The trip this year

We had a very hectic trip this year to India. Thinking back to what we actually did,

31st Dec. Daughter Samyu's birthday -- reached Trichy on 31st morning and went straight to our village after picking up my parents...Samyu was excited on seeing us and wouldn't go to anyone else. We went to a nearby temple and there was a special pooja. Then it was time to decorate the house and slowly people started coming...my God..Think my MIL thought this was some type of a family function....She had invited so many relatives (some second and third cousins) Finally it was so crowded that the men had to stay out and the ladies in the house. To top it all the current failed twice during the party and each time for nearly 30 mins!!! But overall Samyu was a very good girl and cut the cake. She also accepted the gifts eagerly (more like grabbing)...it was fun to watch.

1st Jan, was just another day since they don't celebrate it in my MIL's place.

2nd Jan, we started in the morning and went to a temple in the middle of paddy fields...Had a nice experience...More like a picnic. Then went to Samyapuram temple for my nephew's mottai (shearing of the hair). Samyu started moving freely with everyone after this trip.

3rd Jan we went to our kuzha theivam temple to put mottai for Samyu...Everyone was stunned to see Samyu sitting silently during the mottai..infact she was turning her head as per the instructions of the barber...we were all expecting her to bawl.

5. 4th Jan there was a special viratham (fast) in my MIL's house as part of the mottai.

6. 5th Jan, came to my mom's house. My close friend D visited me in the morning with her son. Kid looks big and so cute. He literally runs everywhere as he has just learnt to walk!! He and Samyu didn't play with each other...they were more concerned with doing things alone...think they are too small to know how to play together. D's son came to all of us, but Samyu went only to D's father and hubby. She's already favoring guys!! Had a nice time and took lots of video and photos.

6th Jan, went on a visiting spree to my cousin, sister and aunt's house.

7th Jan, went to hubby's aunt's house which is also in Trichy. BIL and his family joined us there. We had dinner there and returned home.

9. 8th Jan, morning had been window shopping and got some items from Poompuhar (the govt handicraft shop). then in the evening went to RockFort temple. After which we went out for dinner with my SIL and her extended family. Returned home pretty late.

9th Jan, went to some temples in Kumbakonam (oh my God....was this a pilgrimage trip?) and on the return visited one of my Aunties.

10th Jan, my hubby had to take his mother to Salem for some treatment...my MIL has become the abode of all known problems....we tease her saying that she partonizes all the illnesses like she patronizes us!!! So me and Samyu were free to do whatever we wanted. I left Samyu with my mom and went shopping with my sis.

11th Jan, again shopping.

12th Jan, h was back and so we went to get the tickets. They told that the rates would come down the next day and asked us to buy the tickets the next day. So, we gave the details to my sister and asked her to collect the tickets and we left for our village.

13th Jan, It was Boggi Pongal and so all of us had got up early and there was a small prayer at home. My parents came around 11.30 with the pongal seer for Samyu (it is customary to give pongal pot for baby's first pongal, where by they prepare pongal in that pot and the granny's feed the baby the first pongal). Think my MIL was in an entertaining mood this time as she had again invited the whole crowd for pongal. Luckily since all of them had to keep pongal in their respective homes, they just visited us as and when they had time and left immediately. Hence it was not crowded at any particular time.

14th Jan, on pongal day, nothing special except that pongal was prepared and everyone fed Samyu her first pongal (actually she had eaten sakarai pongal n number of times before and she likes it very much :) so its not her first pongal!!)

15th Jan, mattu pongal was fantastic here. We all got into two cars and went to the fields since the cows were there. While my mom and my co-sister's mom were busy keeping pongal (it was kept in the typical pongal fashion, in front of the mattu patti, in a vengala paanai kept on top of three stones that served as the stove!) we were busy decorating the cows...Samyu wanted to ride the cows while nephew was frightened even to touch the ones without horns. Then all of us went around the fields and then had coconut water (elaneer). By that time the pongal was ready and FIL and my father had made all the pooja things ready. The pooja was completed and the cows feed with pongal. Then we all returned home....some went in the car, while we walked back...the sun had gone down and it was fun walking, chatting with cousins while eating sugarcane.

16th Jan, busy with packing and then left for Singapore...

Now back in Singapore :((

oh..for those hectic but wonderful days in Trichy

all in all I didnt have time to sit and talk with my mom and sis even for a day :(( My mil and mom were complaining that we were returning back just when didn'ttt had started playing with them :((