mehndi night

TABLE CENTRE PIECE, NO FUSSING WITH FLOWERS HERE.

MY COUSIN FROM THE BRIDES SIDE, LOOKING ATTRACTIVE IN HER SARI

THAT'S HOW I WAS FEELING,..SHAMIM BEAT ME TO IT :)

COUSINS SHARING A LAUGH


MY COUSIN THE GROOMS MUM,...

left the office after 6 tonight, and made it to the function on time,...my cousins who were the grooms people kept us waiting a while,..but it was taken in stride as behoved the spirit of the occasion, the ladies let their hair down tonight as they boogied to bollywood tunes, all inhibitions left at the door....those who usually wore a headscarf and covered up, could show a lot of skin, and be all they wished they could be,..sexy,attractive and young without the inhibitions of religious attire.

i wonder, sometimes how appropriate the cover up really is,....then i realise, in saner moments, that we each interpret faith in a way that makes us comfortable,...tonight gave women a chance to shelve their inhibitions, and get on to the dance floor,without feeling the instinctive wariness that descends, when there are males in attendance, so this ladies only affair allowed women to be the sexy selves they always wanted to be :)

the bride to be looked stunning in red sari, and happily chatted with her guests, taking to the dance floor once the pleasantries had been attended to, my cousin the grooms mum, sparkled in a lovely sari, chosen by her husband on a trip to mumbhai, can't say the man has bad taste, have you ever trusted a male to make the right clothing choice,...they almost always get it wrong,..i've put on the pooky face on countless occasion's when the men in my family come home from trips bearing clothing as gifts, especially jeans, which never seem to fit my rather generous rear, on those occasions, i always make the decision to put the gym squarely on my agenda, that lasts for a day, and then old habits set in....:)

right on cue, when desert was laid out i felt the stirrings of my busy week set in, i met people tonight who brought back pleasant memories of childhood holidays in warmbaths, at a time,when travelling out of the country was barred to us as "black" south africans we visited "baji's" (grand dads) family in warmbaths, those were joyous days in the sun, at segregated swimming pools we learnt to swim,laugh and play in the sun,...those were days of endless joy. tonight i met the children of the women alongside whom i had grown up, really not children anymore, university graduates who were all headed down the aisle, in a short space of time.

it seems that despite our educations or lack there off, within our community marriage at an early age is still the norm, this weekends bride and groom are not more than 22 years old,...an exciting time in one's life, with the responsibilities of marriage ahead,?....i figure the only plus point in that, is avoidance of the well meaning aunt, with the bald thrice divorced son in tow :)and the feeling of pride one gets when you introduce the boy at your side as: "this is my husband"....