Why do I cook a special meal on the days we are invited to a wedding?

 Why do I cook a special meal on the days we are invited to a wedding?

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Every time we receive an invitation to attend a wedding or a reception, I cook an entire meal in the evening because my husband would come back and start looking for food in the fridge.

It is the wedding season from November to June.

The pandals with fragrant flower decorations, the men in colourful turbans, the women in parlour made hair, expensive makeup are a feast to the eys.

The Glittering ghagra/sarees, backless cholis, matching stone studded bangles from wrist to elbow, miniature Mehandi drawing on all the limbs, danglings touching the shoulder and every centimetre of the neck covered in semi-precious jewellery, watching all of them makes the evening worth the time. 

Then the most exciting part is the very enticing widespread multi-cuisine menu laid out on countless tables spread across the extensive lawns of the magnanimous function halls.

NOV-JUNE is the peak wedding season and a very joyous reason for me to bring out my kanjivarams, traditional jewellery.

I love attending weddings for the multitude of sensual and warm indulgences it brings in.

I enjoy sitting on the neatly arranged chairs around the tables, sipping coffee, watching people, throwing blind guesses on the near and dear ones of the bride and groom. 

It is easy to spot the younger siblings of the bride and groom as they will be the ones massively ornamented, moving around actively throwing attitude to the boys eyeing them.

The orchestra becomes a part of the celebrations playing in the backdrop, entertaining the audience, changing the musical notes to match every emotion from varmala to kanyadaan.

 The waiters relentlessly supply beverages and snacks at the table, the perfumed breeze from the fans and coolers in the summers and fireplaces in the winters adding warmth to the festivity.

Marriage ceremonies certainly are the events I look forward to attending. Alas, if I had the option of going to one with friends and not with the family.

Having a husband as an associate at such gatherings is a lopsided match.

I would love to walk directly onto the stage, bless the couple, hand over the gift, get a group photo clicked and isolate myself to a corner table to enjoy the visuals, music and food.

Whereas My husband engages himself in meeting people, discussing work, patients, death, illness, hospitals, new ventures etc. He will stand for hours together, talking, not eating, not drinking, very oblivious to the festivity.

Many times I have to give him company on the same. But with time, I learnt to dodge him and escape to some corner, isolate with a random friend, gossip, eat, listen to live music and make notes mentally. 

I forage through the menu, identifying delicacies, leisurely enjoy the select few.

He is nowhere to be found while I indulge myself in the extravaganza of a wedding evening. 

I stand alone in the group clamouring over others for my turn to eat puchka, the hot chilla and warm jalebi with rabri. I duck the fat-bellied uncle at the fruit chat counter, elude the teenager at the pasta counter, pick my plate, smirking at the losers.

The fun in the food is intensified with the ability to jump the queue.

The hosts will be the happiest if they can see the guests jollify on the food.

He joins me at the fag end while I am enjoying my Sandesh or ice cream.

He doesn't like standing in the line waiting for his turn to take a serving of the malai chingri or bajre ki khichdi, so he hastens up to the table where there is no crowd, picks up whatever is laid on it.

 Hence he misses on many items on other tables.

All he eats is a dessert and a pan that too if there is no waiting time.

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We reach home around midnight. My feet hurt and aching due to the uncomfortable high heeled sandals, the body in pain from carrying a heavy saree and jewellery; I shower, change into pyjamas, hit the bed with the phone in one hand, checking the pics clicked at the wedding.

He will change into his nightclothes, go to the fridge, take out the dishes, warm the food and eat his dinner watching an Indian idol or a cricket match.

I laugh at him on his misplaced priorities.

Who goes to a wedding to meet people, Talk business or stand at a place and discuss a patient with a fellow doctor for hours. 

A wedding, after all, is all about celebration ..food to clothes to makeup to emotions to love to kanyadaan.

But every wedding invitation rings an alarm bell in our kitchen to cook something special at home to compensate for his loss of not enjoying the delicacies.