Tête-à-tête At Wedding Hall

The sudden ban of one time plastics have caught the people of Chennai off-guard. Steel utensils have made their appearance in restaurants and in weddings, yet, a lot more still remains......

Hurry up! said mother as Ria and I stood, giving ourselves last minute glances in front of the mirror. Ria, my twelve-year old cousin had come to spend a two week holiday with us.  It was the wedding season, two of our first cousins were getting married that November. 

Amidst her academics and after school programs, it was a tough call for Ria.  An upcoming classical singer and dancer, Ria was brought up with strong Indian values, although she was an American citizen by birth. She could straddle both worlds with ease. 

Every summer was spent in India, catching up with the cousins, aunts and grandparents. Of course, the focus of the holiday was to hone her artistic skills. Earlier, in the summer, her dance teacher had organized a group performance in which Ria had a commendable  role to play, which she fulfilled to the utmost delight of all. Her expressive eyes, poise and footwork captivated hearts. 

Let's go! Mother's shrill voice brought me back to the present. Sashaying into the hall, we had a great time with the rest of the cousins, chattering animatedly and complimenting each one's apparel and accessories. 

Soon, it was time for the sumptuous feast served on banana leaves. Even though, some of us were brought up on home soil and were exposed to Indian traditions and customs, we were never comfortable eating out of the large banana leaves. Personally, for me a horrifying experience, as I've ended up with sambar or curry spilling and ruining my outfit. 

And, I must admit that I enjoyed watching Ria maneuvering her way through the rice, vegetables, lentils sweets, vadai et al, deftly eating with her fingers. No food would  be wasted, she would relish  the rice, vegetables and the delicacies, always refuse a second helping. 

"How I wish, we could stop eating from these banana leaves!" I snorted, when some grains of rice fell on my costume. “Yes, you could!" replied Neha gently." But, you'd be missing the nourishment that you get from the leaves. 

Not only is the flavor of the food enhanced, the banana leaves have anti-bacterial properties as well." she continued,  "and considering the mess that plastics and Styrofoam has brought upon the world, I guess, it's time to go back to the traditional customs." "We're converting the Earth into  a  gargantuan garbage bin and cesspool." 

"That's some food for thought!" How come you are so well-informed? “I quipped. “That's because, we did it for an assignment.  Undeniably, you're aware of my interests in the traditions of India.”  I could but nod meekly in agreement. 

Needless to say, my appreciation for the banana leaf began since then.

Author's Note

The image has been taken from the internet.