The journey started a few days earlier as I struggled on the government website to book confirmed railway tickets to the destination. Thankfully, after a four hour struggle in which I reached the payment gateway multiple times my tickets booked earlier were confirmed saving me any further expenses. While I was cursing the Indian Railways through those 4 hours as I could not complete the transaction, at the end of it I didn't know what to say because I was still in the money (Not counting the 4 hours of lost efficiency, since I was anyways on vacation).
Over 13 years had passed since I last attended a wedding in the family in/near my hometown. I had forgotten how it were and the charm/compassion of it amongst the 50 or so direct/indirect family. And all this in the Winters of North India which add further spice to the celebrations. Not that in this period I had not attended weddings in the family but all these were organised in the metro cities such as Delhi. Hence, provided a chance I planned this trip back home in advance. Day 1 dinner was a surprise for me. I had always known that Punjab and Liquor are synonymous, more so Punjabis and Whiskey is even closely related. However, the cocktail party was replete with Tequilas, Vodkas and Cocktails. Even more stunning was the fact that women managed the bar. Now this is not unusual in Delhi or Mumbai, but this was Punjab and that too a small town of Pathankot. The surprises didn't stop there, there were many in the way people came together, greeted each other and partied. I immediately rang up my Dad to tell him how pleasantly surprised I was. Times and etiquetted were changing. But still one thing held to itself, which was Punjabis and Whiskey, as the Scotch flowed freely, while there were less takers of the other forms.
On Day 2 were the many functions leading upto the marriage. However over the 2 days I had taken full liberty to satisfy my taste buds and appetite and I knew that it was time to call it quits to the marriage feast. I took a break and like a nice metropolitan guy enjoyed a light meal on Day 3. But there was an unease which stuck to me all through the day, there was definitely something wrong. Till I stepped out of the car to breathe some fresh air and lost my consciousness. This was unprecedented as it had never ever happened to me. I went blank at least for "those ten seconds", in which I charted through my life from birth till date. Many unfulfilled desires and aspirations flashed in front of me as a few men gathered to lift the 90 kgs of me. I perspired and wondered what had just happened. I had hit the road and escaped unhurt (with mild bruises) and all those years of regular work outs and controlled diet seemed worthless.
We friends always talk about uncertainties in life and this was very much the moment, a short period of being helpless and clueless about myself.
Seems it was yet another case of "Over Eating". Damn I thought to myself, YET AGAIN!!!
I am very much up in my spirits to wish you a very....
Happy Deepavali!
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