Govindaaaa, Gooovinda!

Combined families gave way to nuclear families once the financial insecurities creeped in. Now they are giving in to single familes, for nowadays, only one "biological parent" probably brings up the children. Well! not to forget the daycare centers(I worked in one), where they get to see more of their teachers than their parents.

Mine was not a combined family, yet it was. 3 aunts and 3 uncles still live near-by.
My, My! what about those days when my maternal grandparents were alive!

Just count it!

4 aunts and 2 uncles, add their husbands and wives, makes it 6 uncles and 6 aunts.
1st aunt has 3 kids.(2 male, one female)
2nd aunt has 3 kids.(2 females, one male)
3rd aunt has 2 kids.(1 male, 1 female)
4th aunt has 2 kids.(2 males)
My mother has 2(Me and my brother)
1st uncle has 2 kids(1 male, ,1 female)
2nd uncle has 3 kids(1 male, 2 females)

I could easily have said they are some far-off relatives, but except the last three off my 2nd uncle( who were born 10 years after me), everyone either wiped my ass and consoled the incessantly crying and stubbornly naked black kid that was Srikara or played with me as a kid.

Imagine a scene with we kids all sitting in a circle and my maternal grandma chastisizing everyone alike and making us eat from her hand! (Jeez! she insisted on cooking for everyone and she would hear none of the embarassed adolescent excuses; if you are below 18 you gotta have a seat in that circle, Gawd! how we toddlers used to smirk at our grownup cousins)

Nothing short of glorious were those days!

Name a festival, oh yeah! we Indians, particularly Hindus, have lots of those, and we all are there to celebrate, no defaulters for none could stand the wrath of those two parental figures-my maternal grandparents. Be it the Sankranti, or the Sivapooja(which is still a tradition in our families), or the dusshera.


Everybody were as near to me as my parents and my own brother.

And ofcourse, as always so called "life went on"( I made a promise, the next one who says that life goes on to me, will be kicked in the arse) and pur grandparents died. Everybody were immersed in their life and Hyderabad became my summer stronghold, for most of them live in Hyderabad.

Now people, I know...take a break and be nostalgic for a few minutes! Afterall we are Indians! our relatives deserve those few moments......and carry on!

How I wish we all stayed as kids! Unfortunately, god doesn't always grant srikara's wishes( or most of my teachers and present advisor would have been blasted to smithreens and I would have had as many as 7 girls), so everyone grew-up and had their own kids.

Count again,

1st aunts 3 kids have 2 kids each of their own.( 3 females, 3 males)
2nd aunts 2 females have 2 kids(2 males).
3rd aunts 1 female got married.
1st uncles daughter just got married( and cursed me for being in America at that time)

(NOTE: did you notice that all the females got married and males left single. God, if you are readind this , you are a male(I know), where's the equality?)

Count it, now I have total of 6 uncles, 6 aunts.

2 male cousins and 2 corresponding sisters-in law.
5 female cousins and 5 corresponding brothers-in-law.
4 male cousins, single.
and
6 male kids, 5 female kids.

Add to them , my parents and jolly god! my brother and would be sister-in-law.

I haven't mentioned the family friends, and all those families I get in touch on my father's side. And my friend wants an AC MILAN jersey, and a branded cigarette lighter.

How the heck am I supposed to buy all of them presents with a meagre 520 dollars in my account? And I haven't paid my rent yet!

Here are some thoughts!

1) Maybe I can make a documentary on "saving the planet", and roam around USA trying to persuade people to compel their government to sign the Kyoto Protocol...( collecting funds as I travel)

2) I can start a Children's cancer awareness program and sell cookies, with a little commission involved for me!

3) Or I could find all those needy homeless people, raise my voice for them, though I really have no clue as to how it feels to be homeless or hungry, and start a movement to bring the corrupt government down..

4) Or I could form a patriotic club to raise money( clubs are different from organizations, please note) discuss and discuss and discuss on what is good for the country that remained frozen in my memory, on how to eradicate the political corruption, comment on the entertainment-focussed newspapers, and mass-appeal media, not realizing that I am a part of the society that necessiated, created and festering it.

If none of these work, there's always the Vine street and Burnet woods!(yet to be completed)