The parties we attended...

We all have gone to parties. Wedding parties, Anniversary parties, Reception parties and Birthday parties. Birthday parties are still our favorite because we know everyone else present there. At your birthday you have your whole gang of friends who can dance on any song, who will act like its their home and will ask you to stop acting like a host. You don't need to make them feel comfortable, instead they feel so comfortable that you have to say Bitch, stop overacting now and behave properly!

We loved to go to other parties as well. The most exiting parts were dressing up and eating (for me at least ). As we were kids no one noticed the number of chow miens we had, the volume of rice we galloped or the frequency of ice cream we queued for. But now do we do the same?

Certainly not. As grown ups now we avoid going out and meeting new people. We feel embarrassed to go on stage and get clicked with the couple whom we are meeting for the first time in our lives. To whom we have to say "wow bhabhi, you look stunning" but want to say "listen, you have over done your eye makeup"

This "sanyasi" attitude is not natural. It has developed over a period of time. And believe me or not, everyone has contributed equally in this transformation. Be it your parents, the hosts, the caterers or you yourself. These are some of my experiences that led me to the state of being a recluse. You might say Deja Vu..

1. Remember when you were kid? Around 5-10 years old? Can you recall the way you dressed? If not, go and check your photographs. We looked Aliens. It seem to me that our parents intentionally bought the funniest dresses so that they look cuter than us. I often ask my parents why are you two looking fab and we two (me and my brother ) are looking jokers? They answer me that this was 'the fashion' and I say what fashion? Wearing a red colour caprie with a white top and a cream colour hat cannot be fashion, that too in a reception party!!

2.Hosts  are of two types. One, who make you feel at home. Second, who try so hard to make you feel at home that you want to say 'Hello! I am your guest. Have some respect'. You must have come across a host who have asked you to go and dance with the world renounced dancers aka Baraaties. Now its good for you to shake your leg before the aunty calls all the dancing stars to take you to the dance floor(or the road). Do it, otherwise she will keep poking you throughout the baarat( or the procession or the march, whatever )

3.The big reason we went to most of the parties was food, and food came from people serving them. There are two ways food is served in the parties. One where you are served on the table and the other where you go to the food stall and do the service yourself. Most of us have been to the "mixed" system where we were neither served on the table nor were we allowed to serve ourselves. We have to go the food stall where the boys will serve us. Now all these boys hold personal grudge against you. They plan to give away the ugliest food in plenty and hold the tastiest dish with themselves. When a kid, I was a rebel. I always insisted on having only that food which he was unwilling to give. But now I just look at the boys with a stern face. How badly I miss being a rebel.

4.You yourself are a reason for this state of yours. because you always missed obtaining perfect marks for dressing 'accordingly'. Consider this-
Its a wedding of your close but not so close friend's sister. But you think you live in the same colony so everyone must be dressing exceptionally so you decide to look the best. You enter the venue and you are shocked to realize how badly you are overdressed and everybody is pointing at you and probably making fun of you. Or the opposite might happen. You think that its nearby and you know everyone there and need not to showoff. But you end up getting scolded by your mom for looking like, well, a maid. Poor You!!

These are the experiences we all have gone through once. They are not all bad but have somehow affected us badly. We have stopped going out, stopped meeting new people, stopped dressing nicely and most importantly stopped asking for food. Admit it, we all want to be there with our parents to make fun of the wannabe aunties and feel superior. But we give up the idea because we hate saying too much 'namaste'. But I say this party season don't be lazy, move your butt, get up, dress up, go out, chill out, meet people, make fun and yes, be a Rebel !!