On one evening, all the friends staying nearby get together at one place and every couple/ friend gets one dish prepared from his/her home. It saves a lot of time of the host, people can sit back, relax, talk and eat and there is lots to eat too.
On a similar note, I thought of having it for the Gudi Padwa Celebrations at my place. Gudi Padwa is a new year for us and back in Maharashtra, we celebrate it with much aplomb. People dress in the best of attires, women show off their jewellery, sweets are prepared (especially Shrikhand Puri), we visit friends and relatives and processions of different groups, schools etc are taken out which have become a huge hit in small towns like Dombivli, Kalyan, Thane etc.
I have a huge friend circle all around the world, thanks to the various internet groups. I have a sizeable number of friends in Bangalore too. Rather, I should say I know a lot of people who belong to different states but who are now settled in Bangalore for job purposes. Amongst them, Koustubh, my best friend from my first company, HP, Kunal, whom I know from a marathi internet group and John, my friend from Accenture, who is the inspiration behind my blog and writings form my major support system here in Bangalore. Kunal and Koustubh had worked in the same company before and John and Koustubh had met at my place before. So, this was the first time John and Kunal met. They all stay away from their family and friends, just like me and so I thought of celebrating this Gudi Padwa with them.
I announced this to the trio and they were very happy and ready for it from the word go.
I also announced further that I would be making Shrikhand puri (the staple diet for Padwa) and asked others to prepare a dish of their own choice.
They, being bachelors, had a disadvantage that they couldn't get home cooked food and they did not know cooking, but for me meeting and having lunch together was more important than having something really special to eat. John, amongst the trio, is however an excellent cook and he settled on making Soya bean curry and it was yum!! Kunal decided to order some rice item from a nearby hotel, which was quite justifiable and Koustubh got something for dessert.
We all met at 1 pm and had lunch, which was excellent, I must say. Everybody enjoyed the variety of food and everybody was happy that we were not alone in celebrating such an important festival and didn't feel lonely and alone on this new year day. Atul joined us in our talks after lunch, but just for some time. I am sure he might be wondering, how much these people talk and how on earth can they really talk. John, Kunal and Koustubh are not extroverts like me. They can't talk to anybody and everybody, but seeing them bond at my place felt really good. Atul retired to his room and left us on our own. After that we talked for 2 good hours about everything, movies, music, jobs, gardens, etc. It was so much fun and we didn't realize when it was time for tea!
I felt very nice meeting my buddies after a long time and we shared a lot of things that day besides the food. Everyone of us was missing our family members, but then we had a second family in each other and were enjoying talking to each other. Many a times, we go out to find happiness and then we realize that true happiness is being there for each other in good times and testing times!
I am glad that I have friends in Kunal, Koustubh and John and will cherish this bond forever.
Gudi Padwa was one such occassion to strengthen the bond and I am sure there would be many more such times!
What say friends?
It was a good Gudi Padwa spent at your place. Thanks for inviting me over :-)
ReplyDeleteWell let me confess I was initially hesitant about the idea for two reasons. One I get tensed when cooking for others especially when it's for an occassion!!! That day while preparing the curry I must have had tasted half the curry I prepared just to make sure evrything was fine and the pot pouri doesn't get spoilt cause of one bad dish... touchwood! it wasn't bad in taste at the end :-)
And the second reason was of all the invitees you mentioned to me I knew You well and then Koustubh, but I thought both of you would be involved with others and I would be lost and bored :-(
But still I agreed to come cause I say no most of the times and I didn't want to say that again :-) And am happy I didn't say no.
As you said though not an extrovert I did have a good time and it was nice meeting Koustubh and Kunal. If there's another pot pouri planned I am in :-)
In bet, great to see the nice lunch get together captured in your words...
ohh made me nostalgic..those days when we frnds used to hang out together..but loved this idea of pot pourri...we too some time do such things with some of our frnds, in this way everybody get time to talk and plus there is some much variety to eat and plus loads of fun..
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