Eddie uncle was shouting on top of his voice “Where is this bloody Koosa gone. We need to finish this matov in an hour”.
It was roce at Abootaab’s house and he had decided to make it as traditional as possible. His older granddaughter Megan baay’s roce had turned into a talk of the town, for all the wrong reasons. From Megan’s clothes to her friend’s, from food to drinks, from the eggs that were hurled at the bride’s entourage – literally everything was talked about even to this day. I was small then, but I vividly remember the drunken dance party, the traditional ceremony of roce had turned out to be. Poor Megan had to bear the brunt of her parents and especially Abootaab for no fault of hers. Her friend’s who were promised a fun time had ruined the sanctity of the ceremony.
Even to this day she tells me “Neil, make sure you explain roce properly to your friends, before inviting them”
“Kale Megan baaye. I still have a good 8 to 9 years to get married”. She ruffled my hair with a broad smile.
Abootaab, an ex-military man had taken no chances and tasked Eddie uncle to organise the roce in a very traditional way. Well Eddie uncle knew a thing or two about roce as his daughters roce was also talked about- for all the right reasons.
I was the part of Eddie uncles task force. Eddie uncle had made a checklist of what needed to be done. He had decided to have food cooked at home – all the famed cooks of the parish were summoned and briefed about the menu, liquor was arranged from Abootaab’s defence quota and Eddie uncle had decided to follow the olden style of serving it in a veedr. Rachel’s attire of Kirgi Baazu was also stitched from one of Cecilia aunt’s old saree. Fish was to be bought from Gangolli bunder and Sanjeevanna was tasked to get the best fish possible at the auctions. Eddie uncle had a special squadron of small naughty boys to keep an eye on Rachels friends, so that they don’t sneak in some foul smelling mixture of beer and eggs, which had made him throw up at Megan’s roce. Everything was set, and I was all excited to be a part of it.
Finally, the day arrived. Eddie uncle woke up at 3:30 am to see to it that Sanjeeva had already left to Gangolli. He was supposed to call him with whatever fish he got, so that the cooks could prepare the masala for the fish curry. The menu was simple- rice, fish curry, tendli sukhe, and vorn. Megan and Rachel had insisted on a meat dish, so Eddie uncle reluctantly agreed for Mutton Polov. The food had to be ready by 6 pm and would be served at 9 pm. Abootaab was a strict time keeper and so was Eddie uncle.
With so much built up excitement, I could not sleep the whole night and was ready at Eddie uncle’s doorstep by 4 am. The whole Carmel ward was waiting for him at Abootaab’s mansion.
Eddie uncle begun the briefing “Good news. Sanjeeva has got Modmaso and Isovn. We are making Modmaso curry and Isovn fry. First, we shall make some pez and chutney for breakfast. Pakkaab and Mary bai will oversee the kitchen. Neil will arrange for all the ingredients needed. We need people in cutting, grinding, cleaning. Mutton is arriving at 11 am from Iqbal’s butchery- cut and cleaned”
Instruction rattled out from Eddie uncle’s mouth. He continued “For anything you require, just ask Neil. He will have it arranged. Remember, we need to cook for 400 people”. Mary bai and Pakkaab, were the foremost cooks and in their heydays had cooked for almost all ceremonies in the ward. Eddie uncle had utmost trust in them.
After sorting out the kitchen, Eddie uncle then turned his focus on the matov. Koosa, along with his 15 men equipped with bamboos, coconut palms, ropes and ladders were geared up for the task. Eddie uncle turned to me.
“Neil. Ask two of the women to be with them, preferably Jyothi and Paddhu”. I scrambled around and found Jyothi and Paddhu to help the men out. Eddie uncle had chalked out the area to be under the matov. An area for the stage was also marked and he had asked professional decorators to come at 3 pm. The stage would set in white- simple and elegant. I was surprised at this side of Eddie uncle. Then I realised the old man had baking experience in Kuwait and all this creativity and task management came from a chef’s kitchen, where everything is timebound.
The fish had arrived, the matov was underway. Mary bai had given me a list of items to be bought and I along with Ramesha went to Koteshwara for the ingredients. Shenoy’s shop was recommended by Eddie uncle, as the ingredients were fresh. We were also asked to get two blocks of ice for storing soft drinks, soda and fish if required. Eddie uncle had realised that everything cannot be done the way it was done back in the day. There were many things which were modified to the current generations liking.
As we came back with these ingredients, Koosa and team had already finished the matov meant for cooking, close to the well. A couple of electric grinders were installed and traditional ranni was custom built. Everything was going to be cooked with fire today. I had never seen such a magnificent sight in my life. About 20 people were in the kitchen. Mary bai pointed to the huge table, where we unloaded our rickshaw- onions, garlic, tomatoes, spices, kuvalo, chillies, tendli, rice, etc. Pakkaab and Mary bai, quickly settled into their main task- masala. They picked out the onions, chillies, coriander, pepper, cloves, cumin, turmeric and coconut and handed it over to the 10 ladies who were all excited, as it was the first time, they were a part of preparation of a roce. They cut like they had never cut before. Some preferred cutting boards and knives, while many preferred the traditional aadalo. Nevertheless, the grinders were churning with joy in an hour and Eddie uncle summoned everyone for breakfast.
As the grinders worked their way, everyone gathered around the huge modki of pez and helped themselves. Abootaab looked pleased. As a token of gratitude, he had arranged nice hot buns and hot tea from Vijaya’s hotel.
It was time to get back to work again. The ladies begun their cutting, while Pakkaab and Mary bai, again got a special fish fry masala from their rich experience. Mutton Polov masala was also readied. The atmosphere in the kitchen was festive, as if the pope was coming. Pakkaab had kept his staff alive, with singing and occasionally pulling one of the ladies’ leg.
Meanwhile, Koosa and his team was doing a fabulous job. The bamboo sticks were all in place and now the task of laying the palms was pending, which would be a piece of cake to Koosa’s team. To keep the tradition alive, Eddie uncle had proposed to have mandris or carpets to sit down, but Abootaab thought it would be too much for the current unfit and lazy generation. People would find it uncomfortable to sit and get up. Ivan arranged for chairs and Walter uncle provided two of his cooks, specially to fry fish on the spot and serve them hot. Food was to be served on counters, wherein Walter uncle’s men would serve. Eddie uncle also had suggested that coconut water be served as a welcome drink and accordingly two separate matov’s were set at the entrance. Looking at Eddie uncles excitement, Rachels roce was going to be one big coconut affair.
Everything was almost ready- the fish was cut and stored in a vessel over ice, mutton was nice and tender, masalas were ready, the Isovn was well marinated, tendli were ready to go over the fire. Karpo, a mixture of coconut and fried onions was ready to go along with anything. The kitchen was under control and so was Koosa and his team. They had finished their task, leaving it to the decorators to beautify it.
I, along with Ramesha had completed the task of stacking up beer and soft drinks in huge tubs. One huge chunk of ice went into the middle of every tub. Abootaab had decided to break tradition and go with an open bar, against Eddie uncle’s idea of veedr, which I believed, would turn the place into a chaos. All sorts of liquor from the defence colony seemed to be coming out of Abootaab’s cupboard. There was rum, gin, vodka, whiskey and even fenny. Abootaab was going all out in terms of fellowship. After all, he believed, drinking together is the best way to socialise- be it tea, be it whiskey. I never wanted this to get over. I had enjoyed the morning thoroughly. Eddie uncle’s efficient management had made everything smooth. Food was ready, liquor was ready, matov was ready and now it was time for us to get ready. This was the showdown as per Eddie uncle. He had given strict instructions to every male member of the ward to wear pudven and every female member to wear saree. This was the time, all the hard work at the back paid off he said.
Finally, it was time.
People began arriving and Abootaab, along with his son and other family members welcomed each of them, with a broad smile and a chembu of water and a plate of paan fod. It was surprising to me, that most of them touched the chembu and said “Paulen”. People knew about this, but no one followed it. Eddie uncle’s tender coconut idea was a hit and people really enjoyed fresh tender coconuts, cut and poured into glasses right before them. Megan Baay looked radiant in her saree and winked at me, reminding me the words she had told me in the morning.
For many of them this was the first time, they had seen a matov instead of the SHAMIANA. The decorators also had kept the tradition alive, with an elegant stage, made up with off white sarees and fresh flowers. There was a white deewan on the stage where Rachel and her maids would be seated in a while. Wilfy uncle, the most sought-after MC in the coastal belt was traditionally dressed and seemed excited. The famed brass band was playing old Konkani tracks. The atmosphere was charged.
Though I was a bit uncomfortable with my pudven, I had prepared well, by wearing shorts inside and a belt over the pudven. I was sure Megan baay would pull my pudven, despite Eddie uncle’s strict instructions not to do so. Since childhood, I was her favourite kid in the ward and all her pranks were directed towards me. The ceremony began.
Rachel, who looked drop dead gorgeous in her pinkish Kirgi Baazu, was invited to the stage. Her maids of honour also looked beautiful. The ceremony begun with a small prayer leading to the welcome speech by Abootaab’s son- Rachels dad. Rachel and her entourage were then led inside the house by some aunts to change. Quickly Ramesha and I, swapped the deewan to a bench, covered the whole area with plastic, so that the roce, would not flow across the other parts of the courtyard.
Rachel, along with her mom and dad, were led to the dais again, followed by her maids of honour and aunts, who were carrying roce plates. Earlier, Eddie uncle has supervised the extraction of the roce from fresh coconuts. Plates of roce and a small bowl of oil was neatly placed on a table in front of the huge bench, where Rachel and her entourage were now seated.
Cecilia aunty led the team of Vovyo singers. “Kaani ghalen Tel” was the beginning , when Rachel’s dad and mom began ,by pouring oil onto Rachels ears and then doing the same with her dhedyos. After this ,they applied roce onto their daughter and her maids. Vovyo singing was so dynamic that everyone wanted to be a part and smear roce onto Rachel. The ladies did a fantastic job and I could see many of them recording using their gadgets. There were no rotten tomatoes, eggs, beer or milk poured on Rachel. Eddie uncle’s special squad had given him top secret information that there would be some foul play and hence Eddie uncle had negotiated with Rachels friends that they could do whatever they wanted near the bathroom and not during the main ceremony. They obliged.
Rachel went for her bath and Cyrus uncle led everyone through a quick Amori and Ters. As Rachel came out , glowing like a star, Wilfy uncle announced the bar open. Ramesha and I again had cleaned up the roce area and covered it up with a huge carpet, which was the makeshift dance floor. On Rachels insistence , Eddie uncle had agreed for a small time DJ from our parish to play some music. He was good- at least looking at the way the crowd danced. Music was a mixture of traditional Konkani songs and Bollywood. At one point in time, there was a jugubandi between the DJ and the brass band artists. I am sure , this would not have happened even in the olden times.
Highlight of the ceremony was the food. One could see the pride in Mary bai and Pakkaab’s face. Everyone had their stomachs full. Sanjeeva’s choice of fish was marvellous. Liquor flowed like a fountain and people had a good time. It seemed like Megan baay’s roce was finally avenged. All thanks to Eddie uncle.
After everyone left, Eddie uncle , Abootaab and a few relatives sat down to relive the memories of the day.
The concluding remarks of Abootaab said it all
“Eddie. Dev Boren Karun tuka. I think you must start a Wedding planning business soon”.
