It's the monsoons

The North-east monsoon has made its entry in water-starved Chennai. I guess we are in for some non-stop rains this week and next.
Played truant from work yesterday as I had to take Mira to the dr. in the morning for her cough and attend a rain-soaked wedding in the evening.
The wedding was a blend of Roman Catholic rites with Hindu (Telugu Naidu) traditions. Conversion to Xianity being not as ancient a phenomenon as in Kerala (with Apostle of Christ St. Thomas having set foot in Kerala first, Christianity in Kerala is more established and less in conflict with the other religions), the two families stuck to their Hindu customs - right from the two uprooted banana plants adorning the gate to the colorful kolam to the manjal poosu (turmeric anointing) ceremony for the groom (he being our neighbour) to the nadaswaram-drum concert accompanying the priest's recitations. I wasnt seated near enough to watch the marriage ceremony, so I cant comment on the Hindu aspect of it.
The groom's father told us that the dinner would be veg fare as they were originally Naidus and would not have any non-veg food until a day after the wedding. But the food was pleasant enuf that even V praised it - he had been disappointed to hear there wont be any n-v at the wedding feast. The guests were all given a bag of coconut-fruit-turmeric-kumkum as compliment.
We didnt take Mira along - for one, I didnt want to spoil my sari carrying her around, secondly, I couldnt have enjoyed my dinner with a baby wriggling in my arms. Would have taken Ash if he were here.