I had the most fun ever with my family last night. It was the 39th anniversary of the passing of my grandfather, and boy did the family commemorate it in style. Started off with the usual makan session, forcing plates to be completely drowned with chicken curry and fish curry, not forgetting aunty Gauri's famous coleslaw *mmhmm. After our tummies were full, and when the Liverpool game was at the half-time, we moved on to hear a short story about my TATA, and then a round of prayers.
The story of Tata:
Born 15 years before my grandfather, and in an arranged marriage in fact, my grandparents apparently grew to love each other. Their routine eventually turned into one of the most romantic things I have even heard of - every morning when my tata wakes up, he would scream my pati's name and only open his eyes unless she stands before him. He wants her to be the first thing he sees everyday.
Like seriously, that's so romantic. Gone were the days boys do that with us. Haih, MEN, start taking notes.
Returning to the party, me and my cousins had a fit of crazyness and decided to light up some tanglongs - only cause' someone had some lying in a car. Helping out the little kids with theirs, we spend a good 5 minutes trying to get the friggin candles to stick on the tanglong. GAH. Didn't last that long. Decorating the entire front lawn with the lanterns, there suddenly began a major 'pop-pop' attack, forcing us to defend ourselves with absolutely nothing. And trust me. My cousins don't care if you're a girl, or if you're 2.
A funny conversation between me, Stephanie (my cousin's fiancee) and Darmain:
Me:Stephanie, what's in a pop-pop?
Stephanie:Gun powder.
Me: Really? Darmain, what's in a pop-pop?
Darmain: Gun powder.
Me: Wah, does that mean if I put pop-pop in a gun...
Darmain: It will explode? No Nadia, (Haha) not unless you have a bullet.
Watching the water gun fight among the boys and heading for a mamak session with the youngsters was surely a great way to end the celebrations.
One would ask, why all the fun? After all, it is a death anniversary. Well, my granddad passed away 39 years ago. NONE of my cousins have seen him. He died when his last daughter was 3. What does that tell you about us. My grandfather was a drunk man, who died because of alcohol. If he were still here today, none of my cousins who are chindians would be here today. I love that fact that he made the family to who they are today, but his death is something difficult to mourn over, especially when we never knew him. Every year on his death anniversary, birthday and pati's birthday, we hear more and more new stories of him by the elders, trying to keep the tradition of love towards him to carry on.
I cannot say I love him completely, but I appreciate him.
We hope you're proud of our family and what it has become tata.
Deep down, those tanglongs are for you.
The story of Tata:
Born 15 years before my grandfather, and in an arranged marriage in fact, my grandparents apparently grew to love each other. Their routine eventually turned into one of the most romantic things I have even heard of - every morning when my tata wakes up, he would scream my pati's name and only open his eyes unless she stands before him. He wants her to be the first thing he sees everyday.
Like seriously, that's so romantic. Gone were the days boys do that with us. Haih, MEN, start taking notes.
Returning to the party, me and my cousins had a fit of crazyness and decided to light up some tanglongs - only cause' someone had some lying in a car. Helping out the little kids with theirs, we spend a good 5 minutes trying to get the friggin candles to stick on the tanglong. GAH. Didn't last that long. Decorating the entire front lawn with the lanterns, there suddenly began a major 'pop-pop' attack, forcing us to defend ourselves with absolutely nothing. And trust me. My cousins don't care if you're a girl, or if you're 2.
A funny conversation between me, Stephanie (my cousin's fiancee) and Darmain:
Me:Stephanie, what's in a pop-pop?
Stephanie:Gun powder.
Me: Really? Darmain, what's in a pop-pop?
Darmain: Gun powder.
Me: Wah, does that mean if I put pop-pop in a gun...
Darmain: It will explode? No Nadia, (Haha) not unless you have a bullet.
Watching the water gun fight among the boys and heading for a mamak session with the youngsters was surely a great way to end the celebrations.
One would ask, why all the fun? After all, it is a death anniversary. Well, my granddad passed away 39 years ago. NONE of my cousins have seen him. He died when his last daughter was 3. What does that tell you about us. My grandfather was a drunk man, who died because of alcohol. If he were still here today, none of my cousins who are chindians would be here today. I love that fact that he made the family to who they are today, but his death is something difficult to mourn over, especially when we never knew him. Every year on his death anniversary, birthday and pati's birthday, we hear more and more new stories of him by the elders, trying to keep the tradition of love towards him to carry on.
I cannot say I love him completely, but I appreciate him.
We hope you're proud of our family and what it has become tata.
Deep down, those tanglongs are for you.
You gotta like the sound of that
Nady
0 comments:
Post a Comment