Me Myself an "Iyer"

Day to ascertain my "Iyer"ship finally arrived after one year. This day is called called "Avani Avittam" in tamil (the ceremony of upkarma); might sound some fundoo "Iyer" jargons, but all it stands for is "the thread changing ceremony".

On a retrospective note, last year this day was quite an experience, when I was accompanied by three dear friends of mine for the ceremony, to the Pittsburgh SV temple. It was quite an interesting trip, where one of the guys was quite an orthodox one and the other two were there, for the sake of getting some "Iyer" shots and "patel" shots respectively. Before anyone abuses me for using too many "Iyer" jargons, let me tell you what "Iyer" shots means. Its a term coined right now by yours truly, which typically comprises of a tam Iyer topless and posing to show his sacred thread. Well, "Iyer"onically I myself am not the best judge of such things since I go for such ceromonies just because my mom asks me.

Having said that, I have often thought about issues on religion and stuff. Things like "Why does totti read Ramayan every morning?", is it just the inspiration that he finds in monogamy or is it Ravana or is it just because muthu asked him to? Why do I wear namam on my forehead or go to religious ceremonies and all? I really am not a believer kind of person, but still there is something that has always kindled me to get into these things. Will think over it sometime.. now that I am kind of jobless in life...

Anyways, getting back on track, this year I was out at this fantastic place called Komala Vilas, a typical south Indian restraunt prepared for this occasion. You should really visit the website of this restraunt, might arouse a couple of taste buds out there just by reading the stuff on the website. So this year, I was accompanied by chakka who came purely for checking out the food and I am sure he did come out satisfied. About the ceremony; this was probably the longest ceremony I had since I actually had the upakarma for the first ever time. Along with the ceremony were the "Iyer" special PJs by the priest, actually he did crack some cool ones. However, I was more amused watching an ABCD kid forced to do the ceremonies by his dad !! wonder why such people care to live here at all.

Well with that me sign off as a rejuvenated "Iyer" today and look forward to my plans to get "higher" tonite for the sole reason that... "Chappatti is here :)"
On second thoughts, just remebered chappati has been a teetotaler for a while now, since the time he left the US, so we might just have some cool desi grub and get high on that (like our dear friend charan always says.. "Ob!! Junta can get high on food..")