Oktoberfest and Diwali - it's a celebration showdown

Delhi has gone into party and celebration mode. Fireworks, lights, parties, festivities, sweets - it's a hive of activity. Not so long ago there was Dussehra (6 October), this is when (according to my trusty Wiki source), the harvest season begins so the Mother Goddess is invoked to start the new harvest season and reactivate the vigor and fertility of the soil. But here in Delhi they like fire and light so at the outdoor fairs and parades enormous effigies of Ravana (a mythical king of ancient Sri Lanka), his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghanad are burnt in the evening. We were attending a wedding so couldn't get amongst it but will mark it down for next year.

The good news for us is that after this celebration summer is also over and it's time to enjoy some winter weather and get ready for Diwali. Of course there is also a negative with this as it is also the time in Delhi where everyone gets sick - coughs, colds, fevers, dengue - you name it someone has it!  Good news is that the burning of the effigies (that are also filled with firecrackers containing phosphorus) supposedly purifies the atmosphere. I am not sure whether this is that effective but the air has certainly taken on a lovely smoky feel....

The temperatures are lovely though and Delhi days are hovering around 30/31 for the next 10 days which is very pleasant.

Around this time there is also the very important festival of Oktoberfest! No matter which country you are in everyone is keen to celebrate. So I headed off to the Americans baseball diamond to mark this important occasion. Beer, sausages, salads - it was all very German except perhaps the 80's/90's Top 40 cover band. There was a 'chugging' contest which was won by one incredible sculler..... amazingly fast. There was also a Stein comp, where you had to keep your arm straight holding a stein for as long as possible. Valiant effort by many but no one was ever going to beat the man who apparently can lock his elbow! The hostesses looked amazing.

Brilliant outfits!

Unfortunately my husband wasn't here for Oktoberfest, one of his favourite holidays, as he was off representing India in the Gaelic Footy Champs in Korea (of course I hear you say). Sad news is the 'Irish Wolfhounds' didn't win the comp but I think they had a damn fine time trying. There's always next year!!!

Of course it wouldn't be a week here without story of irritation. I went to bank a cheque for my husband today, easy job isn't it? Well I strolled into the bank and gave them the cheque and they refused to bank it as this cheque is made for Tom and my husband is not called Tom, he is called Thomas. But they are the same I said.... Tom Moody is Thomas Moody - the same (always try a cricket analogy). Well apparently not, they are different and I have to get my husband to write a note saying that they are intended for the same person..... I may just never bank these cheques.

Next stop here is Diwali (26 October) and everyone is very excited...... it's time for Diwali bonus, sweets, lights and a bucket load of firecrackers. Delhi is not the place to catch some rest over the next month or so. But what I am most looking forward to is my visitors....... bring it on!!!

Sari time

A few weeks ago we received our first invitation to a wedding since we have lived here in Delhi. It was for Slyvia and Solomon, Slyvia being the sister of a colleague of T's.

I was really looking forward to donning my first sari so headed into Old Delhi to buy one. Mel, Hannah and I went in search and found Bansal Saree Emporium in Kinari Bazaar. It was floor to ceiling packed with sari's of all colours and patterns!

Our friendly assistant pulled out sari after sari for us to look at and then we each selected a couple to try on. That's when the assistants got even friendlier!!!

I found a sari I liked and unsuccessfully tried to negotiate the price..... he didn't budge, I liked it, I bought.

After buying the sari I then went to Lodhi Colony main market and got my blouse and petticoat custom made, two days later I was all set for action!

Then yesterday the big day finally came for Slyvia and Solomon so T, S and I frocked up. I was wearing my new sari and T in his new favourite outfit - the Kurta pyjama. Just the idea of T getting to wear 'pyjama' to a formal event made him quite excited.

The wedding was to commence at 3.30pm so at 2.45pm Sheela (our cook) and Priya (our housekeeper) came over to assist in getting me into my sari. It took about 15 minutes and thankfully had the assistance of some pins! I felt a little strange but have to say quite like it.

The girls left and Priya went to get ready for the wedding at 3.15pm.... I started to get anxious we would be very late.... 3.30pm arrived, they hadn't ......3.45pm.... nothing so I called - yes yes maam we're coming.... (I am picturing a roll of the eyes down the line).  So at 4 pm we finally arrived for the 3.30pm wedding at Sacred Heart Cathedral and yes.... well we were about the only ones there. When will I learn, time means nothing in this town!!! Then at 4.30pm the bride arrives and we are ready for action.

The bride was lead down the aisle by heaps of family and friends, unlike at Christian weddings back home where someone gives the bride 'away' and she didn't look overjoyed by the whole occasion, which is also part of the deal I was told.

The service was obviously in Hindi which made it a bit tricky but S ran around the church, people came in and out, moved seats, chatted..... no one seemed to mind too much. Soon enough they were husband and wife, he removed the veil but no smooch :)

The bride and groom didn't leave the church straight away whereas most visitors took their leave. T,S and I were then summoned to the alter where we were to have some photos with the bride and groom. A little bit strange as I had never actually met either of them before but it was very nice.

Then we all exited the church to drums, dancing and much fanfare, S loved it (even being abducted by other guests - spot in video below)!!!

The band played, guests danced and many a rupee was thrown in the air in celebration!

We took our leave, took S home to bed and then returned at 8pm for the dinner. Now this is were you are on time apparently.... there is food, you are on time.

The tent was set up where all the food stations were and inside the bride and groom sat on the stage being congratulated by visitors and had their picture taken. The noise inside the hall battled with the noise of Dusshera fireworks lighting up the sky outside.

Sorry for blurred photo - taken on iPhone

We enjoyed some snacks of aloo kachori, deep fried potato covered in a chilli based sauce (with our without curd - your choice), Indian noodles (very spicy but very good), paneer curry, vege curries, naan, rice followed up with some ice-cream. We then talked with our friends for awhile before going into see the bride and groom who apparently have to sit on the stage for 2 - 3 hours!

After we paid our respects to the bride and groom it was time to go, the night dressed up in my a lovely sari was at an end. We thanked our host and entered the Delhi night leaving a wedding that was sure to go into the wee hours of the morning.

AFL in New Delhi

I love the Grand Final. It has always been a great day (ignoring St Kilda's recent appearances), especially in Melbourne where the whole town gets into the spirit and jumps on the band wagon of one team or another...... I was a bit keen to make sure that New Delhi captured a little bit of that feeling and celebrated the day so as to avoid those pangs of homesickness that can creep in around big occasions.

Well I need not have worried, Grand Final day was excellent here and the Aussie expat crowd all got in the swing of things, even those who didn't particularly like footy (unbelievable I know).

The festivities here kicked off at 9.30am, with bounce-down at 10am. The scene was set for a great day - bouncy castle and pottery making man for the kids, 'fair dinkum' Aussie pies, lamingtons and pavlovas from the Courtyard Marriott Gurgaon and the bar open for business.

No party is complete without a balloon arch ...

or a bouncy castle!

180 people turned up to enjoy the day, including members of a visiting U15's cricket team and the Ride2Rescue guys who are riding their bikes from London to Melbourne, a pretty amazing feat.

We had footy's to giveaway at half-time and everyone was enjoying an early morning sparkling or Coopers beer. There was even a chook raffle!

I have to say the pies were sensational and probably the highlight of the day ...



The pie...... YUM!

but the other brilliant element was that all these wonderful peeps, that are living so far from 'home', got together to celebrate a game of football over a pie and a beer - how Australian is that?

Oh and of course Geelong won which made the majority of the crowd very happy.

We are Geelong, the greatest team of all....................................... yes, yes you are!