Ponnu-paathufying

Ponnu-paathufying (Translation-Sight-ing a girl with parents' consent)

Meaning:
After a mutual understanding is established between guy's parents and girl's parents (as mentioned in my previous blogs) the guy, along with his parents (and grand parents, in this case) comes to the girl's place to have a look at her, this is called ponnu-paathufying (sighting the girl with
parents' consent).. this is from the guys perspective.. but, there's no payyan-paathufying.. however, the girl does it at the time of ponnu-paathufying itself.. So, it can be rightly said as sigting each other with parents' consent...

Few hours b4 ppfying (Ponnu-paathufying)
I was ready... I was wearing one of my new salwar-kameez(es)... My dad had called my sister and her family home... (My sister, her two kids, her husband and her mom and dad-in-law..) it was a big crowd as u can see..

The event was supposed to be at half ten, it was 10 o'clock when my sister's crowd came home... At the moment she entered home, she was shocked when she looked at me... she started scolding me and asked me to wear sari..

Deepa (my sis): Sari kattiko
Me: Chance-a illa.. I cant.. I dont have a nice sari
Deepa: paravailla.. u can wear that orange sari
Orange sari was the new one that I got for my nephew's aayushhomam (first b'day)
Me: adhu romba kevlama irrukum.. it's Tassar silk.. I'll look fat like one aunty
Deepa: No.. U wont.. it looks gr8.. u wear it otherwise no one in the guy's family will like u
Deepa's Mother-in-law: yenna nee ivlo bhanda panra? ippo olunga dress panna oru dhadavayoda podhum... thirupi thriupi naraye guys munnadi poi nika vendaam
Me: (grinding my teeth.. got so angry with wat she said.. but had no choice).. err.. ok fine.. i'll wear it (podi... po)..

I went to my room, started wearing the sari and after sometime my sister came in to adjust the sari

Me: (Tears streaming out of my eyes) Its so embarrasing.. why the hell should I wear sari when i'm not comfortable in it?
Deepa: Ok da.. yein azhara? relax.. cool down, its a traditional event so u have to adhere to these strict regime..

I came out wearing my sari.. then my mom got many dazzling jewellery (which i hate to the core) and asked me to wear them.. I was so pissed and I silently wore everything she got...

Finally I looked like one chingucha (More or less means tribe or gypsy).. I knew for sure that it's gonna be a flop -show

The begininng
It was 11 o'clock, the guy's crowd came home, I was asked to sit in my room.. I should wait there till they call me... I was looking funny (like never
b4)... Then someone said, "ponna asirvadham vangika varasolunga".. then my mom asked me to come out..

I came out to the hall, in which they were waiting and sevichified (hmm.. it means crawling on the floor near their feet to get their blessings).. then I was made to sit on a paai (plastic carpet).. opposite to me Prasanna, his grandpa and his dad were sitting on chair, to my left my sis' crowd was sitting on the oonjal.. I tried to be casual.. but I was lil nervous.. I looked at the guy once or twice, he looked little different in person..

Sing in the rain...........

My mom served some snacks to the invitees when someone said "ponna oru paatu pada sollungo"

Me: (gulp) Illa vendame... (yein vazhkaila ipdi risk edukarenga)
But everyone was compelling... I couldn't escape... I really regretted, why dint I have cold or throat infection!!

My mind started racing with tension... What to do as I never practiced any songs for a longtime, atleast for 5-6 years... At this point in time all i can sing was only some koothu songs, but that obviously wouldn't work, i should sing only carnatic songs in these occasions!!

Trapped, as usual, I was thinking what to do... suddenly, an idea flickered,
I said, "Naan Deepa kuda padaren...” Everyone agreed with me slowly, then my sis sat next to me, (staring at me and mumbling) I smiled at her as I felt relaxed, yenna akkavayum matti vittutomila.

We started singing.. "shriman narayana....." usual Kolu (Dassara) song, which usually would lead to a maami giving sunddal to us.. (Childhood memories)

Finally, we finished singing, Thank God no one ran off nor did any donkey came running into our house... Phew!!

Rendezvous
After this whole assignment, my sister's mother-in-law came to me and asked whether I want to talk to the guy... I just nodded my head yes...
I was then asked to go to the bedroom; I went there and waited for a minute

Then he came in and sat right opposite to me on the chair, I said "Hi" and smiled, then he started speaking...

"Hi, Unga peyr Savitha dhana...”
"Ya... aama" I said
"Yennoda peyr theriyuma.. Prasanna"
"Ya... theriyum"
"I'm very sportive"
"Oh... apdiya", I said (so am I)

My niece and nephew entered and switched on the A/c...

"indha sari pottadhalam unga plana" he asked
"illa.. actually naan casuala salwar dhan potirunden aana yellarum sendhu sari katta vachitanga", I said (Total damage.. he must be scared after seeing me in this get up.. ha ha ha)
"yennoda grandparents traditional adhanala dhan sari katta vachirupanga", he said
"Oh... irrukalam"

Then we spoke for sometime, nothing much, actually I dint know what to speak so I sat there dumb as usual

"yennaku bad habbits yedhuvum illa... sila occasions la drink pannirken", he said

I was thinking... Yennakum yendha bad habbitum illa.. yeppovadhu BD pidipen, andha smell varama irruka konjam Brandy kudipen, which brought a smile to my face

"Oh... yepovavdhu thani adicha thapila, yeppovum adicha dhan thappu" I said and regretted for that cheiri accent. Actually i should have told "yepovavdhu drinks saapta paravailla, yeppovum saapta dhan thappu".. namma vazhkaila idhelam sagajamappa

We spoke for a while, never came to a conclusion as to whether we like each other and whether our parents can go ahead and so on. He asked for some days' time and left home after sometime...

My engagement was later planned to be held in June:-)