Friends .. my love affair

Who doesn't share a very special bond with old school friends? While I may not exactly remember where I placed my house keys yesterday, I distinctly recollect what I did my my school friends during my formative years. The images of Jiji and I boarding the train from Guindy to Tambaram, mindlessly laughing and chatting, sharing simple lunches with Nupur, Janaki, and Sudha - all these memories are still fresh.  In fact, as we regrouped using social media later on, we connected with others in different sections such as Neelima and bonded seamlessly. We have our bouts of disagreements, arguments, and cold wars; but the pleasure of being oneself is such a delight.

During those youthful years, it was always a race to hang around with the most popular girls, lurk around the school corridors for talks, exchange simple gossip about the boys, and constantly vie  to get into the favourite books of the teachers. As we grew up, we went to different parts of the world with the memories of our school days. 30 years later, with the advent of social media, we caught up on the missing years. It felt like we have never been away from each other. We have matured and changed in many ways, but our core remained entwined. 

After the first reunion, we made it a point to meet every year or two. Our children had grown up and were ready to get married.  That gave us another reason for the fun-filled get togethers. 

This year it was Janaki's daughter's wedding. What made the wedding unique was it was to be conducted at the traditional house in the town of Athangudi. It is also a post covid wedding where the restrictions were lifted, and fun was unbridled. 

Attangudi is a village in Tamil Nadu. It lies within the Chettinad traditional region. This region is famous for its 19th-century mansions. The unique design of these mansions sets them apart. The villas are huge that show off the wealth of the owner. The villas have expansive central courtyards and spacious rooms on either side of the courtyard. The entrance doors are elaborately carved that open into the central square. On either side of the courtyard are verandahs that open into the spacious rooms. Traditionally there would be at least three generations living in one mansion.

These large airy courtyards were places for conducting festivals, weddings, and get-togethers. We were an excited bunch of women  to attend a traditional wedding in a conventional setting. Nothing can compare to an Indian wedding, where the colors and cultures mingle to create some of the best memories.

Plans were made well in advance for the wedding. Discussions on how to travel, when to travel, and where to meet kept the group active. With much anticipation, the day arrived, and we all landed in Madurai at different times.  Driving through the Chettinad countryside, every turn caught our fascination. The lily-filled ponds, tall leaves in the sugarcane field, and blue skies that seemed to merge with the horizon yonder.  Traveling and seeing new places with friends is about creating great moments with them. 

The two days in Athangudi attending the wedding, participating in the events that was culturally different from ours, visiting temples that are more than 100 years old was an enriching experience. The days flew by filled with laughter, anecdotes, Insta reels and millions of photos  and before we knew it was time to say our Adieus.. till we meet again.  The Joyous occasion of a wedding coupled by meeting friends from school is an charming experience that can be relived to bring a smile on any day.