Aayushyahomam & First Mottai

The lazy guns that we are, we did not do any arrangement for Chittu’s aayushyahomam until we left to Hyderabad on 9^th November 2011. The only thing we had done was booking the hall – that too after so much of pressure from Thatha.  Once we were back from Hyd, a sense of strain started haunting me as I had not started even a bit of preparation. To start was the invitation designing. I had a clear cut idea on how I wanted the invite to be and had also seen samples at Menaka Cards during our Diwali shopping. But it was too expensive and they wanted us to give an order for a minimum of 100 cards wherein we didn’t want that much. So the project went into kedaps!! I dug that out from dumps and after a lot of social intelligence found out that we can get it designed and printed from a DTP shop. There has never been an occasion in our lives when Thatha’s acquaintance didn’t help us out. This time it was SS uncle, who lives near our house whom we got to know was good at Photoshop. Me, S & S mama went to his house with the below requirement on Nov 19^th with no plan on how to execute

1. It had to be a 4 page invitation
2. Page 1 should contain a banner to be held by a cartoon character that would read – It is Chittu’s birthday and should have some of her photos
3. Page 2 should have the English content as if Chittu is inviting. Her photos covering the corners
4. Page 3 should have the traditional tamil content in yellow background
5. Page 4 should have a clock showing 2.40 (her birth time) and the 12 hours should have a picture each, representing a photograph taken in each of those months

SS uncle said having an idea alone wouldn’t work out and we need to follow the below processes

1. Decide on what your invitation size is going to be
2. Take a white paper, measure and cut it according to the size that you want
3. Let your imagination fly high, fill the pages and write down what is it that you want & where
4. And then come to me, I will do it for you

He also gave us a Photoshop tutorial on which S mama did a lot of research. I didn’t have any time to think as we had guests at home. The next day – 20^th Nov, me, S & J paati went for shopping leaving Chittu with T paati. Got a pair of cute heart shaped ear rings which had two white stones covering one half of the heart, chain, gold coins, silver kiNNam and spoon, pattu pavadai from RMKV (maroon, blue, golden coloured vertical strips which keep alternating), cut choli for her DOB & few other clothes for us. I bought an ear ring for myself in exchange offer. My birthday was round the corner too J By the time we came back from shopping, S mama was done with the basic design and frames that was required.

Taking that, me & thatha went to SS uncle’s house on 21^st Nov and spent a good 3.5 hours to complete the designing of pages 1 & 2. Page 4 was pending and the tamil content of Page 3 had to be done at a DTP center. In between Chittu’s birthday celebration happened when we got to know that Cham perippa’s son R’s engagement was happening that Sunday – 26^th November. We thought that would be the best occasion to distribute the invites as all relatives will be gathered in one location and it would make our easier job. So on 24^th November (My birthday – ahem ahem!!) I went to uncle’s house again and finished Page 4 design. I had to give it for printing the same day and did not know what to do and where to go. I tried a couple of big card printing shops which were of no use. That was when Penguin came to my rescue. They were ready to do Page 3 design + printing in 1 day. After all proof reading and stuff, the final invitation cards were ready to be distributed by 25^th November 5 PM. We went to Rajarajeshwari temple (we had booked the hall that belonged to the same temple’s trust) and kept the first card at ambaaL’s feet and started the inviting process from Thatha & J paati.

The invitation was a super dooper hit, everybody welcomed the innovativeness and creativity at the same time not compromising on tradition. Especially the 12 months’ photo was much appreciated.  We mailed the cards through post and few of them took pains to call one of us and share their appreciation. Thanks a ton SS uncle for making one of my dreams come true as this was in my mind even before Chittu was born J Just that A perippa (whose daughter M akka’s wedding happened in June that I had blogged about) didn’t like the fact that we invited in a common place and didn’t go to his house. He felt that we were inviting just for the sake though we didn’t mean it actually. Some people will never understand, Chittu. That is Lesson 1 in the syllabus of life!! R’s engagement went on very well and NK perimma had sent some of the photographs in which Chittu’s pictures had come out beautifully.

After much consideration I chose Sairam caterers who cooked for P akka’s wedding and fixed them along with menu decision on 7^th December. Thatha made arrangements for vaazhai maram, chair, table & other stuff. J paati got the pavaadai stitched from our neighbor. Mylu athai arrived a day earlier on 10^th December with her son V anna. It was kaarthigai deepam day. We lit the lamps and Chittu wore the new skirt with overcoat that Pri akka had gifted for her birthday. It was lunar eclipse day too. The eclipse started at 6.30 PM and ended at 9.45 PM. I ensured that Chittu did not sleep in the afternoon so that she gets to sleep early in the night and get up early the next day. Man proposes, God disposes. Chittu slept at 7.30 and woke up at 8.30. I took bath at 9.45 and me & J paati went to the hall to put kolam. By the time I came, I expected Chittu to have had her dinner and slept. But when I returned Chittu was crying her heart out and refusing to sleep. I still had itsy bitsy packing to be completed, but she wasn’t allowing me to do anything. After lots of coaxing and cajoling, she finally went to sleep at 1.30 AM. After which I finished packing and slept for hardly an hour. We got up at 3.30 and got ready. Woke Chittu up at 4.30 AM and Mylu athai applied oil on her hair while I sang “Gowri kalyaNa vaibogame”. Mangalasnanam was done and Chittu wore the leg-ins and tops that T paati had gifted. Big paati tied madisaar for me and we were off to the hall by 5.45 AM

Photographer uncle had come and clicked away numerous photographs of Chittu and the group. KankaNadharanam, Aayushyahomam, Navagraha homam, Annaprasanam, Havirprasanam were all done. Everything was conducted by GuNdu vaadhyar in the best possible manner. One glitch I had was that he had to leave early to attend to another function when his assistants took up the closure traditions. Somehow I felt they were rushing to get it completed and it didn’t gel well with me. Chittu had pongal for breakfast. Aachari came around 8.30 AM and we got Chittu’s ears pierced. She cried so much when we got the position marked whereas didn’t care much when the actual piercing happened. I still am not sure if the position is correct because at one lime it looks perfect and the other time it looks slightly displaced. Whatever it is, I am not going to get it pierced again. I can’t bear her crying for this anymore. Inspite of having a very short night sleep of 3 hours, Chittu adjusted very well to the crowd, gelled well with everyone, posed beautifully for photographs, managed multiple hand exchanges, played with other kids, displayed her best manners and was a darling. Love you Chittu J She had pappu mamu for lunch & got too tired and dozed by 12.30 PM and slept like a log until 5.

Food arrived in time. Both breakfast and lunch were excellent. We predicted 125 members, but in all 160 attended the function and Sairam caterers managed the show pretty well. Neither me nor S nor J paati / thatha had invited our colleagues / school –college friends for any of the functions that we conducted at home after my wedding (house warming, baby shower, etc) So this time we wanted to call everyone as it is a very important occasion. And to our pleasure all of them made it and blessed & wished Chittu. We took group photos with everyone of them. Just that we don’t have a group photo with my family (J paati, thatha, S mama). It somehow got missed out in the rush. Another group missed out was Kutty thatha, SU perimma, M athaan & family. I thought we can take it after lunch, but Chittu slept off. So we couldn’t do it. I am EXTERMELY SORRY folks L Pls don’t mistake me.

Her gifts included bluish green pattu pavadai from S perippa’s family, tonnes of alphabets / animals / birds / vegetables / fruits / story books which can be used until her first grade from J paati’s colleagues, soft toys, Lego blocks, frocks, electronic toys, pull along toys, gift vouchers and cash. We settled money for the caterers and others and reached home by 3 PM. All of us were dead tired and took rest the whole evening. We concluded with dhrishti suthal for the QUEEN OF THE DAY.

A few days later S’s colleagues who couldn’t make it to the function visited us at home and spent a good 1 hour with Chittu. They had gifted her some frocks and numerous flash cards. S was actually feeling bad that none of them came to the function but was extremely happy when they made it a point to come home. Thank you guys J

In S’s family 2 mottais are mandatory – Vaidheeswaran koil & Thinniyam.

Rules:

1. Mottais shouldn’t be done in the month of Margazhi (starting December 16 or 17 I guess)
2. Vaidheeswaran koil is always first
3. Mottai should be done after aayushyahomam
4. No mottai on Friday for girl children

The rules were quite simple but given that we were hardly 4 days away from Maargazhi once the aayushyahomam was over, we had to rush up things. So we went to Vaidheeswaran koil on 14^th December 2011 – Wednesday. It was thatha again – who fixed the Innova with the travels, arranged for accommodation (though only for a couple of hours) called up the gurukkaL and had things ready in the temple for archanai. What will we do without you dad?? So we started as early as 4 AM. I didn’t lift a finger other than getting up, pack & get ready. J paati prepared roti, subji & coffee which we had around 8 AM for breakfast. It started drizzling slightly once we crossed Cuddalore and was raining in V.koil. We reached the sankara mutt there around 9.45 AM. One old lady there was sweet enough to put kolam & call the barber to the guest house. Chittu sat in S mama’s lap and with all support from S by singing rhymes and holding her hands, the barber did the job which I had shot in my handycam.  Chittu cried, but didn’t cry toooo much. It was only the feeling that something is being done to her which she couldn’t see and the force with which S mama was holding her chin which made her cry. Hot water was available in the mutt and we gave her a good bath. We had taken the induction stove, cooker, rice, sugar & potato. Got a glass a milk from a nearby shop – prepared payasam, rice & veggies. All of us had the payasam, Chittu had pappu mammu with potato and we left to the temple. We sprinkled water from the siddhamrutha theertham and proceeded to the temple.

We did not give for abhishekam as we weren’t sure if we will reach in time. So did archanai in all the sannidhis and prayed to Lord Vaidyanatha swamy for a healthy long life. We got to see the uchikaala abhishekam and came out fully contented & happy. Had lunch at Thaiyalnayaki mess and started back to Chennai around 2.30 PM. Chittu slept through the majority of the travel both ways and the remaining time she was jumping across the 3 rows within the car and having fun. It was a task to keep her calm without biting the seat covers which were made of leather!!!! She kept touching her mottai mandai and when we ask where her hair was – she actioned kaaNum by shaking her hand. She kept calling out to the driver as uncu…uncu…throughout the last leg of our journey. T paati had prepared rice & coconut thogayal & appalam. Special rasam for Chittu. All of us had a sumptuous dinner and retired to bed completely satisfied. I thanked GOD for making the aayushyahomam and mundane ceremony go without any single isuse and bowed for HIS mercy.