About yesterday

This is yesterday's post. What happened to me yesterday? Let me tell you. First I went to a wedding. Then I went to a funeral.

Darling's cousin got married yesterday. While we were trying to get them settled into their honeymoon suite we must have passed a million new couples. There were so many weddings yesterday.

And while we are on the topic why would we need to settle the newly married to their room? Anyone who wore the Kandyan attire as a bride would understand. The basic Kandyan jewelry set includes the following.

4 padakkam

4 chains for the padakkam,

throatlet,

Nalal patiya

sun & moon for the head,

agasthi Malaya

2 pethi Mala

hand ornament (with the rings)

earrings ( koodu arungal)

two bangles ( beekku and agasthi)

one extra bangle ( agasthi), 

waist chain, 

konda katuwa

sari pin with a gate bead.

Trust me. They weigh a lot. Add to these the flowers on the head with a million or so hair pins. For an example, see this picture of a beautiful bride that I happened to take. Wouldn't all those jewelry leave her with a massive headache and a neck-ache? 

I've been there. I remember after the reception was over, my neck hurt so much from carrying all that weight. While I wore less flowers on my head and my overall attire was less decorative than the pretty bride in the picture, I suffered from a massive neck cramp afterwards. But I suppose all that trouble was worth it. :) 

So yesterday, by the time the wedding was over, the bride was near tears and I felt it was my duty to relieve her from her bridal jewelry. There is no way that she could have taken it all of f by herself. While the new husband was pacing the room impatiently, I removed all her necklaces just to find a sore wound on the nape of her neck where the metal wires the bridal dressing person had used to link up the necklaces had rubbed. You can rest assured that I threw a fit of righteous indignation when I saw the fellow to hand over the jewelry.  Why pay them so much, if they can't be bothered to come up with something less painful? 

Saying goodbye

Someone really dear to my heart passed away today. When I was small, he would hold my hand and walk me down to the main road and wait with me for the school van. Sometimes he would buy me a seeni sambol banis.
Sometimes when he came home after work, he would bring me peni appa.

He let me study at his work table. He was kind not only to his family, but also to all who met him. I've been told a story of how he harboured a person while rioters checked his house in the 1983 riots.

We love you seeya. May you rest in peace. We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

There's a land that is fairer than day, 
And by faith we can see it afar; 
For the Father waits over the way 
To prepare us a dwelling place there. 

In the sweet by and by, 
We shall meet on that beautiful shore 
In the sweet by and by, 
We shall meet on that beautiful shore. 

We shall sing on that beautiful shore 
The melodious songs of the blessed; 
And our spirits shall sorrow no more, 
Not a sigh for the blessing of rest. 

In the sweet by and by, 
We shall meet on that beautiful shore; 
In the sweet by and by, 
We shall meet on that beautiful shore. 

To our bountiful Father above, 
We will offer our tribute of praise 
For the glorious gift of His love 
And the blessings that hallow our days. 

In the sweet by and by, 
We shall meet on that beautiful shore; 
In the sweet by and by, 
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.

Making an awesome me!

Nangi sent me this, which I think is awesome.

So as lame as the next phrase is going to sound, I have also decided to take up the mantle and write a blog post everyday for 366 days. Is that weird? Does that make me a copycat? Will people read what I write? I'm full of doubts.

But maybe this is a good thing. At least I can polish up my writing.

So in the middle of 2012, here's to a new year! Here's to a new me! Trying to become awesome.  

Oh by the way, did I tell you that I've decided to start learning Finnish? It's always good to learn a new language right? So far I know how to say "Hello, where is the toilet?" "Hei! Missä WC on?"