn't early. I was still jet-lagged and did not want to get up that early, but there was no way I was going to miss the henna painting.

Not long after the henna was done, we would board the train to Pune.

 

 

 

Series index:

India series, part 1: With a little help from the Indian Air Force, I begin my India series without actually beginning it
Return to India, Part 2: Pain beneath the fan, a sprawling tree, monkey on a string; those I would soon join on a train ride; the garland
Return to India, Part 3: My Facebook friend, Ramz, her mischievous brother, her nationally recognized achiever mom, her dad at the wheel
India series, Part 4: When you overtake an elephant on the highway, be sure to pass on the right; birthday remembrance; In Wasilla, pass "oversize" on the left
Return to India, Part 5: I wander the cold, empty, streets of Bangalore
Return to India, Part 6: A cow, blessed and safe; Suji takes me to lunch, then goes out with Bhanu to do some wedding shopping
Return to India, Part 7-A: A three-snack outing as mother and daughter shop for Suji's wedding
Return to India, Part 7-B: On the painted holiday of the final full moon of winter, Sujitha and Kruthika go back to get a necklace
A spacer only - the Buddha and the glamour poster ad
Return to India, Part 8: henna, to highlight her beauty and deepen the love between bride and groom; a moment on the way to the train
Return to India, Part 9: A prayer and a blessing for Suji; we head for the train; three calls to Manu
Time for another spacer - the green man who showed up at the railroad station
Return to India, Part 10: The train to Pune, part 2: Sujitha by the window as a thin thread of her India flows by
Return to India, Part 11: On the train, part 3: Ganesh Ravi - Photographer: how we discovered his hidden talent
Return to India, Part 12: On the train, part 4: After dark
Return to India, Part 13: train ride, part 5: we click and clatter into Pune, take a perilous walk and step into a world beyond imagination
Return to India, Part 14: The groom his wedding suit; me in mine
Return to India, Part 15: A function to mark the final night Sujitha would spend with her family before the wedding
Return to India, Part 16: Inside the Biradar house: portrait of an elder woman - portrait of a young girl
Return to India, Part 17: We dine in the home of the groom's parents, then join in the Puja of Kalasha
Return to India, Part 18: Slideshow: Sujitha and Manoj at the wedding hall - Engagement and Haldi Night
Return to India, Part 19: The wedding band, in the visual style of Sgt. Pepper's (10 image slide show)
Return to India, Part 20: The groom rides a white horse to the temple, there is dancing in the street; Sujitha and Manoj are wed
Return to India, Part 21 - Benediction: Sujitha takes me to the sacred waters; fish dine - a crow flies

Reader Comments (3)

Missingin it all sooo much! Thanks for taking me back to India...back home where I belong to..

April 19, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterSuji

Suji, thank you for allowing us to take part in this journey. So beautiful! Bill, thanks as always for teaching me.

April 19, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterKathryn

Miss all the fun. Come back!

April 19, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterGane

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