-Brian Mendonça
Scene 1
There she was. Almost 3-- in
tears. Dressed in satiny yellow, she was a flower girl; part of the bridal
entourage. As their entry was announced she somehow lost her way. The bridal
entourage was by now skirting the perimeter of the dance floor. With all the guests ranged in a circle she
was in the wrong place at the right time. Everyone stared. But no one
moved. Her accompanying page boy looked
a bit confused in the entourage. So I did what I thought was the best thing to
do. I cut through the crowd, took the little girl’s hand and led her to her page
boy. The bridal entourage complete, it resumed its sedate progress. Only later
I noticed her blowing bubbles by herself, least interested in the momentousness
of the event. Oh well!
Scene 2
It seemed like three hours into the reception
– and A26, the Goan band, had played just 3 songs. When we really got grooving
it was 11.15 p.m. After listening to their music we were wishing we had got
more of them and less of the M.C! I love the way they started with Eagles (I
refuse to put it down to retro!). The Goan masala had the whole crowd
delirious, with the enticing beats of the birdie dance bringing children on to
the floor as well. One young lady was swinging away with her baby girl who was
wriggling her toes all the way. A26 played with verve. They had a new sound,
were versatile, and were obviously enjoying it.*
Scene 3
Dinner
is announced. Three/or four drinks down and people are quite ‘happy.’ Goan lads
and lasses emulate elders and drink as if there is no tomorrow. Dinner
comprises of no less than about 20 dishes. As plates are heaped and drink
beguiles appetite, huge mountains of food lie wasted on the table. Guests
wobble to their cars, to reach home on a wing and a prayer, ferrying their
precious cargo, and fighting sleep.
Reprieve
After
attending countless weddings in Goa here’s what I usually do: i) I carry my own
water. I don’t drink -- not even beer, when we travel far – because I am
driving my family back home on village lanes in Goa which are often pitch dark
past 1 a.m. ii) I try not to do an event in North Goa for lunch and South Goa
for dinner on the same day. It doesn’t work for me or our kid. We need a decent
quantum of sleep. iii) Nibble at the food. We eat to live not the other way
around. Food is tastier when you focus on a few dishes. iv) Gift your dessert
away. Trust me – you will feel lighter on the way home. v) Don’t forget to get
your tyre pressure right when you tank up to head to the venue.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*www.a26india.com
(A26 is the number of the house the group practises in at Baga, Goa). Published in Gomantak Times Weekender, St. Inez, Goa on Sunday 4 January 2014. Cartoon of typical Goan wedding reception or Tornaboda by Mario Miranda
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