April 20, 2009

BYBS : Good Food & Simple Life

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As I had mentioned in my last post I had planned on attending two weddings during the last week. But I ended up attending three. That is why I am a day late in posting this. I had planned to get back in town on Sunday, but some things came up and I was delayed. If any of you have attended marriages, especially north Indian marriages, you would know what it means to attend a marriage here; it means food, lots of heavy, oily, tasty food.

It is advisable that one exercises extreme restraint in choosing what one eats at such weddings, but for a foodaholic like me that is not an option. I sometimes think that I belong to that category of people who live to eat, rather than the other way around. But, be it as it may be, it was a great week where I got to eat to eat great food, and for free.

Of course, there was alcohol too, but, fortunately, that was one department where I managed to exercise complete restraint.

Two of the marriages I attended were at my village. If you didn't know, marriages in Indian villages are still very elaborate affairs. They last for about three days. Since one of the marriages was that of my cousin, I got a chance to closely follow all the rituals and ceremonies associated with a north Indian marriage. One thing that needs saying here is that the bride and the groom need a lot of patience to stand the ordeal of an Indian marriage. They have to just sit there for hours - wearing many clothes and accessories - while friends, relatives, and guests in general, do all sorts of things to them. I am not sure if I could sit through something like that.

One thing I liked greatly about the village life was the lack of rush, that has become an integral part of the city life. Everyone seemed to have the time to give you directions, to explain things to that you didn't understand, or to just talk to you about things in general. In the cities we seem to be always running without getting anywhere. The running is most definitely missing from the rural life. I had planned on taking it easy myself, and therefore I had left my cell phone, and any other thing that could connect me to the city, in the city itself.

So, for me it was a weekend where I realised that simplicity is really the best policy.

But, it also made me wonder what exactly is simplicity? Do we sometimes confuse ignorance with simplicity? What do you think?

5 comments:

PERBS said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time! I can't imagine attending three weddings in one week!!!!!! I disagree that ignorance is simplicity. Simplicity takes a lot of thinking now a days especially when the whole world is rush rush rush. Simple ig good.

On the other hand, simplicity could result from being not knowledgeable of other things but I still don't call tht ignorant.

I think you had a lot of respect for the couples being married to leave your "modern" things "at home."

preposterous girl said...

hi blue panther..
ummmmmmm.. mouth watering post.. lol
U r so right..Indian weddings means food food and more food.But being a true foodie like u I also love the Great Indian weddings for its delicacies..
And toatally totally agree that once u r in village eveything seems to be so calm and pure..wish we could have this with facilities of city life!

SandyCarlson said...

I agree with you. Restraint in those situations can be tough. But it is always rewarding.

I'm with you on simplicity.

Unknown said...

simplicity is how & what we deem our lives to be

to have time to stop, pause & reflect

or if it were to be put on a scale, one side of the balance would be simplicity & the other would be obsession (whether we realize it or not)

simplicity. it's a choice =)

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